The First 10 Days of My 100 Day Project Sketchbook (With Video Flip-Through)
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We’re Ten Days In!
If you’re just joining me, I’m doing The 100 Day Project for my 10th year - this time with a sketching practice I’m calling Creative Drifting. (You can read more about why I chose this theme and what creative drifting means HERE.)
But today? I want to show you what these first 10 days actually looked like - the wonky cups, the fruit sketches, the moment I sketched clothespins twice in one day and realized I was actually having fun.
Below you’ll find each day’s sketches along with what I was exploring. And at the end, I’m sharing the tools and resources that helped me get started (because if you’ve been thinking about sketching but don’t know where to begin… I’ve got you).
Let’s dive in.
Day 1:
I decided to start with a blind contour drawing and then a contour drawing of the same image. Blind contour always look so wonky but there is something about the process I really enjoy.
Day 2:
Sketchbook practice with pencil, pen, and a touch of watercolor. Exploring blind contour drawing, loose contour lines, and simple value studies. Learning how to draw a cup from observation is trickier than it looks, but that’s the point of a daily sketching practice. 🙄 Small studies. Imperfect lines. Creative drifting, one sketch at a time.
Day 3:
Every day “art” objects sketched with pen. 🖋️ I decided to add the reference so I took a photo, printed and glued into my sketchbook. It will be nice to look back and recall what I was sketching.
Day 4:
Bubble tree sketches with pen, pencils and watercolor. I learned this fun technique from @viola.artstudio. 🌳
Day 5:
I’m really enjoying starting with a blind contour as a warm-up. There’s something about not looking at the page that loosens everything up and quiets the overthinking.
The first sketch (bottom right) began with a Uniball broad pen blind contour and was finished with watercolor.
The second sketch was all about layering — crayons, pencils, Stabilo, and tempera paint sticks. A little more bold, a little more playful. Did this following along with @viola.artstudio during a live sketching session. 🍅
Both count. Both part of the drift.
Day 6:
One everyday object. Different pens. Different pencils. Different approaches. Turns out a simple clothespin has a lot to teach. ✏️ Sketching lesson with @susanyeatesartist I loved this...so fun. ❤️
Day 7:
These sketches are of pomegranates “disguised as tomatoes” and I did this following along with @viola.artstudio during a live sketching session. Check out her Patreon where she shares lots of lives. 😊
The first one is the blind contour version and then I added the color.
Day 8 and 9:
These are from a Skillshare lesson: Thumbnail Sketching: Improve Your Art by Thinking Small with Toby Haseler @tobysketchloose
The focus was on composition...quick, small studies before committing to anything bigger. And honestly? I found them so freeing. Not precious. Not overworked. Just fast decisions and moving on.
And those little doodled people… I had way too much fun with them.
Thinking small might be something I explore more. It takes the pressure off and keeps the momentum going.
Day 10:
Timed sketching with Nathalia Velásquez @puapualena via her Patreon.
The four at the top were one minute each warm ups and the lemon was 3 minutes. It is amazing doing these timed as it removes too much over thinking. Most of these are done with pencils, crayons and markers.
WHAT HELPED ME GET STARTED?
In keeping with the idea of drifting, I’ve been watching different videos and lessons from different people to get a variety of perspectives. Some days I follow along with a live session. Other days I work through a recorded class at my own pace.
This approach has kept me motivated and curious - and honestly, it’s kept me from getting bored.
If you’re interested in exploring a sketching practice of your own, here are the teachers, classes, and tools that made these first 10 days possible.
🔗 Susan Yeates: Susan has a vast amount of resources both free and paid for sketching HERE.
🔗 Viola Hortová: I joined Viola’s Patreon where she has a ton of videos and does live sketch alongs each month. Check out her Youtube and Instagram for lots of inspiration.
🔗 Nathalia Velásquez: Check out Nathalia’s Patreon for lots of sketching inspiration. During her live sessions, I have really enjoyed the timed sketching. It is challenging but fun to limit yourself to short sketching times. See her Youtube and Instagram for lots of inspiration.
🔗 Toby Haseler: I adore Toby’s loose style and easy teaching manner. Find him on Instagram and Youtube. He also has a free course called Become an Artist in Just One Week. He also has a Patreon.
Curious to see what happens next?
I’m sharing all 100 days in one place. 👇🏻
The 100 Day Project Companion
Available in Print + Digital download
Notice, Reflect and Stay Connected
Whether this is your first year or your fifth, having support without pressure makes all the difference. The 100 Day Project Companion offers gentle structure, thoughtful prompts, and space to notice what’s unfolding - without needing to track every detail or stay perfectly on schedule.
