The Art of October

Every October, my feed is filled with art from people participating in drawing challenges (spearheaded by Inktober, of course). I neither identify as an artist nor have the talent to be one. However, I enjoy my occasional doodles (as someone who journals a lot), and I love watching other people make art, albeit with a hint of jealousy.

I have never participated in Inktober, only admired the art from afar, but this year, Sabrina Apu (my feature boss) inspired me to do it as well. I don’t post it anywhere, except showing it to some of my close friends, but I open my notebook and scribble something if the prompt inspires some artistic capability in me. My creativity has always shone in the form of writing and dance, but the joy of drawing something, no matter how bad, is just something else.

Back in 2009, Jake Parker created Inktober as a means to improve his skills and drawing habits. 17 years later, people look forward to October to create art in different mediums, from ink to colours, bringing in different interpretations of the same prompts.

Inktober probably took off the way it did in the first place because it helps artists get back to drawing if they haven't for a while, gives the seasoned ones a chance to challenge themselves, and allows someone as ordinary as me to doodle simply for the joy of it.

Aaktober

Inktober made the way for several drawing challenges, and now, October sees a surge of different themes and styles.

One drawing challenge that is right here at home is Aaktober (আঁকtober), started by students from the Department of Fine Arts at Jahangirnagar University. Now in its third year, Aaktober has Charushilpi.com as its website partner, where participants display their artwork, while Dhaka Comics is supporting an upcoming exhibition.

The team of Aaktober puts a strong emphasis on how it is not a competition, just a way to encourage regular artistic practice.

"Aaktober is a celebration of a month-long drawing practice with everyone. It's more fun and relatable when everyone is doing it," said Anike Nandi, director of Aaktober.

What I love about Aaktober is the freedom. They have a 31-day prompt list, sure, but they welcome art even if it doesn’t follow a specific prompt. Drawing challenges can feel intimidating, but this freedom helps people to understand that we don’t have to produce a masterpiece; we just need to create.

“I believe Aaktober belongs to everyone who participates in it," Anike said. "Prompts are not important according to the vision I have. They are just a way of drawing. Sometimes we don't know what to draw, and that's when the prompts help.”

“Anyone who doesn't like the prompts can make their own and still participate in Aaktober. Any medium of artwork is acceptable because we believe art has no boundaries.”

Why artists feel drawn to drawing challenges

"As an artist, Inktober is a great excuse to step out of my comfort zone and experiment with ideas outside my usual practice," said Anjum Sulaiman, Visual Artist. "I love how daily prompts force me to think on my feet and express spontaneous emotions without overthinking."

And this is exactly what I love about challenges in general, may it be writing or drawing. Just one word and a limited amount of time, and one can end up creating something they have never thought of otherwise.

Artists of any kind often suffer from being perfectionists, which can stop them from creating at all. So, instead of waiting for the perfect idea, artists have to work with whatever comes to mind, and that spontaneity can lead to amazing things.

In a world that mostly rewards relentless grind, creative hobbies are also the first to be sacrificed. We tell ourselves we will draw when we have more time or write when life becomes less hectic. Challenge gives people a reason to make room for creativity.

“I participate in Inktober because it provides an excuse for being consistent in making and posting art, which is often difficult for artists who work full-time jobs,” said Rahee Nayab, a cartoonist.

What’s also really nice to see is the sense of belonging that comes from participating alongside hundreds of other people. “Inktober makes me feel like part of a bigger artist community, with many artists posting their take on the same prompt.”

Anike Nandi believes Aaktober has helped build this sense of community among artists in Bangladesh.

“Not just professionals, but new artists are joining it too. If we follow #আঁকtober or #আঁকtober26 on social media, we can see a variety of artworks in different mediums and styles,” he said.

But do artists feel a certain pressure?

The expectation to produce something every day can also become overwhelming. Also, when everyone else seems to be posting beautiful, detailed artwork every day, it feels like you have to compare yours with others'.

"There's definitely social media pressure to treat it like a race, but art should never feel like a chore or a checklist. Everyone has different schedules and creative rhythms," said Anjum.

"That said, I do think the push to make something every day offers a really satisfying sense of daily achievement."

So it is a balance that artists have to figure out themselves, which isn’t easy. Personally, I have already accepted that my drawings will not look anything like the ones I admire online. I just have to remind myself that bad art is better than no art.

Art has always been political

One of my favourite things about October drawing challenges is seeing how artists interpret seemingly ordinary prompts. One piece I loved was Anjum Sulaiman's interpretation of the prompt Stinky. She drew an Israeli flag inside a dustbin, with blood pouring out. This is exactly why Art is so powerful. A simple, ordinary word can turn into a question that challenges the status quo.

"As an artist, I feel a responsibility to respond to the world around me in my own visual language, whether through symbolism, abstraction, or satire," Anjum said. "Art may not change the world overnight, but it can influence how people see, understand, and respond to injustice."

Art also helps us grasp things that may otherwise be much harder to comprehend. “The first bit of class consciousness I got was from the animated film A Bug's Life. A kids' movie at face value, embedded with messages you can't ignore. Art has always been a medium of political commentary and protest,” said Rahee.

At a time when apathy towards other people's suffering is normalised, art can nurture a sense of empathy. Drawing challenges help create a space for such art.

Drawing challenges reclaim our feeds from AI-generated art

Lately, every time I refresh my Facebook or Instagram feed, an AI-generated restaurant ad or flier must pop up. Thankfully, this October, that has been replaced by art. While I think AI work can never come to art by humans, it is a concerning time for artists and designers nonetheless.

"The same ideas that artists once created in the online sphere are now made in the form of inconsistent, incoherent slop with no artistic meaning or integrity," said Rahee.

Meanwhile, I like Anjum’s take and hope that it becomes the reality.

"Ironically, as instant AI generation becomes the norm, I believe genuine, human-made art will actually skyrocket in value," she said. "When tech can churn out endless images in seconds, the human hands, mind, and intent behind physical artwork become that much more irreplaceable."

While many debate whether AI content makes art accessible, I don’t think Art needs expensive tools or formal training. Of course, fancy supplies and art courses really help, but you can be an artist with a piece of paper and a pencil. Forget about that as well; we see people create masterpieces from dust that has settled on a car window.

Let’s also not use disabled individuals to justify AI generators because it is so deeply patronising. Disabled artists have spent centuries inventing incredible adaptive techniques: painting with their mouth or feet, or creating entirely new forms of expression. True accessibility is providing community support rather than letting AI handle the creative work.

So I would say what I always say: No art is better than AI art.

Keeping the creativity alive

Halfway through October, and I can confidently say that I am still terrible at drawing. For a long time, I have associated creativity with being good at something. I know I can write, and I know I can dance. Drawing is different.

I am very clumsy at it, but there is a certain freedom in doing something without expecting yourself to excel at it. Most of my doodles will probably never leave the pages of my journal. And I am perfectly happy with that. What matters is that I am making something.

October comes with plenty of beautiful artwork to admire, and I will probably continue looking at other people's drawings with a little jealousy.

But this year, for the first time, it was nice to be part of it, too.