30 Days of Creating 2023

Written By Marcela Strasdas

If creating more is on your list  in 2023,  give yourself a bit of a push by joining me this January in “30 days of Creating” -  a painting challenge with your own rules!

Painting lots and often is key to so many things: improving your skills, creating a body of work, exploring new media, finding your voice and the list goes on and on. I have been an advocate of this principle for a long time so I have to put my foot where my mouth is, right?
 
The main premise is to create consistently and  to keep it simple. It needs to work for YOU! My suggestion is to set our own rules, meant to push us but still stay possible according to our own schedules, priorities and goals. 

So, this is what I propose we do starting JANUARY 2, 2023:

  • We will create however many times a week we decide is right for each of us.

  • We will post and share wherever feels right, maybe it’s on social media, maybe it’s by sending a private message to someone? Or in a small group? Once decided, we will stick to it! This becomes an accountability factor.

  • We will use the hashtags #30DaysofCreating and #30DaysofCreating2023 for social media.  


Photo of a collection of Canvas and panels in preparation for a 30-Day Challenge

You are the boss, so you set the rules!

  • You set the number: 20 paintings in 30 days? 30 paintings in 30 days? Let’s be flexible and have a goal to shoot for but keep it realistic to your present needs. 

  • You don’t need to have a finished piece each day. You can work on the same thing over several days. 

  • You don’t don’t need to paint masterpieces, it’s all about the practice and discipline to keep coming back. 

  • You don’t need to paint for hours on end, just 20 minutes are enough!! 

  • You don’t need to commit to JUST painting: you can draw, sketch, you can finish half-way paintings, as long as you spend at least 20 min CREATING something. You can do a combination of any of these. 


Helpful tips: 

  • Get all your materials ready in one spot so you just get to it with minimal fuss. 

  • Get it done early in the day on those busy days so it’s out of the way and not weighing you down through the whole day. 

  • Follow a thread if you can: Paint all the favourite spots from your last vacation, your most loved flowers.  Find objects in the house you love and set them up in still lives. The sky is the limit. 

  • If you have several passions like I do, maybe commit to one week of flowers, one week of landscapes, one week of drawings, etc.

  • If painting from photos, have all the reference photos selected, in one folder if digital  or printed if that’s the way you work. 

  • Leave the studio (or art corner in your dining room) each day knowing what you’ll start with the following day. Don’t agonize over which one will be easier or better. Just get to action!! Having options though, in the form of photos already painted, or still life props, can get you unstuck that day if a “pear” is not inspiring you today. 

  • Start small if a daily practice is new to you. 

  • Create a few rules for yourself. This may be very helpful to narrow down what you will do, it can give you direction. For example: Maybe they are all 20 min paintings? Or use a limited palette? Think of what you’d like to work on

  • I will probably start painting a couple of days before the January 2 start date, so I don’t feel as rushed to have to have the painting, the photo and the post ready all in the same day! In this way, I can feel I am ahead of the game. It will still be 30 days though!


The most important thing to remember is that you’re not competing with anybody else but yourself . It doesn’t matter how many paintings others are creating, how big or how good. Good for them! Follow and cheer them on.  Concentrate on YOUR own growth and journey. and celebrate how much you are actually doing!

There are many challenges out there. Join one or several. I would be joining the Strada Easel Challenge but I am committed to some shows and special things this year and I need to paint with those in mind. The Strada Challenge is all about painting from life which is a fantastic way to grow, I have done it several times and loved it . My needs are different this year which prompted me to make up my own rules!

I will be sharing daily on Instagram and Facebook using the hashtag #30DaysofCreating2023 .

One last thing: Remember to make it fun please!

What do you say, are you in? 


Marcela Strasdas