100 Days ======== By Paul Robert Lloyd Friday, 3 April 2015 Although Clearleft was first on the list of companies I'd like to freelance for, I was hesitant about having them be my first client, as it might throw into question [why I left in the first place][1]. Thankfully doing so has actually validated my decision to spend [14 months at the Guardian][2]; I've been surprised by just how often that experience has enabled me to contribute more meaningfully to our work with [John Lewis][3]. I also returned to 68 Middle Street in time for the start of [_100 days_][4], a project in which several members of the team are aiming to complete and document a creative process (a 'design operation') every day for one hundred days. Based on [Michael Bierut's original idea][5], it is less about producing consistently great work, but rather an exercise in perseverance; as Woody Allen said "Eighty percent of success is showing up". The project started on 23 March and runs until 1 July 2015. For my design operation, I've chosen to create a single-line drawing each day, a simple constraint that should help me produce a coherent body of work yet also allow a degree of flexibility as I progress. 12 days in, and I'm still enjoying the challenge, mainly as I've yet to fully master it. Illustrations have ranged from minimalist to expressive; some are quite detailed, others look more like deranged scribbles! I used to draw quite regularly as a child, but as graphic design drew me ever closer to the computer screen, the habit receded. It'll be interesting to see if this project reverses that trend. [1]: /2013/10/moving_in_moving_on [2]: /2015/01/changing_gears [3]: http://johnlewis.com [4]: http://clearleft100days.tumblr.com [5]: http://designobserver.com/feature/five-years-of-100-days/24678