When you start noticing the leaves are changing from green to yellow and that the breeze seems a little chillier than last week, you should know that it's time for- wait for it- AUTUMN! This means pumpkins up the wazoo, large sweaters, apple pies, and warm drinks for the majority of the world. However, for an artist, this season means that it's time to start stocking up on ink for InkTober!

InkTober is just what it sounds like- "ink" and "October." Every October, artists around the globe trade their usual mediums for ink for the entire month. Sounds a little intimidating if you're not used to ink in the first place. The InkTober challenge is to create one ink drawing per day with a theme of your choosing. The key is staying in line with your theme. This challenge both helps improve your inking skills, obtain good drawing habits, and it's very helpful when you're feeling that horrible case of artist's block.

InkTober was created in 2009 by Jake Parker, a freelance illustrator in Utah. Parker first invented the idea when he needed to improve his own inking skills.

The rules of InkTober are simple:

1. Make a drawing in ink (you can do a pencil under-drawing if you want).

2. Post it on your blog (or tumblr, instagram, twitter, facebook, flickr, Pinterest or just pin it on your wall.)

3. Hashtag it with #inktober

4. Repeat

It's that easy.

Some common themes artists choose are usually related to Halloween or harvest in the spirit of October! The trick is to keep up with your theme for the entire month. The treat is loads of ink practice and unique drawings. For example, if you choose the theme "creepy creatures" like Megan Dong, you need to get pretty creative in finding different ways to keep to up that theme. I particularly like her "horse-bottomed bird" for October 13th.

For tools, Parker makes some suggestions on his website about which ones would be best to use if you have them at your disposal.

1. Copic Multiliner
   (Sizes recommended: 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5)
   
2. Pentel Pocket Brush Pen
   
3. Pentel Fude Brush Pen, Extra Fine
   
4. Zebra Fude Brush Pen, Double Sided
   
5. Pilot Futayaku Double-Sided Brush Pen
   
6. Kuretake No. 13 Fountain Brush Pen
   
7. Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable Water Colour Brush size 1
   
8. Nikko Pen Nib School Model
   
9. Nikko Pen Nib Spoon Model

Even if you don't have these tools, a pen works just as well! (It's cheaper too!) Also, if you find yourself missing a few days, don't get beat up about it! Try different methods instead like draw a picture every other day, or every two days. If you really want to set a goal for yourself, though make this October the year that you tear through the entire month! If not, there's always next year!

Happy InkTober Month!