One of my goals for 2021 was setting a daily drawing practice with the main objective of improving my skills. I have also tried to post regularly on Instagram to increase the exposure of my IG account and be able to reach more people. With these objectives in mind, I’ve recently taken part in an Instagram Challenge. It’s been a fantastic experience which I recommend thoroughly. The surprising aspect of having participated in the challenge is that I have committed myself to a regular daily drawing practice which has led to some interesting pieces of learning.
3 main benefits of joining an IG challenge
All in all, I believe there are 3 main benefits of joining an IG challenge:
1.- Reach to people with the same interests as you and be part of a community
In order to get to know your work, it is desirable to join forces with other people. Not only because you share the same goals or the same interests but because you can increase your audience through them and vice versa (it is a mutually beneficial relationship). A community of artists, knitters, sewers, writers, etc which supports its members can help them grow and express their own voice. In other words, it is a safe space to experiment and make mistakes so as to find your style.
I am not satisfied with some elements of my drawings (which you can see in the gallery above). Some colour palettes weren’t adequate, some poses aren’t well represented but in short, my overall feeling about them is gratifying. Even though followers and likes aren’t a measure of the quality of your work, they are an indicator of things that suit and visually go well together and things that do not. At least I will use the feedback to that extent.
2.- Establish a regular drawing practice
Another positive aspect of taking part in a challenge is that it forces you to keep up with a schedule. As a result, your productivity and focus broaden and your drawing skills improve significantly. They say repetition is key. Incorporating the features or scenes you would like to refine into a larger illustration is definitely more pleasant than practicing the same thing boringly and endlessly.
3.- Create content
If you struggle to find ideas for your drawings, participating in an activity like an IG challenge has some advantages. The challenge hosts’ set the prompts which you should incorporate into your drawings. Despite sharing the same prompts, the final pieces are a miscellaneous combination of styles and techniques. Sometimes the same hints take two people to different approaches, always unexpected and amazingly instructive.
To sum up, this experience has been highly educational and motivating and I’m looking forward to participating in another one.
Have fun drawing!
This post was originally published on the 18th April 2021
