It’s October….again….and that must mean it’s Inktober! The month where thousands of artists post mostly inky art to the internet and social media. Inktober started as a challenge for illustrators to take a break from creating digital art, by getting back to their inky roots and inky fingers or other traditional media. Going back to traditional media helps with the creative flow and inspiration. Choosing ink makes the challenge harder because you can’t erase ink when you make a mistake. There’s no “undo” button with ink, so it forces you to think on your feet and deal with what is in front of you.

Inktober has grown over the years and many copycat challenges have sprung up along with it until October is one hot mess of art on the internet. The Official Inktober Prompt List can be found on Instagram at @Inktober, the official Inktober account. If you aren’t into ink, there’s so many other lists out there to choose from like Mabs Drawlloween @mabgraves on Instagram. Mabs does a lot of her art in pencil so she prefers a drawing challenge instead of an Inky Challenge. All you have to do is search for October Art Challenges and you will find a lot of ideas.

Today’s Inktober prompt is “Gargoyle.” Looking at my gargoyle, whose name is “Larry,” I see a vague resemblance to one of the family’s grand dogs. Sorry Charlie, you’re a gargoyle model. (Charlie is a pit bull mix who’s at the mercy of one very bossy cat and a hissy kitty. Two for the price of one.)

Larry is just hanging out. The rest of his kind are usually attached as downspouts on the sides of structures, like Notre Dame Cathedral, or other Churches and buildings. Gargoyles were originally used as gutters to move rain water away from structures to keep mortar and other materials from eroding away. Larry found himself a nice perch in the park and if he stays still, people think he’s a statue. Except for the drool that occasionally comes out his mouth…..those french fries cooking on the food trucks in the park smell so good……