What is an art challenge?

If you’ve never taken part in an art challenge, it’s basically an art project that you do for a series of days. Many art challenges are a month long or 30 days but an art challenge can be as long or short as you want it to be. There are a lot of different art challenges that have been created by other artists that you can take part in, or you can even create your own.

See below or click here for a list of art challenges by month

Why you should take part in an art challenge

So why would you want to take part in an art challenge? There are lots of reasons and I will cover many of them below.

Accountability

Do you want to create art, but you never get around to it? That could be because of other commitments or procrastination. Whatever it is, an art challenge can help. There is something about deciding to take part in a challenge and publicly stating it online, that helps motivate you. It’s almost like you feel you are letting other people down if you don’t share that piece of art you promised. If you are taking part in an existing challenge you will also find that other artists who are doing the same will like and comment on Instagram to cheer you on.

To make a lot of art

An art challenge is a great way to make a lot of art. There are lots of reasons you might want to do this such as:

• To improve your technique in a certain medium
• To master drawing or painting a certain subject
• To create art for an exhibition or book
• To develop your art style
• To build a portfolio

To build a creative habit

An art challenge is also a brilliant way to build a creative habit. We have several people in our Facebook Group who have taken on the brave challenge of Kick365, to create a piece of art every day for a year. Several have kept going past the first year and are still going.

To improve your art

If you draw consistently for 30 days, 60 days or a year you will see improvements in your art. This will be even more noticeable if your focus is narrow, such as drawing the same subject or practicing with the same medium.

To connect with other creatives

Art challenges are a great way to connect with other artists. If you share your challenge art on Instagram, you will probably find other artists commenting on your work. This is a way to start building connections and ultimately friendships and collaboration partners.

For the enjoyment

An art challenge can be really fun, especially if you don’t put too much pressure on yourself. Make sure you work within any time constraints you have.

To try something new

There are so many different art challenges out there, why not use them to try something new. If you’ve never tried abstract art, give it a go in an abstract challenge. Who knows it could be the form of art you’ll most love doing. You’ll never know until you try.

How long are art challenges?

Like I mentioned before, many art challenges are 30 days or a month-long, but they don’t have to be. They can be as short or long as you want. I’ve set my own challenges that are 30 days, 50 days and 60 days long. Don’t feel you have to be totally rigid to a challenge either. Let’s say you decide to set yourself a 60 day challenge to paint flowers, but after a week you are totally sick of painting flowers, re-evaluate. Work out if it’s just a bit of shiny object syndrome, in which case push on for at least another week. If you realize you simply hate painting flowers, then adapt your challenge. It could be people with flowers in their hair, or plants in general etc etc.

The benefit of taking part in an existing art challenge

One of the benefits of taking part in an existing art challenge is that other artists taking part will help cheer you on, as long as you use the challenge hashtag. Plus you could stretch yourself by choosing a challenge that forces you to try something new.

The benefit of creating your own art challenge

One of the benefits of creating your own challenge is that you can tailor it to your exact needs and the time you have. For example, I created a challenge called 50 Ways to Draw a Face. The idea behind the challenge was to find one reference photo and then experiment with it to inspire 50 pieces of art. This was helpful to me as it forced me to try different things each day. It also meant I didn’t waste time looking for a “perfect” reference photo each day. We have now made 50 Ways to Draw a Face into an official Kick in the Creatives Challenge. You can take part at any time during the year and adapt it to suit you.

Art challenges to do with friends

You can do any of the art challenges we share below with a friend so you can cheer each other on.

Some other ideas for art challenges with friends are:

To create each other an art box with materials to a value of whatever you decide between you. Then challenge your friend to create something with it. Here’s how we got on.

https://youtu.be/b1vf6TYuuQY

Swap art and work on each others’. I have seen a few collaborations on Instagram where two artists start a piece of work and then swap it with a friend to continue. If you don’t live locally you could do this digitally.

Decide on an art prompt and then you all create a piece of art based on that prompt. Sandra did this years ago with an online art friend when they were both having an art block.

List of Art Challenges by Month

January Art Challenges

Art Journal January – A month long daily art journaling challenge.

The January Challenge – a fun free creative challenge from 64 Million Artists.

Quick Kick January – Daily abstract photo challenge.

Aqua January – Daily watercolor art challenge.

Creatuanary – Create a Daily creature.

30 Day Sketchbook Challenge – a sketching challenge from Susan Yeates.

100 day Project – Set your own 100 day challenge (the starting date and month for this challenge varies from year to year).

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

February Art Challenges

February Faces – Daily face art challenge.

Quick Kick February – Daily Painting Challenge Using non art tools.

Figuary – Figure drawing challenge from Love life Drawing.

Styluary – February Art Styles Challenge. Be inspired by a famous artist every day.

Fairyary – Draw a daily fairy.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

29Faces – A challenge to create 29 faces takes place in February and December.

March Art Challenges

Magical March – Draw one magical girl each day.

Quick Kick March – Daily nature photo challenge.

March Mixed Media Art Challenge – Create a piece of mixed media art every day.

5 Minute March – Speed Drawing Challenge. Daily 5 minute sketch.

March of Robots – Draw a robot a day throughout March.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

0ne Week 100 people – Draw 100 people in a week in March.

April Art Challenges

Inky April – Ink Drawing Challenge.

April Colors – A 30 day art challenge including some color related prompts.

Abstract Art April Painting Challenge – 30 day daily abstract painting or drawing challenge.

Quick Kick April – Continuous Line Drawing Challenge.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

May Art Challenges

Blooming Marvellous May – Daily flower art challenge.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

Miniature May Art Challenge – Daily miniature art challenge.

Mermay – Draw a mermaid every day in May.

Tinker Lab May Art Challenge – Daily sketchbook challenge..

Quick Kick May – Daily non-dominant hand drawing challenge.

Every Day in May – A daily sketch challenge, run by a Facebook Group.

June Art Challenges

Junicorn – Daily unicorn drawing. The origin of this challenge is unknown.

ICAD challenge from Daisy Yellow – An index card a day challenge. Create a mini piece of art every day for 61 days.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

Tonal June – Daily painting challenge using just one color (plus white).

Quick Kick June – Daily cartoon challenge.

Copyist June Art Challenge – Replicate a sketch, drawing or painting by a master or from an art book, every day.

Kaijune – Daily monster drawing (Kaiju is a monster movie genre from Japan). Use the hashtag ​​#kaijune.

July

Kick Urban Sketching Challenge – Daily urban sketching challenge to create an urban sketch every day in July.

Portrait July – Face Drawing Challenge – Daily face drawing challenge throughout July.

Quick Kick July Drawing Challenge – Create a simple drawing ‘upside-down’, every day throughout the month of July.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

August

31 Animals August- Art Challenge – Create and share a piece of animal art, every day for 31 days.

Smaugust – Smaugust is a monthly dragon drawing challenge that takes place in August on Instagram – use the hashtag #smaugust

inchie challenge from Amy Maricle – Make a 2 inch art piece every day for 12 days August 16-27th.

August Trio – Daily Painting Challenge using 3 primary colors plus white.

Quick Kick August Drawing Challenge – Create a drawing or painting every day on toned or coloured paper.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

September

Coloricombi – A color combination art challenge. There will be fifteen x two color combinations to use through September in your art.

Scriptember – Daily Hand Lettering Challenge. Use lettering or calligraphy to write and create an inspirational quote every day. You can write out an existing quote or create your own.

Sketchathon September – Create a daily sketch throughout September.

Quick Kick September – Daily blind contour drawing challenge.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

October

Creeptober – Halloween themed October art challenge to create something creepy every day.

Inktober – Daily ink drawing throughout October.

Quick Kick October Sketching Challenge – Pick just ONE subject and sketch it daily throughout the month.

Drawlloween – A Halloween at inspired challenge.

Aninktober – Draw animals in ink. A challenge from Alberto Sting.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

November

Huevember – Create a drawing per day using one main hue in any medium.

Posevember – Daily Figure Drawing Challenge.

Kick Collage Art Challenge – Experiment with collage in your work every day throughout November.

Quick Kick November Drawing Challenge – Create a daily drawing with a brush and ink (or paint if you don’t have ink) WITHOUT using a pen or pencil first.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

December

Doodling December – Daily doodle challenge.

Digital Art December – Create and share a piece of daily digital art throughout the month.

CarveDecember – Carve, print, and post a stamp every single day in December.

Doodle Wash – Monthly watercolor challenge.

Quick Kick December – Daily festive drawing challenge.

Weekly Art Challenges

FacetasticFriday – Weekly instagram challenge to draw the face provided.

Kick52 – Year long weekly sketch challenge. Create a weekly drawing for 52 weeks.

Still Here, Still Life drawing challenge – Weekly still life challenge.

Room Portrait Club – Weekly challenge to draw your room/part of your room.

100 Heads Challenge – Ok it’s actually 10 days not a week, but the idea is to draw 100 heads in 10 days.

Anytime Challenges

50 Ways to Draw a Face – Draw 50 faces using one reference photo as a starting point.

Whatever challenge you choose or create, make sure you have fun!