everything new!

inktober 2023

I am so unbelievably happy to be able to write this update, mostly because it really was touch-and-go for a while! I am over the moon to announce that I have successfully completed Inktober 2023, and every single piece is up on my Instagram for you to see! It took a full month after the end of the challenge to catch up on uploads, but I went into this without a solid set of expectations. I just wanted to see if I could get 31 pieces done, and I’m really happy with the result overall!

It’s really easy to quickly move onto the next project, or the next thing to focus on, but I wanted to take a moment to capture this feeling of personal triumph and celebrate the body of pieces I managed to put together. I definitely don’t love them all equally - that is becoming more and more clear to me as I scan and edit them for a secret project I’m excited to share with you in the new year! But I do love what they all symbolise: that after an incredibly gruelling year, I was able to complete and share 31 illustrations with the world, and start to reconnect with a community of people who support my art.

If you want to know more about my Inktober experience, the materials I used, and this secret project I’m working on, keep an eye out for my upcoming Blog Post!

monthly Folktale project

I’m really excited to be able to mention something I’ve kept under wraps for a very long time - a new monthly folktale project! It’s not a secret that folklore inspires me more than anything else, and I’ve been demonstrating this in my art and writing since I was little. This year, I’ve thought a lot about what I want to be making, what stories I want to be sharing, and how I want to do this, and this project is my beautiful answer to that.

Each month, beginning from January 2024, I will share and publish an illustration, a creative piece of writing, and a more academic-style essay on a particular folktale, lore or fairy tale (in the cases where these fields overlap). This content will be available in written and video form, and there will be exclusive pieces in my shop to align with that particular story.

Reconnecting

Stories and connections will always be at the heart of Puddles of Ink, and I’ve realised over the past year that I miss interacting with you all just as much as I miss creating things during hectic times.

Drop me a comment or an email telling me how you are and how your year has been going. You can also let me know what type of videos, posts and blog articles you’re most looking forward to, or even suggest some stories you want me to feature, or art supplies you’d like me to try!

And don’t forget to follow my socials so that you never miss an upload!