100 Days of Contronyms
Objective
Every day for 100 consecutive days, I illustrated a contronym. A contronym is a word with 2 contradictory meanings For example, bolt means to secure or to flee.
Context
This project was part of 100 Days of Making, a grad school class that turns its head on the traditional class structure. Instead of focusing on one final project, it focuses on a daily, iterative design practice.
This project was part of 100 Days of Making, a grad school class that turns its head on the traditional class structure. Instead of focusing on one final project, it focuses on a daily, iterative design practice.
We identified a theme to explore over the course of 100 days and commit to making a variation on that idea (and posting social evidence of the work) every day for 100 days.
Reflection
Creativity is sustained through daily practice, not waiting in vain for inspiration to strike. We were required to post what made each day online. At first, I thought this rule was about accountability. But it's more than that. It's about being comfortable with imperfection, not seeing it as failure. It’s the opposite of failure⏤it’s resilience and dedication. The practice encourages you to generate lots of ideas, without getting attached to one.
Creativity is sustained through daily practice, not waiting in vain for inspiration to strike. We were required to post what made each day online. At first, I thought this rule was about accountability. But it's more than that. It's about being comfortable with imperfection, not seeing it as failure. It’s the opposite of failure⏤it’s resilience and dedication. The practice encourages you to generate lots of ideas, without getting attached to one.
Give yourself permission to not be brilliant everyday. The good days wouldn’t happen if not for the bad ones right before. Looking back, fun to see themes emerge and certain designs remind me vividly of certain days.
DAY 100
alight: to settle on, or dismount from
DAY 99
alight: to settle on, or dismount from
DAY 98
bound: to move with leaping strides,
or be constrained
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DAY 97
bound: to move with leaping strides, or be constrained
DAY 96
original: plain/unchanged, or creative/new
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DAY 95
original: plain/unchanged, or creative/new
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DAY 94
skin: to remove the skin from, or cover with skin
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DAY 93
skin: to remove the skin from, or cover with skin
DAY 93
DAY 92
custom: a common practice, or special treatment
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DAY 91
custom: a common practice, or special treatment
DAY 91![]()
DAY 90
custom: a common practice, or special treatment
DAY 90![]()
DAY 89
custom: a common practice, or special treatment
DAY 89
DAY 88
outstanding: incomplete, or completed with excellence
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DAY 87
outstanding: incomplete, or completed with excellence
DAY 86
screen: to show, or conceal
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DAY 85
screen: to show, or conceal
DAY 85
DAY 84
revolution: to change dramatically and irrevocably, or to end exactly where one started, coming full circle
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DAY 83
DAY 83revolution: to change dramatically and irrevocably, or to end exactly where one started, coming full circle
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DAY 82
revolution: to change dramatically and irrevocably, or to end exactly where one started, coming full circle
DAY 82 ![]()
DAY 81
revolution: to change dramatically and irrevocably, or to end exactly where one started, coming full circle
DAY 81 
DAY 80
garnish: to furnish, or take away
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DAY 79
DAY 79garnish: to furnish, or take away
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DAY 78
transparent: invisible, or obvious
DAY 78![]()
DAY 77
transparent: invisible, or obvious
DAY 77
DAY 76
fine: of superior quality, or just satisfactory
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DAY 75
DAY 75fine: of superior quality, or just satisfactory
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DAY 74
clip: to attach together, or cut off
DAY 74
DAY 73
clip: to attach together, or cut off
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DAY 72
DAY 72cite: to require a court appearance, or recognize a good deed
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DAY 71
DAY 71cite: to require a court appearance, or recognize a good deed
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DAY 70
cleave: to separate/cut apart, or adhere/bind together
DAY 70![]()
DAY 69
DAY 69cleave: to separate/cut apart, or adhere/bind together
DAY 68
weather: to withstand, or wear away
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DAY 67
DAY 67weather: to withstand, or wear away
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DAY 66
buckle: to fasten, or bend/give way
DAY 66![]()
DAY 65
DAY 65buckle: to fasten, or bend/give way
DAY 64
livid: reddish/flushed, or deathly pale/ashen
DAY 63
livid: reddish/flushed, or deathly pale/ashen
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DAY 62
DAY 62livid: reddish/flushed, or deathly pale/ashen
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DAY 61
DAY 61livid: reddish/flushed, or deathly pale/ashen
DAY 60
hold up: to support, or impede
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DAY 59
DAY 59 hold up: to support, or impede
DAY 58
splice: to unite, or separate
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DAY 57
DAY 57splice: to unite, or separate
DAY 56
fast: something stuck firmly, or moving quickly
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DAY 55
DAY 55fast: something stuck firmly, or moving quickly
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DAY 54
fast: something stuck firmly, or moving quickly
DAY 54
DAY 53
fast: something stuck firmly, or moving quickly
DAY 52
fix: to mend, or castrate
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DAY 51
DAY 51 fix: to mend, or castrate
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DAY 50
finished: completed, or destroyed
DAY 50![]()
DAY 49
DAY 49finished: completed, or destroyed
DAY 48
founder: one who builds something up, or to break down
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DAY 47
DAY 47founder: one who builds something up, or to break down
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DAY 46
garnish: to furnish, or take away
DAY 46![]()
DAY 45
garnish: to furnish, or take away
DAY 45
DAY 44
refrain: to repeat, or desist
DAY 43
refrain: to repeat, or desist
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DAY 42
DAY 42seed: to sow seeds, or remove them
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DAY 41
DAY 41seed: to sow seeds, or remove them
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DAY 40
DAY 40dust: to wipe away, or lightly cover
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DAY 39
DAY 39dust: to wipe away, or lightly cover
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DAY 38
adumbrate: to obscure/overshadow, or disclose/foreshadow
DAY 38![]()
DAY 37
DAY 37adumbrate: to obscure/overshadow, or disclose/foreshadow
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DAY 36
adumbrate: to obscure/overshadow, or disclose/foreshadow
DAY 36
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DAY 35
ravel: a tangle/knot, or to untangle something
DAY 35![]()
DAY 34
left: remained, or departed
DAY 34![]()
DAY 33
DAY 33left: remained, or departed
DAY 32
wind up: to end, or start
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DAY 31
DAY 31downhill: things are getting worse, or easier
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DAY 30
off: activated (the alarm’s going off), or deactivated (the alarm isn’t going off because it’s off)
DAY 30![]()
DAY 29
scan: to scrutinize, or skim
DAY 29
DAY 28
oversight: watchful/responsible care, or an inadvertent error
DAY 27
oversight: watchful/responsible care, or an inadvertent error
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DAY 26
DAY 26quiddity: the inherent essence of someone, or a peculiarity/oddity/quirk
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DAY 25
DAY 25quiddity: the inherent essence of someone, or a peculiarity/oddity/quirk
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DAY 24
DAY 24skin: to remove the skin from, or cover with skin
DAY 23
bolt: to secure, or flee
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DAY 22
trim: to decorate, or remove
DAY 22![]()
DAY 21
trim: to decorate, or remove
DAY 21
DAY 20
enjoin: to impose, or prohibit
DAY 19
enjoin: to impose, or prohibit
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DAY 18
sanguine: cheerful, or bloodthirsty
DAY 18![]()
DAY 17
DAY 17sanguine: cheerful, or bloodthirsty
DAY 16
weather: to withstand, or wear away
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DAY 15
cleave: to separate/cut apart, or adhere/bind together
DAY 15![]()
DAY 14
DAY 14lurid: glowing with color, or pale
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DAY 13
DAY 13lurid: glowing with color, or pale
DAY 12
refrain: to repeat, or desist
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DAY 11
buckle: to fasten, or bend/give way
DAY 11![]()
DAY 10
strike: to create (strike a pose), or eliminate
DAY 10![]()
DAY 9
strike: to create (strike a pose), or eliminate
DAY 9![]()
DAY 8
temper: to soften, or strengthen
DAY 8![]()
DAY 7
temper: to soften, or strengthen
DAY 7
DAY 6
put out: to create, or extinguish
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DAY 5
put out: to create, or extinguish
DAY 5
DAY 2
DAY 1