For the 3rd year in a row, I am participating in a drawing challenge called Inktober. Inktober is a month long art challenge created by artist Jake Parker that is focused on improving skills and developing positive drawing habits. Every day for the month of October anyone participating in the Inktober challenge creates an ink drawing and posts it online.
Here is the first half of the month’s worth of drawings and the prompts that sparked them. Enjoy!
Day 1- Fish. I depicted a fish from deep in the bowels of the ocean where light barely reaches. This one has jewels that reflect the light to draw smaller fish to it. A cunning little fella!
Day 2- Wisp. I was thinking about this word and wondering what it meant to me as I was walking my dog- and then walked right into a spider web! (I’m not proud to say that I squealed!) But there was my answer, a wispy spider web- barely discernible yet mighty. In it a spider is able to catch insects and make them immobile. The stuff of nightmares!
Day 3- Bulky. When I Googled this word all the images were of bodybuilders. Not what I was expecting! (I was thinking more along the lines of bulky sweaters and bulging sacks of Santa’s toys.) But I began to sketch them and learned a lot about muscles and where they can be located if you work hard enough! But I also learned that I prefer bodybuilders with a little clothing on them. So my drawing morphed into a circus performer named Sven, The Mighty Strongman from the little known Macdowell’s Traveling Circus out of Kalamazoo, MI!
Day 4- Radio. Good Morning Vietnam! My favorite movie of the late, great Robin Williams. This movie was funny, heartwarming, and frightening- and Robin was the glue that held it together. I admit, my likeness of him isn’t great- but I hope I captured his animated energy.
Day 5- Blade. Blade Runner 2020. Grass doesn’t stand a chance!
Day 6- Rodent. The Nutcracker battling The Mouse King. My tribute to the Nutcracker which we’ll sadly have to miss this year due to Covid. This is one of those pieces that started in one place and ended up in a completely different one!
Day 7- Fancy. There’s nothing fancier than an Indian wedding. A gorgeous Indian couple in their finery.
Day 8- Tooth. Tooth=Smile=Happy=”Shiney Happy People'“ by REM. This was was just fun to do!!
Day 9- Throw. A throw down between kids and puppies. Who will win??!
Day 10- Hope. I was going more for the feeling of hope here. All I know is that we need lots of hope right now so I decided to fill the page with it and put it in big lettering. Feel free to take some and pass it on!
Day 11- Disgusting. A disgusting stew of ears, worms, insects, and chicken feet!
Day 12- Slippery. The leaves can be slick when you’re out on your bike. But the fall colors make it worth the risk!
Day 13- Dune. Out exploring on the grassy dunes.
Day 14- Armor. Once again taking liberty with the prompt. Thinking about the shell of the turtle as it’s armor. Decided to do a gouache drawing inspired by aboriginal art. So fun!!
Day 15- Outpost.There’s a row of these put out by the rangers at Glacier Ridge Metro Park. If you come by at the right time you’ll hear a chorus of birds and see them flying in and out of them.
So there you have it. The first half of Inktober. I’m having a lot of fun with it while allowing myself to be creative both with the subjects and the styles.
I admit I don’t always create these every day and I always seem to be a few days behind. But I create them whenever I can and post them on Instagram when I do. Follow me at @artatdawn to see them as they happen!
Which one is your favorite and why?
I look forward to bringing you more drawings at the end of the month!