Global Sketching Challenge: 100 People in One Week Unites Artists Worldwide
Liz Steel, a self-described 'obsessive sketcher', can often be found drawing people in a cafe in Lindfield, Sydney, during her week-long challenge to sketch 100 individuals. Meanwhile, Marc Taro Holmes navigates the thawing streets of Montreal, sketchbook in hand, as if emerging from hibernation. These two artists, living on opposite sides of the globe, have connected through a unique sketching challenge that has blossomed into a worldwide phenomenon.
The Origins of #OneWeek100People
Steel and Holmes are the co-founders of the #OneWeek100People challenge, an informal global initiative that encourages artists to sketch 100 people within seven days. Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, the challenge took place this week, but the founders emphasize it is purely for enjoyment. Anyone can participate at any time by using the hashtag and sharing their work online.
The duo first met at the International Urban Sketchers Symposium in Lisbon in 2011, with this year's event scheduled for Toulouse in July. They began the challenge as a way to stay connected and maintain their drawing practice. Holmes explains, "Liz and I started the challenge as an excuse to keep drawing together. Speaking selfishly, this event is my free pass to spend an entire week drawing."
Growth and Impact on the Urban Sketchers Community
Since its inception, the challenge has grown significantly within the Urban Sketchers community, attracting hundreds of participants from around the world. Steel, originally an architect, transitioned to become an art educator, much like Holmes. She reflects, "It's no understatement to say that sketching the world around me changed my life and my career." Holmes initially challenged himself to sketch 20 people daily for a week, and together, they transformed this personal experiment into a global movement.
The goal of 100 sketches is intentionally ambitious, designed to encourage drawing without self-criticism. Holmes states, "Quantity is the only goal, not quality. Secretly, that's the best way to improve your drawing." Steel adds that there is a "special type of magic" in the momentum, emphasizing that the challenge is about practice rather than perfection.
Personal Stories from Participants
Quincy Nadel, a participant from Chicago, uses the challenge as "exposure therapy" for her perfectionism. After teaching herself to sketch in her 30s, she found it a way to combat digital burnout. Nadel says, "Sketching is my 'permission slip' to sit and watch the world without the pressure of productivity. My sketchbook has become a record of me being 'here' instead of 'online'." She documents her journey on Instagram but views the art as a byproduct of a deeper goal: recalibrating her brain to notice people in her surroundings.
Nadel highlights the endless interest in people-watching, stating, "I like to sketch strangers ... anywhere people naturally gather." She focuses on simple sketches that capture small details, telling little stories rather than achieving perfect likenesses.
The Transformative Power of Sketching
Steel and Holmes believe that sketching changes how we process our environment. Holmes notes, "Drawing uses the brain in a different way than taking a photo. You're forced to really look. It's active and creative, rather than passively consuming media." He describes drawing as a terrific way to engage with the world, motivating him to explore new places and activities.
Steel adds that sketching creates a "tactile relationship" with the environment. When drawing on location, she finds the world unfolds around her, with people stopping to talk and sounds becoming encoded into her pages. Looking back on old sketchbooks vividly transports her to captured moments, allowing her to remember conversations and details.
Accessibility and Practical Advice
Holmes stresses that the challenge is designed to be accessible, with no expensive tools required and success defined simply by trying. He says, "We don't want people turning a game into hard labour. We wanted an activity that you can't fail. You can actually draw 100 sketches in a single day if you approach it as a game." Steel simplifies it further, noting that the goal is to sketch more than usual, however one defines that.
Her practical advice includes working small, simplifying sketches, and using a limited selection of materials. This year, she uses water-soluble pencils and markers, which allow her to soften edges if mistakes occur. She recommends busy spots where subjects are seated or performing repetitive motions. Steel observes, "I'm usually rusty on day one, and by day five I'm in the flow. It gets addictive. I've done 100 in just over an hour before. Once you get going, you just can't stop."
Encouraging Empathy and Mindfulness
Nadel shares that the practice has increased her empathy, stating, "When you spend your time looking up, watching and truly seeing people ... it's impossible not to feel a sense of gratitude for the 'ordinary'." She hopes the challenge inspires others to put down their phones and engage with the world at eye level.
Holmes concludes, "Anyone can take up a sketchbook practice. It's forgiving, and it's accessible. It's never boring looking at people and imagining their lives." This global sketching challenge continues to foster creativity, community, and a deeper connection to the everyday world around us.
