Cultivating Weirdness

November 15, 2024


In the world of art, whether you’re a painter, musician, writer, or any other kind of creator, one of the most elusive and powerful goals is to create something that feels entirely unique. The idea is simple but profound: you want to reach a place, artistically, where there’s no one else quite like you. Where your work can’t be compared to anyone else’s, because it has evolved into something so distinctive, so personal, that it stands alone in its own category.

Burden of Influence

It’s impossible to escape influence. No artist exists in a vacuum, and early in your career or creative journey, it’s natural to imitate the work that inspires you. We all start somewhere — whether it’s mimicking the style of a famous painter, singing in the vein of your favorite musician, or writing stories that feel like an homage to the writers who shaped you. Influences help you learn the rules before you can break them, but the challenge is to eventually transcend them.

In the early stages, it’s easy to feel comfort in these comparisons. People tell you, “Oh, your work reminds me of X,” and this can feel like validation. After all, being compared to something great means you’re on the right track, right?

The trouble comes when you get too comfortable in these comparisons. You might start to feel boxed in, confined by someone else’s legacy. To truly push forward artistically, you have to confront that voice that says, “You sound like this” or “Your style is so similar to that.” The goal, then, becomes clear: you want to arrive at a place where, instead of mimicking the past, you become the reference point for others.

Breaking Free from Comparison

The first step to reaching that place of artistic individuality is to nurture your own voice. The key to that voice is authenticity — creating something that’s rooted in who you are, not just what you've absorbed from the world around you. This requires introspection and courage. It means being unafraid to create something that feels raw, unpolished, or even strange. Authenticity is often uncomfortable, and it’s easy to wonder if people will “get” it. But true originality requires a willingness to push through that doubt.

The more you create, the more you’ll realize that your voice isn’t something you consciously construct — it emerges naturally over time. It is a reflection of your experiences, your worldview, your tastes, and your quirks. The more you listen to yourself, the less likely you are to unintentionally borrow from others.

Take Risks, Fail, and Learn

Creativity thrives on risk. You can’t expect to find that singular artistic identity if you’re afraid to step outside your comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to fail. Failure is one of the most effective ways to learn what works and what doesn’t. In fact, some of the most iconic and unique works in art history came from moments of failure or unexpected detours.

Whether it’s experimenting with new mediums, taking your art in an entirely new direction, or challenging the expectations of your audience, risk is the bedrock of growth. With each misstep, you’ll understand more deeply what your art truly is and what it isn’t — and that clarity will push you closer to finding your own unreplicable space.

Avoid Over-Consumption

Sometimes, the best way to escape comparison is to stop immersing yourself in the work of those you admire. This doesn’t mean abandoning the influence entirely, but rather, pulling back to give yourself the room to explore your own creative path. We often drown in a sea of “must-know” artists, trends, and movements, trying to digest everything in hopes of creating something relevant.

But when you step away from the noise, you create space for new ideas to emerge. Seek inspiration from a variety of sources — not just other artists, but nature, philosophy, history, the mundane details of everyday life. The more varied your sources of inspiration, the less likely your work will end up echoing someone else’s.

Embrace Your Weirdness

The desire for uniqueness often feels like a desire for perfection — a polished product that fits into no category or genre. But the paradox is this: it’s often the flaws, the quirks, the rawness in your work that will make it stand out in the end. Embrace your imperfections. Your weirdness, your idiosyncrasies, the things that make you uncomfortable or self-conscious — these are often the key ingredients for creating something no one else can replicate.

The beauty of art lies in its imperfections. There is no one else in the world who has lived your life, felt what you have felt, or seen the world through your eyes. Tap into that individuality. Don’t hide your “flaws” — celebrate them.

Sustain Your Artistic Growth

Artistic evolution is a journey, not a destination. It’s easy to think of originality as something you achieve in a single breakthrough moment, but in reality, it’s a lifelong process. The work you create today is not your final form; it’s simply the next step in your growth as an artist. Keep pushing boundaries, experimenting, and evolving. Be open to criticism but don’t let it define your path.

Over time, you’ll notice your style changing, your approach evolving. But if you remain true to your artistic vision — and continue to refine it, year after year — you’ll arrive at a place where comparisons no longer apply.

Reward of Artistic Uniqueness

What’s the reward of reaching that elusive place where no one can compare you to anything else? The reward is freedom — freedom to create without fear of judgment, freedom to explore without constraints, and the profound satisfaction of knowing that you are doing something no one else has done before. You are carving out your own lane in the world of art.

At that point, your work becomes more than just personal expression; it becomes a reflection of your own truth. And when people encounter it, they won’t need to ask, “Who does this remind me of?” They’ll be too busy asking, “What is this?” And that is the moment when your work truly becomes one-of-a-kind.

The journey to originality isn’t easy, and it’s rarely linear. But with persistence, risk-taking, and a dedication to your own voice, you’ll get there. Eventually, there will be nothing — no one — to compare you to. And that’s when you’ll know you’ve arrived at the place you’ve always been striving for: a place where your art stands alone, unapologetically, and unmistakably yours.