Week 5 of my gatherfiltermake100 project: draw every day for 100 days.

Hello!

I kicked off a project to draw every day for 100 days on July 1st. You can read all about it here, and get my hot tips on how to manage a daily drawing challenge like this here (I’ve done three daily drawing challenges since 2020).

So, I’m here with the round up for week 5. Although I’m posting this mid-week, I’m making this a week’s round up, so I keep these posts manageable.

The takeaway for this week is that I finally feel like I’m in the swing of this 100 day drawing project! I wanted to acknowledge that because I think it’s important to notice that it can take AGES to feel in the swing of a drawing project like this! For anyone wavering and struggling to keep going, this is a gentle nudge to say: keep going! I remember this from last projects I’ve done - it really is a struggle at first. I think I’ve taken longer to settle into it as well, because of the Kings Cross Illustration fair coming at the beginning, which dominated the last two weeks before this one, as you might have seen in my last post.

Why am I feeling more in the swing? I think it’s a mixture of things. I’m going to list them below, which will hopefully be useful for ME and for YOU

1. I changed materials. This was prompted by seeing that Charlotte Durance Naomi Tipping and kathryn boyt were hosting the #3materialsdrawingchallenge this week. As I wrote about in my last post (I jumped the gun and started early). And I enjoyed it so much, I just decided I would join in when I wanted, even though I was officially still a week early1. And I’m so glad I did - I needed the jumpstart. I think I had (unintentionally) been taking the challenge a bit too seriously. As I reflected last week, I was getting a bit of stage fright; And I think I fell into the all-too-easy trap of trying to make useful and good sketches. And then this week, I finally got into a more playful, relaxed mindset. (that’s not to say I didn’t have glimpses of this over the last 26 days, but I can feel a shift this week).

2. I kept going! As always, I had days where I was feeling VERY tired, resistant, and that I didn’t have time! But when that happened, I reminded myself, just do something to keep going! I chose the easiest option I could think of, and just did what felt doable. And looking back, I feel really pleased that I kept going.

3. I didn’t (always) leave it until the end of the day! This is something I am still working on, but I tried to nudge myself to do the sketch earlier in the day. I think this works two ways: A) as you see below, it frees you up to do another relaxed sketch later in the day if you want, as you’ve already done a “back-up” sketch. B) I guess this is obvious, but it’s one less thing on your “to-do” list for the day.

And a note on that last point: the other big theme for the week - despite the fact that I feel I’m settling into it - has been the feeling that my daily drawing was hanging over me as a job on my to-do list all day. But… the difference this week is that because I’m feeling more in the thick of the project, I think the drawings/artwork are coming more easily, so once I do finally get to them they feel better, less of a struggle, and the decision-making is easier; the hand is moving with less hesitation. And even though I’ve felt very resistant before starting, it’s also very rewarding during and afterwards. So I think that’s progress, right?!

Ok, I’ll let the daily drawings do the talking now. I tried to take photos and post in my Notes when I remembered, so I’m posting the (slightly edited, to take out repeated tagging etc) words I accompanied each post with, where I remembered, and the rest is what I remember feeling as I write this post today (which I’ve written in italics).

Let me know how your gatherfiltermake100 challenge is going! It’s not too late to join! The best time to join in was July 1st, the second best time is now! (I’ve nicked this from one of my favourite wise people Gretchen Rubin )! And remember, I made a special chat thread for my subscribers joining in - do say hello over there too!

OK, on with the show!

Today, inspired by the #threematerialsdrawingchallenge I took three Posca pens down to the river with me. I really enjoyed playing with the three colours and trying to knock the scene into shape. Fun!

*I’m a week early for this, but I’m feeling inspired, so I’m going with it!

(Note from today - I remember feeling SO MUCH enjoyment from making this piece. The sun was glistening on the water, it was late afternoon, and I had finished work for the day. It felt like a bit of a squeeze to fit it in, but I clocked off half an hour early to get this done.)

Today I sat by the river and decided to draw passers-by using three materials again - a marker pen, a Stabilo Woody and a double-ended pencil. Enjoying the tangle of and contorted limbs as I attempted to capture walking movement! Ha!

(Note from today - I remember feeling quite enthusiastic as I set out, but I didn’t enjoy the materials I chose, and suddenly time was slipping through my fingers. SO I decided to draw people as they walked along using three materials. I remember feeling at the time that it felt like progress from my previous people sketches (in graphite pencil) that I was managing to draw people whilst switching between materials, despite the wonkyness!)

As you can see, I’ve been in the garden! Always a challenge to draw all that foliage, but also - an enjoyable challenge!

Still enjoying the challenge of drawing with just three materials (or 4 - I don’t mind a bit of a cheat). I’m a week early!! But can’t stop!

(Note from today - I needed to include flowers in the book I’m currently in the middle of sketching for, so I decided to draw flowers in the garden for research. I remember feeling really in the flow for these. This was a day that I did a “backup sketch” in the morning, which meant that the other two sketches felt like bonus sketches, which added to an extra relaxed feeling when I started.)

I was feeling SUPER tired on this day. I had had a really concentrating day of sketching (for my new book) in the studio, and I didn’t want to do any more drawing, I just wanted to sit in front of the telly and eat chocolate! So I cut some flowers from the garden and sketched while I vegged on the sofa! I don’t love the sketch, but it was an important keep-going one! Well done past me!

As I was cycling back from the garden centre (my panniers full of half-price, slightly browning plants I’m hoping to rescue) I stopped to do my daily drawing by the river as it was looking so beautiful!

Working in three materials again - this is made with peach and red paint sticks and a sky blue Tombow!

(Note from today - I was having such a lovely day shopping for plants I didn’t really want to stop, but I caught that thought, looked at how beautiful it was, and as I cycled past another bridge by the river I thought: if I stop and do my drawing now, future Ella will thank me, AND you’ll enhoy yourself, because look how beautiful it is! Well done (again) past me!)

I’m calling this 2/7 of the #threematerialsdrawingchallenge even though I accidentally used 4 materials (5 of you count the “magic” pen)! Oops! When I started I thought: I won’t count the magic pen, concluding I had 3 materials, but clearly I was in Sunday Brain mode! Ahh well. I’m posting anyway! I sat on the kitchen doorstep to do this, and enjoyed a slightly different view of the garden.

I thought the magic pen would be more fun than it was! I might try and distress the tip for another day; I found it a bit neat.

And that’s the last week, up until Sunday. I got super confused about the days as I did this post; I knew I would once we moved out of July, when I could just check the date to know what day it was. So note to self for the future: write the days on your post as you go!

I’ve started a draft for this week, and will post on Monday next week, I hope.

I’ve just, as of today, finished a sketchbook, so I’ll film a sketchbook look-though video for paid subscribers when I get the chance.

Onwards! If you’re joining in with your own 100 day challenge, let me know in the comments. Join me here by tagging me on any posts or Notes or over on Instagram using the hashtag #gatherfiltermake100. You can join anytime, just start with 1/100 and carry on from there!

If you enjoyed this, please do give it a like and share it with a friend, and help me appease the algorithm Gods!

Until next time!

Ella xx