TinkerSketch November Art Challenge

You’re officially invited to join TinkerLab for the November Art Challenge, a month filled with a variety of art prompts to get your creative ideas flowing. November is filled with maker words to help you dream up new ways to interpret art materials and processes.

I’m excited about view (I love making viewfinders) and broad strokes (a chance to use my super-size brushes). How about you? Don’t worry about the outcomes and let yourself play!

November Art Challenge

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

The main goal is to have fun through the process of play and experimentation.

No experience necessary. Kids and adults welcome.

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.

How to use the November Art Challenge prompts

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

Download the PDF

Enter your name and email below to get this free printable with instructions on how to build a mini sketchbook for the art art challenge.

November Art Challenge 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:

1. pattern
2. change
3. fast
4. boundary
5. drips
6. whimsy
7. stencil
8. copy
9. shiny
10. bump
11. night
12. giant
13. broad strokes
14. mirror
15. stripes
16. sprinkle
17. my favorite
18. close-up
19. cropped
20. draw to music
21. weather
22. leaves
23. shadow
24. grid
25. numbers
26. on my table
27. camouflage
28. window
29. circles
30. view

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.

See mistakes as 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.

My Favorite Tools

Amazon links to favorite product included below.

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.

For interesting brush lines, the Tombow Fudenosuke pen (not waterproof) is my favorite!

Colored Pencils:

Prismacolor Premier – the pigment is rich and they simply flow, so creamy and easy to use, on paper.