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Your Year in Art:A project for every week of the year to overcome blank-page anxiety and inspire creative exploration
Overflowing with drawing prompts and tips, Your Year in Art will invigorate beginning and practicing artists as they build skills, gain confidence, and overcome artistic anxiety with fun, creative prompts for every week of the year.
Leave your artistic anxiety behind with 52 weeks of hearty inspiration. Your Year in Art is a must-have guide to rouse your creative side. Designed for aspiring, beginning, and practicing artists looking to hone their skills, Your Year in Art is packed with unique projects and encouraging instruction .
The mission of Your Year in Art is to sharpen your art skills and quiet your inner critic by showing you how to draw habitually and spontaneously. As you build your craft, techniques, and confidence, this guide encourages you to create in a way that celebrates your individuality.
Fifty-two clever drawing prompts, along with tips and tricks , from expert illustrator Chelsea Ward will get your creative juices flowing. Weekly challenges include making a “self-portrait” by sketching things that describe you; practicing mark-making techniques like cross-hatching and stippling; filling a sketchbook page with drawings on a theme, like potted plants or fire hydrants; and adding water to ink drawings to practice wash techniques.
Join fellow artists in an exciting yearlong journey of developing creative habits and discovering new ways to express yourself.
Leave your artistic anxiety behind with 52 weeks of hearty inspiration. Your Year in Art is a must-have guide to rouse your creative side. Designed for aspiring, beginning, and practicing artists looking to hone their skills, Your Year in Art is packed with unique projects and encouraging instruction .
The mission of Your Year in Art is to sharpen your art skills and quiet your inner critic by showing you how to draw habitually and spontaneously. As you build your craft, techniques, and confidence, this guide encourages you to create in a way that celebrates your individuality.
Fifty-two clever drawing prompts, along with tips and tricks , from expert illustrator Chelsea Ward will get your creative juices flowing. Weekly challenges include making a “self-portrait” by sketching things that describe you; practicing mark-making techniques like cross-hatching and stippling; filling a sketchbook page with drawings on a theme, like potted plants or fire hydrants; and adding water to ink drawings to practice wash techniques.
Join fellow artists in an exciting yearlong journey of developing creative habits and discovering new ways to express yourself.
- GenresArtCraftsNonfiction
112 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 27, 2018
151 people are currently reading
75 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
December 10, 2018
This is fantastic, after finishing reviewing this book I purchased it for myself.
One exercise a week for 52 weeks.
The exercises and tasks are different and interesting, following this book will really develope your drawing and artistic skills.
I brought it to do the exercises each week as a family with my children next year. I'm really looking forward to seeing the different perspectives for each week.
Great book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
One exercise a week for 52 weeks.
The exercises and tasks are different and interesting, following this book will really develope your drawing and artistic skills.
I brought it to do the exercises each week as a family with my children next year. I'm really looking forward to seeing the different perspectives for each week.
Great book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 23, 2019
This is an inexpensive little book that provides weekly assignments to improve your art (generally drawing) skills and get you doing art. Examples of assignments are to draw sketches of your art goals for the year, to practice different hatching techniques or to draw things from different perspectives. This would make a fun book for budding artists, those who want to kick start their art habits, or for homeschool families who want some art inspiration.
My rating system:
1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost
I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.
My rating system:
1 = hated it
2 = it was okay
3 = liked it
4 = really liked it
5 = love it, plan to purchase, and/or would buy it again if it was lost
I read a temporary digital ARC of the book for the purpose of review.
October 13, 2018
I hadn't had very high expectations and there are tons of art books and how to draw books out there that just show you pretty pictures of the artist, but don't teach you anything or get you more creative.
This book is different. Divided in sections and 52 chapters, one for each week of the year. It gives you a task and a few examples. I loved the exercises and they cover almost the entire range of techniques and subject matter. Perfect for beginners to find out what you like to draw or advanced artists to broaden your horizons.
I would recommend this book to everyone no matter what age or how professional. You could even do the same exercises each year and come up with something different. Great to get your creative juices flowing again or if you experience some kind of art block!
This book is different. Divided in sections and 52 chapters, one for each week of the year. It gives you a task and a few examples. I loved the exercises and they cover almost the entire range of techniques and subject matter. Perfect for beginners to find out what you like to draw or advanced artists to broaden your horizons.
I would recommend this book to everyone no matter what age or how professional. You could even do the same exercises each year and come up with something different. Great to get your creative juices flowing again or if you experience some kind of art block!
November 26, 2018
This book was designed to do one exercise per week. I absolutely loved this book. I have read many art books and this one was very unique. The exercises were inspiring and effective. A few of my favorites was using only primary colors, drawing things that are large small being sure to include defining details and drawing small things large focusing on details you would be unable to fit in a small drawing, and landscape zendoodles.
This was an excellent book for beginning and advanced artists.
I received this galley from NetGalley.
August 24, 2025
If you want prompts and inspiration- here they are.
Ok so there is nothing new, nothing original and nothing remarkable about any of the content BUT.. Chelsea manages to fill the pages with a wide range of suggestions that can spur the reader into creative action.
Her own style, as shown in the illustrations, is simple and effective. No one should feel daunted by her examples. Overall the book achieves the stated aims and could be helpful to those that need some artistic prompting.
Ok so there is nothing new, nothing original and nothing remarkable about any of the content BUT.. Chelsea manages to fill the pages with a wide range of suggestions that can spur the reader into creative action.
Her own style, as shown in the illustrations, is simple and effective. No one should feel daunted by her examples. Overall the book achieves the stated aims and could be helpful to those that need some artistic prompting.
September 5, 2025
creative projects
Love all the great ideas to get out of my own way and just start drawing and painting on a daily basis
Love all the great ideas to get out of my own way and just start drawing and painting on a daily basis
August 8, 2021
I loooooved this book. Lots of fun little projects to play with and inspire. I should have gotten the printed version though.
October 9, 2018
First of all, thank you to the publisher for granting the wish to review this book.
I have recently become interested in art and drawing so this book is fab. I love that each week there is a different challenge as at the moment I don't know where my talents lie. This helps to explore areas which I probably wouldn't think of. So far I am really impressed with this book and I am excited to get stuck in.
I have recently become interested in art and drawing so this book is fab. I love that each week there is a different challenge as at the moment I don't know where my talents lie. This helps to explore areas which I probably wouldn't think of. So far I am really impressed with this book and I am excited to get stuck in.
October 10, 2018
52 weekly exercises to help fuel your creativity all year long. Some assignments focus on skill building, others on stretching creativity. All give the artist ideas for using their skills and discovering new styles along the way while building a habit of using those skills on a regular basis.
Thank you to Chelsea Ward, Quarto Publishing Group – Walter Foster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All comments are my own, unbiased opinion.
Thank you to Chelsea Ward, Quarto Publishing Group – Walter Foster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book. All comments are my own, unbiased opinion.
October 10, 2018
Of all of the art books I have read in the last year or two, this is one of my favorites. It gives you projects to focus on for every week in a year. You can start the book at anytime as the projects aren’t month specific. Feel like you need inspiration now? Start now. Like a more structured January - December journal? Do that.
The projects are detailed enough to give you a place to start but vague enough that you could interpret them very differently from a friend working from the same book. As is the case when any such book, some week’s projects may inspire you more than others. Or you may find that on the week you are at, you’d really prefer to do the week after, no rules (though to get the most out of this book you will want to keep track so you don’t do one week’s project three times while skipping others).
Projects vary from self portraits to quotes to lists. Great for those who want to improve their art generally or who have more specific goals like illustrated bullet journals. There are samples of each week’s project as well as tips, so if you’re really stumped you could try to recreate the samples.
The projects are detailed enough to give you a place to start but vague enough that you could interpret them very differently from a friend working from the same book. As is the case when any such book, some week’s projects may inspire you more than others. Or you may find that on the week you are at, you’d really prefer to do the week after, no rules (though to get the most out of this book you will want to keep track so you don’t do one week’s project three times while skipping others).
Projects vary from self portraits to quotes to lists. Great for those who want to improve their art generally or who have more specific goals like illustrated bullet journals. There are samples of each week’s project as well as tips, so if you’re really stumped you could try to recreate the samples.
October 17, 2018
#YourYearInArt #NetGalley
A wonderful guide to performing a collection of art project during the year. The author pushes to our limits of creativity with amazing challenges starting with a beginner level accompanied by practical and theoretical exercises. An excellent idea for Christmas gift.
A wonderful guide to performing a collection of art project during the year. The author pushes to our limits of creativity with amazing challenges starting with a beginner level accompanied by practical and theoretical exercises. An excellent idea for Christmas gift.
November 1, 2018
"Your Year in Art: A project for every week of the year to overcome blank-page anxiety and inspire creative exploration" by Chelsea Ward has a broad title, but really is focused just on drawing techniques. Which is not at all a bad thing! The book has a very short list of art supplies, making it easily accessible for everybody to get started.
While "Your Year in Art was primarily designed as inspiration, providing weekly prompts and ideas, you do not need to be an expert in drawing to get going. In fact, it starts really easy, with decorating words or coloring your own doodles. There are weeks devoted to getting used to drawing techniques- simplifying shapes, mixing, colors, mark making or contour drawing. Later things get more interesting, with projects like recipe illustrating and various lists. Assignments also get far more challenging later in the year, with exercises like drawing hands. There are intimidating assignments that make you draw outside your house, in public spaces or fun, like making a map - it really is a mixture of easy and challenging from week to week. To purpose- to keep you drawing, systematically and for simple pleasure.
"Your Year in Art has a very modern design and informal feel. Pages are consistently organized, with the week project idea description, assignment, and additional challenge "Try this".
I really enjoyed reading "Your Year in Art, and I plan to go back to the 52 projects often. Perhaps even finish most if not all of them, eventually. So let me go and but my watercolor pen brushes now...
While "Your Year in Art was primarily designed as inspiration, providing weekly prompts and ideas, you do not need to be an expert in drawing to get going. In fact, it starts really easy, with decorating words or coloring your own doodles. There are weeks devoted to getting used to drawing techniques- simplifying shapes, mixing, colors, mark making or contour drawing. Later things get more interesting, with projects like recipe illustrating and various lists. Assignments also get far more challenging later in the year, with exercises like drawing hands. There are intimidating assignments that make you draw outside your house, in public spaces or fun, like making a map - it really is a mixture of easy and challenging from week to week. To purpose- to keep you drawing, systematically and for simple pleasure.
"Your Year in Art has a very modern design and informal feel. Pages are consistently organized, with the week project idea description, assignment, and additional challenge "Try this".
I really enjoyed reading "Your Year in Art, and I plan to go back to the 52 projects often. Perhaps even finish most if not all of them, eventually. So let me go and but my watercolor pen brushes now...
November 6, 2018
I really liked this book. For a beginning artist it gives you a project to do each week. The activities are fun and inspiring and will keep you motivated when inspiration is lacking. You don't have to buy many art supplies as most of the pencils can be done with pencils, inks and maybe a few watercolours. Chelsea gives extra tips to try with the art activities and lots of colourful examples. I liked the book so much that I am going to buy a journal and try these activities each week. It looks fun!
November 19, 2018
A perfect book to encourage you to get started making art!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.
Many thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author. All opinions are my own.
December 1, 2018
I really like this - I is not one of those mindless art books that wants you to copy the writers instructions step by step. There are ideas and illustrations, but what you draw is your own choice. There is an assignment each week (there are 52 of them) which teaches a skill - or at least challengers your mind - such as making 2 sketch, one using your dominate hand and one your passive hand. - great fun.
I really look forward to each weeks assignment, they are fun and gets me out of the dull mind and back into a painting/drawing creative mindset.
I think this book is perfect for any one who wants to make a start in something creative, someone who doesn't know where to start or just for fun.
You never know what you can achieve at the end of 52 weeks, what you have learnt, the confidence gained and the satisfaction and inspiration found in making it to the end.
I really look forward to each weeks assignment, they are fun and gets me out of the dull mind and back into a painting/drawing creative mindset.
I think this book is perfect for any one who wants to make a start in something creative, someone who doesn't know where to start or just for fun.
You never know what you can achieve at the end of 52 weeks, what you have learnt, the confidence gained and the satisfaction and inspiration found in making it to the end.
December 1, 2018
Thank you Quatro and Netgalley for an ARc of this book in return for my unbiased opinion.
This book was broken into weekly projects to sustain creativity over the period of a year.
As a very beginner of art I am enthused to attempt many of these weekly ideas. The book is easy to read,, colourful and attractive.
I particularly liked the zen doodle, mandala and lettering weeks and am excited to try these in the coming weeks.
This book was broken into weekly projects to sustain creativity over the period of a year.
As a very beginner of art I am enthused to attempt many of these weekly ideas. The book is easy to read,, colourful and attractive.
I particularly liked the zen doodle, mandala and lettering weeks and am excited to try these in the coming weeks.
January 4, 2019
Your Year in Art by Chelsea Ward is a colorful awe inspiring creative book! The concept is so wonderful. Chelsea walks you through 52 weeks of art mindfulness. Her suggestions are unique and colorful as well as encouraging. The book breaksdown your artist endeavors in small weekly bites. It focuses on one aspect that you can focus on for seven days. I think this is a doable way to learn and grow. This book is for grown ups as well as budding artists of all ages. Great book! I definitely plan on using it this year. This would also make a great gift.
January 29, 2019
Totally cool and a very different book. Now, and then i am fascinated by artists, and art work so this title reached out to me.
I just read it out of curiosity, and see if i can learn a thing or two about art (and i surprised myself, I absolutely did)
Great book and very simple and easy to follow.
There are lots of prints and art work (so digitally it wasn't very good experience), however if you were to purchase paper back, it will be different experience.
I just read it out of curiosity, and see if i can learn a thing or two about art (and i surprised myself, I absolutely did)
Great book and very simple and easy to follow.
There are lots of prints and art work (so digitally it wasn't very good experience), however if you were to purchase paper back, it will be different experience.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews