art challenge: inktober

Because I’ve been doing this whole art thing (I really wanted to put quotes around the word art) for a while, it may seem like I have an endless amount of art to show on this blog. To which I say….maybe?

I think I’ve mentioned before how I don’t feel like I’m dedicated to a single media or art style. I really like to experiment with different styles and media and constantly look for new projects and ideas. Even shortcuts, on occasion.

While I’ve posted plenty of photos and descriptions of current 365 challenge (I’m nearly a week behind, but who’s counting), I thought now is a good time to describe a different challenge.

Inktober is a popular annual challenge (not without controversy) that involves ink and, wait for it - the month of October. Every year this challenge seems to check all my boxes - it’s short, it involves a minimal amount of art supplies and can be tailored any way I want. I’m in.

Now, I will not say this is an easy challenge. I have now tried it at least three times and only completed it once.

But I want to share the once!!

I started by drawing a frame on some 5 X 7 papers and figured I’d fill them in, free hand drawing with ink. No outlining, no advance drawing, no complicated shading and no following the suggested prompts.

By day 3 I was running out of ideas and already getting desperate. Somehow I came across this gelly print I did earlier where I’d used a fashion magazine.

I decided to draw, freehand, this single face onto more 5 X 7 inch papers. Short, sweet, sort of easy. I mostly used Kuretake black ink 60, which I received one of my monthly Sketchbox subscriptions. It’s a great ink - super black and permanent and it can be watered down for shading.

After a while I tried to get fancy and add some shadow to emphasize the shape of the face.

You know, a few wound up looking they had black eyes, but whatever. I did it. I made 31 ink drawings.

I was amazed at how different each face turned out. Really amazed. Then I was amazed at how they looked when I put them all together.

How is it possible that every face could look so different when they were all based on a single source?

I can’t explain it. I mean, I’m sure someone with a degree in art can tell me why….eyelids, angles, line width.

In the meantime, I just enjoy looking at the different faces.