100 Days

So in January, I signed up for an online challenge called the 100 Day Project. You pick a thing (it can be anything) and then do it for 100 days. I think the point is to build a creative habit, and 100 days is enough time to actually accumulate a body of work.

Full disclosure: I signed up to do this last year. I think I might have lasted 10 days, maybe. The project might have been simultaneously too big and too restrictive. I was so disappointed in myself!

This year, I was determined. I deliberately chose something that would be quick and portable. The plan? Make small sketches that could maybe potentially be carving patterns for later. The restrictions? Size-these were all done on 3x3” Post-It notes. Subject matter-no restrictions.

And we were off! First, let me tell you that the “quick” part is laughable. Some of these little sketches took much more time than you might think. The portable part, though-that was a big help. I didn't usually have a plan-I’d just sit down & start to draw. It was 7 weeks before I drew something that didn’t look like a micrograph. (Hey-the tagline here is “Where art meets science”, right?)

The project was completed in 100 days. I’m pretty proud of that. And I achieved the goal. Some of them are very carve-able, and I'm already making plans to incorporate them. And some are definitely in the “never ever am I carving this” pile. To see them all, check out ArtSci designs on Instagram. Or come over-they’re all hanging on the side of my refrigerator, and I absolutely love how they look together. I have some favorites (but, honestly, my “favorites” change every day). Which one speaks to you?