Inktober 2026 Prompt List: All 31 Prompts and the Rules
Inktober 2026 starts on Thursday, October 1, and the first prompt is "Apple". The challenge is one ink drawing a day for all 31 days of October. Here is the full official prompt list with the date for each word, and the rules in plain words.
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 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.
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.
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.
