Embracing the Daily Art Flow

January is off to a creative start thanks to Lena Moz’s Daily Art Flow 2025 challenge! If you haven’t heard of it, Lena provides a reference photo each day for 30 days, encouraging artists to sketch, experiment, and share their progress. It’s such a motivating way to kickstart the year, and I couldn’t wait to dive in.

For my first three sketches, I decided to explore different techniques and mediums—and the results were both enlightening and humbling.

Sketch 1: Blind Contour with Watercolor Washes

I began with a blind contour drawing, a technique where you don’t look at your paper while drawing and instead focus entirely on the reference. There’s something liberating about letting go of perfection and allowing the lines to flow freely. Once the ink lines were down, I added loose watercolor washes to bring in some soft, expressive hues. The result was quirky and imperfect, but it captured a sense of movement that I really enjoyed.

Sketch 2: Pencil, Ink, and Watercolor

For the second sketch, I opted for a more traditional approach. I started with a light pencil sketch to block in the composition and then layered ink on top for definition. Watercolor washes followed, adding depth and vibrancy. This method gave me more control, but I found myself missing the spontaneity of the blind contour technique.

Sketch 3: Blue Background in Uglybooks

For my third attempt, I switched things up by sketching in my Uglybooks Backstroke No. 1 sketchbook, which has a striking blue background. I aimed to make the white in the distant mountains pop against the bold blue. While I achieved some of the contrast I envisioned, I’ll admit the piece ended up feeling overworked and a bit messy. Despite its flaws, I really enjoyed how the blue background added a unique dimension to the piece.

Reflections on the Challenge So Far

Lena’s Daily Art Flow challenge is already pushing me to try new approaches and embrace imperfection. Each sketch feels like a mini lesson in itself, reminding me that the process is just as important as the outcome. I’m looking forward to seeing where the next few days take me and how I can continue experimenting with different materials and techniques.