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October Artist Prompts

 

October Artist Prompts in thick text over a patterned background.

Here is a list of October Artist Prompts! It's Zinetober/Zine-O-Ween and Inktober! Many of these state they're for drawing or sketching, but I like to use them for my artist trading cards. They also work great for writers, photographers, musicians…

October Artist Prompts

Scroll down for 3 zinetober lists and 14 daily challenge lists plus the monthly are you book enough and MoZiPro challenges. I did not include the official inktober list because of the creator's problematic copyright/plagerism issues.

The downfall of this seasonal challenge began in December 2019, when its creator, Jake Parker, copyrighted the name Inktober. Some considered this to be controlling and out of line, while others saw it only to be Jake Parker protecting his intellectual property. Parker claimed to be “trying to maintain the integrity of the challenge.” Despite the conflict, Inktober didn’t suffer a significant loss of participants — until August 2020.

On June 16, Parker announced the release of a new book, set to be published in October 2020, called Inktober All Year Long. The book boasts to be “an indispensable guide to inking,” but its glory was interrupted when well-known artist Alphonso Dunn released a critical YouTube video. The video, titled “Jake Parker Plagiarized My Book,” outlines the numerous similarities between his book Pen and Ink Drawing: A Simple Guide published in 2015, and Parker’s new publication. Parker quickly fired back, posting a response on Twitter where he claimed to never have plagiarized anyone’s work and criticized Dunn for posting publicly rather than going directly to Parker. - The Owl

If you have a list you would like to have included in future months, just let me know.


MoZiPro – Monthly Zine Challenge

The Monthly Zine Project (MoZiPro) October artist prompts

October's prompt is 🥣 Recipes

How that Monthly Zine Project Works

  1. Interpret the prompt however you want
  2. Make a zine connected to your interpretation in that month
  3. The zine can take any form you want! Written, photos, collage, drawings, whatever & however: anything goes. Just have fun!
  4. No deadline, feel free to post your zine on the Facebook group and/or on Instagram – with the #mozipro tag when you're done (whenever in the month that may be!)
  5. If a certain month's theme isn't resonating with you, just skip it.

Seriously! If you tend to be over-ambitious about your zines, art, writing & creative work in general ... please be kind to yourself!


Are You Book Enough

Are you book enough 2024 themes has white type on a purple background.

October's challenge is Candy

Here's how it works

  1. Repost the monthly theme on your Instagram account to let us know you are joining in.

  2. Plan out your artists' book using the theme for the month as your guide.

  3. Join our conversations about the books in the community forums.

  4. Share your process of the book if possible on Instagram using the hashtag #AreYouBookEnough

  5. Take great photos of your finished book and post it with the tag for that month's theme as well as the hashtag #AreYouBookEnough

  6. Pick out your favorite 9 from the finished books for the month and make a grid of them on your Instagram to share with the community. Use the hashtag #AreYouBookEnough


Zinetober

Zine-O-Ween by Senna Church

Zine-o-ween prompts by Senna Church. All text is transcribed below the image.

  1. Candle
  2. Lunar
  3. Nail in the coffin
  4. Woods
  5. Phasmagoria
  6. Feast
  7. Diaphonized
  8. Broom
  9. Scarecrow
  10. Disguise
  11. Slash
  12. Alone
  13. Mirror image
  14. Shadow
  15. Grotesque
  16. Haunted house
  17. Cider
  18. Possession
  19. Cozy
  20. Labyrinth
  21. Miasma
  22. Tangled web
  23. Resurrect
  24. Foliage
  25. Hex
  26. Memento Mori
  27. Illusion
  28. Tomb
  29. Hayride
  30. Devilish
  31. Halloween Party

Zine-O-Ween by Kate Sheridan

Zine-o-ween prompts by Kate Sheridan. All text is transcribed below the image.

  1. Haunt
  2. Deer in headlights
  3. Bite down
  4. Underfoot
  5. Lurk
  6. Rot
  7. Urban legend
  8. Barbed
  9. Sanguine
  10. Full moon
  11. Cleave
  12. A good scare
  13. Marrow
  14. Cryptid
  15. Jack O'lantern
  16. Saw
  17. Tenebrous
  18. Up in flames
  19. Canine
  20. mask
  21. Sweet
  22. Howl
  23. Gothic
  24. Monster of mine
  25. Folk
  26. Bread-crumbs
  27. Lonely
  28. Curse
  29. Stitched
  30. Ritual
  31. Halloween

ZineTober by Bratty Bre

ZineTober prompts by Bratty Bre. All text is transcribed below the image.

  1. What's your current obsession? Make a fanzine about it today!
  2. Experiment with different zine folds… ex) flexagons.
  3. Recall an experience that hurt you & make a perzine on it.
  4. What's a topic you know a lot about? Make an informational zine to share!
  5. Create a lyric book!
  6. Make a persuasive political zine to share your beliefs.
  7. Support the queer community with a minizine covering LGBTQ_ topics & info.
  8. Channel your inner poet and make a short poetry collection zine.
  9. Horror zine! Let  spooky season inspire a scary zine.
  10. Interview a person you look up to and turn their answers in to a whole zine!
  11. Got ink? Tell us the context behind your tattoos as if its a portfolio.
  12. Celebrate your pet in a bigger zine (include pictures!)
  13. WRite a zine to your future self.
  14. I'm hungry so let's make a zine reviewing your fave foods.
  15. Doy ou have kids? Make a collab zine with them!
  16. Take a day off from zines.
  17. Use a zine to plan your next getaway vacation.
  18. Insta-zine. Don't use Instagram today and intead turn your account into a zine.
  19. Try your hand at a comic zine.
  20. make a zine the old fashioned way (handmade!)
  21. Now make a zine only using digital tools lol.
  22. Get nerdy with a book review zine.
  23. Heartbreak is tough… a breakup zine can help you heal.
  24. Colect a bunch of junk or trash and make a zine out of the collection.
  25. Write a zine about an unknown fact many people don't know of…
  26. Create a coloring zine.
  27. Make a how-to zine!
  28. Lists! You can make a listzine of all your upcoming to-do tasks!
  29. Share a home made recipe in a mini zine.
  30. Create a photo zine.
  31. Make your version of the zine about zines.

More October Artist Prompts

Witchtober by Willow and Roxas

Witchtober prompt list from Willow and Roxas. All text is transcribed under this image.

  1. Ethereal
  2. Swarm
  3. Glass
  4. Rebel
  5. Abundance
  6. Twist
  7. Feather
  8. Journey
  9. Glamour
  10. Comfort
  11. Blade
  12. Ancestor
  13. Chaos
  14. Hidden
  15. Burnt
  16. Imagine

Inktober by Oleander Studios

Inktober prompt list from Oleander Studios. All text is transcribed below the post.

  1. The pumpkin king
  2. Under full moon light
  3. Halloween Town
  4. Locked away inside
  5. Kidnap the Sandy Claws
  6. Ride with the moon in the dead of night
  7. Tragedy's at hand
  8. Something's up with Jack
  9. Zero
  10. Everybody scream
  11. Well, what the heck!
  12. The mayor
  13. I'm the master of fright
  14. This is Halloween
  15. Sally
  16. The Nightmare Before Christmas
  17. Everyone Hail to the pumpkin song
  18. What have I done?
  19. Jack Skellington
  20. Gaze into the stars
  21. Nice work, Bone Daddy!
  22. Here lies poor old Jack
  23. We're simply meant to be
  24. Oogie-Boogie
  25. What's this?
  26. There's trouble close at hand
  27. Boogie's boys
  28. Dr. Finkelstein
  29. On a dark cold night
  30. Sit together now and forever
  31. Jack is back

Peachtober by @furrylittlepeach

Peachtober prompts by @furrylittlepeach All text is transcribed below image.

  1. Daisy
  2. Sparkle
  3. Paw
  4. Sky
  5. Fawn
  6. Sketch
  7. Bud
  8. River
  9. Apricot
  10. Pixel
  11. Wheel
  12. Earth
  13. Cape
  14. Burrow
  15. Lamp
  16. Owl
  17. Slow
  18. Fast
  19. Crocodile
  20. Rest
  21. Greenhouse
  22. Village
  23. Party
  24. Radish
  25. Stone
  26. Backpack
  27. Grass
  28. Pony
  29. Break
  30. Pearl
  31. Spider

Plastober by Plastic Pen

Plastober by Plastic Pen. All text is transcribed below the image.

  1. Castle
  2. Border
  3. Feline
  4. Day off
  5. High
  6. Summer
  7. Dagger
  8. Day off
  9. Animal
  10. Royal
  11. Brave
  12. Day off
  13. Villain
  14. Artifact
  15. Mirror
  16. Day off
  17. Door
  18. Memory
  19. Locket
  20. Day off
  21. Stone
  22. Flat
  23. Windows
  24. Day off
  25. Glass
  26. Spacious
  27. Nordic
  28. Day off
  29. Goldsmith
  30. Companion
  31. Journey

October Sketchbook Art Challenge from Tinkerlab

TinkerSketch's October Artist Prompts. All text is transcribed below this image.

  1. Stormy
  2. Tracing
  3. Streak
  4. Bloom
  5. Bent
  6. Feather
  7. Foliage
  8. Mushroom
  9. Repetition
  10. Harvest
  11. Insect
  12. Scratch
  13. Gleaming
  14. Balance
  15. Square
  16. Tree
  17. Wave
  18. Cozy
  19. Mechanical
  20. Stars
  21. Open
  22. Meandering
  23. Rattle
  24. Antique
  25. Cold
  26. Candy
  27. Swing
  28. Rain
  29. Sprout
  30. Cloud
  31. Mask

Natural Beach Living October Drawing Challenge

October Artist Prompts from Natural Beach Living. All text is transcribed below the image.

  1. Pumpkin spice latte
  2. Gourd
  3. Corn
  4. Leaves
  5. Acorns
  6. Soup
  7. Blankets
  8. Spider
  9. Corn maze
  10. Fence
  11. Human skeleton
  12. Lake
  13. Ghost
  14. Hat
  15. Shark
  16. Mini golf
  17. Jack-O-Lantern
  18. Squirreeel
  19. Fire station
  20. Crow
  21. Pumpkin patch
  22. Cat
  23. Fire hydrant
  24. Football
  25. Dinosaur
  26. Rake
  27. Reed barn
  28. Hummingbird
  29. Trophy
  30. Baseball Cap
  31. [missing]

Cute Little Paper's October Doodle Challenge

Cute Little Paper's October Doodle Challenge. All prompts are trancribed below the image.

  1. Number 10
  2. Letter O
  3. Jack O Lantern
  4. Owl
  5. Witch’s Hat
  6. Spider Web
  7. Mummy
  8. Bone
  9. Monster
  10. Eyeball
  11. Grave
  12. Potion
  13. Bat
  14. Frankenstein
  15. Spell Book
  16. Black Cat
  17. Halloween Candy
  18. Vampire
  19. Witch’s Shoes
  20. Skeleton
  21. Haunted House
  22. Full Moon
  23. Rat
  24. Scary Teeth
  25. Ghost
  26. Crystal Ball
  27. Raven
  28. Coffin
  29. Zombie Hand
  30. Spider
  31. Scarecrow

Cute Little Paper's October Journaling Prompts

  Cute Little Paper's October Journaling Prompts. All text is transcribed after the image.

  1. Write about my best Halloween yet.

  2. Name the pros and cons of fall.

  3. Write about my earliest Halloween memories.

  4. Make a plan to DIY the most creative Halloween decoration.

  5. Write a checklist of things to do during fall.

  6. What’s the funniest moment I had during Halloween?

  7. Make a top 10 Halloween movie list.

  8. Write down the recipe for my favorite pumpkin dessert.

  9. What I do and don’t love about Halloween?

  10. If I could be a vampire or a witch, what would I rather be and why?

  11. My favorite quote about fall.

  12. Inspirational quote - Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower

  13. What would be my perfect Halloween costume?

  14. What was the spookiest thing that happened in my life?

  15. Write about an important event that happened to me during the fall season.

  16. Make a Halloween playlist.

  17. What do I have in common with a ghost, zombie, and werewolf?

  18. Think of 5 inexpensive ways that’ll add a fall feeling to my living space.

  19. Who is an evil witch (or warlock) in my life, and why do I think so?

  20. Draw 5 Jack-o’-Lantern faces.

  21. What are the 5 things I associate with fall?

  22. If I’d be face to face with Frankenstein, what would I ask him – and what might be his answer?

  23. Write about the spookiest movie I’ve watched.

  24. Write down how a cozy fall evening looks to me, and then make it happen.

  25. What is my biggest fear and why do I think so?

  26. How real is that fear and is there a way I can overcome it?

  27. My 3 favorite fall activities.

  28. Who is my favorite Halloween character and why?

  29. Read about the mummification process – and write down what I found to be the most fascinating about it.

  30. If I could change one thing about fall, what would it be?

  31. What could I add to the Halloween celebration that would make it even more special?

  32. Think of 3 ways I can creatively use leftover Halloween treats.


Creeptober Halloween October Art Challenge from Kick in the Creatives

Creeptober Art Prompts fro Kick in the Creatives. All text is transcribed after the image.

  1. Fog
  2. Spider
  3. Cauldron
  4. Twilight
  5. Facepaint
  6. Spirit
  7. In the shadows
  8. Werewolf
  9. Candle
  10. Witch
  11. Goblin
  12. Goth
  13. In the dark
  14. Candy
  15. Through the window
  16. Pumpkin
  17. Festival
  18. Behind you
  19. Spell
  20. hidden
  21. Under the bed
  22. Graveyard/Cemetery
  23. Monster
  24. Horror film
  25. Scared
  26. Costume
  27. Full moon
  28. Silhouette
  29. Trick or treat
  30. Mummy
  31. Ghostly

October Poet – Poetry Challenge from Kick in the Creatives

October Poet - poetry prompts from Kick in the Creatives. All text is transcribed below this image.

  1. Gift
  2. Creepy
  3. Nightmare
  4. Hostile
  5. Warmth
  6. Unwelcome
  7. Watching
  8. Your least favorite thing
  9. Growth
  10. Party
  11. Detour
  12. Drama
  13. Fabulous
  14. Authoritive [sic]
  15. Something that happened today
  16. Country
  17. Groomed
  18. Cautious
  19. Unusual
  20. Afternoon
  21. Coffee
  22. Distant
  23. Condiment
  24. Danger
  25. Baby
  26. Conversation
  27. Childhood memory
  28. Haunted
  29. Good turn
  30. Kindness
  31. Blue

Doodlewash 30 things to draw and/or paint in October

Doodlewash's October 2024 Art Challenge list. All text is transcribed below the image.

  1. Bad hair day
  2. Pumpkin seeds
  3. Black bat flower
  4. Ship in a bottle
  5. Rhubarb
  6. Badger
  7. Meteor shower
  8. Fluffernutter
  9. Viking
  10. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
  11. Pirate
  12. Gumbo
  13. noodles
  14. Coffee
  15. Amethyst deceiver
  16. Fossil
  17. Hunter's moon
  18. Apple cider
  19. Popcorn balls
  20. Candy
  21. Apples
  22. Hound
  23. Skull seed pods
  24. Bologna
  25. Frankenstein
  26. lily of the Incas
  27. Cemetery
  28. Autumn brilliance
  29. Werewolf cat
  30. Ghost
  31. Costume

October Doodle Challenge by The Petite Planner

Stop Drop Doodle thee October 2024 challengee from The Petite Planner. All text is transcribed below the image.

  1. October
  2. Ghost
  3. Bat
  4. Candy corn
  5. Witch hat
  6. Trick or treat bucket
  7. Gravestone
  8. Spider
  9. Bones
  10. Candy apple
  11. Witch broom
  12. Jack O'lantern
  13. Lollipop
  14. Eyeball
  15. Cauldron
  16. Moon
  17. Candy bar
  18. Spider web
  19. Pumpkin
  20. Potion
  21. Skeleton
  22. Wrapped candy
  23. Candle
  24. Black cat
  25. Frankenstein
  26. Skull
  27. Owl
  28. Spooky eyes
  29. Mummy
  30. Bowl of candy
  31. Halloween

Brushtober from Making Art Everyday

Brushtober prompts from Making Art Everyday. All text is transcribed below the image.

  1. Snail
  2. Goose
  3. Acorn
  4. Moth
  5. hedgehog
  6. pumpkin
  7. Fireplace
  8. Cozy chair
  9. Window
  10. Record player
  11. Black cat
  12. Telephone
  13. Raincoat
  14. Quilt
  15. Scarecrow
  16. Ghost
  17. Candle
  18. Stack of books
  19. Crystals
  20. Starry night
  21. Apples
  22. Autumn leaves
  23. Jack O'lantern
  24. Raven
  25. Potions
  26. Skull
  27. Monster
  28. Costume
  29. Witch/wizard
  30. Bat
  31. Haunted house

Doodle a Day: October by Studio Ann

October Doodle a day from Studio Ann. All text is transcribed under the image.

  1. Birth year
  2. Wisdom
  3. Insect
  4. Pet
  5. Autumn
  6. Sandwich
  7. Shoe
  8. Wine
  9. Acorn
  10. Speech bubble
  11. Map
  12. Deer
  13. October
  14. Breakfast
  15. pumpkin
  16. Phone
  17. ABC
  18. Bird
  19. Apple pie
  20. Whale
  21. Cup of coffee
  22. Orange
  23. Baby
  24. Someone you love
  25. Triangle
  26. Vampire
  27. Clock
  28. (With a) ruler
  29. Abstract
  30. Ornament
  31. Halloween