Why I Need a Challenge to Paint and Why It Can Help You, Too

An art challenge for all artists, beginners or advanced

Everyone needs a challenge

I haven’t been painting much in the past year. I am not sure why. But I know that every time I’m given a challenge — say to paint for 30 days — I get excited and make the time.

This year is no exception. When I saw the headline 100 Days to Paint, I thought no way, that’s too long. But then I thought again. It doesn’t say to paint masterpieces. It says take 10 to 15 minutes to do a quick painting. If you have longer, you can do longer but don’t fret about it. Just do it.

Here are 5 reasons to take this challenge:

1. Discipline to paint

In 1996, I took a painting course with Gary Chapman. I’ll never forget the words he said that day, “If you learn anything from this course, learn this, you will never become a painter unless you paint.” Now, did I do what he said? No. I took the course. I went home and put the paints on my shelf until the next course another year. I did that for eight years.

2. Relax muscles and tension

When you are given a time limit you paint faster, you think less, and you discover more about yourself. Yes, you will have failures. But those are okay. Failures lead to successes.

“You’ll always miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” — Wayne Gretzky

3. Build a portfolio

By painting every day, we will be able to analyze our work. And we will get better (I’m told) because repetition develops style. It may change how we see ourselves. What worked? What didn’t?

4. Get more followers

By posting to Instagram, Facebook and Medium we can expand our readership. Well, I hope that one works. I would love to increase my readership. :)

5. Feel good about accomplishment

I’ve done 6 out of 100 but I am excited to see those paintings build in a pile.

If you are not a painter, you can use the same ideas to write. Anyone want to join a challenge to write every day?

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Psalm 104:24, NIV)

I joined the #the100dayproject. You can find the challenger on Instagram at Dothe100dayproject or join my free group on Facebook “Monthly Art Creations”.