Monthly Art Challenges [ULTIMATE LIST]
Check out these Monthly Art Challenges! Find your favorite art prompts for each month, and join the rest of the artists!
Last time I gathered a general list of art challenges. I’ve received some questions if there are any art challenges in a particular month. So I started doing research, with an idea in mind that I will extend this previous article. But frankly, I think that creating a separate article, dedicated just to monthly art challenges will be more useful, especially to those who just want to join art challenges in a certain month (because that’s when they have more free time).
So from now on, if there will be any art challenges related to a certain month, I will update this article, and leave the previous article list of art challenges to all of the rest (no-time limited) challenges.
ART CHALLENGES CALENDAR
I’ve prepared an excel file with a calendar of monthly art challenges. You can copy and modify it for your own personal use. On the right side I also included non-montly challenges. Have fun!
OPEN THE ART CHALLENGES CALENDAR
Here’s a .jpg calendar, you can print it if you want 🙂 back-white, and color version. Click to zoom-in the calendars:
List of Montly Art Challenges with brief descriptions
Most of the art challenges listed here have an official prompt list published every year on the internet. But there are artists that create their own prompt lists, use other lists, or just draw what they are feeling at the time. There are no strict rules on what art tools you have to use – you can use both traditional and digital media.
The main goal of these challenges is to create a drawing/sketch every day of the respective month. And of course, to have fun!
Also, I’ve already created some articles dedicated to certain challenges listed here – you can click on highlighted art challenge’s name to go to its page and learn more.
Pick your favorite art challenge and give your best!
January Art Challenges
Creaturanuary
This is a challenge created by Dibujante Nocturno, Rafater and Joshua Cairós. A few years ago they decided to draw a creature per day in January in order to start the year with good artistic vibes. Great challenge if you want to improve your creature designs!
hashtags: #creaturanuary
February Art Challenges
Fairyary
Fairyary is a challenge that was initiated to invite artists to draw more fairies and spreading fairies love during February. The goal is to draw one fairy each day of February. There’s no restrictions in regards t what tools you can use: “Write if you prefer writing to drawing, whatever!”
Febirdary
A cute art challenge, dedicated to drawing birds. The rules are really simple: just draw one bird each day the month, post it to social media, and tag it with hashtag: #Febirdary.
There are no restrictions on what tools you have to use, it can be digital or traditional media.
March Art Challenges
Magical March
Magical March is an art challenge where artists draw a magical girl (or something related to this subject) every day for the month of March! There’s an official prompt list published every year by Mariana Real.
March of Robots
The goal is to draw a new robot illustration each day for 31 days. You don’t have to do a drawing every day. Drawings can be digital or traditional, but it must be drawn by you and it has to be a robot or depict a scene featuring a robot.
Monster March
A perfect challenge for monster lovers – it is dedicated to drawing monsters. Doesn’t really matter what kind of monsters. It’s a great opportunity for artists looking to challenge themselves, and come up with new creature concepts.
April Art Challenges
April showers
April showers daily prompts are related to rain and storms, for example, “Rain boots”.
After all, April showers brings May Flowers. There are many prompt lists created by various artists which you can use.
May Art Challenges
MerMay
MerMay is an art challenge where artists from all around the world draw mermaids. The name MerMay is a combination of two words – Mermaid, and May. The goal is to draw a mermaid every day, following the prompt list (one prompt per one day of May)
Munchy May
Munchy May is an annual project based in the month of May. Every day when artists across the globe submit their artworks to social media, they are asked to reflect on their meal, artwork, and outer life, and explain in the artwork’s description for what grateful for they are at this moment.
Artists draw mostly food they have eaten at that day.
June Art Challenges
Junicorn Drawing Challenge
As the name indicates, it’s a challenge dedicated to drawing unicorns, every day for the month of June. There are no restriction to what media you have to use, you can also create your own prompt list or use other artist’s prompt list, as long as your drawings will be related to unicorns.
Kaijune
is a 30-days art challenge that takes place in June. The goal is to draw a new creature or your version of a classic creature, every day of the month, following a prompt list.
*There’s no official prompt list. Many artists create their own lists and publish on social media, allowing others to use it. So, you can create your own prompt list or use an existing one. The most popular Kaijune prompt lists are created by @flancortes
Junebug
During the month of June, Junebug challenge encourages you to doodle, draw, paint, photograph, or even sculpt some artworks based on insects, and post to social media.
JuneFae
A similar art challenge to Fairyary (from February). Draw a fairy every day – you don’t have to stick to the daily routine. The goal is to draw faeries, pixies, brownies, hobgoblins, etc. during the month of June.
July Art Challenges
*Kaijuly
It’s KaiJune – but for those artists who didn’t have time to participate in this challenge the previous month, June.
Julycanthrophy
This is a drawing challenge running from July 1st to July 31st. This challenge focuses on drawing wolves and werewolves (or other canine creatures).
August Art Challenges
Smaugust
August in the art community is the month of dragons, dubbed #Smaugust, where every day of the month you attempt to draw a dragon in any way, shape, size, medium, or fantastical method you desire.
Doggust
Doggust a daily challenge for the month of august to draw a dog every day, according to the prompt list.
Use any medium you want and feel free to join in any time!
September Art Challenges
Sketchtember
Create one digital or traditional sketch every day in September. The main goal is to create sketches, not finished illustrations.
October Art Challenges
Inktober
Inktober is an art challenge that takes place in October. Its name comes from two words – October and Ink.
Every October, artists from all over the world take on the Inktober drawing challenge by doing one ink drawing a day the entire month.
*PS. Many artists refuse to participate in Inktober. To find out why, and find a list of alternatives, read this article: LIST OF INKTOBER ALTERNATIVES
Drawlloween
Drawlloween is the Halloween-based art challenge started by Brian Soria in 2012. Inspired by Jonathan Coulton’s “Thing A Week”, it began as a series of warm up prompts for his Austin-based “Society of Malice” art group. The challenge found it’s way to online art forums, took off and is now enjoyed around the world!
Drawtober
Drawtober was created in the spirit of Halloween and hosted by Vonnart, Gawki, and Diandrapopart.
Goretober
Goretobers gives artists a different and new drawing challenge every day that revolves around gore.
Catober
Catober is an art challenge dedicated to cats and other feline animals.
November Art Challenges
Huevember
Its goal is to draw one drawing each day, for all days of the month of November, in a given hue. Each day is linked with a certain hue – you can use all colors you want in your drawing as long as the hue of the day stays the main visible color of the image.
Slowvember
Slowvember is about quality and getting something you really like. During this challenge, work on one image and make it as good as you can. Finish a 1 portfolio-level drawing in one month.
December Art Challenges
Drawcember
Every December, artists from all around the world, create a drawing for each day of December. The prompts are mostly Christmas related.
Decembird
Decembird (similar to Febirdary) invites you to have fun making birdy art and to grow as an artist.
Dinovember
Dinovember is a challenge where everyone draws one dinosaur per day to learn about the prehistoric past! It doesn’t matter your skill level, it’s just for fun!
Please let me know if there are art challenges that should be included in this list.
I will try to update this article in the future.
Hello! Great list, thank you. You could add figuary, figure drawing month in February. It’s done with croquis café and love life drawing.
Hi Gen, thanks a lot for the info! I will check out this challenge and update the article at weekend 🙂
Can I share this calendar to a Facebook group?
Yes, thank you! 🙂
DnDecember
Hey, great article 🙂
Shouldn’t the dibovember be in November?
I found a art challenge for March called Frog March where you draw frogs. Whether real or fiction.
Wow, that’s a cool idea! Definitely will check it out and add it to the list!
I saw one in passing, can’t remember what it was called exactly, but it was Disney in December (Dis-ember? idk.) Anyway, Disney December.