A Different Way to Learn Drawing
The 25-Week Drawing Challenge is designed for people who want to become better at drawing while developing their own personal expression.
You will work with reference videos, timed drawing sessions, downloadable images, and weekly reflections. You will receive guidance and inspiration, but your drawings do not need to look exactly like mine.
The aim is not to create a perfect copy. The aim is to spend meaningful time observing, drawing, and finding your own way of seeing and expressing yourself.
Who This Challenge Is For
This challenge is for:
- People who want to improve their drawing skills.
- Artists who want to develop their own unique visual expression.
- People who enjoy learning through regular practice.
- Artists who want to draw from observation and reference.
- People who prefer discovering their own process instead of following a fixed formula.
- Anyone who can commit approximately one hour a day to drawing practice.
- Beginners and returning artists who want a long-term drawing project.
This challenge is NOT for:
This challenge may not be suitable for people who:
- Want to learn photo-realistic drawing as the main goal.
- Want step-by-step instructions designed to make every drawing perfect.
- Want to learn how to measure proportions using formulas.
- Want to use the grid method.
- Want to study the Loomis method.
- Prefer copying a drawing exactly through a fixed construction system.
The challenge gives you reference material and a structure for practice, but it encourages you to explore your own way of drawing.
How the Challenge Works
There is no fixed start date.
Once you join the membership, you will receive access to the 25-week challenge content. You can begin with Week 1 whenever you are ready and work through the challenge at your own pace.
The suggested commitment is approximately one hour a day.
Each week includes:
- Reference videos with a timer.
- Downloadable reference photographs.
- A blog post sharing my experience.
- Drawings from my own challenge journey.
- Time to observe, practice, and develop your personal drawing expression.
A Sustainable One-Hour Practice
The original book schedule is based on approximately three hours plus of daily practice. To make the drawing journey more realistic for people with work, family, and other responsibilities, I redesigned the challenge around approximately one hour of practice per day.
This gives you a focused and sustainable way to work through the exercises without requiring three hours every day.
The original book, The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolaïdes, is still required. The book contains the instructions for the exercises, while this membership provides the timed reference videos, downloadable images, weekly structure, and my personal experience of working through the challenge.
Required Book: The Natural Way to Draw
This 25-week drawing challenge is based on exercises from The Natural Way to Draw by Kimon Nicolaïdes.
You must have your own copy of the book in order to complete the challenge. The instructions for the exercises are provided in the book, while the membership provides the reference videos with timed drawing sessions, downloadable reference images, my experience posts, and examples from my own drawing practice.
To respect the copyright of the book, I will not reproduce or copy the book’s text in the membership posts.
Please obtain a copy before beginning the challenge. You can purchase or borrow the book from a bookstore, library, or online bookseller.
Book information
- Title: The Natural Way to Draw
- Author: Kimon Nicolaïdes
What You Receive
As a member, you receive:
- Access to the complete 25-week drawing challenge.
- Timed art reference videos.
- Downloadable JPG reference images of the Individual reference photographs from the videos.
- Reference images approximately 1500 pixels in size.
- Examples of my drawings from the challenge.
- A flexible, self-paced format.
- The opportunity to build a consistent drawing practice.
Materials You Need
You can begin with simple materials:
- A pencil.
- Large drawing paper, such as A3 and A2. They can be photocopy papers, kid’s drawing papers or wrapping papers. You will go through a lot of papers so be sure to get plenty.
You do not need an extensive collection of expensive art supplies to begin. More materials will be list in each relative Weekly challenge.
Your 25-Week Drawing Journey
The challenge is organized into 25 weeks of drawing practice.
Each week combines reference material, timed drawing sessions, and my personal reflection. You can work at your own pace and return to the exercises whenever you need them.
The goal is not simply to complete 25 drawings. The goal is to spend meaningful time observing, practicing, and developing your own way of drawing.
Weekly Content
Every week includes:
- A reference video with a timer.
- Downloadable JPG reference images.
- A blog post about my experience.
- Drawings from my own challenge journey.
- An opportunity to explore your own drawing expression.
The 25 Weeks
You can add the individual weekly themes below:
- Week 1 — Introduction of Contour and Gesture Drawing
- Week 2 — Explore Gesture Drawing
- Week 3 — Introduction of Weight and Modelled Drawing
- Week 4 — Memory Drawing and Quick Studies
- Week 5 — Modelled Drawing in Ink
- Week 6 — Modelled Drawing in Watercolour
- Week 7 — More on Contour Drawing
- Week 8 — Form Studies
- Week 9 — The Subject of Technique
- Week 10 — The Simple Proportions
- Week 11 — The Study of Drapery
- Week 12 — The Figure with Drapery
- Week 13 — The Sustained Study
- Week 14 — Light and Shade
- Week 15 — The Study of Anatomy
- Week 16 — The Long Composition
- Week 17 — Black and White Crayon
- Week 18 — Study of Structure
- Week 19 — Analysis Through Design
- Week 20 — Study from Reproductions
- Week 21 — The Muscles
- Week 22 — Black and White Oil Colour
- Week 23 — Analysis Through Design II
- Week 24 — The Subjective element
- Week 25 — An Approach to the Use of Colour
Created From Personal Experience
I have completed the full 25-week drawing challenge myself.
Through this process, I explored my own drawing practice, recorded my experience, and created the drawings that accompany the challenge.
One of my drawings will be exhibited in Valletta, Malta, this September 2026.
This membership is an invitation to follow your own long-term drawing journey while developing your personal way of seeing and expressing yourself.
Before and After
Regular drawing practice can change the way you observe, interpret, and express what you see.
Before
After
Same reference photo, two very different attempts:
Before: I struggled with placing the arms and hands, and the twist and angle of the body didn’t feel right. I wiped the charcoal off many times, trying again and again. Eventually, I gave up, I thought the pose was too complex and that I needed to stick to simpler ones.
After: I had a much better grasp of proportions and detail rendering, I managed to get it right almost on the first try! The result blew me away!
It’s amazing to see how much progress comes from persistence and practice.
P.S. Both drawings were made using my own handmade natural charcoal.
Join the 25-Week Drawing Challenge
Give yourself 25 weeks to draw regularly, observe more carefully, and discover your own unique expression. There is no fixed start date. Join the membership, open the Week 1 content, and begin whenever you are ready.
Frequently asked questions
FAQ
When does the challenge start?
There is no fixed start date. Once you join the membership, you can access the 25-week challenge and begin with Week 1 whenever you are ready.
How much time should I spend drawing?
The suggested commitment is approximately one hour a day. You can adjust this according to your schedule, but regular practice will help you get the most from the challenge.
Is this challenge suitable for beginners?
Yes. It is suitable for people who want to improve their drawing and develop their own way of expressing what they see.
Will I learn photo-realistic drawing?
Photo-realistic drawing is not the main focus of this challenge. The challenge is designed to help you improve through observation and practice while developing your own unique expression.
Do you teach the grid method?
No. The challenge does not focus on grid drawing, measuring proportions, the Loomis method, or formula-based drawing systems.
Will I receive step-by-step instructions for every drawing?
No. You will receive reference videos with timers, downloadable reference images, experience posts, and examples of my drawings.
The challenge encourages you to explore and develop your own process rather than reproduce a drawing through a fixed sequence of instructions.
What materials do I need?
You can start with a pencil and large drawing paper, such as A3 or A2.
Can I download the reference images?
Yes. Individual reference photographs from the videos are available as downloadable JPG images at approximately 1500 pixels.
How much does the membership cost?
The membership costs €15 per month.
Can I work through the challenge at my own pace?
Yes. The challenge is self-paced. You can begin whenever you join and move through the 25 weeks according to your own schedule.
How can I contact you?
Email me at:
info[@]liliamanda.com
Start Your Drawing Journey
You do not need to wait for a new year, a new month, or a fixed start date.
Join the 25-Week Drawing Challenge and begin developing your drawing practice whenever you are ready.
· Self-paced · Start with Week 1
About Lili Amanda
Lili Amanda is a professional portrait photographer with a deep interest in observation, drawing, and personal expression.
She photographed all the art references for this drawing challenge, so you do not need to spend time searching for suitable images before you begin. Each reference was carefully prepared to support focused drawing practice.
At first, Lili created the reference photographs and timed videos for her own 25-week drawing journey. After completing the challenge, she realized that the same preparation could help other people improve their drawing skills and discover their own unique way of drawing.
She adapted the original three-hour daily schedule into a more sustainable one-hour-a-day practice, making the drawing journey easier to fit into everyday life.
When she has time, Lili enjoys drawing with handmade charcoal and experimenting with making her own pigments. These personal explorations continue to influence the way she observes, draws, and works with materials.