Inktober is an annual month long drawing challenge for any willing artist to accept during October. They follow a list of prompts and draw whatever their minds can conjure up based on that day’s prompt. Inktober officially started in 2009 when an artist, James Parker, started Inktober as a way of challenging himself to improve his artistic abilities.

What once was simply a person trying to challenge themselves has now become an international phenomenon for the many artists who also wish to improve their skills. These artists choose to have a drawing a day challenge based off of a prompt that fluctuates throughout the month.

“[I do inktober] for the challenge and the prompts themselves,” freshman Hannah McElhaney said. “They help get creative ideas flowing. Drawing everyday is a challenge and it’s a good habit for artists to have to draw everyday to keep improving their skills.” 

Whatever drew these artists into this challenge in the first place can vary. Some of them might be amateur artists who have just stared out and want the practice. Others might just be in need of some inspiration. No matter the reason, this challenge and the many possibilities from the given prompts has enticed numerous artists.

“I’ve been interested in [Inktober] since I heard about it in about seventh grade,” McElhaney said “but I really didn’t have the commitment to actually start doing and completing Inktober until this year.”

Being drawn into the trial is one thing, but staying and continuing is another. Inktober can test the limits of the artists’ mind and imagination intriguing more people to join.

“[I think Inktober is] pretty fun,” junior Blaine Johnson said. “I enjoy thinking of things to fit the prompts for the day that aren’t what everyone else thinks of. It gets you inspired to draw and gets you warmed up for drawing.”

The creativity and variety of the artists aren’t the only part of Inktober that pulls people in. Artists posting and sharing their creations on social media can keep people coming back every year. 

“Everyone has such different interpretations of the prompts that they use,” McElhaney said. “It’s just fun to see how people will come up with different ideas besides the ones that you came up with yourself.”

Some people may not have time to do Inktober everyday, but they may try to keep up with the days as well as they can. Even if they can’t keep up with the prompt, Inktober isn’t about keeping up with the challenge, it’s about artists continuing to train and enhance their skills and sharing their work with the other people in the art community.

“I don’t usually do [Inktober] everyday,” Johnson said “ Sometimes I end up missing days due to school work. I’ll continue to do Inktober as long as I have time to do it and for as long as I can.”