DRAWESOME

Thanks to mekare for suggesting this challenge. It was originally proposed by minoanmiss, and is a tribute to her memory.




Challenge #77: Windows and Openings


The spirit of the challenge is the way we're drawn to look through openings, whatever those may be. Windows, doors, holes in walls, in rocks, in trees, in fences around construction sites. You can draw or paint the view on either side - someone or something looking through, or what's to be seen on the other side. More abstract or conceptual interpretations are fine as well - a window on the past, the future, the eyes as windows of the soul, and so on. 

If you want to create something to commemorate minoanmiss, some of her favorite things were the Minoan civilisation, goddesses, recursive images, and anything hopeful.

Once we reach May we're including mermaid-themed art as well, and mermaids were another thing minoanmiss loved. There are of course openings in rocks and seaweed forests under the waves, and windows in underwater cities. We'll do a reminder about the MerMay theme being added in when we get to May.

A round-up post for submissions to this challenge will be done at the end of May.


Challenge #75: Romance


It's been a heady, romantic holiday season for some of us in fandom, so the first theme of 2026 is ROMANCE! You can draw characters from a romance, or put characters from any fandom, or no fandom, into a romantic situation. Or you can draw and paint anything connected with romance, whatever that means to you - like an anniversary, gifts, or a romantic memory. Make it as schmaltzy as you like, or as tragic and angsty, and don't forget "enemies to lovers", and other romance tropes! ❤️

The challenge will run through February as well, to cover Valentine's Day.

A round-up post for submissions to this challenge will be done at the end of February.

Something different for November, as we figured people might be a bit worn out after Drawtober, and starting to get busy with seasonal projects and challenges.



Art Rec Challenge: Rec a Fanartist

This is an art recommendations month. Pick a fanartist you like and tell us why you enjoy their works - and link us to a few examples, and to their main site or sites.

Any fandom, but only fanartists please, not professional artists (it's okay if they're fanartists who do commissions or have a buy-me-a-coffee, though, as that's fairly common these days.) They can be from any era - from early Star Trek vintage to artists posting currently.

Tell us about just one artist per post, please - you can make more than one post if you want to rec two or three artists!

A round-up post for this recs challenge will be done at the end of November. Happy reccing!

Challenge #73: September

The challenge this month is what you see on the tin! Anything inspired by the month of September, which might be fall or spring depending which hemisphere you're in - like early harvests, or daffodils and spring vegetables. Or it could be something entirely different from the seasons - this Wikipedia article might give you some ideas. Like September's birthstone which is sapphire, or its birth flowers the forget-me-not, morning glory and aster. Then there are the September zodiac signs, Virgo and Libra.

In fanart, you might draw your favourite character in an autumn or spring setting, or something from an episode that first aired in September. Then there's the expression "a May and September relationship", if that applies. Any inspiration from the prompt is fine!

A round-up post for submissions to this challenge will be done at the end of September, after which October is Drawtober time again (our version of Inktober).

Thanks to mekare, who suggested a version of this prompt.



Challenge #72: What Makes You Happy

We all need some positive vibes these days, so this month the challenge is to draw or paint anything that makes you happy, or that makes your favourite characters happy. It could be a person, a place, a garden, a cup of tea or coffee, a pet, a stack of books - anything at all!

If you're into Star Trek, Spock could be what makes Jim happy, or for Blackbeard, it might be Stede. You can draw something fannish, or something personal, as long as it makes you or your characters happy.

A round-up post for submissions to this challenge will be done at the end of July.

We're heading into seasonal holidays so I thought the seasons could be this month's challenge, including our seasonal card exchange which we'll organise again very soon, to allow time for postal system vagaries.

Meanwhile, take Seasons any way you'd like - it might be fall or autumn where you are, or late spring, or monsoon season, or cyclone season! Draw or paint something inspired in some way by the seasons - it doesn't need to be the current season, and it could be fannish, or original art. Or interpret Seasons in a more abstract way (to every thing there is a season, the season of the wolf, etc.) You could even get a head start on something you might adapt as a seasonal design for the end of the year.

A round-up post for submissions to this challenge will be done at the end of December.

Happy Drawing, everyone! :)

Hi everyone.

The people who've said they want to take part in the card exchange are:
mekare
minoanmiss
goss
mific
eller
yhlee

yue_ix asked about it but hasn't said they want to join in yet. Need to message me their mailing address details and email asap if they want to join in - same goes for anyone else. 

I'll put together the list of mailing addresses and email it out to all the participants later today.