General Discussion

ok so i am getting some nice art supplies for christmas (aka: upgrading from crayola) and i am just wanting some tips for helping me find my style. most of my work so far has been copying stuff so i am wanting so know how to find my own style


thank you everyone that took the time to reply! if anyone is wondering i am getting some spectrum noir markers as markers are my fav medium right now. and some liner pens. i really appreciate all of the time you guys spent to help me out and i am very excited to continue this artsy journey!

@DonutQueen

I'm not a certified artist - most of my stuff is probably considered dabbling. But in terms of finding your own style, find stuff you really, really love to draw. Doesn't matter if it's good or not. Find that thing you always come back to, and start working off that.

In terms of materials, experiment. Play with pencils, charcoal, pastels, whatever your options are. Find out which ones you can't stand and which ones sing to you. Good luck!

@Whitefoxtails thank you! ^-^

@DonutQueen - One of the great things about art is that there's no rush to find your style; and even once you've found it, you can continue to grow and experiment with new techniques you pick up from others or develop yourself.

What you're doing now with copying other's work is a good way to figure out what sort of things you're into. When you find another artists' work you admire, just try shaping it to your own pieces :)

Playing around with different mediums is also a fantastic method of finding yourself in art; I used to only work with sketch pencils, ink and prismas but now I love watercolor and acrylic paints. try purchasing some cheap materials to test them out!

I wish you the best of luck, and remember - there's NO rush. Just take your time and your talent & style will grow along with you.

Best advice is to just practice. When I was young and just getting serious about my art, around 13/14 maybe? I looked at styles or little things that I liked from other people's work. How someone drew eyes, how someone did the little shines on the lips, how they shaded hair, how they drew hands, how they shaded clothing folds, all little bits taken from a whole bunch of different types of artists. I worked these things into how I was already drawing and eventually over the years it all morphed into what I do today. Most of the things I dropped, some I figured out a better way to do, some I kept. Some things I figured out for myself, like how I draw ears and noses. Learning anatomy, form, lighting, shape, movement, gesturing, expressions/emotion, action, poses, color theory, etc. will all go a LONG way into helping you eventually come into your own style. Fun little example: Nov '11 (just turned 19, self portrait) [img]http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lu48l2vuon1qfds6po1_250.png[/img] Dec '15 (23, picture of my OC) [img]http://i.imgur.com/6Zbwy4L.png[/img] Bottom one is stylized a little for a series I'm working on, but it's easy to tell that both of these pieces are still mine, but you can also see how much I've improved over the years. You can see what things I've changed and what things I've kept, and especially what things I actually learned how to draw instead of faking it haha. *coughhandscough* I don't draw as much as I would like, but I'm trying to work on that. Practice practice practice!

@Poezio
@thecatsred

wow thank you guys so much you really opened my eyes. i thought that because i was getting nice supplies that i had to have an amazing style to start with right away. i am going to continue to develope my skills so someday find my style. (btw thecatsred love your work)

@DonutQueen

( Thanks! :D )

I was the same way when I first got a tablet in '07. I was like WELP NOW I HAVE TO FIND A STYLE while I was still trying to figure out how to draw two eyes on a face! Just keep working and improving and honestly, a style will eventually come to you before you even realize it. :)

@thecatsred
:)