Flower Drawings | Inktober 2020 Roundup

Inktober. The season of fall where illustrators everywhere loose sleep and work their creative juices to the bone in order to fulfill the 31 day prompt list that comes out every Octobor. I have participated minimally in this challenge, but last year, for the first time, I jumped onto one of the spin offs and was able to fulfill about half a dozen illustrations for the challenge (you can see those here).

This past year (2020) I thought it would be fun to collect a few friends together and host a spin off of our own! All of the hosts are moms of little ones, so we decided that an every-other-day prompt list was more appropriate and “do-able” than the month long power drive. We also created the prompt list and used the #Gardentober to connect with and collaborate with other creatives.

We had a blast, and I can honestly say it was one of my favorite experiences in 2020—besides the birth of my sweet twin boys, of course!!

Here’s a few of the illustrations that I created for the challenge:

Sunflower (left):

I have to admit, I was not excited to draw sunflowers! But it was one of the most requested flowers to include in the challenge, so “in” it went! I decided to push the “story” with this piece and really play with the composition and ended up liking this piece way more than I thought

Coneflowers (center):

I used this design a few times in the challenge. I was dreaming of their umbrella-like petals dancing and swaying under a gentle rain so I continued to play around with it for the “rain” prompt as well. This piece is dedicated to a little friend of mine that I miss.

Foxgloves (right):

One of my favorite flowers! So wild and sophisticated (seriously, how is that possible), I love the dance in this piece and the way you can almost hear the bells of the flowers ringing out a joyful little tune in the garden.

Ducklings (left):

This piece was inspired by my twin boys! With their little scoots and waddles, they resemble curious little ducklings! Surrounded by playful lily of the valley, this duo is definitely up to no good!

Fritillary (center):

Normally in a “lantern” or downward bell shape, this particular flower decided to raise it’s darling little head and stretch out it’s leaves. I love the grace of this flower that I copied directly from the reference image (as soon as I saw it I knew it was MADE for me!). Fritillary are new to me but they are quickly becoming a new favorite in my garden made from pencil and paper.

Anemone (right):

I had not played with a cluster of flowers yet so I decided to go back to my old ways and illustrate a full bouquet of Japanese anemones for this prompt. I especially love the way the buds poke out of the cluster and give it a slightly more wild and enchanting air.

Garden Rose (Left):

Probably my favorite flower drawing from this collection, the garden rose carries it’s traditional amount of romance and sophistication. I loved the way that the shading turned out and how the leaves dance. I wish I had played around with the little buds poking out of the back of the large bloom, but overall I’m extremely happy with how this turned out!

Maidenhair or Ginko (center):

I always create a wreath during this challenge and I knew immediately that I had to turn maidenhair into a wreath! The playful little leaves added the perfect amount of whimsy and movement, but I decided to push it further by making it asymmetrical. I might use this in a wedding stationery design some day, but until then I will enjoy her graceful bend

Marigold (Right):

One of my least favorite flowers, if I’m honest! But I can look at this piece fondly remembering how we drew this piece together during an Instagram Live! While there are definitely some things that I would change if I did it over again, I am pretty happy with how it turned out and mostly just glad to have it “done”, hahaha!