I nearly gave up on this year’s 100 Day Project, but I have managed to pull myself through this creative block and general exhaustion to spend some time carving the creatures. The most recent creatures have been beetles, bugs, and cats. Each sort of highlighted what I was missing when I started.
Missing may not be the right word, but an understanding of what I was seeing.
The Visitors
I enjoy taking out of focus photos of creatures, especially if I can at least get the composition right. In my head I think, if anything, I can draw this scene and highlight what I like about this thing.
I thought I would highlight the recent creatures that have been part of my return to the project.
The Assassin
As I was tidying up the kitchen, I noticed an assassin bug climbing the wall behind the stove. The first time I saw one, it was waiting on a sunflower. Which is when I learned they mostly wait for bees or other pollinators to come by. There is this kissing bug variety that can get you sick, but I think I read something that made me not worry about it.
The Mosquito
One morning, I noticed a tiny mosquito that was on window of the backdoor trying to get out of the house. I originally thought it was a weird gnat but nope, likely a male mosquito. From my understanding, male mosquitoes have hairier antennae and their poker isn’t strong enough to break human skin.
The Beetle
Much like the mosquito, it’s nice to have a macro lens and to have the bugs on a backlit glass window. It brings out finer detail that isn’t so visible with the naked eye.
Look at that antenna and those tiny feet! Marvelous!
Los Gatos
I didn’t want to repeat species or whatever, but then I decided to include the strays that pass through my yard or I see along my walks.
The Prints
Onward and Onward
Originally, I chose the theme of “creatures in my backyard” because I had been noticing many of the varieties of species that are in my backyard. It’s a perfect theme, but I really shouldn’t have made the rule to not repeat creatures.
It’s a silly rule, it’s fun to explore a subject.
When I did 99 Red Baboons, I learned that by limiting my subject to baboons really helped get the project done. It was a single subject and it got rid of the, “What should I draw today?” problem.
It’s nice to have a single subject to match my energy to a style that wouldn’t prevent me from starting. A problem I started to feel this time around.
Going forward, I will be repeating creatures if they are more common. That likely means more cats, pigeons, and maybe a few fun cartoony attempts with the help of a list of backup subjects.
The 100 Day Project is a challenge and it has been a lot of fun to do. I am committed to finishing this years and to see the prints amongst each other.
It’s also making me want to work on other prints, but I am focused on this project unless I am going to actually sit down and take the written down idea to final print.
Until then, get busy creating or don’t.