Happy Official Christmas season! I had a wonderful Thanksgiving break eating delicious food, watching old episodes of David Suchet’s Poirot, and playing Pokémon Scarlet.
Before the calendar changes to December, I wanted to bid a final farewell to Foodtober 2022 with a quick retrospective of some things I loved and learned last month.
During this 31-day food illustration challenge, I discovered that I have a lot more time and opportunity to draw than I think I do. I’ve started carrying a sketchbook and a few pens with me everywhere I go, and it’s surprising how much drawing I can do in 10 minutes on my lunch break or in a waiting room.
I so loved meeting artists from around the world who participated in Foodtober 2022. We had illustrators from China, Japan, Finland, Jamaica, England, Ireland, France, the United States, and many other countries who joined in the fun, and it was so cool to see different cultural takes on each daily prompt.
One of my big goals for Foodtober was making new patterns and getting more comfortable with Procreate. I made seven patterns during the challenge; almost two a week, which is much faster than I was working before! The challenge helped me to make a fast, easy routine for patterns that prevents me from overthinking my designs. Now I have a new portfolio of cute foodie patterns, and a great workflow to use moving forward.
Making an illustration or pattern every day encouraged me toward consistency. Showing up to my daily drawing routine became more important than hitting a “home run” every day. That mindset is something I want to carry with me into 2023: consistent, unglamorous effort and celebrating the small steps of my art practice.
Foodtober, it’s been wonderful. I’m already looking forward to next year!
Annie Parsons Illustrations and Design 