Sunday, October 4, 2020

Inky Hands


Every year since 2015
, I’ve participated in InkTober, an annual online challenge that encourages artists to draw with ink every day in October. The philosophy behind InkTober is to commit to a drawing by inking it instead of leaving it as an easily erasable draft. Better yet, make the initial drawing with ink – skip the pencil draft altogether (something I started doing after my first few months of sketching and have done ever since).

This year some controversy surrounds InkTober (Google InkTober and plagiarism to learn about it), and I don’t know enough about it to judge or take a side. But the part about InkTober that I’ve always appreciated is that attitude of indelibility – making a commitment to a drawing with ink. It takes a bit more courage – ink offers none of the equivocation or tentativeness of pencil – but that very boldness is what makes us more confident drawers. And leaving the unerased, restated lines visible helps us learn.


Devoting a month to ink also refreshes my appreciation for the marks that can be made with various pens – the variable line widths of fountain pens and dip nibs; the unpredictable, organic beauty of brush pens; the pencil-like shading properties of Bic ballpoints. So although I’m not using the InkTober hashtag this year, I decided to celebrate the parts of the challenge that are meaningful to me simply by drawing in ink all month.

I did not, however, want yet another thing to do every day, so the ink drawings I am doing are part of my daily hand series. After more than two months of drawing with my right hand, I’m relieved that my left is back at work. And although I started this series with Bics, I’ve been using mostly pencils and other dry materials since May, so it’s a refreshing change to use ink. I started a fresh sketchbook with multi-colored pages – also a fun change. I’m not sure whether the paper in it will hold up to all the inks and pens I have in mind, but I guess I’ll find out. (No testing ahead of time – another bold move!) Ink on!




Ink boldly!

3 comments:

  1. Good to see you dropping some ink on your pages. I applaud your not using the inktober hashtag. Jack Parker has abused the art world several times over the last few years and shouldn't be rewarded with support from that world.

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    Replies
    1. Who needs a hashtag, anyway? I'm getting all the inky fun and none of the drama. And my inkiness needs a workout -- I've been slackin'!

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  2. I guess I'm out of the loop and don't know about the controversy. Will have to check that out. Good start to the month!!

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