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<title>Daily Drawing Challenge: Halfway Through</title>
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<time>06-27-25</time>
<h2>Daily Drawing Challenge: Halfway Through</h2>
<hr>
<div class="post__content">
<p>
At the beginning of 2025, I resolved to do an art challenge: Every day, for one year, I would draw my own character,
Fraidy the Cat. I got the idea from a YouTube video by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/struthless">Struthless</a>.
The goal wasn’t 365-day perfection, just to stick with it and see what happens. Six months in, here are my observations:
</p>
<h3>Becoming a Better Artist</h3>
<p>
As expected, practice is making progress. It’s been gratifying to flip back in my sketchbook and see how I’ve improved,
even in this short amount of time. I've developed a more consistent style, which has made room for better self-expression.
Here’s one of my first drawings from the challenge, compared with a more recent one.
</p>
<div class="flex-container">
<figure class="flex__image">
<img src="https://mewizard.nekoweb.org/assets/photos/fraidy-20250113.jpg" alt="Two scratchy pen drawings of Fraidy's head">
<figcaption>January 13th</figcaption>
</figure>
<figure class="flex__image">
<img src="https://mewizard.nekoweb.org/assets/photos/fraidy-20250529.jpg" alt='A pencil sketch of Fraidy crouching and saying "No problemo!"'>
<figcaption>May 29th</figcaption>
</figure>
</div>
<h3>Reducing creative friction</h3>
<p>
I’m coming out of a years-long art block. During that time, I sometimes felt inspired, but lacked the willpower to make
anything of it. This challenge has helped me realize that there’s more to art than just techniques and theory: the entire
creative process can be improved upon. Each day that I practice picking up a pencil, I’m reducing the friction between my
ideas and their execution. As a result, I’ve been using my spare time to sew, sculpt, and make collages.
</p>
<h3>Boredom's unexpected payoff</h3>
<p>In the past two months, I’ve grown weary of drawing the same damn cat every day. Some days, I procrastinate until bedtime.
I’ve even considered dropping the challenge altogether. But I’ve noticed something unexpected: In the face of boredom, I’m
coming up with new ways to keep it interesting. I’ve been experimenting with different styles, forms, and media, some of
which I really enjoy. My frustration has circled back into fun again.
</p>
<div class="flex-container">
<img src="https://mewizard.nekoweb.org/assets/photos/fraidy-realism.jpg" class="flex__image" alt="Semi-realistic drawing of a cat in colored pencil, with blue markings and antenna resembling Fraidy">
<img src="https://mewizard.nekoweb.org/assets/fraidy-pixel-art.png" class="flex__image pixelated" alt="Pixel art of Fraidy's head">
</div>
<img src="https://mewizard.nekoweb.org/assets/photos/fraidy-colored-pencil.jpg" alt="Joyful and childlike depiction of Fraidy with heart eyes in colored pencil">
<p>
I intend to stick with this challenge for the remaining six months. I’m curious to see if it continues to pay off, and if
anything else unexpected happens. At the very least, I’ll end the year with 365 more drawings in my sketchbook, and I will
have enjoyed myself along the way.
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