Creative Challenges: 30-Day Art Projects to Ignite Your Creativity

It’s easy for artists of all experience levels to fall into a rut. What’s more challenging is getting out of these ruts. Sometimes, a break is needed to recuperate, and other times, we really need something new—a different challenge to stimulate our creativity.

When dealing with creative burnout, one important thing to remember is that it’s okay—you shouldn’t be hard on yourself for feeling this way. Being hard on yourself will only make it worse. Remember that every artist has gone through this at least once in their life, and you’ll get through it.

Now, let’s talk about creative challenges and projects. One great way to kickstart your creativity is by tackling a 30-day art project. These projects are great because they’re limited, focused, and can get you into something new.

Benefits of Creative Challenges

1. Reduced Stress: Tackling new creative challenges is a great way to try something new. It’s also a known way to help reduce stress. It’s essentially providing yourself with a creative outlet or escape.
2. Improving Problem-Solving Skills: Our problem-solving skills are essential in many facets of life, from work to our home lives and especially our artistic endeavors. They help teach us to look at things (problems) from different angles to find unique and innovative solutions. A new creative challenge can broaden your views and help improve these essential skills.
3. Increasing Creativity: Any new creative project can and will increase your creativity. You’re giving this part of your mind a chance to flourish; with enough time, it can truly flourish.

Finding the Right Challenge For You

There are numerous ways to find or create a new 30-day art challenge. First, there’s the obvious decision – what medium do you wish to work with? Once you have this locked in, you have a few options.

You can choose a particular method or focus you’ve always wanted to improve. A 30-day intensive is a fantastic way to force yourself to give this all your attention, increasing your odds of learning or improving.

Alternatively, you can look at other artists. Countless artists have already created challenges (of various lengths), so it’s simply a matter of searching and finding the perfect one for you. You can look up Pinterest challenge boards, visit artists’ social media, or even check out a few art schools and their online challenges. All are fantastic ways to get started.

Remember that even if you pick one of these premade challenges, you don’t have to stick to the layout you found. You can change any element you like, from the set length to the particular focus and everything in between.

Tips for Success

1. Start Small: One of the biggest temptations (and, therefore, mistakes) when starting a new creative project is to overdo it. However, this can be a huge mistake, especially for those new to 30-day projects. Taking on too much at once can be overwhelming, setting you up for failure. Instead, start with a small but reasonably sized project.
2. Set Clear Goals: Another important part of creating a 30-day artistic challenge is setting clear and measurable goals. Don’t be vague. For example, if you want to do a 30-day photography challenge, set a specific goal within this parameter (such as photographing every day or having a completed portfolio by the end).
3. Prep Your Space: It’s also important to prep a dedicated space for your artistic time. It’s okay to share this space in a common room (such as a living room); make sure there is a little corner all prepared for your creative challenge. This way, you won’t have to waste time assembling tools and setting up each day of the challenge.
4. Accept Failure: Let’s be honest: not every artist who sets out on a 30-day creative challenge will finish it. And that’s okay. Don’t force yourself. If the project feels stifling instead of liberating, walk away. The goal is to try something new and learn. You can learn something from failure, so in reality, walking away isn’t a failure at all.

30-Day Challenge Ideas

1. Inktober—Inktober is one of the most well-known 30-day art challenges around. It’s designed to help artists improve their drawing skills and habits in one go.
2. 30-Day Watercolor Challenges—Doodlewash offers a new watercolor or sketching challenge every month, perfect for artists seeking a more guided approach.
3. 30-Day Photography Challenges—There are many different ways to tackle a photography challenge, from focusing on a specific subject to trying out a new technique. As with the above two challenges, several known photographers and organizations host challenges for those looking to join a larger group.