~junijube~

Earlier this year I decided to revisit art. Drawing was such a large and important part of my youth and teenage years then it just... wasn't. I had heard of inktober in the past, but this was the first year I participated. It wasn't easy - my brother came in from out of town and it was the first time I saw him in a year, my hubs and I went on vacation, I was working on a DTIYS challenge, I started a diet and exercise regimen... There was a lot going on!! On top of that I was struggling with ulnar tunnel syndrome in my dominant hand which caused me a great deal of pain.

For my inktober project I wanted to create a connected story that you can read and see, with plot progression. However, instead of planning it all in advance (like a sane person), I did it one or two days at a time (until the very end so I knew it could be resolved). Yes, the story has some flaws, but it really tested my creativity and ability to connect seemingly disparate thoughts.

My pieces are a lot simpler than most of the others I've seen because I wanted to participate daily while keeping up a good life balance and allowing my hand to heal. However, the amount of thought that went into them was never rushed. I also limited my paper to 3" x 3" squares, both so I could compile them into one piece later and so I wouldn't kill my hand (or my sanity).

Overall, I had a lot of fun with this project, whether it was experimenting with different brushes and perspectives, or including a JJBA reference just because I could! I also noticed a lot of improvement in myself, both artistically and in the way I approach ideas. So long inktober, see you next year!

31 - Ripe

As the sun rose from the horizon, we finally landed in front of a breathtaking castle. The dragon squatted down for our disbarment and we wasted no time delivering our prisoner to a guard that had come to greet us, pleased to see his was alive and well. The prince turned to thank me, bowing in gratitude, when magic blazed behind me, opening a portal, signifying that my journey had ripened to its conclusion. The mysterious witch appeared relieved as she waved to my companions and me from the other side. I turned to wave goodbye to the friends I had made as I stepped through the portal one last time.

The End!

30 - Catch

Before pausing to consider my actions, I had leapt down from my position and caught one of the dragon's unharmed talons. I was almost too late, but I managed to catch my foe's wrist firmly in hand, preventing his escape. The prince helped me back on board and we watched the prime minister carefully as we continued our journey to the castle.

29 - Injured

With the wicked prime minister in our grasp we headed toward the prince's castle. We soared through the air, feeling as light as a feather with our victory when suddenly the dragon let out a great screech of pain. Looking down, I watched as our foe held a sword that he had plunged into my comrade's claw, injuring it and causing the dragon's grip to quickly loosen. To my horror, the prime minister began to let go of the sword to make for an escape.

28 - Ride

The light from the magic grew so bright that I had to avert my eyes. As the light waned I looked towards the dragon once again and was taken aback. The once small creature who was no taller than my knee had grown to be a large, fierce beast. It lowered itself to it's knees so the prince and I could climb onto it's tall back. As soon as we boarded it took flight, swiftly fleeing the cave and snatching our enemy on the way.

27 - Coat

With the threat posed in front of us the prince and I looked to each other, weighing our options. As we thought we began noticing light was being cast around the cave. Turning our eyes downward, we noticed the dragon began glowing brightly, covered in a coat of magic. The prince knelt down to investigate as the mysterious power grew.

26 - Dark

No sooner had the prince finished his tale, the torches around us were suddenly snuffed out. The cave filled with darkness again, and with it came a heavy sense of dread. We looked towards the entrance and saw a lone figure, shrouded in darkness from the moonlight behind him. His long shadow crept it's way to us and we instinctively knew that there was more trouble to come.

25 - Tasty

After coming too, the man turns to me with a big smile and begins telling me what happened to him. He is the prince of a country, who was tricked by the prime minister to consume poison. "It's not my fault," he adds, "It was put on such a tasty cake!" After eating the poisoned cake, he awoke as the giant dog that had been by my side throughout our journey. The ghost from inside the chest was the body the poison's spell had locked away.

24 - Dizzy

Slowly, the bright light created by the magic diffused into the chamber, revealing a man in place of the dog and ghost. Though he was clothed in princely attire I didn't recognize, with a crown atop a head of messy locks, his presence felt familiar, as if I had known him for some time. He stood before the dragon and me, hunched over, gripping his head as though he was dizzy.

23 - Ancient

The ghostly figure continued to rise from its resting place until it we at full height. It appeared human, but without any distinguishing characteristics. Out of the corner of my eye I watched the husky stride toward it, seemingly calm. As he approached, the apparition reached out a transparent hand and laid out on his nose. Ancient magic erupted from the contact, pulling both into its spell.