Tinkersketch Archives

March Art Challenge

TinkerSketch is a daily sketchbook practice that invites you to experiment and play with ideas and materials in a low-stress, fun, and mind-stretching way.Print out the prompts and tape them into your child’s sketchbook, or your own. Interpret the prompts as a family. Invite your class to have a drawing warm-up when the walk in (this is a great way to focus energy).

You’ll start each day with a new prompt and it’s up to you to interpret it however you like. For example, if the prompt is “stormy”, you could draw a picture of a storm, use colors that remind you of a storm, or make expressive marks that feel like they were created in a storm. The possibilities are endless.

Don’t worry about the outcomes and allow yourself to play! Our goal is to have a great time with no judgement.

How to use the Art Challenge Prompts

Print out the prompts. You can screen grab the image above or scroll down for a PDF printable.
Gather sketchbooks or paper
Gather art-making materials: markers, paint, collage papers, glue, etc.
Give yourself a few minutes each day for this challenge. Try the morning after breakfast, after school, after dinner, before bed, etc.
Interpret the daily prompt. Use your imagination, be free, don’t hold back, and have fun.
Reshare on your Instagram wall or post to Facebook with the #tinkersketch hashtag. Art challenges are more fun with friends, so be sure to ask a buddy to join you.

Cut and Paste Prompt List

square
fluffy
opposite
bump
splash of color
angle
boundary
fire
bird’s eye view
hatch marks
flora
night
vertical lines
name that tune
spice
toys
monochrome
receipt
in between
news
straight
contrast
symmetrical
destination
dessert
architecture
giant
broad strokes
open
change
fast

Art Challenge FAQ

What is the TinkerSketch Art Challenge?

TinkerSketch is a daily sketchbook practice that invites you to experiment and play with ideas and materials in a low-stress, fun, and mind-stretching way.

Who is this Art Challenge for?

Anyone who wants a creative art boost. The stakes are low and it’s super easy to do, even if you have no experience or low confidence with making.

How much time will it take?

While you can spend as much time at this as you like, just set aside 5-10 minutes each day and you’re in business. By committing to a daily art practice, you’ll experience artistic improvement and personal growth. If you have extra time, you could always dive in for longer, but try to dedicate just a few daily minutes if you’d like to see lasting results.

I need some tips for carving out 5-10 minutes

Carry a sketchbook in your bag and pull it out when you’re waiting in line
Designate “creative time” where you and your child draw in sketchbooks side-by-side
Wake up a little earlier than usual. You can make this more pleasant by lighting a candle, brewing tea, and sitting with your sketchbook for a few minutes before the rest of your home wakes up

What’s the goal?

Improve your drawing, painting, mark-making skills
Try and explore new ways of art-making
Land on new ideas that wouldn’t have emerged otherwise
Have fun
Model creative thinking for your child (if you’re a parent or teacher)
Celebrate the imperfection of your ideas
Think creatively

What Tools Will I Need?

A sketchbook or a ream of paper. Even post-its or old receipts will work.
Mark-making tools like pens and pencils
Paint and brush
“Attaching” materials such as glue and tape will come in handy
Collage materials such as scrap paper, newspaper, old homework, or magazines.
Anything else that strikes your fancy. We’ve used hole punchers, chalk markers, tea, and okra (they make beautiful stamps).
Our favorite supplies are listed below.

Printable of the March Art Challenge

Grab your PDF printable here >> Download the March prompts here (PDF)

February Art Challenge

By Rachelle 33 Comments

You guys…I am so excited to say that the TinkerSketch challenge is back! Brace yourself for another round of fun and easy-to-achieve sketchbook challenges for the month of February. Will you join me?

First of all, this challenge takes place on Instagram, so you’ll want to start by following TinkerLab over there.

Next, you’ll want all the details. Read on for more…

What’s the TinkerSketch Sketchbook Challenge?

TinkerSketch is a daily sketchbook practice that invites you to experiment and play with ideas and materials in a low-stress, fun, and mind-stretching way.

Who is this Sketchbook Challenge for?

If you’d like to jump-start your creativity with a daily mark-making routine or establish a more regular art journalling practice, this challenge is for you. The stakes are low and it’s super easy to do, even if you have no experience or low confidence with making. And if you’re busy, the time commitment is minimal.

You might have had some time to nurture your creative soul at some point in your not-too-distant past, but with kids, work, chores, responsibilities, name your excuse, you don’t have a lot of time for the creative YOU.

The goal of this challenge is to make time (even if it’s just a tiny bit) to celebrate your creative self through hands-on making.

If you join this sketchbook challenge, you’ll:

Improve your drawing, painting, mark-making skills
Try and explore new ways of art-making
Land on new ideas that wouldn’t have emerged otherwise
Have fun
Model creative thinking for your child (if you’re a parent or teacher)
Celebrate the imperfection of your ideas
Think creatively
Give yourself the gift of time

How long will it take?

While you can spend as much time at this as you like, just set aside five-ten minutes each day aside for making, creating, and experimenting and you’re in business.

Great, but 5 minutes is still a lot!

There are so many ways to do this. For example, you could:

Wake up a little earlier than usual, brew a pot of something warm, and curl up with your sketchbook for a few minutes before the rest of your home wakes up
Carry a sketchbook in your bag and pull it out when you’re waiting in line
Designate “creative time” where you and your child draw in sketchbooks side-by-side

I’m REALLY not an artist. Are you sure this is for me?

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan

This is for everyone, truly, and you are not expected to make a masterpiece with this practice. Rather, the point is to unleash your creative energy. Your creations don’t have to be works of amazing art, and in fact they probably shouldn’t be all that spectacular, especially if you’re pushing yourself to try something new, experiment, and be bold. Be confident with whatever you create, knowing that you’re on a journey to feed your creativity.

What Sketchbook and Tools will I Need?

While you can certainly go all-out and buy a ton of stuff for this month’s challenge, it’s not necessary. I’ll share some of my favorite tools in a minute, but you will basically need just a few things, and there’s a good chance you already have them:

You will need a sketchbook or a ream of paper
Some mark-making tools like pens and pencils
Paint and brush
“Attaching” materials such as glue and tape will come in handy
Collage materials such as scrap paper, newspaper, old homework, or magazines.

This list contains affiliate links

Sketchbooks

My best advice is to visit an art store and test out sketchbooks to see which one feels right to you. That said, here are a few tips.

Size. Find a size that fits your situation. If you think you’ll take your sketchbook on the road, find something small enough to travel in your bag
Paper. Choose paper that is heavy weight and designed to withstand water and wet media. Look for the weight of paper in terms of how many pounds it is: the higher the number, the heavier the weight. Something over 70 lbs. should do the trick
Spiral or book-bound. Do you think you’d enjoy a spiral-bound book or traditional binding more? I recommend spiral binding because the pages lie flat easily. Some people like traditional binding more because they can design/paint/draw a double-page spread without having a gap between the pages.
My favorite Sketchbooks. I have two favorites in this category for working with both wet and dry media. Both of these books can handle paint. Strathmore Visual Journal is made of heavy duty paper (90 pound weight), perfect for mixed media, and comes in a few sizes. For easy, on-th-go journaling, I like the 5.5″ x 8″ journal at $6.89. I also like the Canson Mix Media journal that’s 7″ x 10″ for $8.19. A friend just gave me a Stillman & Birn Zeta series and I love it. The paper is 180 lb.

My Favorite Mark-Making Tools

Get yourself a few pens that you love to use, and be sure to have at least one waterproof, archival pen in the mix so that you can paint over your pen lines without worrying about your drawing bleeding with water. Micron Pens are a designer favorite (and mine, too!), and they come in tons of sizes and colors.

My favorite pens. This all-black Micron set of six pens ($10.95) includes a few different pen sizes and this brush-tip set ($10.95) includes six different colors. Sharpie are another wonderful choice with so many options to choose from ($11.78)
Watercolor Paint. I highly recommend the Opaque 24 Color Watercolor Set from Pelikan ($20.15). For a bit more money, Pelikan also makes a Transparent Set of Watercolor Paint ($34.03). If you don’t want to go crazy (I know, I only *just* bought the Pelikan sets myself) a standard kids’ watercolor set will do just fine.
Colored Pencils. Prismacolor Colored Pencils. Set of 72 for $46.99. Prismacolor Colored Pencils, Set of 24 ($13.63)
Rubber Stamp Markers. Le Plume II Double-Ended Markers with Brush and Fine Tips are useful is you like rubber stamping. Because you can draw with them directly onto the stamp, they give you a lot of creative freedoms not afforded by regular ink pads, Primary, Set of 12 – Writing Markers. ($18.15)
Detail Paintbrushes. Thin brushes for watercolor or acrylic paint. 15pcs Nail Art Painting Pen Brush. These are an amazing deal and I have two sets because of that! ($2.41)

See our Resources Page for a full list of recommended supplies for tinkering, art journal keeping, and art making with kids.

Will there be any support?

For each day of the challenge we’ll share our own daily entry on Instagram (don’t forget to follow me!), along with a few extra ideas in case you need a little bit of inspiration. I encourage everyone who joins the challenge to leave supportive comments on other participants’ images. Since it can be hard to put ourselves out there, it’s always nice to receive a friendly pat on the back when pushed outside our comfort zone.

Do I Have to Share my Work?

No sharing required! Some of us are motivated by sharing, since having others look at our work holds us accountable and we enjoy the feedback and community of sharing. However, you can follow the daily challenge, even peek in on other people’s work on Instagram, and never share a thing.

Can I do this with my Kids?

Yep!

Can I see Examples of How this Works?

To see images from TinkerSketch past, click over here or search Instagram for #tinkersketch. You’ll see so many inspiring entries.

I’m in! How do I do this?

Print out or bookmark the list you see at the top of this page or below. Each day has a new prompt that will inspire you to make something.
Interpret the Prompt: You can interpret the daily prompts however you want. “Drips” to one person may mean flicking watercolors off a toothbrush and to another person it might mean covering a page in marker and then leaving the page outside on a drizzly morning. You can take them literally or not — this is completely up to you. If you’re really at a loss, leave a comment below and we’ll help you noodle through it.
Make stuff: You could put all your ideas into a sketchbook (it is called a sketchbook challenge, after all), loose leaf paper, post-it notes, or something else.
Share it! This challenge can be a totally private affair and you never have to let a soul know that you’re working on it, or you could share your creations with others. I’m a private person, but I find that sharing things like this actually motivates me to work harder. If you’re up for it, we invite you to share your daily sketches on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Google Plus. Basically, wherever you like to drop your social media mat. Simply tag your image or post with #tinkersketch, and you could also ping us at @tinkerlab to let other people know about the challenge
Tell others. If you could use some back-up, share the Sketchbook Challenge calendar image from this post on Instagram or with a friend, and encourage others to join you on this fun, creative journey.
Support others. Take a moment to cruise around and look at other images that are tagged with #tinkersketch, and leave a supportive comment to build community and basically make someone else feel great about the effort they’re putting into their creative journey.

January Art Challenge

By Rachelle 4 Comments

January is a wonderful time for fresh starts. If you’ve ever wanted to bring more art into your life, you’re officially invited to join us for the January Art Challenge, filled with all sorts of prompts to get your creative ideas flowing.

For more creative ways to start the new year, we also share 5 New Year’s resolutions that fuel creativity and 8 ideas to kick-start creativity in the new year

January Art Challenge

See last month’s challenge here.

Don’t worry about the outcomes and allow yourself to play! Our goal is to have a great time with no judgement.

How to use the Art Challenge prompts

Print out the prompts. You can screen grab the image above or scroll down for a PDF printable.
Gather sketchbooks or paper
Gather art-making materials: markers, paint, collage papers, glue, etc.
Give yourself a few minutes each day for this challenge. Try the morning after breakfast, after school, after dinner, before bed, etc.
Interpret the daily prompt. Use your imagination, be free, don’t hold back, and have fun.
Reshare on your Instagram wall or post to Facebook with the #tinkersketch hashtag. Art challenges are more fun with friends, so be sure to ask a buddy to join you.

Cut and Paste Prompt List

If you’d rather cut and paste the list into a document or something else, here’s the full list for the January Art Challenge:

dream
bird
water
magic
spots
drips
colorful
hands
shading
motion
a pair
bugs
famous artist
self portrait
jewelry
galaxy
triangles
ombré
fruit
words
song
fairytale
faces
skyline
breakfast
mail
road
collection
distance
electronic
stitch

Art Challenge FAQ

What is the TinkerSketch Art Challenge?

TinkerSketch is a daily sketchbook practice that invites you to experiment and play with ideas and materials in a low-stress, fun, and mind-stretching way.

Who is this Art Challenge for?

Anyone who wants a creative art boost. The stakes are low and it’s super easy to do, even if you have no experience or low confidence with making.

How much time will it take?

I need some tips for carving out 5-10 minutes

Carry a sketchbook in your bag and pull it out when you’re waiting in line
Designate “creative time” where you and your child draw in sketchbooks side-by-side
Wake up a little earlier than usual. You can make this more pleasant by lighting a candle, brewing tea, and sitting with your sketchbook for a few minutes before the rest of your home wakes up

What’s the goal?

Improve your drawing, painting, mark-making skills
Try and explore new ways of art-making
Land on new ideas that wouldn’t have emerged otherwise
Have fun
Model creative thinking for your child (if you’re a parent or teacher)
Celebrate the imperfection of your ideas
Think creatively

What Tools Will I Need?

A sketchbook or a ream of paper. Even post-its or old receipts will work.
Mark-making tools like pens and pencils
Paint and brush
“Attaching” materials such as glue and tape will come in handy
Collage materials such as scrap paper, newspaper, old homework, or magazines.
Anything else that strikes your fancy. We’ve used hole punchers, chalk markers, tea, and okra (they make beautiful stamps).
Our favorite supplies are listed below.

Mistakes are Gifts

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan

The point here isn’t to create a masterpiece but to unleash your creative energy. Your creations don’t have to be works of amazing art, and in fact they probably shouldn’t be all that spectacular, especially if you’re pushing yourself to try something new, experiment, and be bold. Be confident with whatever you create, knowing that you’re on a journey to feed your creativity.

Our Favorite Art Journal Tools

Amazon links to favorite product included below.

Strathmore Sketchbooks: One of my very favorite sketchbooks is the Visual Art Journal for Mixed Media by Strathmore. The pages weight is 90 lb. and you can get this book in a number of sizes. My personal favorite for on-the-go is 5.5″ x 8″. If you like to work big, they have one that’s 9″ x 12″.
Pens: Get yourself a few pens that you love to use, and be sure to have at least one waterproof, archival pen in the mix so that you can paint over your pen lines without worrying about your drawing bleeding with water. Micron Pens are a designer favorite, and they come in tons of sizes and colors. This all-black set includes a few different pen sizes and this brush-tip set includes six different colors. Sharpies are another wonderful choice with so many options to choose from.

More Details

For more details on how the TinkerSketch Art Challenge works, click here to read for a full list of recommended resources and ideas on how to get started with this challenge.

Printable of the December Art Challenge

Grab your PDF printable here >> Download the December Prompts Printable (free)

December Art Challenge

By Rachelle 1 Comment

Hello, chilly, cozy, sparkly December!

You’re officially invited to join us for the December Art Challenge, filled with all sorts of prompts to get your creative ideas flowing. This month’s selection is filled with maker words that can help you dream up new ways to interpret art materials and processes, with a pop of holiday spirit tossed in for seasonal fun. Don’t worry about the outcomes and let yourself play! Our goal is to have a great time with no judgement.

No experience necessary. Kids and adults welcome.

Copy this image and save to your phone or desktop. Print it out and glue into your art journal. Reshare on your Instagram wall. Post to Facebook. Art challenges are more fun with friends, so be sure to ask a buddy to join you.

Cut and Paste Prompt List

If you’d rather cut and paste the list into a document or something else, here’s the full list for the December Art Challenge:

burst
cool colors
heart
symbol
bold
brush
crown
collage
festive
recycling
sky
fluid
horizon
restful
hand lettering
speck
splash
landscape
black and white
blossom
space
pop
cross-hatch
frosty
paper
glue
slanted
soft
geometric
matched
sparkle

How to use the Art Challenge prompts

Print out the prompts. You can screen grab the image above or scroll down for a PDF printable.
Gather sketchbooks or paper
Gather art-making materials: markers, paint, collage papers, glue, etc.
Give yourself a few minutes each day for this challenge. Try the morning after breakfast, after school, after dinner, before bed, etc.
Interpret the daily prompt. Use your imagination, be free, don’t hold back, and have fun.

December Art Challenge

TinkerSketch is a daily sketchbook practice that invites you to experiment and play with ideas and materials in a low-stress, fun, and mind-stretching way.

Art Challenge FAQ

What is the TinkerSketch Art Challenge?

TinkerSketch is a daily sketchbook practice that invites you to experiment and play with ideas and materials in a low-stress, fun, and mind-stretching way.

Who is this Art Challenge for?

Anyone who wants a creative art boost. The stakes are low and it’s super easy to do, even if you have no experience or low confidence with making.

How much time will it take?

I need some tips for carving out 5-10 minutes

Carry a sketchbook in your bag and pull it out when you’re waiting in line
Designate “creative time” where you and your child draw in sketchbooks side-by-side
Wake up a little earlier than usual. You can make this more pleasant by lighting a candle, brewing tea, and sitting with your sketchbook for a few minutes before the rest of your home wakes up

What’s the goal?

Improve your drawing, painting, mark-making skills
Try and explore new ways of art-making
Land on new ideas that wouldn’t have emerged otherwise
Have fun
Model creative thinking for your child (if you’re a parent or teacher)
Celebrate the imperfection of your ideas
Think creatively

What Tools Will I Need?

A sketchbook or a ream of paper. Even post-its or old receipts will work.
Mark-making tools like pens and pencils
Paint and brush
“Attaching” materials such as glue and tape will come in handy
Collage materials such as scrap paper, newspaper, old homework, or magazines.
Anything else that strikes your fancy. We’ve used hole punchers, chalk markers, tea, and okra (they make beautiful stamps).
Our favorite supplies are listed below.

Mistakes are Gifts

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan

Our Favorite Art Journal Tools

Amazon links to favorite product included below.

Strathmore Sketchbooks: One of my very favorite sketchbooks is the Visual Art Journal for Mixed Media by Strathmore. The pages weight is 90 lb. and you can get this book in a number of sizes. My personal favorite for on-the-go is 5.5″ x 8″. If you like to work big, they have one that’s 9″ x 12″.
Pens: Get yourself a few pens that you love to use, and be sure to have at least one waterproof, archival pen in the mix so that you can paint over your pen lines without worrying about your drawing bleeding with water. Micron Pens are a designer favorite, and they come in tons of sizes and colors. This all-black set includes a few different pen sizes and this brush-tip set includes six different colors. Sharpies are another wonderful choice with so many options to choose from.

More Details

For more details on how the TinkerSketch Art Challenge works, click here to read for a full list of recommended resources and ideas on how to get started with this challenge.

Printable of the December Art Challenge

Grab your PDF printable here >> Download the December Prompts Printable (free)

November Art Challenge

By Rachelle 5 Comments

Hello November!

You’re officially invited to join us for the November Art Challenge, filled with all sorts of prompts to get your creative ideas flowing. This month’s selection is filled with maker words that can help you dream up new ways to interpret art materials and processes. The main goal is to have fun. Don’t worry about the outcomes and let yourself play!

No experience necessary. Kids and adults welcome.

Copy this image and save to your phone or desktop. Print it out and glue into your art journal. Re-share on your Instagram wall. Post to Facebook. Art challenges are more fun with friends, so be sure to ask a buddy to join you.

Cut and Paste Prompt List

If you’d rather cut and paste the list into a document or something else, here’s the full list for the November Art Challenge:

pattern
change
fast
boundary
drips
whimsy
stencil
copy
shiny
bump
night
giant
broad strokes
mirror
stripes
sprinkle
my favorite
close-up
cropped
draw to music
weather
leaves
shadow
grid
numbers
on my table
camouflage
window
circles
view

How to use the Art Challenge prompts

Print out the prompts. You can screen grab the image above or scroll down for a PDF printable.
Gather sketchbooks or paper
Gather art-making materials: markers, paint, collage papers, glue, etc.
Give yourself a few minutes each day for this challenge. Try the morning after breakfast, after school, after dinner, before bed, etc.
Interpret the daily prompt. Use your imagination, be free, don’t hold back, and have fun.

November Art Challenge

TinkerSketch is a daily sketchbook practice that invites you to experiment and play with ideas and materials in a low-stress, fun, and mind-stretching way.

FAQ

What is the TinkerSketch Art Challenge?

TinkerSketch is a daily sketchbook practice that invites you to experiment and play with ideas and materials in a low-stress, fun, and mind-stretching way.

Who is this Art Challenge for?

Anyone who wants a creative art boost. The stakes are low and it’s super easy to do, even if you have no experience or low confidence with making.

How much time will it take?

I need some tips for carving out 5-10 minutes

Carry a sketchbook in your bag and pull it out when you’re waiting in line
Designate “creative time” where you and your child draw in sketchbooks side-by-side
Wake up a little earlier than usual. You can make this more pleasant by lighting a candle, brewing tea, and sitting with your sketchbook for a few minutes before the rest of your home wakes up

What’s the goal?

Improve your drawing, painting, mark-making skills
Try and explore new ways of art-making
Land on new ideas that wouldn’t have emerged otherwise
Have fun
Model creative thinking for your child (if you’re a parent or teacher)
Celebrate the imperfection of your ideas
Think creatively

What Tools Will I Need?

A sketchbook or a ream of paper. Even post-its or old receipts will work.
Mark-making tools like pens and pencils
Paint and brush
“Attaching” materials such as glue and tape will come in handy
Collage materials such as scrap paper, newspaper, old homework, or magazines.
Anything else that strikes your fancy. We’ve used hole punchers, chalk markers, tea, and okra (they make beautiful stamps).
Our favorite supplies are listed below.

Don’t fear mistakes

“I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying.” – Michael Jordan

Our Favorite Tools

Amazon links to favorite product included below.

Strathmore Sketchbooks: One of my very favorite sketchbooks is the Visual Art Journal for Mixed Media by Strathmore. The pages weight is 90 lb. and you can get this book in a number of sizes. My personal favorite for on-the-go is 5.5″ x 8″. If you like to work big, they have one that’s 9″ x 12″.
Pens: Get yourself a few pens that you love to use, and be sure to have at least one waterproof, archival pen in the mix so that you can paint over your pen lines without worrying about your drawing bleeding with water. Micron Pens are a designer favorite, and they come in tons of sizes and colors. This all-black set includes a few different pen sizes and this brush-tip set includes six different colors. Sharpies are another wonderful choice with so many options to choose from.

More Details

For more details on how the TinkerSketch Art Challenge works, click here to read for a full list of recommended resources and ideas on how to get started with this challenge.

Printable of the November Art Challenge

Grab your PDF printable here >> Download the November Art Challenge Printable

October Art Challenge

By Rachelle Leave a Comment

Hello October!

We’re happy to bring you the October Art Challenge, filled with all sorts of prompts that get you into the spirt of the autumn season. Just yesterday we were hit with real fall weather – an overcast sky and sweater-wearing magic – and it felt amazing. I’m sure we’ll be ready for spring in no time, but for now we’re happy to bundle up and enjoy the spiciness of fall. If you’re in a warmer climate, the October art challenge prompts are still general enough that you shouldn’t feel left behind. 🙂

How to use the Art Challenge prompts

Print out the prompts. You can screen grab the image above or scroll down for a PDF printable.
Gather sketchbooks or paper
Gather art-making materials: markers, paint, collage papers, glue, etc.
Give yourself a few minutes each day for this challenge. Try the morning after breakfast, after school, after dinner, before bed, etc.
Interpret the daily prompt. Use your imagination, be free, don’t hold back, and have fun.

October Art Challenge

TinkerSketch is a daily sketchbook practice that invites you to experiment and play with ideas and materials in a low-stress, fun, and mind-stretching way.

More Details

For more details on how the TinkerSketch Art Challenge works, click here to read for a full list of recommended resources and ideas on how to get started with this challenge.

Printable of the October Art Challenge

Grab your printable here >> Download October Art Challenge Printable