Inktober 2025 · Drawing & Painting Accelerator

Inktober 2025

I dedicated this Inktober to doing studies of the masters of the medium. I focused on Joseph Clement Coll, Charles Dana Gibson and Marcos Mateu-Mestre. Below is the mix of copies with some original work thrown in. Here are my takeaways:

Indian ink is black. Like, really black. And thick. It's like smearing soot on paper
On the brush vs quill debate I'm leaning towards brush. Quills are fun, but brush is much more predictable: ink flow never just stops, it doesn't tear paper, it's much easier to apply to large areas of tone, no issue picking up small amounts of ink, etc
The easiest way to clean a nib is to dip it in water and wipe with a paper towel,
If a nib gets clogged, you can unclog it by dipping it in water, but be ready for somewhat lighter lines,
If you using water to do lighter washes with Indian ink, clean the remainder off immediately. Indian ink can't be reactivated once it dries, and it becomes difficult to clean,
Doing copies is a great learning tool,
Doing copies is not enough. You need to try to draw something of your own and try to apply the design ideas that you learned through copying