In 2009 as a challenge to improve his inking skills and develop more positive drawing habits, Jake Parker created the concept of Inktober. This meant that everyday in October 2009 he was spent drawing. It has grown into a worldwide phenomenon with thousands of artists taking on the challenge every year.
I took part in the Inktober challenge last year using digital painting, but since I was starting out, I could only complete one digital painting every 3 or 4 days.
This year, I decided to do Inktober Tangles – using the Zentangle method as a base. I managed to complete the challenge successfully and I am very proud of my achievement. Mentally, Inktober is very demanding. It was like running a marathon in the respect that you need stamina and focus to keep moving forward. When I’m determined to do something I’ll do it no matter what.
Inktober Tangles 2021 gave me an opportunity to learn a load more tangles – I only knew how to draw 5 of them in September, so I had 26 new tangles to practice and find information on before October started. I’m so glad I chose to do it, but breathed a sigh of relief as it finished.
I’ve since decided to do Inktober Tangles 2020 in my spare time at my own pace to deepen my knowledge of more Zentangle patterns and techniques used to colour and shade the tiles created.