Beginning Index-Card-a-Day 2012

Nowadays, given all my unpredictable health issues & my crazy schedule as an art teacher, working artist and the mom of a live-in college student, I am very careful about the online art challenges I attempt.  I have a bit more free time during the summer so I decided to play along with a very worthwhile challenge developed by the inspirational Tammy Garcia of Daisy Yellow:  Index-Card-a-Day 2012 (aka ICAD).

The directive is simple: Art up a humble index card every day during June and July.  I attempted this same challenge last year but I hampered my efforts with too many self-imposed rules.  Once I fell behind, it was all over except for the "I failed" blog post.  However, I later realized a very important habit developed from my 20-day flirtation with this challenge:  The brief time I spent illustrating something every day actually did blossom into an unwavering daily cartooning practice.  Too awesome!

So once again, I am giving this game a go.  The best laid plan is to post my cards for the week every Sunday so in that spirit, here's my first three cards (June 1 through 3).

For me, the key will be to stay a couple of steps (and days) ahead.  That way, when I have an icky health moment or a day that has to be spent away from the studio, I can relax, assured that I won't get behind.  Now, in truth, it wouldn't really matter if I did miss a card or two.  It is a simple thing to just begin again.  However, it is tough emotionally to yield anything to chronic health issues and I do better if I either 1) power through anyway or 2) provide for a little safety net so projects won't hit the concrete if I am forced to take a break.

This time around, I am actually working on index cards (some lined, some gridded).  I'm lightly prepping the backgrounds in advance, mixing & matching the suggested prompts (if I use them at all), and trying to work fast, following my first impulse to see what develops.