5 Summer Art Challenges
Creative challenges for artists, poets, musicians, and more~
Every time summer rolls around, I want to do an art challenge. I don’t know what it is about the long days that makes an abundance of creative energy, but I’ve always got some sort of project going on. It’s usually something with my artistic friends or strangers on Twitch, but sometimes I do these challenges alone.
Today I’ve compiled a list of great art challenges that you can do this summer (or any other season really) to hone your creative skills and build community. These are challenges I’ve done myself and challenges that people have recommended to me! Most of these can be done year round.
The 7 Day Art Challenge
Solo or group | 7 days | Any material | Anytime
7 starts in 7 days. Each day of the challenge you start a new project: a new painting, drawing, blog post, song, sculpture, sketch- whatever it is you make. The goal is not to complete the project you start each day, but to leave it unfinished until the end of the week. By day 7, you will have 7 starts to 7 different projects and you get to choose what is actually worth your time to continue and complete.
By creating ‘starts’ with no intention of finishing, you eliminate perfectionism and the need for it to be ‘good’. Your focus will return to the techniques and in generating new ideas. Kind of like pruning a plant
I created the @7dayartchallenge to help get rid of the creative block. It’s a week long art challenge that is highly adaptable to any craft and short enough that you won’t lose steam. You could do this anytime with friends, or when the Instagram @7dayartchallenge does an official week, usually twice a year.
ArtSlam
Solo or group | 30, 60, or 90 days | Any material | June, July, August, September
What was once a bustling art community on LiveJournal, ArtSlam is now a self lead project you can do by yourself or with a group of determined art friends.
Timeline: ArtSlam is not for the faint of heart and takes a big commitment to do. When deciding to do an artslam, you will choose easy (30 days), medium (60 days), or hard (90 days). When you choose the length of the slam, you are committing to it. There is no downsizing the challenge, but if you want to work longer, you can add difficulty.
The ArtSlam starts on the first day of the month, in June, July, August, or September.
Theme: Pick a theme for the entirety of the project: A comic a day about depression, a sketch a day using a new color each day, a new portrait painting every day of people you know, etc. The theme needs to be big enough that you can make 30+ days of art off of, but not so vague that you lose enthusiasm.
Sharing: Each day when you make something for the Slam, you are to share it with someone or post to social media. It doesn’t matter if it is good or beautiful- you must share it every day. The secret benefit of the slam is getting more eyes on your work through sharing and letting other people encourage you through the ArtSlam.
In the past I’ve done a portrait a day in watercolors, did drawings using the alphabet as inspiration, and made a tiny 3x3 inch abstract painting every day. The Slam is intense and get’s you into the mud of creating. You will learn about your limitations and where the creative block wants to roar it’s head. You will learn to love new materials and push the boundaries of the theme you’ve chosen.
Do you need a cheerleader for an ArtSlam? I volunteer! Please feel free to send me images of what you make for ArtSlam over on instagram. I love seeing what you are making.
Doodle Addicts Drawing Challenge
Solo or community | 3 weeks or weekly | drawing | year round
This website is a fabulous way to get challenged in the drawing realm. Doodle Addicts have a weekly challenge if you are a member, and monthly challenges if you are not. There’s sometimes a prize for the winner and community members will give a popular vote too. Their last challenge had 50+ entries, so this is a bustling community.
Follow Doodle Addicts Instagram or click the button for their website.
The 30-Day Sketchbook Challenge
Solo | 30 Days | Drawing and painting | year round
Sometimes you can come up with your own challenges and other times you could use a guide book. Minnie Smalls book will take you through 30 days of unique sketchbook prompts and exercises. After you get the book, all you need is: a sketchbook, some pencils or watercolors, and a bit of time each day to create.
This might be a future Art Book Club pick!
Weekend Painting Marathon
Solo or group | 3 days | painting | year round
This challenge takes a little bit of organization, but the pay off is an unbelievable transformation of your work. I’m a big fan of doing this with a small group, about 3-5 other artists, and having them chip in on the set up expenses. You can do this by yourself too as an extended artist date, or set up a live stream and have an online community to support you.
What you’ll need: A space to create, time in the schedule, caffeine, painting materials, and a theme. Think: portrait painting, landscape work, watercolor botanicals, etc. It could be fun to hire a model, to work in all abstraction, to go out into the field, or whatever other themes you can think of.
Where: If you have a group, I recommend renting a big studio space for you all to work together in. Maybe it’s a garage, maybe you can do it outside in the plein air, maybe there is a classroom you can use at a local art school, or use someone’s house.
If solo, in your studio! Clean it well before the marathon begins so you don’t have to worry about anything before hand.
Time: Block off a Friday-Sunday with nothing on the calendar. The painting marathon is 8 hours of painting a day, with a group critique at the end on Sunday.
8am - meet for set up,
9am-1pm - Painting session
1- 2:30 pm - Lunch break where you order food in, do a potluck style picnic, or go out to lunch together.
2:30-6:30pm - Second painting session (last day, do a critique in this time)
6:30-7pm - Clean up
Painting Marathons can be a huge community builder, get you to confront yourself about your bad habits, and push your art skills forward tremendously. High effort, high reward.
Do you have an art challenge you do each summer? I want to hear about it! Send me a dm and I’ll try it out.
Host and artist Stephanie Scott breaks down the practicality of the art career with topics including: sustainable creative practices, social media skills, and the mindsets that keep it all together. New episodes every Tuesday!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephaniescott.art/
Website: http://www.stephaniescott.art/brushwork
Music by @winepot https://www.instagram.com/thewinepot/
Podcast Cover photo by Maryna Blumqvist https://instagram.com/picturemaryna