Life as an artist comes with many philosophical quandaries to ponder. One of the most important of these, and definitely the most personal, is the question of art style. What even is âstyleâ anyway? Is it merely just a pretentious way to describe your artistic vision? Maybe it is just good for categorization? In reality, describing your style goes beyond just words. Your art style is not merely an adjective slapped on to your works. It represents how your personality, taste, and inspirations manifest themselves into your works. It is pertinent information not just for your audience to better understand the type of art you create, but it also serves as a great personal benchmark for your creative process. With that in mind, we at balthasart thought it would be useful to make this handy little guide for finding your own style in an authentic way, and how to let it grow and evolve!
Be Inspired
Every journey starts with a single step. Luckily for you, if youâre reading this article that means that youâve probably already done this with your decision to become a real artist! Take note of the things that have inspired you throughout your journey as an artist. What artists and art styles have truly spoken to you and resonated? What art did you gravitate towards that made you want to be an artist yourself? Subconsciously, these inspirations lay the groundwork for your own unique style. Some might fight back at this idea, and claim that a style canâ t truly be âyoursâ if it is âtakenâ from others. However, this could not be further from the truth. Don’t copy another artwork directly! But, if you’re taking your favorite bits and pieces of the art that has inspired you and putting your own spin on it, that is exactly what to do to grow your taste and aesthetic. Donât get caught up in being the most âoriginalâ artist out there. Create what you love, based on what you love!
Pay Attention to Your Themes
Your art style is more than an amalgamation of the various artists youâve been inspired by. It equally consists of a personal set of references. For example, ever notice that when you paint you gravitate towards a certain color palette? Or, when you draw, are there recurring shapes or motifs? What sort of subjects are you passionate about outside of art, or enjoy depicting? These are just some of the questions that you can ask yourself when thinking about your own art style. Taking note of your own patterns helps tremendously with identifying, accepting, communicating and building upon your style.
Experiment With Your Art Style
Once youâve taken stock of your inspirations and themes to set the base of your style, now it’s time to go to the next level! You can push your art style beyond boundaries by sprinkling in some experimentation into your works. Do not be afraid to go outside of the box and really challenge your own tastes and convictions. This could be the way that you discover a certain technique or style you do really well, or even confirm that one is not for you. There is no such thing as failing when you experiment, there is only discovery! This type of artistic exploration is paramount to building a more complete and well-studied style that is constantly developing.
Be Ready for Your Art Style to Always Evolve
You donât want to stay stagnant, so itâs important that your style evolves as you do. The ebbs and flows of your life and shifting tastes means that your style will change somewhat. Donât reject this, embrace it! Most great artists rarely use the same style consistently over their entire careers. To hone your art style is not something that can be done in a single day, nor is it something that ever ends. As time goes by you will be thrust into different life situations, find new artists you love and so many more things that will change your outlook and style. Accept this early, so that way you are more likely to be excited to see your style evolve, and not frustrated. At the end of the day, your style reflects who YOU are. Never let anything get in the way of telling your authentic artistic story!
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