tried #inktober this year and I think you should too

Now, if you saw the image that opens this page (below), you certainly noted that it is far from polished. There is a reason to it and, In fact, the reason is the main point of this page: I tried, and falled miserably short, to participate on #Inktober 2022. This is the drawing I created for the prompt of day 26 - Ego. But, first things, first: What is and how did I end up knowing about it? 

Inktober is actually an online challenge that was created by Jake Parker in 2009 and became kind of a "thing". When he created his idea was to propose one prompt for day for the entire month of october. For each prompt he would create a drawing and post it (with the #Inktober, etc).  Although originally the idea was that he would use it to improve his own inking skills and, therefore, the idea is actually to submit sketches created with ink and paper (as the name says...), many people contribute using other techniques. 

So it is a challenge designed to create a drawing habit. There is no prize, the prize is self improvement (and maybe a tiny bit of online praise here and there), and a lot of people post and tag art using it throughout the entire month of october.  And thats how I found out about it, decided to join in, and failed... But let me be clear: failing is relative. I, in fact, won a lot.

When I heard about it was on the page of my friend, Trinda.Art, who is a very dedicated artist and does it "for real". As I told, I am learning still how to transition from my old pencils, pastels and charcoals to digital art. Trinda.Art gave me a lot of tips aand pointers on how to do it. So I was following him on the IG when he began posting the #inktober images (he does it with digital art too). It picked my interest.. 31 days, 31 drawings... Can I do it? This is A LOT of drawing,. Well, the answer is on the next image.

These are the 31 prompts, one for each day of october. When I started it was already on the fourth day (Scallop). Up until the end of the month I was able to finish 14 out of the 31 prompts. That is the reason I said I failled: less than 50% of days covered. On the other hand that was the most time I spent drawing in, probably, years. It was also clear that I learned a lot:  actually started first sketches for eigh/ten more.  But I get to it later... To start I made a few quick choices:

1.  I would do it using digital art, that was a easy choice for two reasons: it is something I wanted to improve and my scanner gear is off;

2. I would focus on black and white or grayscale drawings, and, finally;

3. I would try to incorporate two prompts in each image... Yes, it is kind of cheating, but I was trying to be realistic about the time I would have and the time it takes me to draw: i am very, very slow. 

I was right to think that time would be of essense, But I actually did not stick to the resolution #3, form many reasons I preffered to skip some prompts and finish what I could. But, was htis worth it? Yep. Will get to it, first, lets get to the prompts and drawings...