Hello Friends. Welcome to DAY ONE of the 13th coloring challenge, “The Daily Marker 30 Day Coloring Challenge” OMG I can’t believe it’s DAY ONE!!! YIPEEE!! I am so excited you are here and that so many of you are taking the challenge again! Thank YOU and thank you all for your comments, enthusiasm and for taking the challenge!!!! If you are new this go around or have been watching from the side lines and decided to jump in I am so proud of you for taking some “me” time. My mantra has always been to find just 10 minutes a day to color and watch the stress of the day melt away.
If this is your first time don’t be hard on yourself and jump in when time permits. If you have any questions about the coloring challenge you can refer to this post . If you want to get my posts in your mailbox you can sign up here or subscribe to my videos here.
For Day 1. I like to do something a little out of the ordinary and the rest of the challenge I won’t have the luxury of time and it will be back to business as usual lol.
This block of watercolor paper from Arches measures 16×20. Here is a smaller paper block but, the larger pad blocks I like to purchase from my local art store.
Since this is the first day I want to make mention of something that I think is very important and I like to mention it every challenge … our posture! When coloring take pause and think if you can lift your gaze and straighten you back. Using a clip board helps you prop up your project so you aren’t bending over (you can prop the clip board on a stack of books). I take a clip board on the plane with me and it saves my neck in a good way! If you want something for your desk I found this on eBay many years ago & it’s a good size. When you are using a paper block it’s super esay to prop the pad of paper up when painting.
My favorite color of ink for watercolor or copic markers is this from Gina K. Designs. Works great and I like how a little bit of color comes through. I am so in love with this butterfly from the stamp set called, “Elegant Aster”. Since I can’t use a misit I used Simon Says Stamps acrylic block on top of the paper pad.
The design of my project was super simple. I used a ruler and a mechanical pencil to draw the lines. I always draw the lines as thick as the ruler I am using so it’s easy to line up my ruler.
This is a gift for a very very special friend, Jennifer McGuire and she just has her Birthday.I can’t express how much fun painting something like this is. This also is a great size to frame and hang on a wall.
What’s amazing is I used only two colors on the butterfly wings. The Gina K. Designs ink shows through and appears that I painted the butterfly with more colors than I did. The Tombow watercolor markers are perfect for this application and they were used only on the butterflies.
Since so many of you have taken the challenge before I encourage you to stretch yourself and create some art with your coloring. Use a beautiful background stamp, a coloring book page or stamp a bunch of flowers to create a background like I did in this post. Even if it’s takes a week you will be happy to see your art come together before your eyes. A trip to the store for some inexpensive frames gives your work even more importance. Adding art like this would be great on a collage wall for everyone to see your beautiful work.
Ok with all that said ….. On to your coloring and I can not wait to see what you all are coloring. Woo Hoo!!
There are 3 ways to share what you are coloring. If you want to join a community of coloring enthusiasts I recommend FaceBook or Instagram. Be sure to tag me and use the hashtag #thedailymarker30day. Kids & young adults use #thedailymarker30daykids.
The 3rd way is to link up to my blog to share your coloring. It will always be on todays post…DAY 1. each day I will link you back here to share your coloring.
*** The link up tool is at the very bottom of this post. ***
Thanks for your enthusiasm for the challenge and I hope you know that I am just as excited as you are. Thanks for your visit and I will see you tomorrow Hugs, Kathy
P.S. If you want to share the logo (at the top of the post) when writing your blog post or on Facebook etc. that would be lovely & so appreciated :).
Supplies and links: Affiliate links are used on some of the products and 100% goes toward my road trip and giveaways.
Day 14. Pineapple .. check!
Day 30. Acrylic Cube! Good Way To Use Your Images
Day 29. This and That – Giveaway
So pretty and creative x
Thanks, Sandra! I appreciate your stopping by my blog 🙂
Awesome Art Kathy! It looks like a beautiful quilt, I think Jennifer was very happy with this awesome gift you made.
I am so happy that the 30 Day Coloring Challenge has started today.
I am going to finish a card I started earlier this week and will post it tomorrow, no hurry only releax crafting.
My tip of using a clip board, I prop the clip board on a folded towel, so I can adjust it in height every time I want, something what is more difficult with a stack of books.
See you tomorrow and happy coloring.
Your kind words always make me smile, Henriette! “Relax crafting”…I love it; perhaps you will create your own pin 🙂
This project is amazing, Kathy! I am going to try this. Hope I have the patience for it, lol.
Lee Ann, I hope you give it a try! Making the grid pattern the same thickness as the ruler makes it so much faster. Have fun, whatever you decide to do 🙂
Wow…that’s splendid work! Kathy, this time I hope I get all 30 days to color. I have also challenged myself to color all the stamps I have been hoarding and not putting to use. Learn more techniques and get better at coloring. Thank you for this challenge, it is for sure very motivating to see, fellow crafters coloring and makes me want to stretch your limits. Keep inspiring us 🙂
Nice idea, Ishani! Ink up all of your unused stamps, then you have a multitude of choices to color and rid yourself of any guilt of having unused stamps. Brilliant 🙂
The plan is working till now 🙂 Hope to continue. Thank you very much for making me push my boundaries!
Stunning inspiration as ever from you Kathy. I can’t wait to join in, I’m on enforced bed rest after an emergency operation so sitting, correctly, colouring will be brilliant therapy to fill the next few weeks with. Going to fish out all the sets I want to work with over the 30 days then see which calls the loudest. Here’s to a fantastic challenge all xxx
Andrea, I hope you are healing quickly, Andrea! May the coloring challenge take your mind off your discomfort 🙂
HOW BEAUTIFUL, Kathy! I LOVE the idea of making art for our walls! I have a tool ON THE WAY to help me do that too! 😉 I am SO SURE that your piece will get a SPECIAL PLACE in Jennifer’s Studio for ALL TO SEE! <3 ANYWAY, I DO PLAN ON playing along & "stretching" my work to Wall Art this time! I have a daughter at Grad School who is wanting some! 😉 INKY HUGS for your INSPIRATION!!! <3 P.S. I LOOOVE the colors you chosen for your piece!!! 😉
Oh Becky, what a wonderful reason to make some wall art! I can’t wait to see what you create for your daughter 🙂
Beautiful art indeed! Love the colors.
Thanks so much, Dot! I am happy you like my color choices 🙂
Oh that is gorgeous! What a wonderful gift!
That is so kind! That means a lot to me 🙂
This is so pretty! Thanks for always encouraging and inspiring us!
You are most welcome, Avra! I am inspired by all of you as well 🙂
Such a beautiful piece of work and a wonderful gift. Excited to be joining the challenge.
That is so sweet, Katrina! I am excited that you will be joining in the fun 🙂
I absolutely love what you did today! I’m going to try to replicate it in a card size. Thanks for the beautiful inspiration.
Cathy, what a great idea! Cards are framable art too; two gifts in one; a card and art for the home or office 🙂
Wow! This is a gorgeous piece!
That is so kind of you, Kristine! I am so happy that you like it 🙂
This is beautiful!! I love the colors you chose and the way you arranged the butterflies. Posture is my enemy when I am coloring…when I do it on my desk. I seem to have better posture when I am sitting on the couch, using my clipboard and a pillow. Thank you for all your inspiration!!
Thank you kindly, Nora! And when you are on the couch you can put in a favorite movie or binge watch and color 🙂
This is so awesome Kathy, Jennifer will love it! Happy Birthday to Jennifer and let the coloring begin! Thanks for posting the posture and position for coloring info, it’s so appropriate!
Your kindness makes me smile, Sheri! Keep calm and color on 🙂
Beautiful colouring! And while I did lots of colouring today, it was all for future posts, so… 😉
Thank you, Lindsey! Awesome; glad you were able to work ahead 🙂
Love this design. I haven’t colored today but I am ready to get started tomorrow.
That is kind of you, Wendy! I am happy that you are ready to join in the fun 🙂
You are a breath of inspiration!! Love your way of making something look so effortless and yet so brilliant and fun!!!
You make my heart smile, Beverly! Thank you for brightening my day 🙂
Wow Kathy this is amazing and so inspiring!
xoxo Olga
That means a lot to me, Olga! Thank you so much, sweet friend 🙂
Love that Kathy – the colours are amazing!
Gab, I am so glad that you like my color choices!
Thank you for stopping by my blog
Thank you for another coloring challenge!
I need something to keep me busy and not thinking about my mother in law who passed away last week.
I alawys love to visit your blog and IG .
hope you are enjoying summer.
hugs
Fiki, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I will keep you and your family in my thoughts. Hugs to you, my friend 🙂
Kathy, I just want to clarify how you colored the blocks. You mentioned above that
“The Tombow watercolor markers are perfect for this application and they were used only on the butterflies.” but since there are no other markers or color supplies mentioned, did you use the tombow dual brush markers on the colored cubes as well?
Hi Amy, Thanks for asking and sorry I missed saying that. What I used on the blocks that I drew was some Daniel Smith and a few other brands that I had on hand. You can use anything and I think distress ink would be nice. Hope this helps 🙂
It turned out beautiful love the butterfly and color combo.
Monica, I am so happy that you like the butterfly too and my color choices! I appreciate your taking time to stop by my blog 🙂
Oh my gosh Kathy, this is so cool! It looks like a quilt & I wish I could do what you did. Does the paper come like that with the quilting look, those blocks? I’d love to try what you did but I’d like to try it with one piece of paper & not buy a whole pack. I could probably do it though. Jen is going to love it! Do you have her address? I would love to make her a card too! I am so happy to participate in the challenge again! I love this! I have been card making like crazy as you can tell by my posts. I have more to post but for now, I’ve posted quite a bit. Thank you for doing this for us! I love it!
Hi Gail! At the top of my post I mentioned making the pattern the same width as whatever ruler you are using. Creating the grid is much faster that way than having to measure a particular width each time. Hope that helps 🙂
WOW, so pretty Kathy.
Teresa, I am thrilled that you like it! Thank you for being a loyal follower. It means a lot to me 🙂
I really like your short tips videos! They give information straight to the point with techniques that are usable with the products I have. Shading scares me..lol…but the short video gave me confidence to try it! Thank you Kathy#
I love all videos, I can learn something I think from any I’ve seen. I love longer ones too but it’s fun to see what everyone is doing and learning someone while at it is just a big bonus! Your coloring is fab.
Yes. I love your quick videos. Keep doing them please
I love your video’s. I always learn something when I watch you color. Like stop pressing so hard with my pencils and what color of copics you used to create shadows. Thank you Kathy!! Keep em coming!
I like the length of your posts!
Hi…. late to the party but everything I’ve seen so far is gorgeous….
You are amazing! Thank you
Hi sweetheart
Hi Kathy! Thank you for the 30 day challenge. I am truly enjoying myself. I have been posting and participating on Instagram.
Thank you and Art Impressions. Congratulations to all of the winners of the giveaway.