The Inktober Challenge, created by Jake Parker, is a month-long art event that encourages artists worldwide to create one ink drawing per day. In October 2022 I committed to completing the daunting daily challenge.
Guided by the official prompt list, I interpreted each single word prompt in my own style. Through the challenge I explored new ideas, venturing out of my comfort zone to push the boundaries of my creativity.
For this collection, I focused on character building and storytelling through simple, vibrantly coloured illustrations. Each piece reflects not just the essence of the prompts but also my personal growth as an artist throughout the challenge. The Inktober Challenge is a powerful exercise in consistency and creativity, and I’m proud to showcase the results here. From whimsical designs to detailed illustrations, this collection is a celebration of ink, imagination, and the joy of daily artistic practice.
A stoic, flame-eyed green gargoyle that is simultaneously intimidating and cute.
A bold rat looking for a tasty snack
Flying through the night this bat has found itself a tasty snack… if it can catch it.
This witchy otter is snacking on a scallop treat
A classic halloween decoration brought to life by flame.
Is this bouquet… infested?!
One must be mindful where you step while venturing into the foggy woods.
Double bubble, toil and trouble. Find each ingredient’s pair, if you dare!
A peculiar spot for a mother crow to raise up new members of the murder.
My take on a crabby baby mandrake.
A study of an eagle skull, rendered in a vibrant analogous colour scheme.
If I became a zombie, I would forget who I used to be. Here is a self-portrait of what I might look like as a zombie.
Red Riding Hood and the Wolf go trick-or-treating!
A heartless(?), empty skeleton. The yellow variation exercised my ability to render with complimentary colours.
The white variation shows the skeleton in realistic colours.
To keep the fall and halloween sub-themes going, this armadillo is cradling a pumpkin.
My goofy pigeon character makes an appearance for the prompt Fowl. She’s being rather mischievous getting into the halloween snacks early!
Yummy fries for a hungy little ghost!
This black cat must be terrified to be scraping up the ground!
My twist on the prompt Ponytail was to illustrate a spooky horse who’s tail is not made of hair, but rather smoke.
I made a second variation on a black background to showcase the subtle glow of the horse’s internal fire that created the smokey mane and tail.
A wandering warewolf pauses on the bluff to view the ocean.
DC Comic’s Batman and Joker characters reimagined as dogs.
I used this prompt to exercise my composition muscle. I aimed to create tension and stress in this piece by emphasizing the distance the thief had to travel to get to the prize below.
This gross prompt word had me ‘digging’ for inspiration.
The pumpkin fairy helps gardeners and farmers alike by blessing their pumpkin crops to grow big, beautiful, and abundant.
I had to overcome the temptation to leave my illustration unfinished and have a chocolate snack while working on this still life study of an Aero bar. Once complete and satisfied with my drawing I promptly devoured the treat!
The striking patterns of the Emperor Moth seemed fitting for the prompt word Ego.
Some mushrooms snacking on the remains of a human head. While a gruesome concept, the illustration turned out quite intriguing and eerie.
I quite enjoy the cozy game, Animal Crossing: New Horizons. With the camping motif in the game, I was inspired to pick 3 villager characters that I felt were “spooky” and illustrated them having a camp-out.
The worst possible outcome of eating a caramel apple! Bonus protein, I guess?
For the penultimate prompt, I illustrated the gear I used to create my illustrations and accompanying tik tok / instagram reels content for the challenge.
A crazed looking scarecrow watching over the swaying wheat field on a beautiful sunny day.