Celebrating Inktober

Make art every day—that’s my advice for anyone serious about improving as an artist. “Art is a lot like P.E.,” I tell those with an interest. “I can show you the techniques and I can teach you the ideas, but practice is what makes you strong.” With that in mind, I embrace every opportunity to encourage my art students’ practice. Inktober was literally designed for this purpose.

Inktober is an annual art event during which artists all over the world attempt to create a new ink drawing every day in October. Results are shared daily via hashtags all over the internet.

Inktober’s Founder
Jake Parker concocted the challenge in 2009 as a way to improve his inking skills and strengthen his drawing habits. The animator, art teacher, cartoonist, and illustrator was already prolific. He contributed art to Invader Zim, Horton Hears a Who!, and Dungeons & Dragons. He illustrated Michael Chabon’s picture books about Awesome Man, and his own book, Little Bot and Sparrow (Roaring Brook Press, 2016).

As an art teacher, I am especially inspired by Parker’s efforts as co-founder of the School of Visual Storytelling. SVSLearn offers video instruction for aspiring illustrators. Parker was also a generous pen pal to some of my fifth-graders. For an annual mail art project, Parker sent extravagant packages and encouragement that inspired all my students.

Beyond the five students with whom he corresponded each year, he sent additional packages to my students whose feelings were hurt by the silence of less reliable pen pals. I don’t know Parker well, but we emailed for years before I met him in person. So, I honor his good heart when I can. Inktober is only the most popular example of his generosity. Every year in October, Parker shares his own list of thirty-one drawing prompts for other artists to attempt or ignore.

Challenges and Controversy
You may have heard about the controversies though. Inktober’s reputation was dinged when Parker trademarked its logo. He legalized his ownership to protect it from opportunists who might try to profit from his creation. As someone familiar with the financial and legal losses of artists throughout history, I respected his decision. “Smart” was my first thought. But boycotts were organized when other artists were served with cease-and-desist letters.

Inktober lost more participants when Parker was accused of plagiarizing portions of his book, Inktober All Year Long: Your Indispensable Guide to Drawing with Ink, from Alfonso Dunn’s book, Pen and Ink Drawing: A Simple Guide. I encourage you to search the internet for the accusation, rebuttals, and counter rebuttals. They will help you form your own opinions. They will also help you lead fascinating conversations with your students.

Participation at My School
So, yes, absolutely, I invite my students to participate in Inktober. Some of my colleagues look for alternatives. But Inktober is the most popular of the daily drawing challenges that we practice, and its history offers us the opportunity to engage in passionate conversations about racial justice, cancel culture, plagiarism, copyright, integrity, better techniques, and how our brains and artwork benefit from good habits.
Inktober is optional but encouraged at my school. I introduce it in September. I use almost the same slideshow every year, but I conclude it with whatever the new prompts are. All our K–12 students are invited, and some teachers and parents try it too.

Personal Incentives
Because the project is optional, I offer two incentives. If participants complete ten or more Inktober drawings and share them with me on November 1, I give them a sticker that I make for the occasion. If they complete all thirty-one drawings, I give them the sticker and a comic book that I make. I create new stickers and comics each year.

Inktober’s an amazing way to start the school year! Parents comment all month long about their child’s sudden enthusiasm for drawing at home. Early finishers are encouraged to continue their Inktober drawings in class. Basically, November 1 is a holiday for me. Parades of students visit the art room to show me their art and receive their comics and stickers. When other daily drawing challenges arrive, like ISCA’s Caricature Resolution, for example, my students are more eager to participate because Inktober set the stage so well.