If you’re thinking about starting Inktober, here are some tips to survive the challenge and get the most out of the process. I created this as a way to encourage other artists who are intimated by the process – please don’t be!
But first, what exactly is Inktober?
Inktober is an Instagram challenge that was started by artist Jake Parker back in 2009. It was created with the intention of forming a daily habit of creating art and improving your skill.
Artists can choose their ink of choice be it ballpoint pen, gel, or even digital art. The challenge has one daily prompt for the month, but following the prompts are entirely optional. The purpose of the prompt is to give you some ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
Should I join?
You probably ended up here because you have no idea if you’ll survive the challenge or how to go about making one new ink piece every day of the month of October. Yes, it’s quite daunting to think about before you even start!
You shouldn’t join Inktober if:
- You don’t have the time to commit to the challenge
- You are starting this only to go viral on Instagram
- You don’t enjoy making art
You should join Inktober if:
- You want to be inspired creatively
- You are willing to go outside your comfort zones and experiment
- You are willing to “let go” and release imperfect art
My personal experience:
I first heard about Inktober from one of my friends, so we started the challenge together. I was keen to join as the month before, I was already committing to painting daily. I thought I’d last for no longer than a week but ended up doing all 31 days.
Should I follow the prompts?
This is a tricky one. If you are an artist with a specific area you’d like to improve in or explore, by all means don’t follow the prompts. But if you wish to be challenged creatively and go through the process of conceptualization, it’s an amazing exercise. For this reason, I decided to follow the prompts. It enabled me to dream up more visions in my head and a some point they became more and more surreal.
My top 10 tips on surviving Inktober
1. Release any expectations from the process. If you expect too much, you’ll be let down. Even if you happen to miss a day, it doesn’t mean that you can’t continue the challenge.
2. Connect with other participants that resonate with you. It’s a great way to keep accountable and show support. I had two real-life friends that started the challenge with me, and we would cheer each other on. Cheering my new Inktober friends was another great way to keep accountable. I still keep in touch with people I met from the challenge and it’s fun to see what personal projects they are pursuing after Inktober. It’s November, and some of the people that joined the challenge are still posting daily art. It’s amazing!
3. Prepare with all the tools you need. I wasn’t as prepared, so I had to make multiple trips to the art store to buy different kinds of notebooks.
4. Keep a schedule and stick to it. I started most of my Inktober drawings first thing in the morning or late in the evening (when I was really busy). I did not divert much from my schedule – it was either at the beginning or end of the day. For me, that worked, because it was really integrated in my routine. Keeping to a limited time allowed for a more limited framework – for example, none of my inks took more than an hour.
5. Warm up a bit before the challenge starts. Go to the art store and look around. Read up about linework techniques or watch some Youtube videos. Set aside time to create art and just have fun with the process. Get used to integrating art in your daily routine. Learn to love the tools that you’re planning to use.
6. Set an intention. This is one area I would have focused on a lot more before the challenge. What skill do you think you’d like to improve more on or what concept do you want to explore further? How can you integrate that in your prompts or the style you are presenting your work?
7. Love your “ugly art” and “pretty art” equally. They are both created to teach you something. What can you learn as an artist after each piece you’ve made?
8. Experiment. Go all out for the prompt or try a new technique you’ve been inspired by. Give this experiment your complete effort – it’s only for one day, after all!
9. Learn to let go. There were some days where I was not feeling the prompt or felt extremely tired. Learn to finish it and let it go, even if it’s not beautiful. It doesn’t matter if someone made a more beautiful piece. Draw inspiration and just let your day’s piece go. Missed a day? Let that go too and just get back on track!
10. Have fun. There isn’t much of a point doing something you dread, so enjoy the process and see where it takes you!
The results?
Will I do Inktober next year? Most likely not, as I’m exploring other mediums and challenges that inspire me. But who knows? I started with hoping to complete one week and ended up with more ideas and inspiration than I started out with.
Life after Inktober
After completing Inktober for 31 days, I actually made my own personal challenge of making 100 watercolours in 100 days. It was a great way to end Inktober and transition to another medium and explore a concept that I’m personally more passionate about.
I’m a lot more comfortable sharing both work I’m proud about and work I’m not proud about online. The process of creating and releasing is probably one of the most valuable things I’ve learned this year.
Did you survive Inktober or have any worries before beginning the challenge? Comment below with your thoughts and experiences! You can also add me on Instagram @studio_lani and tell me what you think. Good luck my friend!
xoxo,
