Art by Jake Parker, founder of Inktober.
It can be scary to commit to making 31 drawings in 31 days. What if you fall behind schedule? What if you can’t think of something cool to draw? What if your drawing turns out kind of weird?
We get it! But there’s a lot you can learn from doing an art challenge like Inktober, even if you don’t end up completing it.
Here’s 7 reasons why you should do Inktober, as a creative person:
Learn a new medium. If you’ve never done inking before, or only dabbled in it, this is an awesome time to really explore it. Whether you decide to go traditional or digital, inking forces you to distill your drawings down to the most basic of components, black lines on white paper. Plus you never know how learning to ink can help improve your overall skill set. Training in one medium can help in all mediums.
Develop a daily drawing habit. It takes just about a month to make a habit automatic. So if you can make it through Inktober, you’re more likely to stick with your daily drawing habit long after Inktober is done. And if you stick with your daily drawing habit, you are sure to become a better illustrator!
Push your creative limits. It’s hard enough to come up with an idea for just one drawing, let alone one everyday for 31 days straight, especially if you are just getting started in illustration. Inktober gives you the chance to flex those imagination muscles and figure out creative solutions. (The official prompt list can help!)
Get more exposure for your art. One of the cardinal rules of Inktober is to share your work with others. By posting new drawings for Inktober everyday, you are getting more eyeballs on your work, and potentially growing your following. (Be sure to #svslearn or @svslearn when you post on Instagram! We will be sharing our faves through the whole month of October🖤)
Learn how to complete a project. It’s a lot easier to start a project than it is to finish it! By staying the course with the Inktober challenge, you can learn how to work through the day-to-day struggles and take the steps needed to complete the challenge.
Conquer your fears. Part of Inktober is to get out of your comfort zone and try something new. If you let fear get in your way, you can end up missing out on the good stuff. So what if you miss a day, or a drawing comes out wonky? At least you are learning something that will help you grow as an artist, and better prepare you for the next art challenge 🤓
Have fun! It’s not a competition. It’s about becoming a better artist on your own terms. If you draw everyday, you can only improve, and that is the whole goal 😀 Have fun out there!
As it turns out, the founders of SVSLearn also did a podcast episode on this very topic during Inktober 2018! Hear about how Jake started the Inktober challenge, and why Jake, Will and Lee think you should do an art challenge like Inktober.