During the past 7 days, I have recommended to at least 7 different of my students that they begin participating in both #Inktober and #Inktober52.  

I’m not sure why this thought has repeatedly come to my mind. Inktober is traditionally an October Instagram Challenge. And during Mississippi’s typically scorching days of August, thoughts of October rarely cross my mind. But Inktober52 is a weekly challenge, and the prompt for the coming week is Goldfish. Let’s Do Inktober Together!

Perhaps my thought evolved toward Inktober because I teach ink drawing as part of all my art classes, and my students have improved their ink drawing skills.

It is also because some of my students are younger now, like the student above, Lydia, who is studying Chemical Engineering at Ole Miss. When I saw Lydia’s Sunflower in Ink, I advised her to participate in Inktober.

Sunflower in Ink – Lydia Blair

But you don’t have to be young to participate in Inktober. I am 76, and yesterday, I followed my own advice and submitted a drawing to Inktober.

Weeping Sunflowers: Sunflower’s Last Days
Jacki Kellum Ink Drawing
No Picking Up Pen
#drawing #contourdrawing #ink #inkdrawing

#inktober52 #inktober52DIVE

Earlier today, on  a whimsy, I checked to see what the current Inktober 52 prompt was. At that time, it was Dive, I noted to myself that my Weeping Sunflowers seemed to be diving into the abyss of the otherwise empty white page, and I marked my instagram post appropriately, posted ,y entry on Instagram and Voila! I did Inktober52.

And just like that I am part of the Inktober Community.

The inktober52 prompt for this next week, August 20 – 27, 2026, is Goldfish.

Now, I am challenging all of my students and other acquaintances to do as I have done. Join #Intober52; Let’s do Inktober52 together all year long. and let’s also do in Inktober together every day for the month of October.

This week, think and post something goldfishy.

Learn all about Inktober at:

https://inktober.com/

 

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