Inktober 2026 Prompt List: All 31 Prompts and the Rules
Inktober 2026 started on Thursday, October 1, with the prompt "Apple", and ends on Saturday, October 31, with "Flex". The challenge is one ink drawing a day for all 31 days of October. Below are this week's prompts, then the full official list with a date for every word, a copy-paste version, the prompts for drawing every other day or once a week, and the rules in plain words.
This week's prompts: October 15 to 21
| Date | Prompt |
|---|---|
| Thu 15 Oct (day 15) | Hooray |
| Fri 16 Oct (day 16) | Gangly |
| Sat 17 Oct (day 17) | Contraption |
| Sun 18 Oct (day 18) | Flightless |
| Mon 19 Oct (day 19) | Confused |
| Tue 20 Oct (day 20) | Lounge |
| Wed 21 Oct (day 21) | Hero |
Stuck? There are three drawing ideas for every one of these prompts. Next week (October 22 to 28) brings Beacon, Dapper, Bake, Fracture, Zip, Dumb and Trophy; see the full list below. Behind on the list? You can start on any day. Many people catch up by drawing two small pieces a day, or skip the ones that don't inspire them, since the rules don't require every prompt.
The official Inktober 2026 prompt list
| Date | Prompt |
|---|---|
| Thu 1 Oct | Apple |
| Fri 2 Oct | Relic |
| Sat 3 Oct | Miniature |
| Sun 4 Oct | Cactus |
| Mon 5 Oct | Smack |
| Tue 6 Oct | Ogre |
| Wed 7 Oct | Panic |
| Thu 8 Oct | Stinky |
| Fri 9 Oct | Ram |
| Sat 10 Oct | Mystical |
| Sun 11 Oct | Rescue |
| Mon 12 Oct | Toss |
| Tue 13 Oct | Flimsy |
| Wed 14 Oct | Lady |
| Thu 15 Oct | Hooray |
| Fri 16 Oct | Gangly |
| Sat 17 Oct | Contraption |
| Sun 18 Oct | Flightless |
| Mon 19 Oct | Confused |
| Tue 20 Oct | Lounge |
| Wed 21 Oct | Hero |
| Thu 22 Oct | Beacon |
| Fri 23 Oct | Dapper |
| Sat 24 Oct | Bake |
| Sun 25 Oct | Fracture |
| Mon 26 Oct | Zip |
| Tue 27 Oct | Dumb |
| Wed 28 Oct | Trophy |
| Thu 29 Oct | Tusk |
| Fri 30 Oct | Cookie |
| Sat 31 Oct | Flex |
The list comes from the official Inktober rules and prompts page, where you can also save the official list image.
The list as text, to copy and share
Inktober 2026: 1 Apple, 2 Relic, 3 Miniature, 4 Cactus, 5 Smack, 6 Ogre, 7 Panic, 8 Stinky, 9 Ram, 10 Mystical, 11 Rescue, 12 Toss, 13 Flimsy, 14 Lady, 15 Hooray, 16 Gangly, 17 Contraption, 18 Flightless, 19 Confused, 20 Lounge, 21 Hero, 22 Beacon, 23 Dapper, 24 Bake, 25 Fracture, 26 Zip, 27 Dumb, 28 Trophy, 29 Tusk, 30 Cookie, 31 Flex.
The rules
Inktober has four rules:
- Make a drawing in ink. A pencil sketch underneath is fine.
- Post it, on any social media account or just on your fridge.
- Tag it with #inktober and #inktober2026.
- Repeat.
You don't have to draw every day. The official rules suggest three speeds: daily, every other day (the "half-marathon"), or once a week (the "5K"). The one thing they ask is that you stay consistent.
Prompts for the half-marathon and the 5K
Every other day (half-marathon): if you draw on odd days, starting October 1, your 16 prompts are Apple (1), Miniature (3), Smack (5), Panic (7), Ram (9), Rescue (11), Flimsy (13), Hooray (15), Contraption (17), Confused (19), Hero (21), Dapper (23), Fracture (25), Dumb (27), Tusk (29), Flex (31).
Once a week (5K): the rules don't say which prompt to use. Two easy ways: pick your favorite word from each week below, or combine the whole week's words into one drawing.
| Week | Prompts |
|---|---|
| Oct 1–7 | Apple, Relic, Miniature, Cactus, Smack, Ogre, Panic |
| Oct 8–14 | Stinky, Ram, Mystical, Rescue, Toss, Flimsy, Lady |
| Oct 15–21 | Hooray, Gangly, Contraption, Flightless, Confused, Lounge, Hero |
| Oct 22–28 | Beacon, Dapper, Bake, Fracture, Zip, Dumb, Trophy |
| Oct 29–31 | Tusk, Cookie, Flex |
More for Inktober 2026
- Stuck on a prompt? See three drawing ideas for every prompt.
- Drawing in Spanish or Portuguese? Here are all 31 prompts translated, with notes on the tricky ones.
Questions people ask every year
Do I have to follow the prompts?
No. The official FAQ says the prompts are only there to spark ideas, and you can use them in any order or skip them.
Can I draw digitally?
Yes. The FAQ says digital inking is "no less valid" than traditional ink.
Which pen should I use?
Any tool you like. A fineliner, a brush pen, a dip pen or a ballpoint all work. Markers and watercolor are fine too, though the organizers suggest real ink and black and white.
Is it a contest?
No. There are no winners and nothing to send in. The point is to draw more and get better.
When are the prompts released?
On September 1 each year, on the official rules page and the Inktober Instagram. People on the Inktober mailing list get them a week earlier (FAQ).
Do I need social media to take part?
No. The FAQ suggests sharing your drawings with friends and family, putting them on your fridge or a school noticeboard, or asking your local library or art council to run an Inktober event. You never send drawings to the organizers.
Can I draw fan art?
Yes. You can draw characters from your favorite games, films or cartoons, as long as you respect copyright and the original creator's wishes.
Can I do lettering or writing instead?
Yes. Calligraphy and lettering count, and the FAQ mentions writers who write a poem or short story for each prompt.
How do I see other people's drawings?
Follow the #inktober2026 tag on Instagram, Threads, Bluesky or TikTok. Because most people follow the list in order, everyone draws the same word on the same day, and seeing them side by side is half the fun.
Who started Inktober?
The illustrator Jake Parker created it in 2009 to improve his own inking and build a drawing habit. Official prompt lists began in 2016.
Three tips to finish all 31
- Keep it small. A drawing the size of a playing card can be done in 15 minutes. A full page can take a whole evening.
- Pick one pen and one sketchbook on day one, so you never have to decide again.
- Miss a day? Carry on. Nobody checks, and the rules allow every other day.
After Inktober
Want to keep the habit going in November? Huevember is a color challenge with one hue for each day, and writers can look at these NaNoWriMo alternatives.
