Are you ready to jump into icy water and start the New Year with a blast of adrenaline?
Today is the day to gear up for the annual Polar Bear Plunge Day!
This wacky event happens every January 1st and brings together thousands of people worldwide to take a dip in freezing water and support various charitable causes.
Let’s dive (pardon the pun) into the history of this daring tradition and get some tips on how to take the plunge safely.
Origins
The Polar Bear Plunge Day originated in Canada in 1920, and since then, it has spread around the globe. It’s all about challenging yourself, facing your fears, and, of course, having fun.
People dress up in hilarious costumes, jump in with friends and family, and take pride in the courage it takes to brave the cold water.
Some plunge events are organized to raise funds for charitable causes, such as protecting the habitat of polar bears and other Arctic wildlife.
No matter why you’re doing it, taking the Polar Bear Plunge is an exhilarating and unforgettable experience.
Safety first
Now, let’s talk about how to do it safely.
Preparation is key and before jumping in, make sure to wear warm clothing to keep yourself toasty before and after the plunge.
You might even consider wearing a wetsuit or other protective gear to keep your body temperature from dropping too much. The last thing you want is to catch hypothermia and ruin the fun.
Once you’re in the water, don’t stay in for too long. We know you want to show you are tough, but the cold can be dangerous, so limit your time in the water, about 30 seconds to a minute maximum.
It’s important to listen to your body and not push yourself too hard.
If you start to feel lightheaded, numbness, or tingling, get out of the water immediately and warm yourself up.
How to celebrate the day
The fun doesn’t have to end when you leave the water.
Here are some tips on how to make the most of the Polar Bear Plunge Day.
Join a team
Grab your friends, family, or colleagues and jump in together. You can all wear matching outfits or dress up in ridiculous costumes.
It’s a great way to bond and have some fun while raising money for charity.
Share your experience on social media. #PolarBearPlungeDay
Let your followers know how brave you are and how much fun you had while participating in this crazy event. You can also spread awareness about the charitable cause you’re supporting.
Volunteer
If you’re not ready to take the plunge, you can still get involved by volunteering. Many events need volunteers to help with registration, safety, and other tasks.
Make a donation
If you’re not able to participate in the event or volunteer, you can still support the cause by making a donation. Every little bit counts, and you can make a big difference in the lives of those in need.
Whether you’re doing it for the adrenaline rush or for a good cause, the Polar Bear Plunge Day is an event that you don’t want to miss.
It’s a time to challenge yourself, have fun, and support charitable causes. Just remember to stay safe and warm, and don’t forget to share your experience with the world!
“We should not have to save the polar bears; we should stop making the planet uninhabitable for them.”
Anonymous
Support a cause
There are many great causes that the Polar Bear Plunge Day supports. Here are a few examples of organizations that you can donate to:
Works to conserve polar bears and their habitat through research, education, and advocacy. Donations go towards scientific research, education programs, and advocacy efforts to protect polar bears and their environment.
Help protect polar bears in the Arctic when you choose an animal adoption, you are supporting both your chosen animals as well as wider work to help bring our world back to life.
He builds an ideas board of imagery (similar to a mood board) that will help give inspiration and provide reference material when it comes to sketching.
A collage of images from web searches and AI to help inspire ideas or reference to objects, people, landscapes etc.
Ideating
He creates ideas from references or thoughts on a blank A4 paper. It helps him to brainstorm, add notes and plot the rough layout (similar to a storyboard).
Once that central concept is finalised, he starts drawing in a notebook with a pre-drawn Kooky Day number, using Helvetica.
And in this case, the Kooky Day is the number 1.
Sketch to ink
Rough cartoon sketch versus the inked cartoon comparison
Ink to digital colour
After having scanned the inked version, Kevin colourises the cartoon using Photoshop, adding various affects as needed.
Inked cartoon versus the final digital colour cartoon comparison
References
Websites
For reference, the following websites were used to provide information about the day and that the day itself exists on the calendar.
