top ten inktober 52 prompts of 2026

Today’s prompt from the Ultimate Blogging Challenge is to post a top ten list

Drawing with pen and ink has been something that it has taken me some time to like. It wasn’t an immediate “I love you moment” as far as art mediums are concerned. Once I understood that I could make my initial sketch with pencil and then ink in my pictures, I realized that, yes, I like pen and ink.

Then I discovered Inktober. It took me three years before I was able to complete an Inktober challenge. My main problem was that I wasn’t sure how to interpret some of the prompts, which seemed like esoteric words to me. My big breakthrough came in 2024 when all of the words were related to one theme, which was travel. I was able to connect the words to the saga of Baby Bear (before becoming Bearnacle Bear). Because I could combine storytelling with drawing, I had no problem completing that challenge.

Shortly after Inktober was completed, I started getting the weekly Inktober 52 prompts. I thought that was interesting, and I began doing weekly ink drawings, based on prompts, late in November of 2024. I get my prompts via email. With the big project, done in October/Inktober, I get the whole month’s worth of emails at one time. For the weekly Inktober 52 project, the prompts come in a weekly email. It’s a very exciting moment for me when I see the email from the Inktober crew, announcing the new prompt. There have been prompts that I have truly loved and have caused me to do happy dances.

Here are my top ten: prompts and drawings for 2026:

Tenth place goes to:

“Trapped” Here is a little bird feeling trapped in a bird cage. If it could fly away, where would it go? And what would it see on its first adventure?

Ninth place goes to:

“Crunch” Yum. Vegetables. I found that drawing a bunch of vegetables makes me want to eat them. So delicious and with a nice crunch. Mmm, I could go for a delicious salad!

Eighth place goes to:

“Airplane” The Bears skydiving event was so much fun. Teddy bears attached to colorful parachutes floating through the sky. I had fun creating this image.

Seventh place goes to:

“Cozy” Happy bears relaxing together in a cute bed, as they think about hibernation.

Sixth place goes to:

“Glide” If you’re a polar bear, you probably don’t hibernate, unless you’re a pregnant female bear who is “denning.” When the mama bear is denning, she relaxes in a snow den, where she gives birth. All males and nonpregnant female polar bears continue to stay active.

Fifth place goes to:

“Bedraggled” Someone is having a bad hair day!

Fourth place goes to:

“Father” That father is so happy, making his cub laugh gleefully.

Third place goes to:

“Lift” Here is another view of Papa Bear, having some quality time with the Baby Bear.

Second place goes to:

“Window” A bear inside a house looks wistfully outside, wondering what adventures await him.

First place belongs to:

“Granny” A granny bear, a little bear, and a giant pot of honey. There is nothing but fun here. Hence, this is the number one image of the first half of 2026.

I hope that you’ve enjoyed these pictures and that you might think about drawing images in ink. It is a very fun hobby, and following prompts helps to build imagination and confidence.

Which of these prompts makes you happy?