Inktober 2026 is a drawing challenge that runs from October 1 to October 31, 2026: you make a drawing in ink, post it, and repeat. The 31 official prompts are published on the Inktober website — day 1 is APPLE, and day 31 is FLEX.
This guide covers the official rules and the full 2026 prompt list as published on the Inktober website, plus practical tips for keeping it up all month. In the second half, we show how to pick one drawing from your month and turn it into a figurine-style image and a 3D model.
Note: Figmee currently offers figurine-style images created from your drawings, 3D model data (GLB / 3MF), and turntable videos of your 3D models. Ordering physical 3D prints is Coming Soon.
Inktober 2026 dates and official rules
Inktober was started in 2009 by artist Jake Parker as a way to improve his inking skills and build positive drawing habits. Here are the key points from the official rules and FAQ, checked on September 28, 2026 (sources: Inktober Rules & Prompts, Inktober FAQ).
| Item | What the official rules and FAQ say |
|---|---|
| Dates | Every October. Post your first drawing on October 1 and your last on October 31 |
| What to do | 1) Make a drawing in ink (a pencil under-drawing is fine) 2) Post it 3) Add the hashtags 4) Repeat |
| Hashtags | #inktober and #inktober2026 |
| Pace | Daily, every other day, or once a week — whichever you choose, stay consistent |
| Tools | Inking digitally is accepted. Markers and watercolors are fine too (the official suggestion is real ink, black and white, and the official prompts) |
| Prompts | Optional, and you can change their order |
| Where to post | Any social media account — or, if you don't use social media, share your drawings with friends and family |
| What it is | A challenge to see how much you can improve in a month, not a contest to find the best artist |
Where AI-generated images fit
The official rules and FAQ don't include any provision on AI-generated images (as of September 28, 2026). But the first rule is to make a drawing in ink, and the FAQ says that as long as you're creating a new ink drawing every day, it counts. Inktober is about practicing with your own hands and building a habit, so the safe approach is to post only drawings you made yourself as your #inktober entries. Treat the 3D version described in this guide as a separate way to present a finished drawing, and make it clear that it was made with AI when you post it.
The official Inktober 2026 prompt list (31 prompts)
These are the 2026 prompts as posted on the official website (source: Inktober Rules & Prompts). Many of the words can be read more than one way, so the right-hand column suggests a few readings to get you started.
| Day | Prompt | Ways to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | APPLE | The fruit, a favorite snack, a shiny red prop |
| 2 | RELIC | An ancient artifact, a family heirloom |
| 3 | MINIATURE | A tiny version of something, a scale model |
| 4 | CACTUS | The plant, anything prickly |
| 5 | SMACK | A slap, a loud hit |
| 6 | OGRE | A brutish giant from folklore |
| 7 | PANIC | Sheer alarm |
| 8 | STINKY | Something (or someone) that smells |
| 9 | RAM | The horned animal, or charging into something |
| 10 | MYSTICAL | Magical, otherworldly |
| 11 | RESCUE | Saving someone, or being saved |
| 12 | TOSS | Throwing something up in the air or away |
| 13 | FLIMSY | Weak, easily broken |
| 14 | LADY | A woman, a noble lady |
| 15 | HOORAY | A cheer, a celebration |
| 16 | GANGLY | Tall, thin, and all elbows and knees |
| 17 | CONTRAPTION | A strange homemade machine |
| 18 | FLIGHTLESS | A bird (or anyone) that can't fly |
| 19 | CONFUSED | Puzzled, lost |
| 20 | LOUNGE | Relaxing, or a lounge room |
| 21 | HERO | A hero, a heroic moment |
| 22 | BEACON | A signal fire, a lighthouse beam |
| 23 | DAPPER | Sharply dressed |
| 24 | BAKE | Baking bread or sweets |
| 25 | FRACTURE | A crack, a broken bone |
| 26 | ZIP | A zipper, or moving fast |
| 27 | DUMB | Silly, goofy |
| 28 | TROPHY | A prize cup, a proud win |
| 29 | TUSK | An elephant's or a boar's tusk |
| 30 | COOKIE | The snack |
| 31 | FLEX | Showing off muscles, bragging |
Official prompt lists only began in 2016; before that, participants came up with their own ideas for each day. The prompts are still optional, and you can change their order. That said, the official FAQ points out that following the list in order lets you see what everyone else creates from the same word on the same day — part of the fun. Words like RAM (the animal or the action) and ZIP (a zipper or a burst of speed) let you choose which meaning to draw.
Three tips for keeping it up for 31 days
The official rules put consistency first: whichever pace you pick, stick with it. Here are three ways to make that easier.
1. Decide your pace before October
If drawing every day feels like too much, every other day or once a week is still within the official rules. Look at your October schedule and settle on a realistic pace in advance. That way, one missed day is less likely to turn into quitting altogether.
2. Use tools you already know
The official FAQ suggests using a tool you're comfortable with if your time is limited. If you want to try a new pen or brush, save it for an easier prompt or a weekend, so you can still predict how long each drawing will take.
3. Pick one character and draw it through all 31 prompts
Deciding from scratch what to draw every day eats time on its own. Pick one of your original characters (or a small cast) and ask yourself: what would they do with an APPLE? What does their HERO moment look like? The subject is settled in seconds. The FAQ also lets you reorder the prompts to tell the story you want, so you can turn the whole month into one character's story. By the end of October you'll have a set of drawings of the same character, which makes it easier to choose one to show in 3D, as described below.
October is also Halloween month, so you might set aside a day to draw your character in costume. For costume design ideas, see Halloween character design ideas.
How to choose one drawing to show in 3D
When choosing one drawing from your month to turn into 3D, pick the one that's easiest to read as a 3D shape rather than the one you think is your best. The table below is based on Figmee's input requirements and on what tends to happen when a 3D shape is built from a single drawing.
| What to check | Works well for 3D | Better to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | One character | Several characters overlapping |
| Angle | Front-facing, or close to it | Side or back views, extreme low or high angles |
| Framing | Full body or upper body clearly in frame | A face close-up only, or a body cut off by the frame |
| Lines and background | A closed outline, clearly separated from the background | Background detail or hatching overlapping the character |
| Detail | Shapes drawn with solid lines | Ultra-thin lines, like single strands of hair, as the focal point |
| Image | A photo or scan of a paper drawing, or digital line art (PNG, JPEG, or WebP, up to 20 MB) | Photos, photo-like images, GIFs |
The back of the character, which can't be seen from the front, is filled in by the AI's guess. If your character's back view is a key feature, the result may differ from what you intended.
Some prompts naturally put a character front and center: day 6 OGRE, day 14 LADY, day 16 GANGLY, day 21 HERO, day 23 DAPPER, and day 31 FLEX. On those days, drawing the full body facing forward keeps that drawing in the running for 3D. Object prompts like APPLE, COOKIE, or TROPHY work too, as long as your character is holding the object.
For how to shape a character on paper so it holds up in 3D, see how to turn an original character illustration into a figurine-style 3D model.
Turning your line art into a figurine-style image and a 3D model
Here's how to turn the drawing you chose into a figurine-style image and a 3D model with Figmee. There's nothing to install — everything runs in the browser.
- Capture the drawing: for an ink drawing on paper, photograph it straight on in good light, or scan it. Digital line art can be used as is. Supported formats are PNG, JPEG, and WebP, up to 20 MB per image.
- Upload, choose a quality, and generate: choose Standard (1 token), Pro (2 tokens), or Max (3 tokens) and press "Generate 3D Image" to create a figurine-style image. It usually takes about 2–3 minutes.
- Check the result: make sure the feel of your lines, the expression, and whatever makes your character recognizable came through. If it doesn't match what you had in mind, try another drawing or regenerate.
- Generate the 3D model: once you're happy with the image, press "Generate 3D Model." You can rotate the finished model 360° in your browser to check it.
- Save and share: from the artwork page, you can save the data in GLB / 3MF format. Press "Create 360° video" to export a square video in which the model makes two full turns in about 6 seconds.
On pricing: new accounts receive 5 free tokens as a sign-up bonus (valid for 3 months after registration, only for the first registration with a given email address). A figurine-style image costs 1–3 tokens depending on the quality, and a 3D model costs 5 tokens — your first 3D model is free, once per account. You can buy 5 more tokens for $5.99. Saving data and exporting turntable videos don't use tokens.
Keep in mind that a Figmee 3D model is data for shape and color only; it doesn't support rigging (adding a skeleton for animation) or VRM. If you want to animate your character, you'll need a different tool. This approach suits artists who want to show a finished drawing in 3D or introduce it with a turntable video.
For the full workflow of turning an original character into 3D, see how to turn your original character into 3D. For which drawings work well and which are difficult, see our complete guide to turning illustrations into 3D.
Showing it off in your wrap-up post
If you post a look back at your month at the end of October, these tips help the 3D version support your drawings rather than overshadow them.
- Keep the drawings and the 3D separate: put your grid of drawings or your favorite piece first, and the 3D turntable video in a later slide or a separate post. Your drawings are the main event.
- Say which drawing it came from: a caption like "3D version of my Day 21 HERO drawing" connects the two. Mention that the 3D was made with AI (Figmee) from your own drawing.
- Let people compare it with the original: when you publish an artwork on Figmee, its share link page displays the 3D model, and opening "Details" in the top-right corner shows the original illustration you uploaded. One link lets people rotate the 3D model and compare it with your original line art.
- Check the video format: videos are exported as MP4 in browsers that can record MP4, and as WebM in other browsers. Some social platforms don't accept WebM. Exporting works in Chrome and Edge on desktop and in Chrome on Android; it may not work in Safari (including on iPhone and iPad) or Firefox.
FAQ
Can I post an AI-generated image as my Inktober entry?
The official rules and FAQ have no provision on AI-generated images (as of September 28, 2026). However, the rules start with "make a drawing in ink," and the FAQ says a day counts as long as you're creating a new ink drawing. The safe approach is to use drawings you made yourself for your #inktober posts, and to present any AI-made 3D version separately, noting that AI was used.
Can I use black-and-white ink drawings as they are?
Yes. Figmee accepts photos or scans of drawings on paper and digital illustrations, including manga-style art. If you want to decide your character's colors for the 3D version yourself, also preparing a copy of the line art with color added makes the results easier to compare.
Can I turn my drawing of a character from a favorite game or anime into 3D?
The Inktober FAQ says you can draw whatever you like, but asks you to follow copyright law and respect the original creator's wishes. On Figmee, you may upload drawings you made yourself or images you have permission to use from the rights holder, and the terms of service prohibit uploading or generating anything that infringes other people's copyrights or other rights. If you share or publish a 3D version of fan art, check the rights holder's guidelines for that work. The safest choice is an original character whose rights you hold.
When will the 2027 prompts be announced?
According to the official FAQ, the prompts are posted every year on September 1, on the Rules & Prompts page of the official website and on the official Inktober Instagram. If you subscribe to the official mailing list, you get them a week early.
Can I use the Inktober name or logo when selling my drawings?
Under the official trademark guidelines, participants may sell the drawings they made for Inktober. However, you can't use the Inktober logo without written permission or a license. The name may be used together with the year you took part (for example, "INKTOBER 2026"), and in a published work it belongs in a subtitle, not in the main title on the cover (source: Inktober Trademark Info). When posting on social media, you can use the word Inktober, the logo, and the hashtag with your drawings.
Can I get a physical version of my 3D model?
Ordering physical 3D prints from Figmee is Coming Soon and isn't available yet. You can use the saved 3MF data with your own 3D printer or with a print service that accepts 3MF files, but whether it prints as-is, and how faithfully colors and fine shapes are reproduced, depends on the printer and software.
Summary
Inktober 2026 runs from October 1 to 31: make a drawing in ink, post it, and repeat. You can use the 31 official prompts or your own ideas, and choose a daily, every-other-day, or weekly pace. To keep going, settle your pace and tools early, and draw one character through the month. When you're done, pick a drawing where that character stands alone and faces forward, turn it into a figurine-style image and a 3D model, and show it alongside the original.
