Today marks the start of a global phenomenon for all artists to create works of art in a 31 day challenge. That's right, I'm talking about Inktober! For those who wonder what Inktober is, it is a full-month challenge with 31-days worth of prompts to help artists build skills and effective habits. This challenge was initially founded by creator Jake Parker in 2009 with a goal to improve his inking skills and build positive habits towards creating. In 2020's challenge, I manage to create 20 drawings with 23 prompts. While I did not achieve all 31 prompts as I have expected, hitting 75% of it was an achievement in itself! It was the most productive month of 2020 by far in my creative journey so despite the mistakes made along the way, I am proud of my progress thus far.
Check out my Instagram if you like to see what I create! I've had the privilege of joining Inktober for the past 3 years and this year would be my 4th year of participation. My goal is (and always will be) to discover my potential/style and pushing the limits of my creativity. Despite not being able to meet all prompts every year, I did however found a style I love and have continued to hone that skill like raising a puppy or growing a plant. Since the pandemic and multiple lockdowns within the span of 2 years, I have undergone a series of rollercoaster emotions which led me to believe my sanity was in danger. I lost motivation to create, my weight yo-yoed, I developed insomnia for a prolonged period, I am easily irritated and I have had multiple breakdowns. My body, mind and soul was a mess! I know I needed help but I did not know where to start or how. In that exact moment when my soul cried for help, the universe reached out and heed my calling. My company organised a mental health seminar and thanks to their efforts, it made me realise what I went through was also what many others are going through. It gave me a glimmer of hope that I am not crazy and calvary has arrived to save our poor souls! We were referred to professionals and through a series of test, I have what my counsellor calls a "Lockdown Burn Out" aka "Pandemic Burn Out". I have heard of burn out before but I never thought I would experience it until now, or at the very least, I have not been aware of its presence in my life until now. Getting diagnosed and talking to a counsellor was the best thing that could have happened. Detection is the first step to treatment. I felt lighter, happier and I felt the urge to create again. In the past, one of the many mistakes I've made for Inktober was thinking every prompt I create has to be perfection and no matter what, I have to finish every prompt on that list. If I don't achieve them, I have failed myself. That took a toll on my spirit and passion causing me to burn out and have constant creative blocks. It led me down the rabbit hole of lost causes. As I dive into this year's Inktober challenge, I will remind myself to make progress instead of striving for perfection. With my current packed schedule, instead of reaching for the stars maybe I'll reach for the clouds instead, to pace myself and create when I'm able. If I had to let go some of the prompts, then I shall because stress is an enemy to creativity. If you want to get out of your creative rut or want to heal your creative soul, join us in this challenge. Let loose and explore your creativity. Do visit the official Inktober website to understand more. Happy Drawing!
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Go wild inking with this 31-days art challenge!Has the “creative block” disease befallen you recently? Or are you seeking to level up your art skills? Try this 31-days art challenge to help get your creative juices flowing again while enhancing your skills.
As a work-in-progress artist, I look forward to this challenge yearly with excitement and curiosity. It is not just to see what I can create but to know what I can improve on and being able to learn alongside other talented artists. I first joined Inktober in 2018, the same year I started to re-explore my creative side. I wanted to find that spark I had as a kid during art classes back in school. I remembered how each of my pieces came along during the challenge. Every prompt I read, I see images in my head. These images, one by one, came into fruition on the blank pages of my sketch book as I experimented with different drawing techniques and colours. Not only has this challenge guided my creative exploration but also pushed me to up the ante with each drawing. Since then, I’ve seen drastic improvements on my artworks. Above all, I found the medium and style that intrigues me to continue studying it and hone it. Come join in the fun! Let loose and explore your creativity. Oh! If you're looking for something a bit more relaxed, Jake Parker introduced Inktober52 this year -- with 1 prompt a week, 52 weeks a year. Visit the official Inktober website to learn more. If you like my artwork, follow me on my socials to see my latest projects. Happy inking!!
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