The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Inktober stretches artist’s imagination
TORRINGTON — For creatives with busy lifestyles, finding the inspiration to practice their art for the pure fun of it can be challenging. Elaine Lefebvre, Torrington resident, artist and illustrator who works as an art teacher at Avon Middle School, recently participated in a drawing challenge, Inktober, aimed at creating an enjoyable way to practice art every day with other artists.
“Inktober is a monthlong challenge created by artist Jake Parker that is focused on improving skill and developing positive drawing habits,” according to the official Inktober website.
This challenge is a unique way to improve drawing skills without competition. There are no win
ners, and anyone anywhere in the world can participate. The goal is for artists to create one completed ink drawing each day during the month of October, for a total of 31 finished works.
“It’s a big undertaking,” said Lefebvre, “and cause for celebration when you finally finish.”
For those with social media accounts, posting each drawing with the hashtag #inktober and #inktober2019 allows participating artists a platform to display their own work and see that of others who have also taken up the challenge.
Each year, an official list of prompts is released as inspiration for each day’s drawing. These prompts are suggested ideas, and can be interpreted however each artist wishes. Prompts for 2019 included “ring” for day one, “frail” for day eight, “ancient” for day 23 and “coat” for day 27.
“I never use the prompts, though,” Lefebvre said. “Each year, I give myself a theme. It has to be something I’m interested in.”
In 2017, the first year she participated, her theme was Stepehen King’s “It.” For 2018, her theme was professional wrestlers as mythological creatures.
This year, her theme was based on her favorite band, XTC, an undertheradar British new wave group that was active in the ’70s, ’80s and ’90s.
“Each day I would illustrate from one of their songs. I really stretched my legs and created whole scenes in my drawings, not just characters,” Lefebvre said.
Three of Lefebvre’s Inktober drawings from this year will be on display during the Connecticut Art Education Association’s members show at The Art Gallery at the Mill in Unionville, which runs through the end of December.
“Next school year, I would also like to involve my students in Inktober,” she said.
“I’m very open with my
“Next school year, I would also like to involve my (Avon Middle School) students in Inktober. I’m very open with my art. The students would see what I was working on and ask me about it. They were excited to see what new drawing I was working on each day, and expressed an interest in participating, too.” Elaine Lefebvre, Torrington resident, artist and illustrator who works as an art teacher at Avon Middle School
art. The students would see what I was working on and ask me about it. They were excited to see what new drawing I was working on each day, and expressed an interest in participating, too.”
To learn more information about the drawing challenge, Inktober, visit www.inktober.com.