Monthly Art Challenges!

I was thinking, in addition to the three challenges, that we could also have a monthly 'artist workout' prompt-- like the 'draw 100 ______', character expression meme, speedpaints, or a 30-day theme challenge where every day you pick a theme and sketch something based on that theme. But that might be better off as its own thread. (I sort of think of it like, the challenges encourage you to put a lot of effort into a single illustration, while the workouts would emphasize creating a large volume of rough practise work. Both encourage you to step outside your comfort zone and help you improve, but using different methods.)

What do you guys think? :>

I like that idea. I was going to say you could keep that in this thread too, but then I thought about it and I guess having a separate one wouldn't be a bad idea. Since those workout type challenges see to involve a larger volume of work, people could keep posting their progress as they go along. Then it wouldn't clutter up this challenge thread. I'd be fine either way though.

Wooo~ Totally doing this! And I agree about the limited palette challenge! (I cannot wait for a favorite scent one too! That will be fun~~~)

Yeah, that was my main concern with putting them together. xD
We can always link the two threads to each other, too.

Edit:
Okay, I went ahead and made a workout thread!
I'm thinking of starting off easy, with a simple free-for-all 'draw every day' prompt. But if that's too easy I can use one of the other ones I have saved! :> (I pretty much do that anyway but I get the feeling most people on here don't, from the number of 'I need to draw more!' comments I've seen.)

Ah, I know one, not sure how it will pan out...

Artist workout would beeee figure drawing in a sense--more like gesture drawing or take it as like pose workouts.

For anyone who is iffy about seeing nude models, it's better not to click these links!
There are some sites that offer posed models to aid people in figure drawing:

Spoiler:

While nothing beats a model in real time, these are fine tools for getting used to poses or quick references for just gesturing.

There's also: http://senshistock.deviantart.com
SenshiStock has great poses that I use for quick gesturing or sustained pose laying out for the practice.

The workout could be like...spend 1min per pose and do a total of 25 or like spend 30 seconds and do a total of 50.

---x---

OH OH, one I always hate doing LOL
FACE ANGLES -n-;
Especially head-on looking up or down.

another edit XDD
-Blind drawing (something I absolutely hate)

I already had figure drawing on my list for future workouts but I added in your links! (If anyone else has good links to stock photos for figure drawing, feel free to send those too!)
Side note about nudity: Pixelovely has an option to exclude nude models, for anyone who would be uncomfortable with that. (And neither link contains nudity right on the front page, in case you're not sure.)
Additionally, Pixelovely has an animal-drawing tool! it could be fun to have an animal-drawing gesture workout in addition to a human one.

The face angles one is also good!

Ooh, I like the gesture drawing idea. One with animals could be great, too!

I think it is fine to start off with a simple "draw every day" challenge, but I'm curious. Does this mean a finished piece every day? Or just a sketch? Or just... anything at all? Would working on the same piece once a day count?

it can be anything, even a super-quick or messy sketch, and it doesn't need to even be complete, but the idea was something new every day. (so working on one picture for several days in a row wouldn't count.) I'll be sure to clarify in the post. C:
(the way I see it, workouts are quantity>quality; they're practise drawings that will help you improve in the long run, though on their own they're probably not going to be very impressive.)

ALSO: updated the first post with February's challenges! I'll get the workout and some suggestions for the palette challenge up in the next couple days.

Yay for February's challenges!

I'll be honest, I was hoping that the colour palette challenge would be to a set palette because I'd find it interesting to see what different people could come up with using the same palette. Also it might force people to use colours they might not have normally. Maybe another time, hehe.

This way is good too. It can be a challenge for some just to limit their palette to 5 colours. And fun either way! I think I'm going to wait for you to post the suggested palettes though. =)

The other ones should be fun to try as well!

Yeah, I'm planning to add in a couple palettes, but I wanted to leave it open! (Just in case someone uses the set palettes all the time or something. xD But perhaps I'll recommend using the set? And I feel like palettes challenge will be returning either way; this type of challenge tends to be pretty popular.)

Nice, thanks for the links! I already use Posemaniacs quite a bit, but I hadn't heard of the other one. They've got some very nice stock photos on there. I really like the dramatic lighting ones.

Oh I can't wait to start these challenges, and so many fantastic ideas too!

I'll wait for the suggested palette also, as I would like to see how different people go about making use of it, and I easily fall into the trap of selecting colours that are relevant to my setting hehe.

I was actually already working on a genderbent piece, and it really does get you thinking about what would change and why.

I think genderbends are really interesting! Though it irks me when people don't do it properly and use it as an excuse to draw a normal-looking male character as a stripperiffic Escher Girl. >:| (Or alternatively, when it looks like exactly the same character with a slight difference in curvyness, because that's just boring.)

On another note, how many suggested palettes is a good number? (I'm thinking 3 or 4...?)

The problem I came across was how to draw the face in a way that they might at least look related if not the same person.
I perhaps chose a boring character to try this on though, when they are restricted to a uniform outfit, it then becomes how it differs between the genders and how the other would choose to wear it, whilst taking into account their personality.

Also, 3 is a good starting point.

I'm still trying to think of a good character to use for the genderbending challenge. There are a lot of possibilities for that one...

And I agree, 3 or so sounds like a good number for the palettes.

Updated with suggested palettes! U:

so when we're done with the picture(s) of this month challenges, we post them in this thread, right?


(edit) also, do the entire page have to be filled in? Or can we just put a lot of effort into a headshot, and make it png?

Yes, that was the idea! C: (It's not required obviously but I'm sure everyone would like to see what everyone else has done.)

So whats this month's challenge?
or next month's, maybe a little late for this month

I think this thread has suffered a bit from a critical affliction of Being Forgotten XD;; BUT PERHAPS IT IS NOT TOO LATE FOR A RESURRECTION. Time to pick a new challenge, maybe?

well, no one did the ones I had posted; was that due to forgottenness or disinterest? If people are still interested in doing those ones but just forgot about it I will leave them up and change the date; if not I can dig up some new ones. (But I remember a lot of people seemed into the ones I picked when we were tossing around ideas?)

I didn't completely forget this thread myself, but I didn't see a point in posting new ones every month if no one was doing them. xD;;;

For me it wasn't forgetfulness or disinterest; it was just that the thread sadly went up during a very busy time for me. I actually started one of the challenges but got too caught up in schoolwork. I felt really sad about that because all of them are fantastic, and I still do plan on finishing what I started. Even if the deadline is long passed. xD; (I just finished school and most likely am graduating, soooo I should have more free time if all goes well? I hope!)

Also, I hope she doesn't mind me saying this, but Selini showed me some sketches she had for one of the challenges which were fantastic. I think she just became very busy as well. We were talking about this thread though and how we didn't want it to die...

Just wanted to let you know it wasn't forgotten though, and it would be cool if we could revive this and give it another go. Like I said I still plan on finishing at least one of those challenges eventually, but if you want to try new ones that would be cool too. (I don't think it should be a problem if people still want to try old ones after the new ones have been posted, right?)

For me it was because... well i just found this thread XP

Ok, how about we keep the current ones through may, then plan to post new ones in june? I'd love for you guys to have time to finish and post yours; I can't wait to see them!