How to Find Your Unique Art Style

What makes an artist unique and their art recognisable? How do I find that special something that can represent me? This is probably one of the most asked questions among those who are searching for their very own style. It took me years to find mine, so it definitely wasn’t an easy process. As someone who has always had lots of different hobbies, I am easily excited about new things and I did try out a lot of different mediums and art styles throughout my creative career.

In a way it feels similar to trying on clothes in a shopping mall - you are searching for an outfit that resonates with an idea of yourself that you have in your head. Whether you want to stand out from the crowd, be on trend or go classy, one thing is sure - you want others to see and remember you exactly the way you are (except in this case it is about your art and not your appearance).

So where do you start?

Figure out what you don’t like.

This is a simple but very efficient tip, as it is somehow much easier to identify things you don’t want to do. For me, for example, it is realism - I am in awe when others are good at it, but it is nothing that excites me to the point where I want to invest all of my time and effort into learning it.

Participate in DTIYS challenges.

This is how a DTIYS (draw-this-in-your-style) challenge goes: an artist shares an artwork, usually on social media, inviting fellow creatives to redraw it in their own unique style. Everyone who joins then posts their version along with the original, using a special provided hashtag, so that they can get discovered by the host and other participants. It is not only a good way to train your creativity and drawing skills, but also have a look at other people’s interpretations of the same piece. By having a close look at how someone portrays faces, combines colours or adds texture gives you an idea of existing possibilities and allows you to develop your own judgement of what is cool. This will also help you to find your favourite artists and study their styles more closely!

Finding your style is like putting a puzzle together.

Think of it as an arrangement of elements, colour palettes, composition decisions and so on. Don’t expect your feeling of personal style to just hit you one day like some sort of a sudden enlightenment. It is more of a process of discovering the things you truly enjoy drawing and ways to do so. You might ask, what if I enjoy drawing in different styles and using different mediums? Well, it only means that it will take you a bit longer to find all the missing pieces. Borrowing bits of art techniques and style solutions from here and there might allow you to build an even more unique and special collection of your own.

Don’t compare yourself to others.

Oof, this is a tough one. Where do you draw the line between getting inspired by someone’s style and wishing you were them? How many times have you looked at someone’s work and thought to yourself that you will never be as good, as talented, as creative? It is soo important to keep in mind that you and other people have different life backgrounds, timelines and perception of this world.

Social media doesn’t make things easier either. It can make you feel really small, as if everything has already been invented and every unique work of art already created. The thing is, what makes your art unique is the sheer fact that it was created by you and no one else. Essentially your task is to stay true to yourself and listen to the inner voice in your head - not the one that tells you that you suck, but the one guiding you towards what you truly like and want. This brings me to my next point⬇️

Art and self-reflection always go together.

After all your art style is a mirror of your inner world and a form of communication. Ask yourself this kind of questions: What is it that I want to tell the world? What goal am I pursuing by making art? What kind of feeling and emotion do I want to convey with it? Focusing on the visual aspect of art and trying to improve your style is important, but so is understanding what drives you to make it in the first place. This intrinsic motivation is something unique to you that you can capitalise on, rather than trying to merely replicate someone else’s art choices and implementation.

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