Secret of Style

April 12, 2025


If you’ve ever picked up a pencil or brush and thought, “What even is my style?”—you’re not alone. Artists, whether just starting out or deep into their craft, often find themselves chasing this elusive thing called style. It’s romanticized, like some mystical force that will one day just click—a lightbulb moment where your voice arrives, unannounced, and finally makes all your work make sense.

But here’s the hard truth: style doesn’t just show up. It’s not a magical discovery—it’s a conscious decision.

Myth of Style

We often believe that artistic style is something we find, something that will naturally emerge if we just create enough. And yes, part of that is true—repetition, exploration, and experimentation are important. But if you really look at artists whose work feels cohesive, recognizable, iconic even, you’ll see one thing they all have in common:

They made rules for themselves.

Style = Self-Imposed Limitations

That’s it. That’s the secret. Artistic style is just a set of parameters an artist has decided to stick to. It could be the way they draw eyes. The type of color palettes they allow. The themes they repeat. The medium they use. These aren't accidents—they're conscious choices that get refined over time.

Look at any successful artist, and you'll see they’ve created their own visual language. They’ve set their own boundaries, and then worked creatively within them. That’s what gives their work consistency and personality.

Think of it like a recipe. You don’t just throw random ingredients into a pot and hope it becomes your signature dish. You choose the ingredients, the flavors, the techniques—and you keep using them until they become yours.

Search Continues

Searching for style feels daunting because we’re waiting for it to appear like divine inspiration. But in truth, it’s a puzzle we assemble piece by piece, often without realizing it. Every choice you make—even what you don’t like—shapes your style.

So next time you feel lost, don't look outward for your style. Look at your own rules. Ask: What do I want to say? How do I want to say it? What do I keep returning to?

Your style is already forming. The trick is deciding what stays, and what doesn’t.