Instagram and #The100DayProject

By Sarah Lynne Reul

I’m still working out the best way to dive into social media for my illustration work, but recently I started using Instagram and I’m loving it so far.  When I stumbled on The 100 Day Project, championed by Elle Luna (@elleluna on Instagram; you might recognize her name from her fantastic article series The Crossroads of Should & Must),  I realized it would be a great way for me to meet my dual goals of drawing every day and venturing out a bit further onto a new social media platform.

Here’s the overview post that she shared to get the word out: 

I decided to take on 3 – I always loved the effect when I’ve seen it in other people’s work (including Mo Willem’s Knuffle Bunny picture books, which use photos of the neighborhood where I grew up!).  

I’ve been taking a photo every day and then digitally drawing in new elements, either through Ipad apps or with a Wacom tablet in Photoshop.  It’s been really fun so far – at the time of writing I’m on day 10 – and I’m hoping I can keep it up for all 100 days, which should take me into mid-July! (UPDATE: the project ended August 2016 – you can find all of the final images here.)

Instagram is all about interacting with other people, and I’ve found a lot of inspiration through liking and following the work of other illustrators.  A couple of my favorites currently participating in #the100dayproject include:

• lettering rockstar @marykatemcdevitt – she’s doing #100daysofpeopleandplants, telling a tiny story with each day with words and pictures
• @brooksmartillustration is posting #100daysofbringingupbaby – lovely grayscale illustrations of mom and daughter, a little autobigraphical journal of raising a toddler.  

You can even get in on the action if you don’t produce visual work – check out the projects these writers have started:

• @heberlann2011 is currently posting #100daysofcharacters (although that hashtag also includes work by other people as well): brief but poignant character interactions written on post-it notes
• @chloeewart is immortalizing #100conversationsOnABus by jotting down snippets of overheard conversations
• @kb_words is writing a new haiku each day

Of course, there are many, many more great artists, writers and makers participating – just search #the100dayproject to find your new favorites.

Never used Instagram before? Check out this fantastic primer by illustrator Ohn Mar Win.

If you do use Instagram for writing or illustration, please share a link to your account in the comments – you can find me @thereul.  I’d love to check out your work!

Sarah Lynne Reul is an illustrator, writer and award-winning 2D animator who likes science, bright colors and figuring out how things work. Learn more at reuler.com.