How it all started
Late in the summer of 2009 I was introduced to the brush pen.
A brush pen is not like other pens. The tip is made of individual hairs like a delicate watercolor brush. The ink flows from a well in the shaft down into its bristles, patiently waiting to be released into the fibers of a sheet of paper. Unlike ballpoint or technical pens, it requires very little pressure to make a line. A tender lick with the pen on the page can produce a sufficient mark. Press too hard and the line becomes hulkish and coarse exposing the ham handedness of the artist.
The pen challenged me, yet I was eager to bring this unwieldy tool to heel. It required the hand of a surgeon to make the kind of lines I was used to making with other pens. The more I experimented, the more I realized the pen had benefits waiting for me to unlock.
I decided I needed a framework within which I’d be motivated to practice using the pen daily until I got the hang of it. I had known about various 30 day exercise and diet challenges people in my life were doing. I saw how the 30 day template gave them the drive to not quit halfway through. I saw the results when they finished weren’t just a few pounds lost, or a trimmer physique. They were beaming with pride that they had accomplished something. Then it struck me that I should do a drawing challenge.
I knew that if I didn’t give myself a 30 day challenge to draw with this tool, I’d revert to using the tools I was more comfortable with. Thus, resting on my comfortable artistic plateau.
It was settled: I’d do a 30 day inking challenge. Now what to call it. October was coming up, and pretty quickly the name “Inktober” came to me.
But I didn’t want to do this challenge in the corner. I wanted people to know that I was committed to this undertaking. This is for two reasons:
A) I knew that if I didn’t announce that I was going to do an ink drawing every day for the month of October I wouldn’t be accountable to anyone and I’d quit as soon as it became harder than it was fun.
And B) I thought that maybe it would drive some traffic to my blog.
On October 1, 2009 I announced on my blog that I was starting the Inktober challenge. As far as I know I was the only one who did Inktober that year. Thirty-one days later I felt like I had gotten the hang of the brush pen. I also had enough drawings to make a little art book that I self- published the next month. And word got around the internet about my challenge, exposing my work to a new audience of people.
Over-all, it was a success. And that could’ve been the end of Inktober. I didn’t know if I was going to do it again next year.
But I kept coming back to it. I realized I needed the challenge. I may have gotten more adept at using the brush pen but there were other areas of my art that needed improvement. I used each Inktober challenge to develop some new aspect of my art.
What was exciting was that people began to join in on it with me. At first it was just a handful. Then a few hundred.
As smartphones and social media use became the preferred method for people to interact with each other online, I began posting Inktober drawings on Instagram, twitter, and Facebook with the hashtag #inktober.
The hashtag was the best thing to happen to the challenge because it made it easy to see who was participating.
After the hashtag was introduced the number of Inktober drawings posted doubled each year. In 2017 over 3 million Inktober drawings were posted on Instagram alone.
When I drew the first Inktober drawing I never dreamed it would become the world-wide event that it is today. For me, it’s always been first and foremost, a chance for people to make drawings, master a craft, and share their creativity with others.
Below are the drawings I made for the first Inktober challenge. Included are the blog posts I made for some of the drawings. These are pulled from my old blog, which sadly does not exist any more.
Day 1
It’s finally Inktober! What is Inktober you ask? It’s a month long appreciation of the art of drawing in ink and the practitioners that embrace that art. To celebrate I’m posting one ink drawing a day for the entire month. No pencils, no water colors, no photoshop, just the unadulterated black and white beauty of thick black ink on crisp white paper. Drawing with ink means commitment. There’s no hemming and hawing as to which pencil line you’re going to use, no sitting on the fence of values, no pussy footing with color. When you make your mark you better mean it. It’s black and white. True or false. On or off. And that’s what Inktober is all about.
A few weeks ago I picked up a brush pen and, though timid about it at first, the drawing I made with it changed me. I wanted to explore that tool more. I wanted to be confident with it. So I bought some brush pens and a brand new sketchbook, and devoted a little time everyday to bettering myself at the art of drawing with ink. Inktober is just my excuse to share this adventure with you all. And I’m kicking it off with the first drawing I did in that sketchbook:
Day 2
Wow, what a warm response to the announcement of Inktober yesterday. A few of you asked what kind of brush pen I’m using. It called the Zebra FD-502. They are a bit hard to track down, but it is by far the best pen I’ve come across. You might be able to find them at your local Japanese stationary store. Or try searching online.
And I’m drawing in this cool sketchbook I found at A.I. Freidman. I went in looking for another moleskin and found this:
It’s called the flexi-sketch. Has a nice stitched binding and smooth paper. Good for inking. They come in a bunch of sizes, but the most appealing to me was the 6″ x 12″ landscape size. You don’t see very many sketchbooks cut at this size.
day 3
day 4
day 5
day 6
day 7
After messing around with the brush pen I decided I wanted to take it up a notch and went down to the art store and bought a brush. I have it on good word that THE brush to ink with is the Winsor & Newton Series 7 Sable brush.
I find inking with a brush much more unwieldy. As you can see from the drawing of the rabbit driving the car my lines are less confident and much looser. However, it really made the image that much more energetic, I think. The Series 7 is the brush of royalty. No seriously. It came about by royal request from Queen Victoria who fancied herself a painter. The standard of quality set in 1866 is the same standard they adhere to today. The tip is sharp and cuts a line like a samurai sword, and the belly holds a surprising amount of ink, thus requiring less dipping.
Also, I drew today’s Inktober offering on hotpress watercolor paper. I much prefer the sketchbook I bought, or coldpress paper as it seemed the hotpress didn’t take to the ink to much. I really had to keep the brush wet for it to make a nice line.
The ink I’m using is Winsor & Newton black ink. The one with a spider on it. I REALLY like this ink. I’ve used a few different types in the past and this stuff is clearly not your garden variety ink.
The Zebra brush pen allows for a more controlled line, but I like the happy accidents that come from using the Series 7. The zebra is great for carrying around with you and doing a drawing on the fly or while on vacation. I only use the brush when I can sit down and devote a little time to it, and because it is a brush it needs to be cleaned and stowed properly before being used again. All said, I think I’d stick with the brush despite my shortcomings with it, though the convenience of the brush pen is tantalizing.
day 8
Again with the Series 7. Still not confident with it. I laid in a pretty defined sketch on this one before inking to shore up my brushwork. While I’m happy with some areas, the propellers are a little lack luster.
day 9
Back to the zebra brush pen.
day 10
Zebra brush pen again.
day 11
day 12
day 13
day 14
I started this one while waiting in line to donate blood. So I was using the Zebra brush pen. I wasn’t able to finish it before being called in. When I picked it back up the next day I decided to finish it out with the Series 7.
day 15
day 16
day 17
day 18
day 19
Remember Batteries Not Included? I loved that movie.
day 20
Okay, last robot for a while. Gotta try something else.
day 21
I used the brush on this one. Wanted to try something more shadowy to familiarize myself with spotting blacks.
This image was most definitely inspired by Mignola.
day 22
day 23
You may or may not know I love LEGO. It was a key part of my development as a creative person growing up. I don’t build much any more, but I still appreciate the art of creating with small plastic bricks. There’s a vibrant and industrious community of adult LEGO builders that I’ve been following lately. Their designs are unique, clever, and inspired. I get more design ideas from these guys than I do from most concept art.
day 24
day 25
day 26
day 27
Mmmmmm, dinosaurs. I think I’m going to have to draw some more dinos. These were fun.
day 28
More dinos!
day 29
day 30
Almost there, one day left!
day 31
Wow…Inktober Day 31. This month just screamed by…except for that second week. That one seemed to drag for a little. I want to thank everyone for stopping by and for all the support! I could have never expected such a warm response to my little ink meanderings. I have a few scraps here and there left over from the month I might post next week. Also, Some of you suggested I collect these into a little book. I’ve taken that suggestion seriously so be keeping an eye out for something.
bonus drawings
I’ve included a bunch of bonus drawings I made to fill out the Inktober book I self published. Several of the smaller drawings were made on 4.25 x 5.5 inch cards that were included with the books.
