Inktober 2019 Survival Guide

It's that time of year!

Skeletons are being spooky and scary, the leaves are becoming red and crispy, there's freaking pumpkin spiced EVERYTHING, and someone somewhere is having a breakdown because they're struggling with completing the Inktober drawing challenge.

In case you're unfamiliar with Inktober, let me explain a bit about it:

The aim of the challenge is to improve your art by completing a piece, in ink, everyday for the month of October. IT IS NOT A COMPETITION!

It was created by Jake Parker, and started back in 2009, slowly getting more and more popular. You can check out the hashtag #inktober on Twitter and Instagram for some beautiful examples of art that were created for the challenge. I LOVE looking through them for inspiration.

There is an official prompt list for you to follow in case you are stuck for inspiration, but you are able to draw whatever you like.

In recent years Inktober has attracted some, let's say, Douchebags, who think that you are only allowed to use "Proper Ink", (like the Windsor and Newton drawing inks for example) and you simply CAN'T use ANY OTHER MEDUIM.

They began leaving nasty comments on social media telling other artists that they were "cheating" by using pencil sketches to ink, or creating a piece digitally. Others were suggesting that the challenge was discriminating against people with disabilities, or people who simply couldn't afford the "proper ink"*

Then there was the added pressure of doing what artists do best. Comparing your art to other more successful / experienced / popular artists than yourself. Lord knows I've done it, you probably do it, hell, I think at some point in their life everyone has compared themselves to someone else for one reason or another.

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When I first decided to try Inktober, it was in 2017. I wasn't in the best place mentally, but was determined to give Inktober a go. Remember that hashtag? I really wanted to join in with the challenge and make beautiful pieces like the other artists I follow.

I decided to buy a bottle of "proper ink", because it was on sale and I had never used it before, and follow the prompt list.

I worked really hard on my first piece, and it went downhill from there. You see, I didn't think my pieces could stand by themselves, and decided to try to write small stories to go with them....adding to my workload. It got to the point where I hated everything I was creating, especially when my Instagram feed was full of Inktober pieces.

This was the last piece I made before calling it quits.

I completed 7 pieces before I made the decision to stop, and I felt like a failure. I cried and sulked and decided that "I am a shit artist!" and I need to go back to art school**

Eventually, I started to feel better and thought about why I struggled so much with the challenge. I wrote out what I thought went well and what I thought needed improving. From there, I wrote out a list of things that I needed to change in order to make the next Inktober a success.

So last year I decided to try it again.

I realised that the prompts weren't really helping me, so I came up with my own theme that I found interesting: Rexemn's Magic Shoppe.

I made really rough thumbnails of ideas, so that I had something to reference if I was stuck.

I bought a designated sketchbook to keep my drawings in.

I tested out all of my supplies in said sketchbook.

And I promised myself that I would take breaks if and when I needed to.

The first two days did not go well. I overthought the pieces and because I was using coloured ink (a medium I had never used before) they didn't turn out like I had hoped.

So I decided that I would do what I did in my Lunchtime Sketchbooks instead, as it was familiar ground. Sometimes I like to retreat to my comfort zone. So I started sketching the pieces out using biro, and when I got home, I used a brush pen and fine-liner to ink the piece.

Video games influence my art a lot.

I coloured a few pages with coloured ink, but decided that I wanted the pieces to be mainly black and white, to relieve pressure and save time.

This was day number 4 - Shattered Spirit Gem

I didn't draw every single day, and I caught flu right in the middle of the challenge, so was totally out of action for a week.

Still, I managed to catch up, not because I was cramming in sketch after sketch, but because I was planning my time and actually enjoying the process.

Eventually I had completed 31 ink drawings in 31 days. I had completed the challenge!

I felt so proud of myself for sticking to the deadline, but also because I had learned so much from taking part.

- I learned how to manage my time better

- I learned how important thumbnails are

- I learned not to compare yourself to other artists

- I learned not to be jealous of other artists. They work hard to get where they are!

- I learned to love my style

- I learned to be kind to myself

So what advice do I have for artists looking to take part in Inktober?

OnlY UeS iNK u N00B!!!!1111111

I'm kidding!

What do you want to get out of this challenge?

Really think about why you want to take part in this challenge, as this will help determine how you prepare your time, tools and theme.

Do you want to improve your style?

Do you want to experiment with a new tool or material?

Is there something that you struggle to draw?

Do you need to practice time management?

Or do you want to see if you can draw for 31 solid days?

What is your theme? Do you have a theme? Do you even need a theme?

Don't feel that you have to follow the official prompts. They are there to help you, not hinder you. If you aren't feeling inspired by them, try creating your own list, have a look on Pinterest, there are LOADS of prompt lists on there.

Do something that makes your heart happy and focus on things that interest you. You'll find the challenge much more enjoyable if you do.

You could even do that graphic novel that you were thinking about.

Plan how and when you are going to get your pieces done

If, like me, you have a full-time job and very little time to sit down for hours and slave over a piece, then have a serious think about when you will have time to get your pieces done. There's no point setting out to draw and ink a 31 page graphic novel in 31 days if you literally have no time to do that!

It may be that you will only have time to complete half of the challenge, or only do one piece a week. That's fine!

It may be that you only have time for quick sketches or thumbnails, or even small doodles. That's fine too!

Do what you can, you are not a failure if you aren't able to finish all 31 days.

What materials are you going to use?

Do you want to practice using coloured inks, or black and white? Do you want to incorporate metallic inks?

Do you even want to use ink?

If you want to use digital means, then do it!

If you want to use watercolour, then do it!

Hell, if you want to use charcoal, or acrylic or biro, THEN DO IT!

Ignore the elitists, you don't owe them shit!

Even though it's called INKtober, if you want to use a different medium, then I say DO IT. Art is a medium that constantly evolves, so there is no reason why an art challenge can't either.

Have fun and don't panic

This is a drawing challenge, there will be days when you physically can't draw or don't want to. That's fine. Take breaks as and when you need to. If you want to miss a few days until you get your mojo back, that's great! Missing a few days and taking care of yourself will help you in the long run.

Remember that this is not a competition.

You are not going to hell or going to loose your soul if you don't get 31 drawings completed by the end of October, there's no creepy woman that will appear in your room to take your face. Squidward is not going to come for you if you don't complete the total number of days.

Keep thinking about what you want to get out of the challenge. It may be that you simply don't enjoy it or you do 2 pieces and want to move onto another project. Either way, this is meant to be about improvement and experimentation. It's not worth getting upset, or anxious or angry about. Find what works for you.

This year I am going to be inking my pieces from Septembirb, to make an Encyclopedia Of Fancy Birbs, so I only have 25 pieces this year, but that's all I need to do this year***

If you do decide to participate in Inktober this year, I'd love to see what you make! Feel free to tag me on Instagram @nemmersis_illustrations or use the #inktober2019 hash tag on Instagram or Twitter.

You got this!

- Nem x x

* I mean, yeah, drawing ink is bloody expensive for what it is!

** Gosh, I was dramatic! Sometimes life gets in the way and you aren't able to finish things. That does NOT make you a failure.

*** If I have time or feel like it, I "might" do Bonus Birbs, but at the moment, 25 seems like the best amount so far.