Wednesday, November 12, 2014

#Inktober 2014

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           Last year, I missed the opportunity to participate in #Inktober, so I created my own month of drawing: Drawing a Day December (#DrADaDec). And I made a lot of drawings that I’m proud of. But I’d never challenged myself by restricting my art to one medium. Inktober’s got it in its name: you’ve got to use ink. I certainly didn’t feel confident without an eraser or Control-Z, so I thought this would be a good way to force myself to nail it on the first try. And this year, I managed to remember to start drawing on October 1st:



#Inktober Day 1: this porcupine hobo is ready to ride the rails!

            This character was so well-liked that after a few days I returned to him, and before I knew it, started telling a story about him, one installment per day. These story installments aren’t compiled into one tidy document anywhere else, so I supposed this is the place to make it so.


            Now again, because there was no eraser, and I didn’t crumple up any drawings and start on a new one for the day, there are a number of flubs and technical mistakes in there. Also, I didn’t plot the story ahead of time, I made it up as I went along. And with all those excuses (heh), here is the rest of The Saga of Porcupine Hobo:


#inktober day 5: hobo porcupine enjoys a feast!


#inktober day 6: Porcupine Hobo stows away.



#Inktober Day 7: Porcupine Hobo meets Bun-Bun the Tramp.


#Inktober day 8: our stowaways are discovered.


#Inktober Day 9: After the Bull throws them out, 
and they plunge down, down, down into the river, 
Porcupine Hobo's and Bun-Bun the Tramp's lives flash before their eyes...


#inktober day 10: FLASHBACK! Part 1 of Bun-Bun the Tramp's Origin Story:
  As Bun-Bun's life flashes before his eyes, he recalls his humble beginnings as a pumpkin farmer.


#Inktober Day 11: Flashback Part 2 of Bun-Bun the Tramp's Origin Story
Tail between his legs, Bun-Bun had to admit defeat against The Great Dustbowl. 
He was not a dust bunny, after all.



 #Inktober Day 12: Flashback Part 3 of Bun-Bun the Tramp's Origin Story
Bun-Bun abandons his dust plot and sets off into the unknown to seek his fortune.



 #Inktober Day 13: Flashback Part 4 of Bun-Bun the Tramp's Origin Story:
 Bun-Bun meets Cubby the Drifter, a roller skating bear who escaped the circus. 
Cubby teaches Bun-Bun everything he knows about Hobo Living, 
then gives Bun-Bun his hat, and goes to retire in a cave. 
Bun-Bun The Tramp is born.



 #Inktober Day 14: Bun-Bun the Tramp and Porcupine Hobo 
fish themselves out of the river and find themselves on a small island. 
As they while away the hours and recover 
from their rude awakening, they exchange life stories.




 #Inktober Day 15: FLASHBACK! Part 1 of Porcupine Hobo's Origin Story:
Porcupine Hobo recounts his not-so-humble beginnings 
 in a 5th Avenue estate, silver spoon firmly lodged in mouth...


#Inktober Day 16: Flashback Part 2 of Porcupine Hobo's Origin Story: 
The prodigal son departs for his Ivy League studies...or so his parents think.




 #Inktober Day 17: Flashback part 3 of Porcupine Hobo's Origin Story:
 Porcupine DID fritter away a certain stretch of his stint in academia 
grooving in one long dance party. But it was not to last.


#Inktober Day 18: Flashback pt 4 of Porcupine Hobo's Origin Story:
After one particularly rough night, our hero awoke to find a hollowness in his heart. 
He knew nothing. He was a shell of a porcupine. 
Something had to change.




 #inktober day 19: Flashback Part 5 of Porcupine Hobo's Origin Story:
If the porcupine was going to REALLY learn about the world, 
he was going to have to take matters into his own paws. That very afternoon,
he walked through the wrought iron gates of his school, never to look back. 
Porcupine Hobo was born.


#Inktober Day 20: While Porcupine Hobo recounts his origins, 
Bun-Bun the Tramp uses his Advanced Hobo-ing skills 
to build the duo a shelter and start a fire while they await rescue. 
They while away the time, hollow-bellied but warm.




 #Inktober day 21: Porcupine Hobo wanted to make the swim 
across the river, or at least try to build a raft, but Bun-Bun the Tramp 
refused to leave, and Porcupine Hobo couldn't abandon him now. 
He had never been so cold and wet, and dark was fast approaching.


#Inktober Day 22: the rain had cleared, 
and a strange glow was coming from behind their shelter. 
They ran out and saw a shadowy form waving at them from a boat. 
"Our rescue has arrived!" Shouted Bun-Bun the Tramp, and he began hopping 
up and down, gesturing frantically for the boat to come near. 
Porcupine Hobo began calling too, 
though he had no idea about the identity of the shadow.




 #Inktober Day 23: As the shadowy figure on the boat drew closer, 
Bun-Bun the Tramp exclaimed, "Ha! I knew it! 
It's Cubby the Drifter come to save us!" 
He explained to Porcupine Hobo that Cubby was that rollerskating bear 
who was his Hobo-ing Mentor. Cubby called out, "Ahoy, hoy! Saw my old tophat
 stuck amongst the reeds upriver a bit, and knew you couldn't be far. Climb aboard!" 
And so they did.


#Inktober Day 24: After paddling down the river aways, 
the animals steered the boat into the reeds, 
following Cubby the Drifter's instructions. 
"Where are we going?" Porcupine Hobo inquired. 
Cubby had a mysterious smile in his face. 
"Just trust me," he said. 
Bun-Bun the Tramp nodded in assurance, 
so Porcupine Hobo tried not to worry.


#Inktober Day 25: Cubby The Drifter leads Bun-Bun The Tramp 
and Porcupine Hobo off the boat and onto a tree-lined path. 
"Follow me close. It's awfully dark out here..." Cubby called.


#Inktober Day 26: As they approached a bend in the forest path, 
Cubby the Drifter gestured them on. 
When Bun-Bun the Tramp turned the corner, 
he let out a whoop and ran towards...whatever it was. 
Porcupine Hobo cautiously poked his head around a tree. 
He couldn't believe his eyes.


#Inktober Day 27: colored lights twinkled, the smell of stews wafted in the air. 
 Porcupine Hobo fairly floated down the small hill and under the banner of "Hobo Haven."


#Inktober Day 29: they were welcomed with open arms to Hobo Haven. 
Porcupine Hobo looked around in wonder. 
Here were Gypsy Mice cooking up beans, there, a fox with a harmonica, 
and down the path, a whole cluster of happy hoboes, 
dancing 'round the fire, singing "Big Rock Candy Mountain."


#Inktober Day 30: And they lived happily ever after...until...




 #Inktober Day 31: Hobo Haven was great and all, 
but Porcupine Hobo still hadn't seen the world, 
and Bun-Bun the Tramp missed his pumpkin farm. 
They bid farewell to Cubby the Drifter
 and the rest of the hobo community 
and set off via handcar on their next adventure. 

The End...ish.