WEEK 1 - The big idea could be hidden in the little details.
Hello everyone, and welcome back to #HOMwork!
For those of you who have been following along for a while: Thanks for your patience as I took some time to recharge, work on new prompts, and line up some amazing new guest teachers for you this year.
For those of you just joining us, you can peek all of last year's assignments in our Challenge Archive. No pressure to complete them, but if you're the kind of person who loves extra credit, go for it!
Finding your unique creative voice has been a consistent theme throughout this challenge because it’s one of the topics I get asked about the most! I truly believe that finding your voice as an artist starts with finding your voice as a human. Enter this week’s assignment.
OMG FREE BRUSHES! I drew my artwork with a rad set of Procreate ink brushes from DesignCuts, and they decided to offer all HOMwork subscribers two FREE brushes from the same set.
<< Click here to download 'em!
Your assignment: Make a list of everything you love in life (I mean EV-VER-RY-THH-AN-NG), and then create an intricate design that incorporates as many of those things as possible!
I know this may seem daunting (I recommend writing out at 30+ things), but the point is to get as much out in this brain dump as possible: everything you care about, have a curiosity for, enjoy doing, dream about, etc. Your creative voice is hidden in here somewhere, and I like when I can see everything all on one page. Plus, the long list of items will help you flex your detailed drawing + lettering skills!
Extra Engagement Tip! Try hiding a little easter egg (aka hidden surprise) in your work, then ask your followers to find it! I hid a tiny smiley face in the artwork above - can you find it?
This is a classic technique that childhood empires were built on, like Highlights magazine, Where’s Waldo, I Spy. Turning your work, particularly work that is busier (like this assignment) into a scavenger hunt is a great way to get your audience to engage with your work directly! And honestly? It’s nostalgic and charming! Just look at this example I posted a couple of weeks ago.
Caption idea: Tell us about your experience with the exercise. Did anything jump out at you when you saw all your interests written down in one place? Do you have a gut feeling about which of your personal interests could be interpreted through your creative work? And of course, if you hid an easter egg in your drawing, make sure to tell your audience and ask them they can spot it.
Make sure to tag me @homsweethom and use the hashtag #HOMwork so I can see your creative voices blossom. I'll be sharing my faves in Stories all week!
