How do you develope a style?

**Unknown Target** · October 23rd, 2003, 12:06 PM

I'm sure this has been asked a billion times, but I couldn't come up with anything in a search

Anyways, how should you develop your own style? I draw all the time, but I can't seem to get down any particular style. And the problem is, I can't tell if I'm using a style, have no style, or using someone else's style

But, anyways, waiting to hear from the CA guys

, thanks in advance for any help

(I have two examples of my artowrk, posted in the WIP forum, if it would help)

**egerie** · October 23rd, 2003, 01:36 PM

I beleive that if you draw all the time and for years you might develop your own style. It comes naturally. On the other hand, you might have to follow a style for example if you go into some of the comics publication or animation.
I wouldn't worry about style

let it come !

**Wight Zombie** · October 23rd, 2003, 03:43 PM

uhmmm style is somewhat like your personality, everything around you and who you are makes your style. like egerie said, let it come.

you can influence your style by simply drawing akin to certain things like anime, or bisley or frazetta or maybe uber photogenic boris valhejo. by trying to draw a certain way you may influence your end style.

so far ive found the best way to see what your style is, basically sit down, and draw without reference. now this can be hard if you dont know half your anatomy like i dont, but this way you can see how you draw without outside influences. later on when you get better youll see its much easier to just sit down and nail out a piece of art so well and fast that you wont need to think of other styles or how to do this and that, itll just be in front of you and thats what it is.

why'll some artists will just pursue whatever style they simply bring to the table and thats that, others look at a style they really enjoy and pursue a spin-off or variation of that. i mean originality and being you is great, but if you arent happy with your style and you do some sort of art/design for a living then you wont be happy with your lifes work.

checking your site id say its too early to be worrying about style. once you hammer out the basics and know what goes then id maybe play with style and draw and see what comes out naturally. if you really dig a certain style then pursue it if you see fit. just dont copy anyone, but really try and incorporate that style into your art somehow. its like me and my half assed anatomy, i have no clue what my overall style is and i really dont care at this point as im too caught up in just trying to make my art work, without it looking like shit. when i can do that regularly then maybe ill check my style and see if i hate it or like it. i can say from looking at it now and judging a evolution path i can see where its going, but you have to be at a certain point to see down the road.

**Unknown Target** · October 25th, 2003, 02:52 AM

Gracias Senors!

**zeruch** · November 8th, 2003, 03:32 AM

style i think evolves organically through a combination of practice, experimentation, and becoming what you are - an ever expanding archive of experiences and sense perceptions that eventually (hopefully) to something visually that has a stamp all your own.

my own style didnt really start to take root until after a decade of randomly absorbing wholesale a lot of random shit. even to this day, my style shifts within a certain band depending on the medium and thematic selections I make. In some cases this results in a somewhat polyphrenic look, but its *my* polyphrenic look.