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Posted: June 25, 2012

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How Do You Know What Style Is Right For You?

*Spudfuzz Jun 25, 2012 Hobbyist Digital Artist

Argh I'm tearing my hair out over this. I don't know what style is me anymore. I've gone from purely manga style line arts to semi realism ones (the realism really helped me improve a lot) then to colours only semi realism (which seems to be a popular trend?) back to coloured line art. But all the styles itself fluctuates, it goes from supa stylized to semi realistic with cartoon elements. I don't know what one to focus on, what one people like the most and I don't even know which one I like.

I don't want to keep doing all of them because it feels like there's 3 different artists contributing to my gallery, there's no consistent flow of artwork that is distinctly recognizable as my style. I suppose I should mention line art is my strength. I do bold and clean lines that transition smoothly from thick to thin. People always seemed to like those, but it just doesn't feel satisfying when it's only 50% of the image and I have to rely on other people to finish it for me... who don't always put in as much effort as I'd like them to.

But no one really like the coloured line arts - they all seem to prefer line less ones. I tried it for a while, it's fun and the end result is good but it feels energy sucking in a way like it's a huge effort to do it to please the audience.

I dunno what to do, it's like I'm eternally stuck in this experimental phase.

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*Philliewig Jun 29, 2012 Student Traditional Artist

If I can spend hours doing work after work in that style and not get tired or bored.

*G-Sketch Jun 29, 2012 Student General Artist

I agree that it's important to try a verity of styles until you can eventually blend them together until you'r able to create your own.

*LadyKuki Jun 29, 2012 Student General Artist

There's absolutely nothing wrong with having different styles in your gallery. People like it when you try different stuff. If your watchers prefer you do lineless art, then so what? You're the artist, therefore you have the right to draw whatever you please.

Also, there are many cartoonists out there who can draw just about anything, no matter how detailed, and still come out with a recognizable style. Don't be afraid to experiment.

All I have to say.

~bulletproofturtleman Jun 26, 2012

I find nothing wrong with being able to work in multiple 'styles' because I do the same myself. I jump from digital painting to manga to cartoons to realism, doing ink, pencil or digital mediums and it's a mish mash of insanity. But it's fun, it's spontaneous and it's not set in stone. You won't get bored because the great thing is, you can do whatever you have fun with.

As for style, whatever YOU CHOOSE to brand yourself with would essentially be your style. People aren't just known just because- they put themselves out there, and they 'market' themselves in a way they believe will be successful for them. Those who fail may continue to try to market their style but to different audiences because the style may not fit a certain comic theme or cartoon. Having multiple styles and being able to shift between styles and maybe even mix a little into another gives you an advantage; it means not everything you do is set in stone. Jack of all trades, master of none? Mix and match, til you find the right style of 'one.'

=CrypticInk Jun 26, 2012 Hobbyist Digital Artist

Your problem sounds more like a transition to me. I'm at that same point in my art, but instead of feeling bad about the jumble of styles in my gallery, i'd suggest giving yourself a pat on the back. Experimentation and variety is a good thing. Eventually you'll get to a point where you can make consistent art if that's what you choose to strive for. It sounds like you're trying out different styles, and that is just a step in the overall journey to your own unique tastes. So its not like you're not doing anything wrong..

~Ak-Nolij Jun 26, 2012 Student General Artist

When it's fun.

*JMunsonII Jun 26, 2012 Hobbyist General Artist

Quite a few have said "the right thing" here about style. "Style" is all about you - the artist, it has nothing to with art genre. It is all about how you, the artist, express what you see, which is completely independent of genre.

Draw and paint a given subject how YOU want to draw and paint that subject. What details do YOU want to pick out, what do YOU want the viewer to perceive, and so on. How YOU draw, how YOU paint, the way you place your elements, the types of brushstrokes YOU make, the tools you use. That is your style.

Picking a genre is a different matter altogether. However, a guide would be "where do you find yourself most often without really thinking about it." If you don't like that "place," then visit another, you'll find that your "taste" in genre may change, or, your experimentation in the other direction improves the genre you favor most.

As an artist, you should always be striving for that "something more" to bring to your art, that "something" that lures people back to you, as there is always "something new" to see about your expression, your seeing-ness...

`saintartaud Jun 25, 2012 Professional General Artist

I agree that style is fluid and constantly changing. It's also not uncommon for an artist to have various bodies of work that aren't stylistically related, although for marketing purposes, it is useful to have a consistent illustration style or a couple related styles for black & white or color work.

As far as your particular issue with line work, it seems like maybe you could just expand outside of that? That is, either start bringing in more detail and tone, OR start incorporating color. Why not just do the work yourself and go as far as you can with it? You'll learn a lot more doing it that way, and your style with grow in the process.

`saintartaud Jun 25, 2012 Professional General Artist

...you style will grow in the process, I mean.

~Clockwork-Incubus Jun 25, 2012

I myself go through similar style changes, and I really think a lot of it depends on mood and what you feel like doing at the time. when it comes to style, it's best not to think too much about what other people think or like, rather just what you like and want to do. A style is the way you draw and what you like doing and they way you want it to look. Try meshing styles together if your concerned about which one is best for you and can't decide. Also, some art pieces only look good in a certain way, so try doing the same picture in multiple styles to get a feeling for what you want to use in which places.

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