Developing a personal art style is a journey—one that requires practice, patience, and a lot of experimentation. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist, the process of discovering and honing your style is essential for creating work that feels authentic and unique. Your art style is a reflection of your personality, influences, and skills, and over time, it will evolve and become a distinctive part of who you are as an artist.
In this blog post, we’ll explore several practical tips to help you develop your own art style. From tracing real photos to pushing yourself to embrace imperfection, you’ll learn how to discover your preferences and build confidence in your work.
1. Start with the Basics: Study Other Artists’ Work
One of the best ways to develop your own style is to study the work of others. When you look at different artists’ pieces, pay attention to what resonates with you. Ask yourself questions like:
- What do I like about this piece?
- How does the artist use color, line, and composition?
- What techniques or elements do I feel drawn to?
You don’t have to copy other artists, but analyzing their work can give you insight into how they approach their medium. Try experimenting with some of their techniques, tools, or subject matter. As you practice, you’ll start to uncover what feels most natural to you.
Another effective way to study other artists is to try tracing their work or real-life photos. Tracing is often seen as a beginner’s exercise, but it can be extremely useful for understanding proportions, structure, and movement. When you trace, you aren’t just copying shapes—you’re analyzing the decisions the artist made in their representation of the human body, the environment, or a specific scene.
By mimicking the work of others, you can discover how artists interpret the world around them. This will help you figure out which elements you enjoy using in your own art and which styles you’re naturally inclined toward.
2. Draw Without Erasing: Use a Ballpoint Pen Instead of Pencils
It’s easy to rely on the eraser when things don’t go as planned in your artwork. But what if you couldn’t erase? What if you had to live with every line you made, no matter how imperfect? Using a ballpoint pen instead of an erasable pencil can help you break free from the cycle of reworking and redrawing. This method encourages you to embrace mistakes and imperfections, which is a powerful tool for growth.
By using pen, you force yourself to think more intentionally about every stroke. You’ll be more cautious and deliberate with your lines, and over time, you’ll develop a more confident, clean line quality. Plus, you’ll begin to see how your instincts guide your decisions. Do you tend to make softer, more fluid lines, or are your marks sharp and bold? These instinctive choices will help reveal aspects of your personal style.
If you find this technique intimidating, try setting a timer for short drawing sessions—say, five to ten minutes. This can push you to focus on the essentials and prevent you from getting bogged down in small details. The time pressure can also help you tap into your natural drawing rhythm without overthinking every mark.
3. Experiment with Different Mediums
If you’ve always used graphite or colored pencils, consider branching out into different mediums. Experiment with watercolors, acrylics, pastels, or even digital tools like Procreate. Each medium has its own unique characteristics, and exploring a variety of them will help you discover what resonates most with you.
For example, watercolors can create soft, ethereal effects, while acrylics allow for bold, textured strokes. On the other hand, digital art gives you endless flexibility, offering the ability to adjust, layer, and modify without limitation. As you experiment, you’ll start to notice patterns in how you work—what tools or techniques you naturally gravitate toward. We also have a blog on how to use color, if you’re intersted.
You might find that certain mediums inspire you in different ways. Using a wide range of materials might help you discover new styles that you can incorporate into your artwork, ultimately leading to a more refined personal style.
4. Embrace Imperfection: Let Go of the Need for Perfection
Many artists struggle with perfectionism. The desire to create flawless, polished work can often lead to frustration and self-doubt. The reality is that no piece of art is truly perfect, and part of developing your style is accepting and embracing the imperfections in your work. Your mistakes, quirks, and challenges are what make your art unique.
Instead of striving for perfection, focus on the process of creating. Allow yourself to make mistakes, explore new ideas, and experiment without worrying about the outcome. This mindset shift will free you from the pressure of having to get everything “just right” and allow you to explore your creativity without limitations.
For instance, if you find yourself making a mistake, ask yourself: how can I incorporate this mistake into my artwork in an unexpected way? Can I exaggerate it or turn it into an element of surprise? These opportunities for improvisation can lead to breakthroughs in your personal style and creative voice.
5. Draw from Life and Real-World Inspiration
Drawing from life is one of the most powerful ways to understand the world around you and improve your skills. Whether you’re sketching people, animals, objects, or landscapes, drawing from real life helps you observe details that might be missed in photos or imagination. It sharpens your ability to see proportions, light, shadow, and form.
Drawing from life also pushes you to develop your unique interpretation of the world. Over time, you’ll find that you develop your own way of capturing a scene or object. This distinctive approach becomes part of your personal style.
If you don’t have access to live models or outdoor scenes, consider taking reference photos or using apps that provide 3D models for drawing. The goal is to continually practice observation and translate what you see into your artwork.
6. Set Aside Time for Regular Practice and Exploration
Like any skill, developing an art style takes consistent practice. Set aside time each day or week to create new pieces, try new techniques, and experiment with different concepts. The more you create, the more you’ll refine your style, and the faster you’ll discover what you truly love.
Make a habit of experimenting with new subjects, styles, and compositions. You can try abstract art one day and realistic portraiture the next. Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone and experiment without fear of failure.
Additionally, seek feedback from others. Sometimes it’s difficult to see your own progress without an outside perspective. Join online communities, share your work with friends, or ask a fellow artist for constructive critique. External feedback can help you identify patterns in your work and recognize your strengths.
Conclusion: Trust the Process
Developing your art style is a personal journey that requires patience, persistence, and plenty of experimentation. It’s about embracing the process of discovering what you love, exploring new techniques, and learning from your mistakes. Along the way, you’ll begin to uncover what feels most authentic to you as an artist.
By studying other artists, practicing without the crutch of an eraser, experimenting with different mediums, and embracing imperfection, you can begin to shape your unique art style. Remember, there is no one-size-fits-all formula for finding your style—it’s a continuous process of growth and self-discovery.
So, go ahead: pick up that pen, start sketching, and trust that your style will emerge over time.
Take Action: Start experimenting with some of these tips today! Grab a ballpoint pen and a timer, trace a few photos, and push yourself to draw without hesitation. Your art style is waiting to be discovered.