Inktober 2023: Mumbai art enthusiasts reveal why they still keep coming back to the challenge

Lavanya Venkateswaran religiously started following Inktober in 2018 after she learned about the art challenge from her friends, and came across the artworks of several artists who she was following on social media at the time. Ever since then, the Mumbaikar has not only seen herself evolve as an artist but also challenge herself in the process.

She explains, "Initially, I began with ink pens and brush pens for the Inktober challenge. However, I eventually ventured into the realm of digital art, exploring various digital brushes and techniques." While it has allowed her to experiment with different styles, this year she has chosen traditional methods. "Currently, I am sketching using charcoal pencils, and although I have to admit it is a struggle, I'm enjoying the tactile experience and expressive qualities they offer," she adds.

Every year, artists around the world take the opportunity to take on the Inktober art ritual which was started by American artist Jake Parker in 2009 as a challenge to improve his inking skills and develop positive drawing habits. While Parker used ink as his medium, a lot of amateur and professional artists have been inspired by it over the years, and used many different kinds of mediums to express their creativity. It has now become a global movement that he certainly wouldn't have imagined starting almost 15 years ago. In fact, gradually it has fulfilled the second part of his aim which was to develop positive drawing habits. Mumbaikars like Venkateswaran is only one among many leaving no stone unturned to challenge themselves, not only in India but also closer home in Mumbai.

Being a part of the movement, she expresses, "We have witnessed the emergence of numerous variations and alternatives. Other artists have introduced themes based on the environment, horror, comics, and more. Jake Parker, the creator of the original Inktober challenge, has also introduced Inktober52, which involves creating one drawing per week for the entire year. As this challenge continues to grow, the accessibility of creative prompts increases, encouraging more artists to share their work online."

Taking on the challenge
So, what keeps her coming back to the challenge? The 27-year-old graphic designer who has been a doing it for the last five years says it is just how a simple word like ‘Dream' (the first prompt for Inktober 2023 this year), like many others, can be interpreted in so many different ways. The other prompts include ‘Spiders', ‘Path', ‘Dodge' and ‘Map' till now. Apart from allowing artists to express themselves and experiment freely, she says, it helps in fostering tremendous creativity and uniqueness. "Moreover, this challenge facilitates the exploration of different styles and mediums that may otherwise be challenging to pursue amid the demands of everyday life. It fosters a non-competitive environment online, where artists constantly support and inspire one another, becoming a global source of inspiration and growth," adds the Mumbaikar, who says that is what keeps her coming back to it over the years, and she will continue to do so for as long as she can.

Elsewhere in Mumbai, Revati Puranik is also always equally excited for the Inktober this year, ever since she took it up five years ago like Venkateswaran, after her best friend was going to participate in it and encouraged her to also join the challenge.

She explains, "I personally like sketching things that are not common. I like to think a little out of the box. I think a lot about the concept of my drawing before sketching it. My drawings also reflect my state of mind." While she uses the traditional black ink pen, she also takes the liberty of using watercolours - both of which she uses in varying degrees, depending on her need which has evolved over time. "This year I have used only a black pen till now. The type of medium also depends on how much time I have to draw. If I need a quick sketch, I use a black pen and if I have some time in hand, I like to use black watercolour," she adds.

Soaking in its evolution
The Inktober challenge has definitely evolved over time and Puranik has seen that change over the last half decade, and distinctly remembers how one artist who once used Lino Cut deign to make stencils every day and printed his drawings out. It is this very aspect of the annual October art challenge that continues to inspire her. "What makes Inktober unique for me is to see the whole world sketch up its own version of the prompt given for that day. It is interesting to see different versions of the same topic. Inktober has become a global event where millions of drawings are being shared every day," adds the 39-year-old communication designer.

Venkateswaran and Puranik aren't the only ones to be a part of the evolution of the Inktober challenge. Kandivali-based Aakash Deka, who is comparatively new to the challenge after he started it during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, decided to do it directly on his iPad due to ease of access. He explains, "Sketching continuously for 30 days with a word as a theme is difficult to be done on paper for me but digitally you can achieve a lot more creatively."

The fact that more people are taking it beyond the 31 days and doing the 50-day and 100-day challenge is also something that he thinks has been a part of the evolution of Inktober, which started way before he jumped on the bandwagon. "There is no restriction to this challenge which also makes it unique. For example, two years ago, all my prompts were based on social issues faced by everyone," adds 29-year-old Deka, who is a UI/UX designer in the city, and as excited to see different artwork from the world over as he is to do it himself.

For Vijith Shetty, the theme has always been constant - surrealism, and this year is going to be no different. Drawing a wide variety of characters that are a mix of real and imaginary is what he loves the most as this challenge gives him a specific word, yet gives him the freedom to pursue a sketch however he wants to. Being another one who took on the challenge from 2018, it has been an interesting journey for him, since he was always interested in art and actually pursuing his arts degree, when he came across Inktober, which fuelled his passion for drawing. He explains, "I started with markers and then moved to brush pens. Now, I have finally moved to digital because it is faster and looks presentable and can be tweaked due to the wide scope of the software."

While others have been able to take on the challenge and complete it, Shetty is honest to admit that it is hard, in spite of being an illustrator. "The challenge is really tough. I only managed to finish the 30 days once in 2019, but later on it was tougher due to me being a full-time freelance illustrator," shares the Mumbaikar, pondering on wanting to start the challenge this year even though he is behind schedule. The thought of the challenge is what is keeping him inspired even after four days. "Even after all these years, it is going to be even more fun since we are losing touch with traditional mediums like brushes and pens, the urge to use them once a year in October can make the challenge interesting," shares 31-year-old Shetty.