For a while now I’ve seen posts advertising Inktober on Twitter, and reading some of controversy surrounding it, and I have to say that I sit here feeling rather confused; sometimes a little bemused too. From what I understand, an artist called Jake Parker decided to start up Inktober as a way to encourage people to try or improve their art work using ink. For some people it’s not easy, or possible to use this method, and his idea of wanting people to use ink because they won’t get the full enjoyment seems to have been pulled out of context and used against him in some places: I have to say I kinda feel sorry for the guy, who seems to have good intentions.
From what I gather there are no actual strict hard rules to a hashtag movement, and while they are created with a certain intent it’s still in the public sphere and open to interpretation. So for my own part I don’t see why people can’t just join in, in whichever way they feel is best suited to their particular circumstances and indeed this looks to be the case for many an artist. Be that using their own prompts or just using ink in a different way: for instance Alternative Chat is joining in by using ink to create art in words over on Internet of Words. And this, is exactly what I think is great. Someone starting a movement that others can join in with and improve their skills by being encouraged to practicise daily for a month. It doesn’t matter if that skill is drawing with physical ink, digital ink or writing with ink: what matters overall is that people are joining together in an effort to improve their skill in something which they enjoy and being creative.
In the spirit of this I have decided to join in with Inktober but with the disadvantage of not actually being an artist. I’m creative, however drawing without a picture to copy isn’t really something I can do well. So this October, I’ve decided to just dive in and carry out a drawing aka doodle daily to join in with the Inktober prompts.
They might not be good drawings but perhaps if I actually try, then it might help me to be able to create something better in future: which I believe is what Inktober was originally created to help achieve. Also perhaps my noobish attempt of drawing might encourage someone else to try too, because seeing all these amazing drawing on Twitter is pretty intimidating for the amateur: and if you never get the courage to begin, then you will never actually get any better.
My Swift prompt was created using what was to hand – Biro & post it notes – so you can see the standard to expect for the rest of the month *grins*
– 
So here’s to noob art in all it’s glory!
Gwendlyn D 