Every year there’s a tradition on Instagram that artists everywhere take part in: Inktober. Every day for the month of October artists will do an ink drawing and post it for the world to see. To quote its creator, Jake Parker, “I created Inktober in 2009 as a challenge to improve my inking skills and develop positive drawing habits. It has since grown into a worldwide endeavor with thousands of artists taking on the challenge every year.”
I have struggled with Inktober for about three years now. I would be super excited to draw every day for a month, and then about halfway through, by day 15 or 16, I would be burnt out and drowning in schoolwork. I wouldn’t post for a day, and then two, and then people were asking me, “What happened to Inktober this year?” It was super disappointing when I couldn’t finish it, but this year, I finally did.
Since I’m in college, and I have even more school work piling on me than when I was in high school, I realized that it just wasn’t possible for me to make something I’d be proud of every single day for thirty-one days. The first day I decided that I wasn’t even going to try because I would just end up not having the energy. So I decided to cheat.
Yep. Cheating.
I sat down the second day of Inktober and drew the first week of prompts. I posted days one and two that day, and I felt like I could actually handle this. Although technically, I wouldn’t be drawing every single day, I would be making 31 drawings within the month that I was actually proud of, which I had never done before. With this method, I did not miss a single day (besides the first one). I made 31 drawings that I loved, and still love, and I’m so proud of myself for finally being able to complete Inktober.
Yes, I cheated. But by being able to sit down and make a couple of drawings once or twice a week, there was such a decrease in the pressure I felt to make something and make it good every single day along with the work I already had to do. Also, it gave me a sense of accomplishment when it was all said and done. I’m also now more in the mood to sit down and draw, which is something I’ve been wanting to do for a while. By forcing myself to think about drawing every day for a month, I’ve created a habit of it.
“But what does this have to do with me?” You may ask. “I’m not into art.”
Here’s the thing: I believe everyone should do something similar to Inktober. It could be for just a day, a month, a year– just set goals for yourself! If you have a passion project you want to get done, or if you want to improve your skills, set a goal that gets you into the habit of doing it. Write 1000 words a day. Practice a song on the guitar once a week. Do something to fulfill yourself and to improve a skill you’ve wanted to improve for a long time. Make yourself get into a positive routine like tidying your room every day or making sure you drink water.
Here’s the bottom line: Do that thing you’ve been thinking about! You have nothing to lose and the habits you’ll create will be so worthwhile. I promise you won’t regret it.
Here are some of my favorite drawings I did for Inktober:
See the entirety of my Inktober series @happilymarie on Instagram!