Much of life is wrapped up in repetition and is experienced as either drudgery or a path to mastery. No matter how hard we try, we can't seem to avoid it, but what happens when repetition is embraced and applied to our creative pursuits? Tan-tan of Common Objects has chosen repetition as a way to grow and joined Elle Luna along with thousands of other creatives on the #The100DayProject, which started on April 4th and will end on July 10th. The purpose of this global art project is to collectively repeat a desired action, develop discipline, and hone ones skill of their choosing.
Each participant was asked to create their own unique #100daysof____ tag to track their own progress. Tan-tan shares about her project with the tag #100daysofcommonobjects, "I chose to draw common objects, because it seemed fun and feasible. And it also meant good daily drawing practice, even if my subject happened to be a quick doodle of a muffin I was about to devour. Though a simple premise, it's not always easy to come up with things to draw. Sometimes, I'm just short on time and have to play catch up, and sometimes I struggle with feelings of laziness and regret for having started the project to begin with." Below Tan-tan discusses what she has learned from her #100daysofcommonobjects.
1 — Don't be precious. I have the most fun when I'm not precious with my drawings. In fact, my favorites are those I've approached with an "I don't care how this turns out" attitude. The sloppy ones and those that look unfinished... I love those the most.
2 — Finish. I've learned not to give up and not to start all over no matter how wrong a drawing looks. I remind myself that my job is to play and only when I play will it ever look right to me.
3 — Don't worry so much. This was hard. Before the 100 Day Project started, I made a list of 100 things to draw. By the end of the first week, I abandoned it, because it got boring. I learned that I'll always find something, even if it happens to be a bottle of Sriracha, or a dandelion growing in my backyard, or a single-serving chocolate cake from the supermarket.
4 — Consistency. It is actually true when they say that being accountable by posting a picture online daily builds the habit of consistency. There's pressure involved, but it's mostly self-imposed. It's the nagging internal, "Do it already!!!" I've bitched about this voice all along, but it's really been invaluable. I've learned to respect it.
5 — Community. One comfort in the 100 Day Project is remembering that you have peers alongside you who are also working and struggling and growing with their own projects. It's been fun to visit their streams and see what they've been up to. A hermit IRL, I've learned to value the community aspect of social media.
6 — Luck exists. And look, I'm typing what I've learned about my 100 Day Project for the awesome folks at VSCO. I've learned that the Internet and the willingness to share and a dose of luck from left field can make magic.
