Why I do Inktober, and why you could too.

Inktober is a drawing challenge created in 2009 by artist Jake Parker to improve is inking skills. It has grown to an on-line drawing phenomenon and literally hundreds of thousands of artists, both professional and those people who just like to draw, participate. Some of the submissions are simple, some are intricate and elaborate and those posting must have talent, commitment and spare time in bucketloads.

How it works is that there is an official prompt list of words which can be used to inspire your work. The only rules are to post and share every day, try and stick to one colour (or two). Digital work is also fine. They also ask to keep criticism constructive and comments positive. You don’t even have to stick to the official prompt list – and it’s always only for fun, there’s no prizes for the winner.

I did my first Inktober in 2018, sketching in my lunch break, in the evenings and at weekends, and I was very pleased with the encouragement that I got. My art got a fabulous response from my existing facebook friends, and my posts on the Inktober page regularly got 40-50 likes from complete strangers. Basically, it got me drawing again after many years of not drawing for fun at all. On the back of Inktober, I produced a calendar for friends and family for Christmas that was very well received, plus also showed and sold my art for the very first time. It led me to update my website and take the bold decision to only include drawings and paintings for show on there, I didn’t include any examples of work from my many years working as a Graphic Designer.

So when I came to Inktober for this year, I was keen to sign up. Last year I decided to do it on the first day of October and consequently felt on the back foot throughout the month. So this year I decided to start thinking and sketching as soon as the prompt list came out in September, and it’s going well, I’m pleased with my output so far, though a busy start to the month has meant that I’ve lost my ‘lead’, pretty soon I’ll be back to completing the day’s prompt drawing in the evening each day.

I find that the challenge of coming up with a fresh drawing to a simple subject engaging and fun. I love the fact that there’s no client or customer – I am the ultimate judge as to whether a piece is good enough to post (although that can carry it’s own anxieties). Since last year’s Inktober I started going to regular life drawing and my observation and drawing skills have definitely improved. And I can feel things flowing easier as the month of October progresses. I’ve tried to stop counting ‘likes’, and try to create images that provoke an emotional response, they are my favourites. I was intrigued with the responses to the image I posted for this year’s ‘Bait’ prompt, people saw so many different and contrasting things in there. Through Inktober I’m regaining the confidence in my own abilities which had taken a massive hit.

It has also helped me feel like I’m on an unknown adventure again. I’ve been through a period of dark depression when I had no enthusiasm for anything, but now through drawing I feel invigorated. I don’t know where this journey will lead or the places it will take me, and the new people I’ll meet through it. It’s helped me re-engage with living life, and it’s helped me heal. So if you’ve never drawn, or drawn a little, or like me run the past lost sight of your appeal for drawing then consider doing Inktober, just for fun. Just for you. Yes, of course there will be many many drawings that you feel are better than yours. Some top end professional illustrators do Inktober, so it’s best to try and avoid comparing your work to other’s work. Just know that what you produce is yours, and is an expression of where you are right now. Public art therapy!

You can follow my daily drawings, and see other work I post through the year by following me on Instagram