Inktober was started in 2009 by Jake Parker as a prompt to improve his inking skills and develop better drawing habits. Practise.
The rules he made are simple. An inked drawing each day, or whatever interval you set throughout October. That’s it. Creating a prompt for mindful repetition so as to get better at something.
This year I decided to have a go. I wanted to escape from my usual digital ways of working and the ever ready wonderful escape of the Command and Z keys. If only that undo was available in real life.
As an extra challenge I used hand made unsized paper with bits of plant in it. In comparison to digital (and even to watercolour board) this is like running over mountains in a rain-storm versus a running machine in a cosy gym – I now know.
Practise.
It’s practise. And in any practise making it difficult can make it more rewarding – if you’re overcoming the difficulties.
One interesting outcome I found is that I get two images. One when the paper is soaking wet (it acts like a sponge – and the washes spread over time – what fun :\’) And another, lighter image, when the paper dries.
Peeling wet paper off the scanner is another story.
I also decided not to be self judgemental. Otherwise the ever judging ‘fear of failure’ would sneakily undermine my resolve and at the end of a month I’d be wondering why I’d done so few.
So if you think some of the drawings are crap. Too bad.
