Have you heard about Inktober? I admit I only learned about this awesome month long event a few weeks ago. As soon I heard about this month long challenge issued by the extremely talented designer/illustrator Jake Parker, I knew my fellow print geeks would want to participate.
What is Inktober?
Parker started promoting Inktober as a way of uniting artists online. And by artists, I mean of the fine art variety, not necessarily digital devotees. Parker happens to be a pro at both disciplines, and most of his work fits into the comics category. But he chose to zero in on basic black and white ink because he feels this medium represents the core of creativity: “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.” (Source)
The social aspect plays an important role in the process for several reasons. First off, it takes courage to share your work publicly on Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, etc. In this way, Inktober is about getting the creative community to come out of its collective shell. The reclusive artist stereotype still exists, and social interaction may help put this negative notion to rest. Of course, there’s also a bit of friendly competition at play. Comparing your work with others serves as motivation to get better and fosters dialogue as well as constructive criticism.
How Hand Sketching Helps Designers
The personal challenge portion is made for artists to hone their skills and increase confidence. Drawing, much like every other discipline, requires rigorous practice, which can be very rewarding on its own. By forcing ourselves to complete a piece every day for an whole month, we’re bound to see at least some improvement in our abilities. The practice isn’t just about developing your craft; learning how to deal with criticism in a positive way is vital to a successful career.
Graphics professionals often begin the design process on paper, so concentrating on ink works in a digital environment, too. I’m a big believer in hand sketching print and web projects beforehand. In my experience, even super rough outlines are invaluable tools for visual problem solving. But don’t take my word for it; the fine folks at Smashing Magazine recently posted an excellent article on hand sketching, memory, and project management.
My Inktober Offering: The Hipster Robot
I can’t remember the last time I sat down and really concentrated on doodling. I try to start every design project with sketches, but they’re meant to sort out ideas and give me direction before I work with software. Nevertheless, I felt inspired by the #Inktober challenge, and decided to unplug for a couple of hours and see what happened.
At first I tried straight ink, but I quickly discovered I bit off more than I could chew. I did not feel confident enough, and had to start from scratch 5 times before I surrendered to pencil and created something I could live with. A big part of my problem came from my approach. I decided to draw a robot (many Inktober enthusiasts embrace the concept with their own spin known as Botober). I wanted something cute and cartoonish, yet serious. My 5th attempt looked okay as an ordinary robot, but it still didn’t seem quote right. Drawing it took me back to my childhood when I tried to make my own comic strips, and I realized what was missing from my artwork: a sense of humor. So I added a beanie and a beard, and viola, I ended up with a Hipster Robot:
I plan to vectorize him, which is another fun thing to do with your paper drawings. Overall, I found the exercise very relaxing and fun. I urge all my fellow inkheads to try this at least once before the end of October 2013. Enjoy, and don’t forget to share your work through social media!
Katherine serves as the Online Marketing Director at PrintFirm.com. She fell into online marketing in 2010, and built her career around this dynamic field. She earned her B.A. in Political Science from California State University, Northridge (Summa). When she’s not writing, Katherine enjoys photography, skateboarding, graphic design, and chasing her dog around with her husband.
Connect with Katherine on Facebook G+ and LinkedIn – and follow @PrintFirm on Twitter
