Black and white takes over the city this Inktober

Chennai-based art enthusiasts are actively taking up this challenge. Aishwarya Manivanna, a designer, artist and educator explains the significance of this challenge. “Most of us tend to think too much and sometimes fail to finish what we started as artists. Sometimes we want to just spend sine time with art but this push is not enough to actually pursue this. Inktober is the perfect challenge, where we have to post a work of art every day,” says Aishwarya. 

There are no winners and losers of the challenge but artists say, they all do it for the love of art. Over the recent years, there have been a surge in adult colouring books, which is said to be a great stressbuster. 

Aarthi Rao is a doctor by profession and finds solace in art. “Earlier, I only sketched when I had the time but this challenge has made me commit to art. Since is Navarathri, I have stuck to the theme of celebrations,” says Aarthi. Thanks to social media experiments like these that many amateur artists have discovered new techniques. “I have been following the hashtag for two years now and have managed to come across new styles, techniques and technologies that helped me sketch better,” adds Aarthi. There are also contests being organised around it. “We have started this contest where we have asked artists to post their work on Instagram with the hashtag: ‘#inktoberathtc’,” says Amritha VenketaKrishnan from Hindustan Trading Company. “We will give way complementary gifts to artists based on their work and who have completed the challenge,” she adds.