Admin Post: Discussion: Jake Parker and Inktober

[goss]

The Inktober Brand

So ever since drawesome got started, we've been using the annual Inktober challenge as an incentive to not only get more familiar with inking techniques, but also as encouragement to practice drawing through daily/weekly word prompts. It's been awesome to see the productivity and creativity of everyone inspired by this challenge each year. :)

Yesterday during our monthly chat post, olivermoss mentioned Inktober coming up, but also the fact that its originator Jake Parker has become quite protective of the brand name and its use by others online.

Re-naming Our Challenge

As an art comm, we would still like to engage in a month-long ink challenge, but we're thinking of simply re-naming the challenge itself, in order to avoid using a trademarked word without permission. Two options so far are:
1. Drawtober
2. October Ink
Which do you prefer? If you have any other suggestions, please let us know.

This month-long challenge would be to create art using ink, or an inking style. Traditional and digital art would both be welcome. :)

Well, this is...icky.

Er...I was just about to put up the above discussion post, when I stumbled upon this video on YouTube this morning. I think it might be worth it to share with you all:

Watch on YouTube

So in light of all this, I'm conflicted about whether we should even be promoting this particular challenge anymore. I mean, a month of prompts for doing ink drawings is a GREAT challenge, and I would hate to have to abandon the idea altogether, but now it feels all weird to be giving this guy more exposure through the comm.

Here are some options:
(1) Abandon the Inktober challenge altogether
(2) Re-name the Inktober challenge to something else
(3) Keep the inking idea, but move it to a different month - maybe November?
What are your thoughts?

Comments

[olivermoss]

I am very into the idea of thumbing my nose at Jake Parker deciding he owns doing inks in October or can disallow digital artists. I'd had some of his defenders up in my face since years ago when I ran an event on an LJ comm and allowed digital.

I am endlessly confused as to why people took his self proclaimed ownership of inktober seriously enough for all this harassment and legal BS to happen.

So, I like #2. Doing a Drawtober or October Inks, but am down for whatever. I plan to do some inking in October. I enjoy it, it feels cozy. I think inking in October is a community thing and art stores are going to be full of tempting displays and events.

Also I am going to buy Dunn's book when I can.

[Edit - also I have a lot of inks and brush pens that need to be used more]

[goss]

It's not like drawing digitally detracts from developing your visual art skills in any way, so I don't quite get the resistance to its inclusion. :b We want to make the challenge as inclusive as possible, while also encouraging the exploration of ink as a medium for those who would like to delve into it.

So our October challenge will definitely be for both traditional and digital art, as well as open to any art medium, not just ink. :)