I re-wrote an old blog post because this is the subject that’s close to my heart!
Technique
During the past ten years, I have wanted to learn and experiment with art techniques. It has been fun to combine all kinds of supplies and see what comes out. It has often felt that after I have learned the technique, I can then do whatever I want with it. But many times, adding a new technique to my repertoire has just grown more doubts about my style.
Style
Style means something that you are comfortable with doing, and that makes your work recognizable. When I have been unsuccessful in finding my visual style, I have had too much focus on the result and too little on the play. Techniques may change, but discovering the how you can process inspiration and what inspires you, and then connecting all that with shapes and colors and compositions, produces style.
Identity
Even when working full-time as an artist, I sometimes still have problems in calling myself an artist. I wonder, why there’s so much talk about finding your style and so little about finding your identity as an artist? It includes me too. I often talk and think about style issues when I should think about identity issues. It’s easier to analyze the line, the theme, the mark making, than talk about things that go deeper.
Things like:
1) Why do you make art?
2) How do you define the quality of your art?
3) What’s your role in the art community?
4) What’s different with you from the artists that you admire?
5) When and how do you know that you have succeeded as an artist?
Most of these questions are valid whether you are a beginner or more advanced. The answers change when your journey progresses.
When your order is 1) identity, 2) style, 3) technique
your art becomes more expressive because you allow more play,
you take on new challenges because your art has a purpose,
and you connect more with people because you have a natural urge to share.
The Exploring Artist – Few Spots Left!
In The Exploring Artist, you will grow your artistic identity in a small and tight-knit group. I will personally help you to put your passion into words and visual insights. We will work together to discover what you want to change in your art, where you want to move forward and how to do it. The registration closes on Sunday, Sept 9 (midnight PDT).
>> Sign up now!