In 2009 the rules were simple – make one drawing, in ink, for every day of October. Almost one decade later, what began as an exercise in positive drawing habits for creator and artist Jake Parker, has morphed into a global phenomenon with every-expanding ways to approach and interpret the Inktober challenge.

Prompts are provided each day, some are in a spooky spirit, such as “Spell” or “Drooling”, while others are more irreverent, like “Chicken”. Ultimately, the decision to use the prompts as inspiration is up to the Inktober participant, as is the medium, and how much color is used in the piece.

We’ve rounded up the Brintons Designers’ Inktober pieces and discussed how a daily creative challenge influences their work in the axminster world.

Designer Agnieszka Wojtal created primarily figurative work, utilizing contour lines to create movement within her subject’s luxurious hair. Similar line work can also be found in designer Sam Hoeffer’s Inktober pieces, referencing the line and hatch textures that often add dimension in carpet.

Terrien Hale, designer, did not shy away from color in her work, creating abstract landscapes that might be reworked into a gaming design.

When asked about the Inktober challenge, Kathryn 'Katie' Nehrbauer, designer, stated that drawing on a computer versus paper is always an adjustment, “At first it was a challenge since I've spent so many years drawing on a computer. Things you can easily do on a computer, like erase your work instantly, is not possible when you are drawing on paper with permanent ink. It took a little while for me to get comfortable, but after I few drawings I began to really enjoy it”.

Katie also found some similarities between working in ink and designing for carpet, “I think that with any artistic process, your mind runs on instinct. For me, I had textile design in the back of my mind the entire time. I found myself thinking, ‘Wow, this could be a great rug design’. I also noticed that I approached drawing in a similar way as designing carpet. We design carpet in layers that build upon each other to create a final look. I started each drawing with light marks to outline my basic shapes and then layered different size pens to create the detail and definition that I wanted.” Katie stuck with a black and white color palette, something that rare in carpet design, but found she became more and more comfortable with the limited scheme.

Inktober presents an opportunity for creatives to explore and expand their thinking – Brintons designers can’t wait until next year!