As the clock struck midnight across the world on October 1, Inktober came to life. Those participating in the annual challenge undertake the daily drawings for each day of the month of October.
"I would describe Inktober as a way artists can keep themselves in practice and focus on some techniques or subjects they've been wanting to improve upon," said Taylor Gray, a junior digital studio art major from Ashville, Alabama.
Through the Inktober website, inktober.com, participants can find the official Inktober
2024 Prompt List, which includes words like sun, roam, journal, rust and violin.
Participants are meant to take inspiration from these prompts, putting their own creative ideas behind the bare words.
Through the site, participants can also find a list of rules that are meant to guide them toward the simple goals of being artistic, consistent in their output and sharing their work with others.
Department chair for art and design, Dr. Greg Skaggs, has turned the global challenge into an assignment for the students in his ART 3301 Life Drawing class. He requires his students to fill an entire sketchbook with drawings throughout the semester, and he says Inktober gives them an opportunity to help with the process.
"Life Drawing is a course that requires drawing from observation," Skaggs said.
"Drawing what you see helps you develop the ability to understand and memorize not just the human body but also just about anything.
"Developing this ability gives you the confidence to draw, paint, build, make, engineer. Inktober is just a fun way to practice."
Skaggs uses the same model as Inktober, requiring his students to create a drawing based on a prompt each day using
different drawing mediums. They will then choose their best 10 and turn them in for a sketchbook grade.
"I love the Inktober assignment," saidlife drawing student, Hannah Helms, a senior graphic design major from Troy, Alabama. "I think it is a perfect way to improve one's artistic and creative skills.
"My art is usually very fantasy focused. However, during the month of October, I usually allow myself to explore a more eerie side to art in the spirit of Halloween.”
"It's always been a lot of fun and has helped me improve as an artist."
Whether are participating for fun or for academics, Inktober is meant as an inspiration for artists to draw, draw, draw some more, and have fun while putting themselves out there.
While the challenge is already 10 days out, students can visit inktober.com to join in on
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