In the Fall 2020 semester, I officially decided to sit down and seriously reflect on the trajectory of my artwork in order to develop an artistic style.
1. What is an art style and why is it important to you?
An art style describes how he or she or they portray their art and how the artist goes about doing that. The style of a piece can cover many different aspects, such as composition, subject, and/or medium. For an artist, a well-developed art style is a unique identifier and marketing tool that enables viewers, customers, and potential clients to recognise that work is theirs. Art styles are not taught in school; rather they developed over time through practice and patience, or, in my case, through deliberate learning and reflection.
2. If an art style is so important, why haven’t you developed one sooner?
It takes time and practice to develop an artistic style. I have had a lot of time and a lot of practice, but I never set out to create anything that was truly special to me. I have only ever been concerned with creating art in order to receive a good grade. The works I have made have never been about me, but rather about making something that suited the requirements of the project I was working on. Of course, not all of my artwork is like this; there are a few items made for my own pleasure rather than for coursework. However, I have never been satisfied with those types of drawings because they were not made by me, but rather by another artist from whom I wanted to learn from.
3. What’s making you want to develop your art style now?
I’d like to work on developing my artistic style now because I have been asked to do so. Without a clear catalyst, I do not think I would have begun this process on my own, as my artwork has always been liked to my schoolwork. Professors are now urging me to create work that is unique to me. Working on my art style would also boost my personal motivation to continue doing art after I graduate from college. After graduating, I plan to create art for myself rather than for an assignment. Therefore, I would like to develop my art style now as inspiration to keep creating art in the future, even if I am not being graded for it.
4. So, after all these questions, how is it going so far?
It’s going well. It’s progressing as slowly as I thought, but I’m making progress as I figure out what kinds of marks I want to make on a digital platform.