To all artists: Inktober 2026 is coming up
17/9/2026
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Michelle Brändle
The global art challenge 'Inktober' motivates thousands of creatives to pick up a pen every day. The simple principle: one word per day, one tool, one month full of inspiration. Find out here why the hype is good for you and what you need for it.
Every year in October, I commit myself to participating in the «Inktober» challenge. It requires some discipline and constant self-motivation. Nevertheless, I love this month full of art because it takes me out of my comfort zone.
What Inktober is and why I love it
Inktober takes place annually throughout the entire month of October. The month serves as an art challenge focused on advancing your illustration skills – with as little effort as possible.
Every day in October, you are challenged to draw a picture based on a pre-defined word, using only black ink. It doesn't matter how large or detailed it is, or whether it's digital or analog. You decide how much time you can and want to invest in your daily artwork. For example, I still always color my pictures afterward because I love colors so much.
The list is announced in September so that you can take a look at it in advance.
If you have Instagram, you then post your picture with the hashtags #inktober and #inktober2026, as well as the hashtag for the current word. This allows you to interact with other artists online and see what others have come up with for the same word.
I've been participating for a few years now and always look forward to it. During the rest of the year, I tend to neglect my art every now and then. Usually, it's because I take on too much and then don't even start.
That's exactly why I like Inktober so much. I am encouraged to draw daily within a specific timeframe. The prompt of a word inspires me to draw outside of my comfort zone as well. Furthermore, thanks to the theme, I don't struggle with a blank page because I lack ideas.
Over the course of the month, I get into a rhythm and successfully integrate the drawing sessions into my morning or evening routine. Being able to see what others have drawn online afterward inspires me even more. I feel a sense of belonging, am surprised by the many creative ideas, and am always meeting new artists.
Finally, I turn my favorites into an art calendar, which is very popular among my friends. This way, 31 pictures don't just lie around in my drawer, but at least 12 of them find their way into various living rooms.
The story and the creative mind behind it
The idea for Inktober comes from Jake Parker. His artistic career began with animating films. Later, he became an independent comic artist and New York Times illustrator. In 2009, he put his idea for Inktober into practice for the first time and has been running it every year since. He has been releasing the official list for everyone in September since 2016.
The idea came to him back then when he discovered the brush pen. The pen has a tip like a regular brush, but the ink flows to the tip via an ink cartridge. I use this tool myself from time to time, but it requires a lot of practice. Jake noticed this too and therefore set himself a challenge so that he could master the thing as quickly as possible.
He set himself a timeframe of 30 days – like a 30-day fitness challenge. During this time, he wanted to create a drawing every day based on a pre-determined word. Additionally, he made his idea public, thereby forcing himself to follow through with it.
This idea quickly became established. The hurdle is as low as it gets: create an illustration with as few tools as possible and pre-defined themes. You will notice the positive effect when you try it yourself: you learn something new every day and improve your artistic skills within just four weeks.
Now it's your turn
In the meantime, artists from all over the world share their Inktober works on social media. Over a million artworks per topic appear daily.
You can do it too. Whether you like to paint figuratively, abstractly, with letters, or haven't held a pen in a long time. Regardless of whether you prefer to draw with a black felt-tip pen, a pencil, or digitally. The rules are not meant to hold you back from your preferences, but to provide simple framework conditions.
If you would like to participate digitally but haven't been able to bring yourself to do it yet, this would also be the perfect time. You can find an introduction to digital drawing and beginner-friendly tips in my tablet courses:
A real pro tip: Keep it as simple as possible. For example, I always overdo it and then have an extreme amount to do. Maybe I'll learn this year. Or next...
If you need inspiration for tools: My favorite pen is from Tombow and is called Fudenosuke. It is available with a soft (linked below) and a firmer tip that looks similar to a fine brush but behaves more like a felt-tip pen. With it, you can vary the line thickness through more or less pressure without having to master the skills of a brush. It is also waterproof, and I can easily draw with it on rough watercolor paper.
As a painting surface, I organize one or more pads of watercolor paper. It is important that you have at least 31 sheets so that you don't run out of paper shortly before the end. It doesn't matter whether you use printer paper or mixed-media sheets.
During another Inktober, I grabbed a thin sketchbook so that I had everything together because I was traveling for over a week. Jake Parker has also created a large DIN A3 work by drawing a little bit more on the same sheet every day. Everything is possible.
Pad (19 × 24 cm) with 12 sheets
Watercolor sketchbook (A5) with 36 sheets
Notebooks + Notepads
Canson GRADUATE watercolour sketchbook, 216 x 140 mm black, 28 sheets, fine-grained paper 250 gsm, Hard
A5, Plain, Hardcover
Mixed-media pad (A3) with 30 sheets
Once you have finished a picture, you can post it on Instagram, TikTok, and co. If you prefer to stay away from social media, you can also just draw for yourself or – as in my circle of friends – create an art group on WhatsApp.
Don't beat yourself up if it doesn't work out one day. Just skip it and catch up later if you wish. I have also carried my list over into November or haven't drawn everything.
Do you have any other tips for the challenge or favorite drawing utensils? Feel free to share them in the comments section.
Header image: Michelle Brändle
Ever since I learned how to hold a pen, I've been doodling away in bright colours. Thanks to my iPad, digital art has also become part of my life. That's why I love testing tablets – from the graphic design range to the regular kind. When I feel the urge to express my creativity without lugging lots of equipment, I go for the latest smartphones and start snapping away.
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