Inktober | Day 6

🖊 Inktober Artist Tag – Day #6

Welcome to Day 6 of my Inktober challenge! Each day, I’m drawing a different prompt with a simple Catholic twist. Today’s theme is “Pierce”, and I chose to reflect on The Immaculate Heart of Mary.

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Today’s Drawing Prompt: “Pierce”

⏱️ Drawing Timelapse:

🎬 Watch the Timelapse on YouTube

❤ The Immaculate Heart of Mary

For the "Pierce" prompt, I was immediately drawn to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. Her heart, pierced with sorrow, is one of the most tender and profound symbols in Catholic devotion. I wanted to express both her pain and her unwavering love — a heart wounded not by sin, but by her deep compassion and unity with her Son’s suffering.

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🧶 Reflection

Mary’s heart was pierced not once, but continually — from Simeon’s prophecy in the temple, to the foot of the Cross. She bore the suffering of a mother who loved perfectly, and whose love made her vulnerable to deep sorrow. Yet in that sorrow, there is no bitterness — only purity, strength, and a holy silence.

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🗣 Questions for the Readers

• Why do you keep reading these posts?
• How long have you been following along on this art journey?
• What is one thing you’d like to seen drawn on this blog?

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Thanks for following along! I’ll be posting a new Catholic-themed Inktober drawing every day. Check back tomorrow for the next prompt!

Inktober | Day 5

🖊 Inktober Artist Tag – Day #5

Welcome to Day 5 of my Inktober challenge! Each day, I’m drawing a different prompt with a simple Catholic twist. Today’s theme is “Deer”, and I chose to reflect on Saint Rudolph.

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Today’s Drawing Prompt: “Deer”

⏱️ Drawing Timelapse:

🎬 Watch the Timelapse on YouTube

🙏 Saint Rudolph of Gubbio

Saint Rudolph’s feast day is October 17th and he died in 1066. Not much is known about him but I found a few things on Catholic.org, “Benedictine bishop and disciple of St. Peter Damian, also called Rodolph. He spent years under the spiritual care and monastic leadership of St. Peter Damian until about 1061 when, while still young, he was named bishop of Gubbio, Italy. His term bishop was characterized for its remarkable charity.

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🦌 Reflection

As you know I drew Saint Rudolph for the prompt, DEER to play off the famous secular Christmas song, Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer. Obviously Rudolph was one of Santa’s deer.

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🗣 Artist Tag Questions (readers should answer in comments)

• Favorite Christmas song?
• Favorite Saint?
• Favorite fall activity?

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Thanks for following along! I’ll be posting a new Catholic-themed Inktober drawing every day. Check back tomorrow for the next prompt!

Inktober | Day 4

🖊 Inktober Artist Tag – Day #4

Welcome to Day 4 of my Inktober challenge! Each day, I’m drawing a different prompt with a simple Catholic twist. Today’s theme is “Murky”, and I chose to reflect on Jesus' calming of the Sea of Galilee.

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Today’s Drawing Prompt: “Murky”

⏱️ Drawing Timelapse:

🎬 Watch the Timelapse on YouTube

🐠 Why are You Fearful, O Ye of Little Faith

The title “Sea of Galilee” worked well for this drawing prompt because of the "murkiness" of the storm that took place.

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🛥 Reflection

Matthew Chapter 8 Verse 23-27 And when he entered into the boat, his disciples followed him: And behold a great tempest arose in the sea, so that the boat was covered with waves, but he was asleep. And they came to him, and awaked him, saying: Lord, save us, we perish. And Jesus saith to them: Why are you fearful, O ye of little faith? Then rising up he commanded the winds, and the sea, and there came a great calm. But the men wondered, saying: What manner of man is this, for the winds and the sea obey him?

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🗣 Artist Tag Questions

• What is your biggest fear?
• Have you ever been in the in a situation that seemed terrible, but then the situation was not as it seemed? What?
• Where is your favorite place to boat/kayak/canoe?

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Thanks for following along! I’ll be posting a new Catholic-themed Inktober drawing every day. Check back tomorrow for the next prompt!

Inktober | Day 3

🖊 Inktober Artist Tag – Day #3

Welcome to Day 3 of my Inktober challenge! Each day, I’m drawing a different prompt with a simple Catholic twist. Today’s theme is “Crown”, and I chose to draw a still life scene.

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Today’s Drawing Prompt: “Crown”

⏱️ Drawing Timelapse:

🎬 Watch the Timelapse on YouTube

👑 A still Life

I cannot tell a lie...those are famous lines that George Washington DID NOT SAY after he DID NOT cut down the cherry tree. But I cannot tell a lie when I say that I did use AI to extract a reference photo for this sketch. Because who has a crown just lying around to pose for a still life scene? Not me! In a matter of minutes I had a scene to reference for my still life. And yes, a still life is just as it sounds. STILL, without movement.

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🧶 Reflection

I begin to think after my third drawing, "how am I going to get through 31 days?" I just don't have a ton of time to sketch. And I was contemplating if I should post this one because I like to only post my best work, but again these are simple sketches that take less than a day, so what can I expect. Usually I work on pieces that take a bit longer.

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🗣 Artist Tag Questions

• What is the fastest thing you have ever done?
• What is one thing you wish you could do over again that you've already done?
• Where are you going?

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Thanks for following along! I’ll be posting a new Catholic-themed Inktober drawing every day. Check back tomorrow for the next prompt! (hopefully there will be one...)

Inktober | Day 2

🖊 Inktober Artist Tag – Day #2

Welcome to Day 2 of my Inktober challenge! Each day, I’m drawing a different prompt with a simple Catholic twist. Today’s theme is “Weave”, and I chose to reflect on Our Lady, Undoer of Knots.

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Today’s Drawing Prompt: “Weave”

⏱️ Drawing Timelapse:

🎬 Watch the Timelapse on YouTube

🕊 Who is Our Lady, Undoer of Knots?

The title “Undoer of Knots” comes from a 17th-century German devotion that highlights Mary's role in interceding for us—especially when life feels twisted, tangled, or hopeless. She gently untangles the knots caused by sin, wounds, or confusion.

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🧶 Reflection

In today’s drawing, I pictured Mary taking tangled, frayed threads and weaving them into something whole and beautiful. The knots represent our burdens—fear, sin, family wounds—and Mary unknots each one, offering us peace and hope. She doesn't cut the thread; she restores it. That speaks to the mercy and patience of a loving Mother.

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🗣 Artist Tag Questions

• Have you ever felt like your life was tangled in knots? How did you find peace?
• What’s one small “knot” you’d like to ask Our Lady to untie today?
• If your prayer life was a thread, how would you describe it right now—frayed, flowing, or being gently rewoven?

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Thanks for following along! I’ll be posting a new Catholic-themed Inktober drawing every day. Check back tomorrow for the next prompt!

Inktober Day 1

🖊 Inktober Artist Tag – Day #1

Welcome to my Inktober series! If you're new to it, Inktober is a drawing challenge where artists draw one ink-based drawing every day for the month of October. I remember participating in this challenge in high school art class but have never done it since. I kind of forgot about it until I stumbled upon it searching for drawing tags for my blog.

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Today’s Drawing Prompt: “Mustache”

⏱️ Drawing Timelapse:

🎬 Watch the Timelapse on YouTube

🌿 Saint Spotlight: St. Philip Neri

St. Philip Neri (1515–1595) was an Italian priest and founder of the Congregation of the Oratory. Known as the "Apostle of Rome," he combined deep spirituality with an infectious sense of humor. He often used joy and gentle humor to disarm pride and draw others to Christ. Philip believed holiness should be filled with joy and simplicity. He once walked through the streets with half his beard shaved to humble himself and keep vanity in check. His playful nature and sincere heart made him a beloved spiritual father to many.

🎨 Artist Q&A

1. What would a modern-day saint with a mustache look like in your art style?

He would probably look like a 21st century man.

2. Which saint do you think had the most “art-friendly” features to draw?

For some reason the female saints are seem easier to draw...

3. Do you ever include humor in your religious artwork?

I've never added humor.

4. Have you ever drawn a saint or religious figure just for fun?

Yes many times. A lot of my blog posts were just for fun.

5. If you could illustrate a children’s book about one saint, who would it be?

Maybe St Philip Neri. It would show children that saints can be humorous too.

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🖋️ Thanks for following along with today’s Inktober post! If you’re doing the challenge too, or just want to answer the Q&A questions, feel free to tag yourself and join the fun. I’d love to see your artwork and reflections! And if you have additional questions for me to answer during this inktober series please submit them to me in the comments or through the contact form!

And don’t forget to check out my brother’s writing project at The Scripted Scroll—he’s chronicling his own creative challenge this month.

Reference Photo

Hand-Drawn Artwork

– Esteban

Pentecost

 Podcast Portrait

This drawing was done on a canvas — if you can believe it. Yes, a real canvas! I used an inky substance to sketch the outline, then brought it to life with layers of watercolor paint.

This piece definitely took some time to complete. The details alone required a careful hand and lots of patience. For inspiration, I used an old holy card I found

Interestingly, this might be the most well-traveled piece of art I’ve created. I brought it along on a pilgrimage to Green Bay, Wisconsin, during the month of May, where I visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Champion. I worked on it during spare moments throughout the trip, adding little touches here and there whenever I had time.

Creating art in a sacred space — especially during a pilgrimage — gave this portrait an added layer of meaning for me. It holds the memory of that journey, the quiet hours of reflection, and the sense of peace that surrounded the work as it unfolded.

- "I am the Queen of Heaven, who prays for the conversion of sinners, and I wish you to do the same. Gather the children in this wild country and teach them what they need to know for their salvation. Go and fear nothing. I will help you."