100 Watercolors + National Geographic Kids!

Okay, it is finally time to announce my next illustration challenge (though I am not actually going to START it until next week). Yes, I too am going to attempt the popular 100 themes challenge! If you haven't heard of this, it is a list of 100 words (or short phrases) which are used as a source of inspiration for drawings or comics. I guess it all started as a manga challenge.

Over the past few years, I have seen the 100 themes challenge employed a number of different ways. The first set I saw was by Maris Wicks, who used the challenge for one-panel illustrations using her little black and white characters. Next Greg Means and MK Reed did the challenge together, each featuring a couple in 100 one-panel gags. Then Liz Prince started using the list to make short 3 or 4 panel comics.

So my idea is to do 100 Watercolors. Each will be a small, 4" x 6" watercolor illustration about the specific theme. They can be funny or serious or wacky, or whatever I choose. Mostly I just want an excuse to do a small watercolor painting each week, to try and improve my technique, and explore some new ways of working in that medium.

I'm going to be posting the illustrations weekly on this blog, and also over in my Flickr account. Greg conveniently put the 100 themes into a single image which can be printed out, if anyone wants to join in the fun!

Lastly, I wanted to tell everyone that I have a full page of gags in this month's National Geographic KIDS Magazine. It should be on newsstands now, so check it out!