Inktober: Everything You need to Know - Darice

October usually makes people think of Halloween, but the month is home to another exciting event: Inktober! Whether you are a repeat participant or are hearing about this challenge for the first time, here is your primer for 2019. Keep reading to learn all about this year’s event.

What is Inktober?

Artist Jake Parker started Inktober to push himself to improve his ink skills and to help himself develop positive drawing habits. Practice makes perfect, so he devised a month-long art challenge to keep exercising and improving his craft. As he shared his work, others started joining in. Today, the challenge is global, with artists from all over the world sharing their work. Anyone participating in the challenge is encouraged to create an ink drawing every day of the month and to post it online. Use the hashtags #inktober and #inktober2019 to make it easier for others to find your art.

Past Entries

The hashtags for the event make it easy to see many of the past Inktober entries. Here are a few of the top entries on Instagram to help inspire you for this year’s challenge.

Follow the official event page on Instagram for pointers and tips. Jake Parker often shares what works for him, as well as which tools he is using.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Inktober (@inktober) on Sep 26, 2019 at 8:25am PDT

There are many options for ink drawings. This example shows how lettering with ink is truly an art form.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Inktober (@inktober) on Sep 10, 2019 at 8:07am PDT

All styles are welcomed and encouraged, from whimsical to classical and everything in between.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Inktober (@inktober) on Sep 27, 2019 at 11:47pm PDT

You can even use color with your ink drawing if that is your preference.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Inktober (@inktober) on Oct 21, 2018 at 6:16am PDT

How Do I Enter?

The rules are very simple. According to the official website, all you have to do to participate is:

1) Make a drawing in ink
2) Post it
3) Hashtag it with #inktober and #inktober2019
4) Repeat

You can post every day, every other day, once a week…it really is up to you! The goal is just to grow and improve, so set your own guidelines to push yourself creatively. The official prompt list for 2019 is shown in the graphic below so you can start your planning.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B138hRSg5NG/

Suggested Supplies

It helps to have the right tools when you want to participate in the Inktober challenge. Here are a few of our favorite drawing supplies to help you get started.

High quality Copic sketch markers are a must have. This dual tip sketch marker has both super and medium broad brush tips.

Copic markers are also available in a variety of colors, so you don’t always have to work in black and white if you don’t want to.

The Pentel brush pen is perfect for line art, thanks to the fast drying water-based ink.

The Sakura Pigma Brush Pen in black is another popular choice with many artists.

The Pentel Aquash Brush Pen has a durable nylon tip which retains sharpness for precision sketching. The acid-free permanent pigment ink resists water and fading.

The Winsor & Newton Watercolor Brush Set are another “must have” item for artists. The brushes are made from the finest quality fibers to give you outstanding color-carrying capacity.

Yasutomo Sumi Ink is an excellent option for ink drawings. Made from pure vegetable oil soot, this easy-to-use drawing ink dries to a matte finish.

According to the Inktober founder, the Sakura Gelly Roll Pen is the best white pen ever.

Of course, you will need lots of drawing paper. The Canson Drawing Paper Pad is 11 x 14 inches in size, giving you ample space to create on. The 70-pound paper is micro-perforated at the top so you can easily tear your ink drawing out of the paper pad.

No matter what your level is, whether you are new to ink drawing or have been doing this all your life, Inktober is a fun way to test your skills. Will you be participating this year?