🖤 31 Art Prompts for Inktober
- LaLa
- Sep 30, 2025
- 2 min read
✨ What is Inktober?
Inktober is an annual art challenge created by artist Jake Parker in 2009, designed to encourage artists to build consistent drawing habits and improve their inking skills.
When? Every October (31 days)
What? Create one ink drawing each day, based on official or self-made prompts
Medium? Traditionally ink (pens, brush pens, dip pens, India ink), but many artists integrate watercolor, digital ink brushes, or mixed media
Why?
Practice line confidence and clarity
Build discipline and daily creative momentum
Grow your portfolio with a cohesive series
Connect with the global art community by sharing on social media using hashtags like #inktober and #inktober2025
📝 Key Points
✅ No strict rules – adapt to your style, medium, or schedule
✅ Official prompt lists are released annually, but you can use your own
✅ It is a personal growth challenge, not a competition
If you want this year's official prompt list (or lists from previous years) you can head over to the official INKTOBER website.
This October, challenge yourself with prompts that push your imagination. From delicate natural forms to mysterious concepts, this list will keep your ink studies fresh and meaningful throughout the month. Inktober is the perfect time to build your daily drawing habit, experiment with ink techniques, and fill your sketchbook with powerful studies. Whether you’re participating officially or using it as a personal challenge, these 31 art prompts will keep your creativity flowing all month.
I'm not providing any example images for these! Your imagination 100%!
🖋️ 31 Fresh Inktober Art Prompts
Whisper
Forgotten doorway
Storm clouds
Crystal growth
Lantern light
Roots
Broken clock
Veil
Moth
Serpent
Shattered glass
Tangle
Eclipse
Ancient script
Hollow
Mechanical wings
Melt
Silence
Coral reef
Threads
Watcher
Fragment
Dandelion seeds
Labyrinth
Fossil
Mirage
Constellation
Phantom
Ripple
Harvest moon
Rebirth
Tips for Inktober Success
✅ Keep it simple – focus on line, shape, and value rather than full scenes if short on time
✅ Use different inks – waterproof, water-soluble, colored, or metallic for variety
✅ Embrace imperfections – Inktober is about building discipline and creative flow, not perfection
Why Participate in Inktober?
Improve your confidence with ink
Develop speed and decisiveness in mark-making
Build a month-long collection of artworks for your portfolio or social media
Here's your free printable PDF unofficial Inktober prompt checklist!
I will be joining the challenge again this year. I will be following the official prompt list from Inktober.com and posting my progress every Tuesday in October!
