Finding Your Style: Three things I Wish I Knew Sooner

Have you ever been told, “Just keep making work and your style will come”? I have. I clung to that advice for a long time. Five years, actually. I drew constantly, tried everything, experimented and ended up completely stuck and burn out.

Here are three things I wish I’d known sooner: 

1- Choosing a target market

You *can* do everything—just not all at once. In the beginning, the fastest way to grow is by focusing. Pick one audience and one kind of work you’d love to do. Stay there long enough to create 10 strong portfolio pieces that speak to that audience.

Then move on to the next target market you want to work with. That way, when you eventually branch out, art directors or agents will trust that you can deliver consistent, professional work in each style you show.

The goal is to build trust. Trust gets you hired.

2- Technique, style and voice 

Technique is your ability to draw, paint, or design. It’s what you build through study and lots of practice. Think of it as learning the “rules”—perspective, composition, color theory, anatomy. 

Style, on the other hand, is what and how you choose to include or dismiss altogether from your artwork.

And your Voice, is how you interpret prompts. Your unique perspective.

When you’re still developing your technique, it’s normal for your limitations to shape your style. That’s not a bad thing! In fact, it can help. Lean into your strengths and simplify where needed. If you struggle with colour, stick to a minimal palette for your next 5–10 pieces. Constraints can make you more creative, not less.

As your technique improves, your style can evolve too. But let it grow with purpose. And your voice, well, simply said, don’t be afraid to use it.

3- Evolve with Intention 

If you want to get from where you are now to where you want to be stylistically, you need a plan.

Here’s how it works:

1 - Look through your recent work and write down what you like about it.

2 - What’s showing up again and again? Is it your colour choices? Your textures? Your sense of storytelling or humour?

3 - List those qualities. These are the seeds of your unique style and voice.

4 - Make a list of what you want to try or improve. These can become creative prompts as you work on new pieces. Over time, this will become your personal *Style Guide*—a living document that helps you stay on track while allowing space for growth.

Here is my plan as I am writing this blog post :

• Focus on improving my colouring pencil skills. 

• Start building a library of illustrations in colouring pencils

• Tap into deeper emotional themes—especially around childhood 

• Focus on visual rhetoric and negative space a lot more in my work. 

That’s it. Simple. Focused. Clear. This kind of plan gives your creativity some sort of direction. You’re not just “making more work” and hoping something clicks. You’re steering your style with intention.