I need Words

To prompt drawings

It is mid-September, which means it is past time for me to collect words from you all. Words that can illuminate, illustrate, and just plain inspire.

I will collect the words - a single word is sufficient! and then compile them into two random columns to create the two-word prompts for my no-ink October drawing prompts. I’ve been doing N’inktober for a few years now, and the best part of it has been the prompts you all give me. I never know what I’ll wind up with and drawing to some of these has been… a challenge.

Last year, Sam Robb wrote stories to go along with my illustrations. That was an unexpected and amazing collaboration. I don’t expect that to happen again, but once I have the prompt list, I’ll share it, and I look forward to seeing what other people do with it!

Below are the prompt lists from past years, and you can see how they evolve over time as I ask fans and friends to give me words.

2020 Prompt list

The first year of the two-word prompt combos

It was this year that they started to ‘stump Cedar’ with words they hoped I’d have to look up. They succeeded, too!

What will you give me in 2024? I can’t wait to find out! Thank you, all of you who prompt me, for your help with this challenge I do every year. I couldn’t do it without your encouragement… and hard words. You expand my vocabulary and I can’t tell you how much that means to me.

I moved away from traditional tools and media during the big October drawing for a few reasons. One, I was in transition for the last few years, and although I’ve been settled for a while now, it’s only recently I had the space ready to do focused artwork. Second, and perhaps more important, if I want to use the illustrations for anything, they are nearly print-ready as digital art. So, say, a coloring book of my zany art? Easy to set up and send to press. Which if there is desire, I will do this year.

I moved away from the big collective drawing prompts when the original maker of that prompt asserted his copyright to it. All of it. I don’t care for the idea of my work being owned by someone else - even claimed, as I could fight and win but it would be expensive and annoying. So I do my own thing, with a little help from my friends.