Portrait Drawing Challenge
🎨 What's Happening?
This October, we’re putting a cinematic twist on Inktober by drawing our favorite TV and movie characters – a fun way to develop your portrait drawing skills!
✨ What to expect
- Daily Drawing Sessions – Meet + draw with fellow artists every weekday.
- Drawing Prompts – Receive weekly portrait-themed prompts.
- Community Support – Share your progress, get feedback.
- Curated Resources – Tips on ink techniques + portrait fundamentals.
🎖️ Challenge Prize
Three lucky participants who complete this drawing challenge will be randomly selected to receive a 1-hour private mentorship session with Dorian Iten (a $250 value).
This session is tailored to your needs, it can be an in-depth portfolio review, feedback on a current project, or any other focus related to your artistic development.
📝 Challenge Rules
- Create at least 28 drawings within the 31 days of October
- Post your drawings every 1–2 days on our Discord server.
- Following the challenge prompts.
- To qualify for the prize, you must also post one final image with all your 28+ drawings by your midnight, October 31.
The challenge is open to anyone, and you can participate at your individual level of commitment. We encourage you to set a goal for yourself. For example, “post daily” or “post every other day”, or “post once a week”. Whatever you decide, be consistent with it.
Inktober is about growing and improving and forming positive habits. The more consistent you are, the more you will benefit.
💬 Drawing Prompts
The overall challenge is to draw a portrait in ink every day based on a movie or TV character. Each week will have a distinct focus.
- Pre-Inktober Warm-Up – Head construction + Reference Hunting
- WEEK 1 – Notan / Value studies in Ink
- WEEK 2 – Facial features
- WEEK 3 – Posture and Character
- WEEK 4 – Extreme Angles + Facial Expressions
🚀 Donate
Enjoying the Drawing Dojo? Help us host future drawing challenges, study groups and free events by supporting the server with a donation. Our team of six works with dedication on a volunteer basis. Your contribution helps us cover operating costs and ensures this community thrives!
🙋♂️ Team
This challenge is hosted by Dorian Iten (@dorian.visuals), Laura Miller (@narimo), Hofan Chau (@wild.heart.root), and Karla Cecilia MC (@karlaceciliamc). Our intention is to foster a supportive community and have fun making art together.
📣 Social Media
Help promote the challenge on social media! #inktober #drawingdojo
Link to share: https://discord.gg/Qq2n6UuKyY
(Please create a link sticker on Instagram for easy access.)
🏠 2022 Community calls
We have been hosting the Drawing Dojo Inktober Portrait Challenge since 2022. Below are recordings from our initial community calls.