It's a new year and it's time to make brand new, amazing, even-better-than-last-year's drawings.

If you're not familiar with "The Sketchbook Project," you are now. (Take a look, we mentioned it here.) Just a quick recap in case you're not familiar: The nice people at Art House Co-op sends a sketchbook out to anyone who wants to be a part of this project (for a minimal fee). You draw all over it. You send it back to them when it's filled and then your sketchbook is exhibited at galleries as it makes its way across the country on a tour.

Elizabeth Caldwell has started her 2011 sketchbook and it's on its way to greatness. She's a stay-at-home mom and a freelance Designer and Illustrator. Take a peak inside her first few pages - lots and lots of playful type. Tell me, what's not to like?

Black Lilly is Aya Rosen’s ongoing project—- she is designing and illustrating her own 78-card Tarot deck. Mystics, Occultists and Doodlers rejoice! Her cards feature traditional archetypes accompanied by bold marks, stunning use of color, and unabashed sensuality. Treat yourself to her other art (including album covers and vintage porn) and don’t forget her etsy shop. What craft!

H&M got a hold of us last week and told us about their "Your Art Here" contest, and now we'd like to share it with you. It's a fun contest, with a NYC theme. I just moved to New York. It is a city that has so much to offer, incredible energy and inspiration all around. So the theme is perfect. And I urge you to enter.

Now for the rules: Do something with a New York City theme, in your artistic style. The H&M on Fifth Ave. will give you their store window to use as your blank canvas. They'll fly you out to the city so you can install it yourself. And there are other goodies involved. Get more of the details here.

Think about it. A huge blank canvas for the world to see. And you can doodle away on it to your heart's content. Do it! You have until Oct. 5 to submit your piece.

So I spent my bank holiday Saturday with my good friend from olden days Mr. Ash Dando. He is a wonderfully talented art director who helped me to draw a massive heart thing for use as a backdrop on a colourama.

It only took us about 12 hours but we got there!
We are filming the video on Thursday for the new up and coming little artist SPARK.

Check out some of me pics of the work in progress.

I was at OPPY's "Scribble Project", checking out the train car doodles when I saw Baysan Yuksel's submission. Shortly after, I decided to head over to her site and I'm so glad I did. This artist from Istanbul has a very spontaneous, fun, cut and paste, doodle style.

Some exciting news! Doodlers Anonymous is printing a kids coloring book and this is our open call for submissions. Deadline is December 4th, 2009 December 2nd, 2009 and anyone can participate.

Maybe it's not so much a book as it is an over-sized zine. The page count has yet to be determined, but we want all of you to participate. The deadline is right around the corner, so go on and get started. Keep the art kid friendly, sized at 8.5x11 inches and one-color (black). Accepted submissions will be featured on DA and receive credit on their respective pages and in the table of contents.

Why a kids coloring book? Read on for details »

friends is a collaborative project on the web where each person submits a drawing which then gets added to the long list of previous submissions to form a bigger drawing of them all holding hands. It is simple to participate: download the template, avoid the gray margins and have fun.