No More Dirty Dishes (End of the Sketch Challenge)

Midnight.

Minutes into May and the end of the April sketchbook challenge between Jeremy and myself.  I'm stuffing my face with canned beans and feeling bummed that I came this close to completing the challenge, but just fell short.

Rather than blame myself, I'm blaming the structure of the challenge.  Hear me out.

When I have previously set out to draw more, I'd set a single, numerical, daily goal that was easily tracked.  Ex. draw three sketchbook pages a day for 30 days.  Whether progress was being made was reduced to a yes/no question.  Did I draw three pages today?  Y/N?  After a few weeks, I could see patterns of when I did and did not meet the goal and work to make improvements.  Drawing habits were formed and my work got better.

Our April challenge, in contrast, had a laundry list of requirements to be completed.  Once the time was up and the sketchbooks were filled, there was too much room for debate.  As an example, one requirement was 10 pages of creatures.  The page number was an easy benchmark to meet, and could alternately be thought of as 1/8th of the sketchbook or 4 days of the month.  The debate, however, was on what could be considered a creature.  As well, if our creature sketches overlapped with another requirement, such as drawing in marker, did the drawings satisfy both requirements?  Chaos ensued.

So, everyone lost.  Hopefully, we've learned something.

Highlights

Still prepping for an upcoming poster, I studied Daytona Bitch some more.  She must be my muse.

In preparation for a June event, I did oodles of drawings from burlesque videos.  

For caricaturing, I referenced Mugshot of the Day, which is up there with People of Wal-Mart as my new favourite awful corner of the internet.

I did some people watching at one of Toronto Batman's comedy gigs.  One dude was a lawyer who moonlit as a stand-up.  

And of course, I drew at Toons On Tap. 

From Toons On Tap - Session 27: Venom.  Modelled by Jeff Sim.

Lesson Learned

In my previous post about the challenge, I wanted to learn more about how good habits are formed.  The best tool I came across was Charles Duhigg's flowchart that breaks down habits into a three simple parts.  Rather than as an isolated behaviour, habits should be considered as a process.  With the flowchart as a guide, I thought back to my earlier example: why is it easier for me to do the dishes than draw in my sketchbook?

I am cued to dishes whenever I am in my kitchen to do other things.  If I am boiling water, getting a snack, making a meal, putting away groceries -anything, I will probably do dishes as well.  The cue is clearly based on location.  But why?

Last summer, I decided I was sick of my filthy sink and that I would be militant about cleaning it.  My family would wage wars over doing the dishes, so I would have to fight 18 years of bad behaviour.  On a scrap of paper, I wrote 'NO MORE DIRTY DISHES' and placed it above the sink.

The cue

Then, every time I was in the kitchen it was there, too.  3 A.M. and I can't sleep?  Too bad - no more dirty dishes.  After months of being cued by the paper, I stopped noticing it was there altogether and would go through with the behaviour anyways.  Later, I started keeping rags and all purpose cleaner beside the sink to wipe off the counters after the dishes were done.  The 'routine' part of the three step process has been extended; by developing one good habit, I could piggyback on another.  Lastly, I suspect the 'reward' is the nice, fruity smell of my clean sink.  I think this good behaviour would instantly fall apart if I switched to unscented detergent.  Seriously.

Reflecting on this, I don't really want sketchbook keeping to be a challenge.  I want it to be on AUTO-PILOT.  

Halfway Through the Challenge

The halfway point of the April Sketchbook Challenge between Jeremy and myself is one day away.   As I type, Jeremy spontaneously decided to do an all night Caricature-a-thon where he draws any of his Facebook friends who ask.  Good move, sir.

At the start of the challenge, Jeremy found it very intimidating to start drawing on the paper.  I know the feeling.  My first reaction to the 9'' by 12'' coloured paper was to fill it with squirrels.

Squirrels make everything less intimidating

After months of neglecting it, I tried people watching.  I'm embarrassed by how rusty I've gotten.  Although, thinking of my old sketchbooks, my crap drawings to decent drawings ratio is probably the same.

The least worst of the bunch

With lots of Toons On Tap posters to work on, I've been studying the models and costumes of upcoming sessions.  At the start of the month, we had a Lady Gaga session with Daytona Bitch planned for May.  Jeremy insisted we upgrade it to a Wizard of Oz theme.  Click your heels, ladies and gentlemen - there's a new queen coming to Toons.

R.I.P. Lady Gaga session

Some drag queen studies

My favourite subjects to draw are the ladies of Sex and the City, the Real Housewives, and People of Walmart.  I'm probably a horrible person.

Sometimes I worry I'll forget how to draw a face without being goofy.  I drew some Hammer vixens from Jeremy's bookshelf, just to be sure.

Jeremy has many, many books of lady pictures

And of course, I drew at Tuesday's Toons On Tap.

What I have discovered from doing the challenge is that I can develop small habits if by doing so I am procrastinating on bigger habits.  For example, if I want to keep my kitchen sink clear of dirty dishes, but also draw every day, my sink is going to be spotless.  

Another, smaller, discovery I made is that drawing on yellow paper is fun while drawing on red paper is as fun as a migraine.  I had no idea I would hate drawing on red paper that much.

In the rest of the month, I'll try the action film studies idea from Ctrl+Paint in addition to some much needed people watching.  More importantly, I'd like to research habit development and find out why I'll do the dishes at the expense of more important projects.  I don't need a clean sink.  I need a full sketchbook.

Sketchbook Guilt

Today is the first of April, and I have two things planned.  First, the Toons On Tap social media accounts will be updated with useless 'art tips' overlaid on a stock photo of a nude, flute playing cherub.  Second, today is the start of a month long art battle between Jeremy Cardarelli and myself.

Poetry

Lately, I have been feeling guilty that my sketching habits have withered since leaving school.  I suspect this 'sketchbook guilt' is not only common, but part of the reason Toons On Tap can exist.

Once, I wrote this in a promotional email:

You need to draw.  I need to draw.  Kevin the ginger computer programmer on Yonge Street needs to draw.  Everyone doesn't draw nearly enough and we all know it.

And got this response:

Best shameless self promotion e-mail I've ever gotten. I'm in T.O, and I will definitely be there monday night. See you then!

Any lessons I glean from getting my own self to draw I can apply to getting more people out to the events.

Sketches from Toons On Tap - Session 25: Cleopatra.  Modelled by Coco Framboise.

Inspiration struck last week as Jeremy and I were browsing an art supply store.  We came across an enticing, multicoloured pad of art paper.  We exchanged looks.  "April Sketch Challenge?"  "Hells yeah!"  Fist bump.  Bought two copies.

Back in September, we completed a similar challenge with positive results.  We've designed the challenge to motivate both of us to draw while playing to the very different ways that we feel motivated.  Jeremy works best when he sets fun, daily goals for himself, clearly and carefully scheduled.  (Perfect example: his Satellite Soda drawings.)  He's an intrinsically motivated fellow who works each day towards his personal best.

As for myself, I'm mainly motivated extrinsically.  Example: the only reason I studied advanced functions in high school was because my potato-head friend once whined that the class was too hard. Honestly, I know I won't magically bounce out of bed and start pumping out sketchbooks 'for myself'.   Jeremy may need the structure, but I need a worthy competitor.

Here are the rules we agreed upon:

• Fill all pages of the sketchbook, cover to cover, between April 1st and April 30th.
• Draw on both sides of the paper.  
• No copying work from other artists.
• Don't be lazy; the point is to improve.
• At least 10 pages must be of superheroes.
• At least 10 pages must be of creatures.
• At least 10 pages must use coloured markers.
• Do at least five pages of nude studies, from life.  Draw your friends.  ;) 
• Draw at least one piece from an exaggerated perspective angle ex. bird's eye or worm's eye.
• Draw at least three different body types and three different ethnicities.  

If Jeremy completes the challenge, I will take him out to the movies at the end of the month.  If I complete the challenge, Jeremy will buy me yoga pants.  (I wonder why?)  If neither of us can meet the deadline, no prizes for anyone.

I am writing about the challenge here not just to be held accountable by both my blog readers, but to announce my intent to annihilate Jeremy in the competition.  Have fun painting happy little clouds, babe.  I will crush you.

The anthem of my victory