Artober Prompts!

 

Happy Fall! As summer starts to wanes, and sweater weather begins a-gain, I hope the transition in your personal and creative life is as crisp as a newly turned leaf! But if you are feeling the oooph and the uggghhh, it's okay, and you're not alone. I know that I struggle in the transition of the busyness of summer into the business of autumn! 

A great way to keep that creative pumpkin rolling to join the SCBWI Illustration Community in SCBWI's Artober! Every October, SCBWI hosts this month long event, where there's 31 days of drawing prompts to help inspire your daily practice!

Work in your favorite art medium or play with new materials during the month. Share your work when you can or post it daily with the #scbwiArtober2026 hashtag on Instagram and Bluesky. The goal is to develop a daily practice of creating new art. Writers are welcome to join in the fun too! 

Here are the Rules:

– This is not about perfection. The goal is to develop a daily practice.

– We encourage you to try new media.

– Share your work on Bluesky and Instagram with the official hashtag #scbwiArtober2026.

– Go to the #scbwiArtober2026 hashtag to see current art, inspiration, and to cheer on other SCBWI Illustrators.

– Play and have fun each day!

ARTOBER 2026 Prompt List - October 1 - 31 2026

1. Pumpkin
2. Nocturnal
3. Crush
4. Human
5. Camp
6. Quiver
7. Feline
8. Crisp
9. Home
10. Vestige
11. Crusty
12. Lunge
13. Howl
14. Belonging
15. Carnival
16. Hairy
17. Oddity
18. Cosplay
19. Wish
20. Stolen
21. Faerie
22. Knit
23. Concoction
24. Veil
25. Forest
26. Hunter’s Moon
27. Cottage
28. Savory
29. Underneath
30. Moth
31. Ghoul

SCBWI Artober: Day 28- Maze

SCBWI Artober: Day 28- Maze

Happy Tuesday, everyone! Hope your October, or rather, ARTober has been going well for all those who are celebrating! Though I have been SUPER DUPER busy, I wanted to join in on the fun! 

Today's prompt is: MAZE.

Okay, now, wait—let me cook on this one.

So when I was younger, my mother used to love buying my brother and I Happy Meals for the toys. We had a plethora of McDonalds toys but it was almost like a holiday or our birthday when she would buy an exclusive, special edition thing or another. 

The McDonalds franchise randomly created an animated series, released on video cassette, that was exclusively available at their fast food chains. I hope you all remember the VHS! 

The Wacky Adventures of Ronald McDonald was our absolute favorite growing up! And as I was thinking of what to draw for Day 28: Maze, the show popped into my head because of one episode where Ronald and friends were turned into babies by an evil scientist, and had to escape Birthday World...Yeah, I know—super random. 

I found the Birthday World episode on YouTube, and it was quite hilarious that I remember 87.63% of the script. I watched this a lot! But wow, how amazing it was to channel my younger self and draw this entry with all of the episodes playing in the background. 

It was a blast drawing this one and I hope you all are having a great time playing, exploring, drawing and dreaming! Happy Halloween and enjoy the rest of Artober!

Until next time—Keep creating!

Justin

SCBWI Artober! 2025! #scbwiArtober2025

SCBWI Artober is HERE! Throughout the year, there are many art challenges, and they are great opportunities to PLAY, EXPERIMENT and CREATE!

The prompt was "Artistic" and I went with the famous painting The Scream.

A few years ago, I participated in MerMay, an art challenge that takes place every year during the month of May where you draw all things mermaid, and some of my favorite pieces were created during that extended art practice. Not unlike the "100 Things That You Love to Draw" from John Hendrix's Drawing is Magic, it allows the artist to not have to rack their brain for ideas by a creation of a list. And SCBWI has created a great list to inspire, with a prompt for each day of October! 

"Each day includes a prompt to inspire your daily practice. Work in your favorite art medium or play with new materials during the month."

My advice is: Don't worry about doing each day if it is overwhelming! Pick ones that inspire you; jump to the end of the month and prepare something to share if that feel right to you! When I did challenges in the past, I prepared weeks in advance so don't beat yourself up if you don't get to each day. Have fun and play, play, play! I discovered some new and fun Procreate brushes and techniques that I swear by today through the month long challenge! Use this time to reconnect with your art practice and see what comes from stepping out of your comfort zone!

Here are the Rule as provided by SCBWI!

– This is not about perfection. The goal is to develop a daily practice.

– We encourage you to try new media.

– Share your work on Twitter and Instagram with the official hashtag #scbwiArtober2025.

– Go to the #scbwiArtober2025 hashtag to see current art, inspiration, and to cheer on other SCBWI Illustrators.

– Play and have fun each day!

ARTOBER 2025 Prompt List

-October 1 - 31 2025 -

1. Squash
2. Night Light
3. Phantom
4. Birthmark
5. Eyes
6. Candle
7. Fuzzy
8. Carve
9. Hive
10. Twist
11. Kettle
12. Tip Toe
13. Rustle
14. Burnt
15. Charm
16. Scarecrow
17. Stalk
18. Perspective
19. Mask
20. Harvest
21. Calico
22. Mushroom
23. Tangle
24. Leaves
25. Strange
26. Pie
27. Attic
28. Maze
29. Billow
30. Sleepover
31. Bones

Join the SCBWI Illustration Community in the 31 day challenge!