How to find your Style

Finding my style was something I fought with for my entire adult artist life. There are some artist you can see their work and immediately recognize it. In the age of Instagram and social media showing you constant slew of talented artist, it can be easy to start the comparison game. I would find myself comparing myself to other artists who had this obvious and identifiable voice in their art. Meanwhile, my work felt like it didn’t look like anyone’s art not even my own. Today I finally feel like I found my style and voice as an artist. Here is how I found it.

First lets look at some of my earlier work to see a time when I didn’t feel like I had a style.

When I look at these what I see is me trying to create based on someone else’s artist style and voice. In the last painting specifically, I did not see my style but looking back it was always there.

In 2020 I took a class on Skillshare to find my artistic style. The first portion of the class we went over the elements and principles of art. We did this to be able to look at art and be able to talk about it.

The elements of art are shape, color, form, value, space, color, texture, and line.

The principles of art are unity, balance, proportion, emphasis, pattern, movement, and variety.

If you want to know more about these here is an article that explains the elements and principles. We then had a task of creating a mood board from artist and art work that we like. We then wrote and essay about the mood board we created and what we liked about the pieces using the elements and principles. Here is what my mood board looked like.

Here is the basics of what I got from this exercise. There are colors that I gravitate toward but more specifically I enjoy the contrast of colors. I enjoy when lines are created by color and and form apposed to actual line work. I am inspired by and enjoy art inspired by nature. There’s more there for sure but those were my biggest take aways. This didn’t necessarily teach me anything I didn’t already know but what it did show me is what I like and why. This inspired me to paint and create based on what I saw as my preferences to create my style. Here are a couple painting I did following this class.

I feel like there is an apparent difference from where I started to what I was creating after the class. But as an artist today I can tell you they were all my style. My style was always there. If you are also trying to find your style its already there. This biggest difference from the pieces in the beginning to these pieces, is I wasn’t trying to create someone else style into my own. Its fantastic to have artist you like and enjoy. Its ok to feel like an artist is similar to you (as long as you are not copying) But to truly see your style figure out what it is you like and just create what you want. Use references that are not art ,like real life, still life, or nature instead of looking at other artists work. You’re style is there. No matter what you create — if you are the one creating it and you aren’t copying your style is already showing whether you see it or not. Before I “found” my style, friends would comment on my style and it was always a shock because I never saw it. A lack of consistency in your style doesn’t mean you don’t have one, it just means you are continuing to learn and grow and I promise its there hiding in plain sight. Here is work I am creating now.

With all of that said my biggest advice to finding your style it to keep making art. Your style is already there but the only way to allow yourself to see it, is by creating. If you need a refresh try the mood board like I did. You got this, I believe in you and your style. Best of luck growing, learning, and creating.

Happy painting,

Mickey