Written By: Madeleine Stokes

It’s that time of year again: the season changes, the air gets colder, the leaves turn a sunset of colors, and all we want to do all day is stay at home with a candle burning. However, the start of October always brings about the official start of school, when workloads begin to increase and tests arise for every subject. So, what better way to raise spirits than Inktober?

Inktober is an annual month-long drawing challenge, with a new prompt announced every day of October. It was started in 2009 by illustrator Jake Parker to help budding artists develop consistent drawing skills and motivation. Ms. Erin Dolan, Upper School art teacher, provides a thoughtful overview of Inktober and its importance to the art community. The main point of Inktober, as Dolan puts it, is “a way to improve drawing skills and connect people, regardless of where they live.” This connection benefits the entire student body, allowing new friendships to be made and old ones to be strengthened, all due to the partaking in a simple drawing tradition. From a teacher’s perspective, Dolan thinks it’s “nice to see art moving out of the classroom.” She explained that events like Inktober give students a chance to engage with art in a more public and creative way outside their art classrooms. Dolan believes that Inktober is “another activity to get students involved,” especially with the growing stress of school in October. By coming to the Garden Lounge every Tuesday during clubs to draw, Inktober provides students with a way to relax during the school day. The artwork is hung up on a bulletin board just opposite the Lounge, and a digital portfolio will be made at the end composed of all the artwork made by students throughout the month. 

While the original start of Inktober was in 2009, it was only brought to the RCDS community in 2019 by Art Club. Arianna Toussi ‘26, a member of the Art Club, contributes more detail to what Inktober is from a student perspective. After a busy day at school, filled with tests and assignments, Toussi uses Inktober to focus on her art; it “gives [me] a reason on a busy day to make time for art,” she said. Inktober gives anyone who is stressed out, or just wants to have fun making art, an opportunity to decompress and be creative by giving out ideas throughout the month. Toussi describes the experience as “really calming,” explaining that it is a low-pressure way to take a break from schoolwork while still engaging your mind. She also believes it is a great opportunity for those who enjoy making art and want to improve their artistic skills. Toussi notes that even simple daily drawings can help students continue to build confidence in their artistic abilities and even discover new styles of art they might not have tried before. Inktober serves as both a creative outlet and a source of inspiration for students to keep developing their artistic voice, or as a way for students to decompress and relax after a long day. 

Inktober is more than just daily prompts and a month of drawing; it is a way for students to both relax and spark their creativity. As Toussi and Ms. Dolan both highlight, the challenge gives students a reason to pause, unwind, and let their imaginations take control. In a season often filled with deadlines and exams, Inktober offers something different and much needed during this time: a daily reminder that creativity and self-expression are just as important as grades and schoolwork.