#inktober 2016

Last year, #inktober was the catalyst for me starting to do more regular drawings and artwork again. I had never heard of it until I spotted it on Michelle's facebook timeline, and decided to have a go.

This year I had already got myself a new sketchbook, had my coloured pens all ready after last year and a pen I'd recently bought (well from the lovely art shop in Grasmere in the summer), and was ready and impatient for #inktober to start. If you don't know about #inktober, the rules are simple: draw every day in October. Use ink. Post your pictures on social media with the #inktober hashtag! There are a couple of other versions about, and if you are stuck, they create a handy prompt list of things you can draw if you are lacking inspiration. 

There were a few ideas I had that I wanted to try and do during #inktober, but mainly the ideas came from what was going on, what popped into my head and sometimes things I'd seen during the day that stuck. Some days were *much* easier than others; time was one factor - some of the pictures took not very long at all, having to fit them in around work, marking and life in general, and on other evenings or weekends I had time a-plenty to sit and draw. There was more than one evening when I just sat staring at my sketchbook not knowing what to do. However, apart from returning to the bird theme a few times, I think I managed a fairly varied set of drawings. I did do some initial sketches for some of them in pencil (it's allowed in the rules!) but for the majority, for example Owl, Tortoise and Snipe, I just drew in ink straight away. Anyway, they were all put onto facebook and instagram. I received some lovely comments from different folks - my most popular picture was the Long Tailed Tit on the last day, although not hitting anywhere near the heady hights of 'likes' that some folk get on there. 

All of my pictures were drawn using a black uni pin fine-liner and/or Faber Castell pitt artist pens. I have kept drawing since, but not as much, which I need to rectify. I've gone back to pencil crayons to do a snail, but then have also tried to keep up the pen sketching too in a smaller sketchbook.

Next job is to finish #projectmagpie lino cut!

Anyhoo, here's my run through #inktober in a slideshow, along with reasons as to why I drew them - I haven't tried to explain the birthday turnip though.

​alix x

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