Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been a fan of video games.

There were different reasons behind that: story, aesthetics, skill, etc. But back in 2019, it became a coping mechanism to numb reality. The positive feedback loop of outwitting my opponents in ganks, the sweet ka-ching of gold from farming creeps, and the feeling of virtual victory had me hooked on a feeling.

These days, I wake at 5am. Back then, I slept at 5am.
It’s also how I knew it was a problem.

I needed a way to redirect time back to myself. I went soul-searching, started sketching more, and stumbled upon Inktober – a month-long art challenge. I had my first go at it back in 2019, and it started as a low-commitment way to clear my mind as a habit to counter my gaming addiction. It’s become an annual ritual ever since.

4 years of of rule-bending and applying my own twists later... I’ve made it my own. The most recent one was Wolftober 2024. It was hectic in the moment and surprisingly pleasant to look back at. I documented my journey which you can read more about it here and here.

This year will be the fifth and I’m calling it: 31 Summonings. 31 days, 31 summonings; some human, some not.

In preparation of this, I’ve been collecting references throughout the year to prepare for this annual ritual and I’m excited to share the moodboard! On top of that, I wanted to make this year a little more engaging so please let me know if you’ve got a summoning in mind.

Moodboard for this Inktober – 31 Summonings . Artworks were found on Pinterest, some by real artists, some generated with AI, all will serve as my inspiration.

Quick access to my previous Inktobers

Here’s Boptober from 2022, where I created posters of my favourite songs through art and design. I also uploaded some on YouTube, here’s one of my favourites.

Back in 2023, I also created 31 anime pixel characters which has grown into a series of its own featuring my favourite scenes from anime.

*Note to self, upload the WIP videos on YouTube.