Happy Halloween!
It’s been a while since I wrote for the series Confessions of a Serial Hobbyist. I meant for the series to be a place to share my random hobbies, but I’ve actually been pretty singularly focused on continuing to learn about the wonderful world of blogging. (And there’s already a series for that!)
However!
It’s October, which is famously Inktober, and I happened to have a bunch of cute little Halloween-themed sketches in my sketchbook from drawing with my kids.
My dream has come true: my kids love making art.
I was also enamoured with illustrations by Mimi Purnell (Mimimoo). She shares a lot of her digital illustration process and some digital art tutorials on YouTube. There was something about her process that was so charming and captivating.
So, happily in line with last week’s post, Love the Process, They Say, I was inspired to learn – not just about her art style, but to try on her digital art process.
Like a cozy, creative little coat.
In this post, I’ll share a bit about this month’s adventures in digital art, with some takeaways.
Wanting to start a new hobby, but struggling to stay committed? I’ve got you here: Eight Tips to Help You Stick With a New Hobby (Once the Novelty Fades)
But first: a little digital art backstory
I’m not brand new to digital art – I had been dabbling in it around this time last year.
When I start something new, I tend to just jump in. This is in stark contrast to those who slowly, methodically build their skills, taking on more and more complicated projects as they master their lessons.
I don’t have the patience. What I do have is usually a “Big Idea” and the urge to follow through. Examples of my Impatient Beginner digital art:
I was trying the process on, but, I didn’t really understand digital art at the time. What was the point? Why create something on a screen that attempts to look hand-drawn, when you could just… Draw it by hand? Is it just a matter of space or resources?
And as it tends to go for us impatient people, my skill level couldn’t meet my taste and I quickly gave it up. With only so much time in the day, you have to be selective, and so I continued working in my art journal instead.
Then this year, something clicked
I felt the itch to try on that process-coat again after a 9-month break. I think I was starting to get it.
There were many practical reasons that digital art called to me (saved space and materials, easy experimentation, etc.).
But I was also starting to appreciate the idea of illustration. There’s a lot to learn in this field, and admittedly, I haven’t studied up on it. I did start to appreciate illustrators ability to tell a story visually, to work in a colour palette that speaks, and how just a little on the page (or screen) can infer a lot to the brain.
Much like writing concisely, to keep an illustration simple yet full of character is quite a skill.
There was one more illustration (if I may call it that) left incomplete from last year. (I couldn’t drop it above because, sadly, the older version was overridden.) It was inspired by my holiday beverage cards from last year: I wanted to recreate the cozy coffee mugs digitally.
It had lived (frustratingly unfinished) on my hard drive this entire time. So after working a couple of digital art tutorials as a refresher, I thought I’d finish it once and for all.
That gave me a little more confidence to start trying to create my own pieces (still very much inspired by Mimi’s sweet style).
And you know, I had all of those Halloween sketches as inspiration…
Let’s commit! It’s Inktober, after all
October is the perfect month to commit to an art habit, so I gave myself a challenge. I wouldn’t participate in Inktober in the official sense, but I would use the season to set myself a goal of making one Halloween illustration per week.
Having a self-imposed deadline helped me “cut it off” – occasionally, art feels finished, but more often than not there are just endless improvements that could be made. You’ve literally got to draw the line somewhere.
I met my goal, although I did have several more ideas to play with, but I found one per week to be the perfect amount. I’d mostly get to it after the kids went to bed, while watching an episode of Wednesday.
Here’s the little Halloween collection:
I think they turned out pretty stinkin’ cute!
Takeaways from Inktober 2025
I’m glad I stuck with my goal! I learned a lot in a short period of time, and if anything, I’m happy to see a great improvement since last year.
But here at the end of all things, I’m admittedly a bit worn out.
Art is much more fun when you can go with the flow, and enjoy the pacing, rather than trying to meet self-imposed deadlines.
So in November, I’ll be giving my stylus a little rest, and returning to my art journal. I suspect if I give the digital art a solid rest period, when I return, many things I learned will have coalesced, and my work might receive a little upgrade.
That tends to be the way it goes: Much like in training for a footrace, you work hard to build your muscles and your stamina, take a break to let your body repair and recover, and when you hit the pavement again, you’re really flying.
Time will tell, and when it does, I’ll plunk it on the blog!
Meanwhile, November is traditionally NaNoRiMo… (National Novel Writing Month.)
Apparently the non-profit organization itself has shut down, shrouded in scandal. Nevertheless, with the cooler weather and the calm before the holidays, November seems like an excellent month to dive into some writing goals.
Do you set creative goals for yourself to keep you connected and accountable?
If you have a full plate and want a little extra encouragement to stay connected with your hobbies, I’ve got you! I write a monthly letter to support you in doing exactly that – a little creative refresher for your inbox. Join us here, and happy hobbying!
Also, you can check the Debit This, Create That Instagram where I share my hobby art (digital or otherwise).
This post is part of my series Confessions of a Serial Hobbyist, where I explore and embrace what it means to be a multi-passionate creative. This is also where I share my hobbies outside of writing.
Continue exploring the series:
• Embracing the Multi-Passionate Chaos
• Navigating the Perfectionism Trap
• What Keeps Me Writing
