101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators
Don’t know what to do with your extra time? There are plenty of odd jobs and tasks that an illustrator can do in between assignments. If you’re looking for some inspiration, here’s a long list of projects, ideas, and necessary chores to help make your free time more productive.
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Tell a Story
- Make a book cover for your favorite classic novel.
- Create a series of illustrations that show the passage of time.
- Illustrate a song.
- Make a narrative advertisement for a soft drink.
- Illustrate your favorite childhood memory.
- Make a children’s book spread for a fairy tale.
- Illustrate the four seasons.
- Why did the chicken cross the road?
- Make a series of black and white “chapter” drawings for a novel.
- Retell a short story in graphic form.
- Create a theater poster for a Shakespearean play.
- Create a series of illustrations that shows a person aging.
- Make an instructional poster for a favorite recipe.
- Illustrate a day in the life of a cat, dog, fish, or monkey.
- Make a picture book dummy.
- Illustrate the seven days of the Creation.
- Interesting stories to consider: The Odyssey, the Bible, Aesop’s Fables, Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare, nursery rhymes
- Make a magazine cover for a current news story.
- Illustrate a famous historical event from: 20 years ago, 100 years ago, 1000 years ago, Prehistoric times
- Illustrate family life in the future, at least 100 years from now.
- Make an illustration influenced by your favorite illustrator.
- Paint a landscape with only three colors.
- Create a painting in a medium you’ve never used before.
- Study and draw figures from each source: Bridgman
, Vanderpoel
, Hogarth
, and the masters
- Make an abstract painting.
- Paint a self-portrait.
- Create a full painting in 30 minutes.
- Draw a figure in: 1 hour, half hour, 10 minutes, 5 minutes, 1 minute, 30 seconds.
- Fill a page of your sketchbook.
- Create two versions of the same painting — one with warm colors, one with cool colors.
- Sketch in a public place.
- Paint a traditional still life.
- Paint the same still life in your illustrative style.
- Read a book.
- Watch a movie.
- Read other artists’ thoughts.
- Watch how other artists work.
- Take a class, if there are any available in your area.
- Research a particular era, artist, or style and create a few paintings influenced by it.
- Take a trip to a zoo or aquarium to sketch animals from life.
- Create a series of spots to use on your website.
- Make an illustration for a postcard.
- Design a new logo for yourself.
- If it’s near the holidays, create a Christmas card to send out.
- Create a Thank You card to send to clients.
- Draw a self-portrait in your illustrative style to use on your promotional materials.
- Create a business card.
- Make a small sampler, such as a booklet, that contains your artwork that you can use to give to prospective clients.
- Create a piece of artwork to enter into a competition.
- Take a moment to archive your traditional paintings through scanning, digital photography, or slides.
- Backup your digital files to a disk, hard drive, or server.
- Create sample sheets of your artwork that art directors can file easily.
- Update your website with new artwork.
- Work on creating samples for styles, markets, and subject matter that you are lacking in.
- Create stationery for your business.
- Make computer desktops or e-cards to distribute on your website.
- If you are a children’s illustrator, create some coloring pages for your younger fans.
- Create a fresh, new illustration to be used in a sourcebook or other advertisement.
- Clean your work area.
- Catch up with your paperwork.
- Design a character for a book/movie/tv show.
- Draw a caricature of your favorite movie star.
- Illustrate a fortune from a fortune cookie.
- Create an illustration that integrates your name.
- Make an album cover for your favorite band.
- Create a modern movie poster for your favorite classic movie.
- Create a classic movie poster for your favorite modern movie.
- Design a creature that is a combination of at least two different animals.
- Design a car from 100 years in the future.
- Paint a landscape painting of an imagined land.
- Draw a treehouse. Include as much detail as you can.
- Draw 50 thumbnail sketches of the same object.
- Make an illustration for each month of the year.
- Design a deck of cards.
- Make up your own fairy tale land and characters.
- Research and draw characters/objects/settings from: the Mob, the Middle Ages, the Samurai, a Pirate ship.
- Draw a monster a day for a month.
- Illustrate a song from the Sixties.
- Create illustrations of current events and topics such as global warming, airport security, new technology, or education.
- Illustrate a stereotype.
- Participate in Illustration Friday.
- Create a Moji.
- Start a blog.
- Help other artists who ask for critiques of their work.
- Join an artists’ forum and participate in discussions.
- Find and study online tutorials.
- Look at other artists’ work through portfolio sites and blogs.
- Subscribe to Drawn!
- Subscribe to Lines and Colors.
- Listen to what other artists have to say through podcasts.
- See what other artists’ like on de.li.cio.us and StumbleUpon.
- Contribute to the ThreeThumbsUp Gallery.
- Read EmptyEasel.com.
- Check out AmateurIllustrator.com.
- Join a community like the Little Chimp Society or Illustration Mundo.
- See the point of view of an art director.
- Stay up to date with your industry: SI, SCBWI, GAG, IPA
- Find illustration competitions.
- Online portfolio sites: Portfolios.com, iSpot, Illoz.com, childrensillustrators.com
- Read book reviews: the Sandbox, Fuse #8
- Subscribe to DaniDraws.com for illustration tutorials, videos, and more great articles like this one.
Many images are used to help a narrative, and as an illustrator it is important to keep developing this skill in your off-time.
Academic Exercises
Time to get back into the classroom! Refresh your skills every now and then so you don’t lose sight of the basics.
Practical Projects
Don’t let the promotion and organization of your business get pushed aside.
Creative Exercises
One of the hardest tasks that illustrators have is to stay fresh and original. Use your free time to keep the creative juices flowing.
Online Communities
These are resources I have found across the internet that will help you grow as an illustrator.
And Last But Not Least…
Have any ideas for illustration projects? What tasks do you get done first when you have spare time? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment on DaniDraws.com.
Related posts:
February 21st, 2007 at 3:49 pm
Many thanks to you for posting this list. It seems like just the sort of boost that I need often. You’re doing the rest of us a service, and just wanted to let you know that it’s appreciated. Keep up the good work!
February 21st, 2007 at 4:21 pm
thank you very much. i will humbly and in deepest gratitude for this great list serve you the rest of my life.
February 21st, 2007 at 5:33 pm
this is awesome! this will be very useful and i have already forewarded this to my friend. great work!
February 21st, 2007 at 10:57 pm
101 maneras de vencer el bloqueo creativo…
Si alguna vez se sienten con bloqueo creativo en cuestiones de dibujo, esta lista les puede ayudar….
February 21st, 2007 at 11:48 pm
It’s funny you should have this list on your blog, I’ve been struggling with a creative block the size of the Titanic for a few years. Last week, I figured out what my problem was… I don’t want to entertain people any more. I used to enjoy doing ‘toons and designs that made people smile, now I don’t care. In fact, I don’t even draw to entertain myself. I used to go thru 4-6 sketch pads a year, now I’m lucky if I fill two.
Any suggestions? This realization shook me up quite a bit.
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:38 am
[...] Hey, artists: Fallen into a rut? Hit a block? Just out of things to do at the moment? Dani Jones lists 101 projects for illustrators, many of which encourage lateral thinking and honing the creative chops. (Link via Mark Frauenfelder.) [...]
February 22nd, 2007 at 9:44 am
[...] DaniDraws.com » 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators: In-depth illustration tutorials and video demos [...]
February 22nd, 2007 at 10:39 am
great list - very thoughtful- thanks!
February 22nd, 2007 at 12:13 pm
[...] 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators [...]
February 22nd, 2007 at 12:13 pm
What a fantastic list! Thanks for sharing!
February 22nd, 2007 at 1:33 pm
[...] Originally Syndicated via RSS from del.icio.us/tag/diy College Basketball Score Alerts [...]
February 22nd, 2007 at 7:24 pm
[...] DaniDraws.com » 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators: In-depth illustration tutorials and video demos (tags: art drawing creativity howto ideas list) [...]
February 23rd, 2007 at 3:29 am
[...] 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators. [...]
February 23rd, 2007 at 2:21 pm
Very impressive list you’ve put together, Dani! Great job.
One thing I’ve learned my humble explorations is that it isn’t the programs, hardware, or skills you possess that make you great… it is the hard work. There is simply no substitue for it. I’m calling myself out on it more and more when I think learning “one more tutorial” will make me who I want to be, but it isn’t about that… its about busting your hump and implementing the things you learn! I believe you said this in your “10 commandments” post.
We can gather seeds all day long, but unless we plant and foster the saplings, no great tree will ever take root. Thanks for the motivation.
February 24th, 2007 at 2:23 am
[...] 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators: In-depth illustration tutorials and video demos [...]
February 25th, 2007 at 3:23 am
[...] Monday - 10 things every beginning artist should know. I was inspired last week by Dani’s list of 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators and came up with a (much shorter) list of things that I wish I knew when I was just starting out. There might be some good reminders for established artists as well. [...]
March 1st, 2007 at 4:16 pm
[...] DaniDraws.com » 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators [...]
March 4th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Thanks for this post, Dani. I’ve discovered your site just today, but I’m already a big fan of your talent.
March 10th, 2007 at 12:48 pm
[...] Monday - On monday I’ll be posting an article of 10 things every beginning artist should know. I was inspired last week by Dani’s list of 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators and came up with a (much shorter) list of things that I wish I knew when I was just starting out. There might be some good reminders for established artists as well. [...]
March 13th, 2007 at 9:30 am
We are heading up 4 traveling journals and were looking for “ideas and inspiration” in case any of the artists got stuck. Thanks for posting this list for our artists to draw from
We will also be letting the participants know about your blog in case they are looking for another artist’s point of view :).
April 18th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Hey there Dani.
Just found your site. So much good stuff it will take me ages to get to it all. Ill be back:)
you must get this thousands of times but if you have a moment, I would appreciate some feedback on my drawings, Urbanscratchings dot blogspot dot com. Ive been painting and drawing for years, but im looking at how I can get some of my stuff published.
Really appreciate any feed back you can give me.
Thanks
July 26th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
[...] 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators [...]
August 15th, 2007 at 9:44 pm
A great list to set goals by and motivating suggestions, thanks.
September 8th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
wow thanks so much
January 20th, 2008 at 11:00 pm
I guess this list will keep me busy:-)))
Last time I had a creative block I looked outside my window and sketched a bush - kind of - I rather sketched what I imagined I saw in it’s twig’s.
Here is the result: http://ke-mp.com/2007/06/25/art-project-break-the-artistic-block-sketch-whats-in-front-of-you/
Love your blog and especially your drawing tutorials.
June 15th, 2008 at 8:16 pm
It’s truly a awesome list it, kinda hard to pick where to start. I’ll start with one and see how far I can get.
June 20th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Hi Dani,
this is a great source ,
in my spare time i’m usually draws or sketch a different race of people around the world, it’s also fun to do
your blog is good to link
regards
July 9th, 2008 at 7:19 am
[...] blog devoted to illustration and tutorials. There are some good ideas for drawing projects here, as well as useful how-to articles on fine details like drawing [...]
July 21st, 2008 at 10:41 am
[...] 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators [...]
August 21st, 2008 at 3:12 am
Thank you for these great ideas.
December 19th, 2008 at 11:09 am
Thank you so much for posting this! Very creative and interesting ideas.
I’m not sure how much of a dent I can make in the list, but I’ll try!
December 25th, 2008 at 1:01 am
[...] 101 Projects for Artists and Illustrators [...]