Trying to discover your own style when you love so many different ways of making art? I totally get it — it can feel overwhelming! It might even seem impossible. But trust me, you’re not alone. Loving different mediums, styles, and techniques doesn’t mean you’re failing at finding your voice — it just means your creative world is rich, and that’s amazing.

Why you even want a “style”

First things first: what’s your goal? Are you creating art just for the joy of it? Maybe you dream of teaching, licensing, or selling your work someday? All of these paths are valid. If you’re doing it for fun, you don’t have to rush toward a signature style. It’s perfectly fine to explore whatever feels good right now.

But if you imagine a future where people recognize your work and maybe buy it or share it — then having a consistent style becomes more helpful. It makes your art memorable, you know?

What you actually enjoy, tune into that

When you try different approaches, pay attention to what you enjoy doing versus what you just like admiring. Sometimes you see a gorgeous painting online and think “wow I want to do that!” — but when you try, maybe it feels stiff, stressful, or just not “you.”

Maybe a big canvas seems awesome, but you don’t have enough space. Maybe you love realistic detail, but painting like that makes you feel stuck. Pay attention to what feels good for you. What kind of painting makes you want to create again tomorrow? What seems natural when your hand moves on the surface?

Once you figure out what brings you joy in the process — that’s when you’re really on the right track. And that’s when showing up becomes something you want to do.

Make it intentional, gently, kindly, and with focus

Style doesn’t magically appear overnight. It grows when you give yourself space and time. Try setting some boundaries. A few artists, for example, decided: “Okay — six months to focus on figuring out my style.” Others stripped down their toolkit — kept only a few supplies — and painted only abstract art, to see what felt most “them.”

Another useful method? A simple challenge for yourself: 100 days of painting (or sketching), even if it’s small works or rough ideas. Focus on just one concept or theme. Over time, you’ll start to see patterns: the kinds of marks you like, your natural brush strokes, your colours. That’s when your own style begins to peek through.

The key is to give yourself permission to experiment — and permission to commit. Sometimes you lean into variety, other times you narrow down. Both are valid.

Social media: inspiration or distraction?

It’s easy to get stuck scrolling through art feeds, always comparing your work to others. Social media can be great for a spark of inspiration — but it’s also a sneaky thief of your own voice. When you’re in “style-finding” mode, it helps to step back a bit: less consuming, more creating. Give your own inner voice room to breathe.

Use socials mindfully — maybe for inspiration or accountability, but don’t let them dictate what you should be doing. Your art should come from within.

Think of style as a thread, not a chain

Once you start recognizing your favourite marks, colours, compositions — that thread becomes your signature. Over time, even if you paint wildly different subjects, people will still recognise that “you” in the work. That’s the real magic.

Give yourself permission: paint, explore, feel different things. Then choose what feels right, and keep at it. Be patient. Let your style grow with you — shifting, evolving, but always true to you.

Your gentle reminder

Don’t let pressure kill the fun. Art style isn’t a deadline — it’s a conversation. A conversation between you and your creativity. Sometimes loud, sometimes quiet. Sometimes messy, sometimes flowing. But always yours.

If you’re ready to dig into this journey, try this on for size:

You don’t need to follow a recipe. You just need love, curiosity, patience — and a little bit of trust that, slowly but surely, you’ll find your way.

0 Reviews

Write a Review