The 10 minute drawing project

Terry says I have a butterfly mind, so in 2017 I took to recording my life for a year - one snap at a time! Each day I took a photograph and posted it on my Instagram with the tag #thelivinglifeonedayatatimeproject.  I'm not sure I'm a better photographer, after all I just used my phone, but I enjoyed the habit, the discipline, the act of recording my life.  And now, with just one photograph short of the full year I have to decide: do I continue (more than likely, it's quite addictive) or move onto another daily practice?

The received wisdom is that practice makes perfect.  By doing something repeatedly you should get better, so 2018 is my year to see if I can actually become better at...drawing.  By allotting 10 minutes each day and limiting the media and subject I want to see if I can improve - I don't think I'll become a fine art master, that's not my plan,   what I hope to achieve is becoming more skilled at looking and recording.

I figure that 10 minutes is a manageable time scale that can be slotted into a busy life, just enough time to make some marks but not too long to become onerous.  So, who fancies joining me on this year long adventure ?

The  photography daily practice was easy - I just needed to remember to take the photograph and post it on Instagram.  I never missed a day - but (sssh, don't tell!) I did sometime post two on one day because I'd forgotten the previous day.  I plan to be equally as forgiving with myself in 2018, after all this is meant to be enjoyable. 

I also want to keep equipment to a minimum so here's what I'm going to start off using:

• small sketchbook with good quality paper (later in the year I may wish to use pen and ink/ water colour - my project so my rules!)
• 3 pencils - HB, 2B & 6B
• a Sharpie marker
• a fine line art pen - various nib sizes
• a Biro
• a graphite stick
• an eraser
• a scalpel for sharpening my pencils (you get a more interesting edge that way) 

Ever since I was a child I've wanted my own date stamp, obviously spent too long in the library as a child! So to record each day I also plan to use the date stamp Terry gave for my birthday this year.  I'm going to enjoy that: stamp, stamp, stamp!

Some weeks I may also use my iPad.  It's quite different to conventional tools, but as I have the iPad pro and pencil and I need to become more familiar with using it,  into my art bag it will go.

The last thing I need to do it set myself an appropriately timed reminder on my phone calendar - a gentle reminder to stop what ever madness I am doing and take 10 minutes to draw.  Yes, I think I'm going to enjoy that!

On Instagram I'll be using the tag #10minutedrawingproject, so if you feel inspired to join in don't forget to use it - I'd love to see you there!  I'll also post regular updates here on the blog and on our Facebook page as well.

Wishing you a very Happy and creative New Year!

Hazel & Terry

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