Use the art challenge generator to choose a drawing or painting study: Values explores how light or dark things look; Composition explores how objects and empty space fit inside your picture. Follow a step-by-step practice plan with a museum artwork as your reference.
Make a practice challenge
Choose a skill and study length. Create a practice plan, then pick a reference.
Oil, acrylic and watercolor use painting references. Changing your material starts a new plan and clears kept choices.
Choose a focus and duration to see a suggested pace.
Keep parts of this plan (optional)
Check what you want to keep for the next plan.
Loading reviewed references…
Choose a reference
Keep one image beside your paper. Open it larger when you need to inspect it.
Your practice plan
Describe the reference with three to five large light and dark groups. Start with the largest groups and leave small detail out.
Why make three boxes? Three small boxes let you compare arrangements before you commit to one larger study.
What you will do: Make three small versions of the reference. Change the position or size of the largest shapes in each one, then develop the clearest version into a larger study.
Match the box shape to your reference
→Wide reference → three wide boxes
→Tall reference → three tall boxes
Match the shape of your boxes to the shape of your reference.
What is a thumbnail? ⓘA thumbnail is a small, rough planning drawing. Use it to test an arrangement; leave out edits and detail.
Set up your material
Terms explained
How to work through it
Helpful setup
Use black, white, and one brush. Mix three to five value piles before you paint. Use a stay-wet palette or remix small piles as they dry.
What does “value” mean? ⓘValue is how light or dark something looks. Treat areas with similar lightness as one group.
Finish check
Hold the study at arm’s length. Can you see the three to five large light and dark groups before the detail? If yes, you are done.
Use the three-box setup
What does “composition” mean? ⓘComposition is where the biggest parts sit inside the study box. The blank area around them is empty space.Make three small sketches, choose one, then develop it into a larger study.
1
Draw three small boxes
2
Main shapeEmpty space
Use big shapes
3
✓
Choose one and enlarge it
Keep the first sketches rough; use the same big shapes in the larger study.
Finish check
Hold the study at arm’s length. Can you spot the biggest shape and the largest blank area before the detail? If yes, you are done.
Use your generated practice plan
Choose one suggested reference and read the first instruction before beginning. Follow the plan’s steps, then use its finish check to compare your study with the artwork. Your practice material is what you will use; the artwork’s medium describes how the original was made.
Keep choices you want to retain under Keep parts of this plan (optional) before trying another plan. Changing your material starts a new plan and clears kept choices so the instructions and references fit your tools. When you only want different artwork, choose New references.
The generator offers up to three distinct compatible references. A narrow selection may have fewer matches; change a constraint if you want more options. For timer controls beside your image, use reference browsing and choose Practise with this reference.