Hello I stumbled across your profile and I just say I love your art style! I've gotta ask, how'd your develop it? And do you have any advice for someone who can't decide what they want their art to look like?
Thank you so much!
To be entirely honest, I don't feel like I truly "developed" my style. I feel a lot more like I finally let myself draw it! But I am incredibly deliberate with my work, and I do have clear tendencies and preferences... So I'll do my best to explain how I got to where I am now as an artist.
It's important to remember that "style" is something of a nebulous concept. It changes with you as you grow as a person, and most artists can work in and emulate many art styles! Art really is a form of communication with yourself, and your "style" is a reflection of the tendencies and preferences you have. My art does not look how it looked 5 years ago, and my art will look different 5 years from now too. I've changed, and my art reflects that!
(2012, 2018, 2023; two pieces I remember being incredibly proud of and considered my best work up til that point, and then my most recent piece)
What you need to do, as everyone will tell you, is study the fundamentals (anatomy, perspective, form and structure, lighting and shadow, color, and composition) so you have the proper tools to make the most informed decisions possible about your art, and so you can deliberately break or follow rules as you please for your desired effect. I know it sounds silly to learn rules if you're not gonna be following them anyways, but they help you be much more consistent and intentional! More knowledge is NEVER a bad thing to have!
However, I know it's a bit demoralizing to just be told to study fundamentals. Everyone knows you're supposed to do that, but it takes YEARS to learn, and people want their art to feel how they want it to now (which is very very very normal to want!)
So on that front, I have 2 follow up suggestions that I personally find helpful (of course, everyone is different, so it's not like this is the only way to learn! But, if it resonates with you, it might mean it will work for you too.)
1: Separate study from application
I believe this is beneficial for a few reasons:
If the goal of every piece is learning, it can become frustrating, overwhelming, and boring
It's harder to self critique when there are multiple variables to investigate. I like to study one fundamental at a time
Study (usually) works best with a large quantity of output, whereas application of knowledge (finished pieces) is often more satisfying and effective when you get to take your time
Deliberate practical application of what you've learned in a finished piece helps cement the learning in your mind, and also lets you get satisfying finished pieces with noticeable improvement after a good study session!
I've found that keeping these things separate helps me improve faster and more deliberately, and it takes a lot of the pressure off of both aspects! I'm not worried about my studies looking beautiful, they're just to learn! And I don't feel pressured to critique my finished pieces, cause they're just for fun and to make something pretty. I personally find this helps me have a much healthier relationship with my art.
When studying, copy! Copy things as best as you can, all the time. It gives you something to compare to for self critique (and of course, if you're copying someone else's work and you share the study, ALWAYS give credit, share the original, and say it was for study.) In application, don't copy: reference. Make it yours!
2: Let yourself do the things that feel "easy" or like "cheating"
This one is simpler: nothing in art is easy.
If something feels easy to you, most of the time it's not because it's actually any easier... It's because it's part of your natural tendencies and preferences! This took me forever to realize, but as long as you're actually doing some study, then you're learning. You don't need to learn All The Time. When you're doing the "application" portion, you should let yourself do whatever is actually the most fun and feels easiest! This is where your style will start to come through, and where you get to learn about yourself. Take the pressure off, and have fun!!!
The only cheating in art is theft. If you're not stealing, then it's allowed!
My whole life (and yes, still!) I'd get regular criticism about both my style and my subject matter. You will too. You'll see a thousand different styles, and a hundred different things to admire in each. Your heart will ache that you don't draw like others do.
But art is a form of communication with yourself. It's like your voice, or your accent; just something that's a part of you! It can be fun to mimic others', but when you sit to have a conversation you speak naturally. (I know some people want to and do change their voice, but this is a metaphor and metaphors aren't perfect)
Don't stress so much about what you want your art to look like, especially if you're not sure. There's a lot of value to be had in constant experimentation, I think it'd be rather boring to only draw one style the rest of my life. What I draw is what I want to see, right now, for who I am now! It's a part of me and comes naturally, if I let it!
I hope this helps!
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sweetheart collects little trinkets she finds on the field and around base (sometimes steals things she likes, nothing big) to gives to the boys (and laswell), the boys treat them like collectibles and get pissy when someone tries to take them. they often show them off to each other to see what they have. the trinkets range from rocks/stones/pebbles, small keychain accessories, flowers etc. to bullet shells, bones, teeth??? etc.
sometimes they get handmade trinkets (where sweetheart makes something outta the trinkets she finds) price has a handmade fishhook made outta a broken safety pin, massive metallic bead and a metal feather earring stud,he put it on his hat and gets all happy when someone mentions it, soap got a bracelet made outta random beads and some string (maybe some bone), gaz has a pin made outta a bottle cap that she got from a night of drinking, the bottle cap is from gaz’ a fav alcohol drink, ghost got bones in a jar with a little skull ornament on the side, the list can go on, they are all impressed by her craftsmanship but are heavily concerned where she gets the more morbid and obscene materials from
the boys will defend their trinkets with their life and refuse to trade (St, gave me it, fuck off and get your own)
IM KICKING MY FEET RNNNN THIS IS SO ADORABLE 😍😍😭😭💖💕 I love how everyone came together and said "Yeah Sweetheart is a weird goblin and we love her" LMAOOO
May I add on to the trinkets just a bit--
The kleptomaniac collector and scavenger of things will find the best items on the battlefield istg-- everytime she kills the enemy, she always picks on their gear and scavenges around to find anything she likes. Soap and Roach honestly help her find things (like a coin with a bullet hole in it, or a finger. Maybe an ear or an antique cup from an abandoned home) and give to her so she can make something out of it
She gets so excited when she finds old flasks because she can fix em and give them to Cap or Graves (as much as she hates him, she always thinks of him) and she gets SUPER excited when Krueger comes back to the base after being out of the country and gives her rare findings (like a crystal bowl or an old pocket watch! He did steal a real diamond before for her, that was a fun day HA)
Laswell honestly looks forward to her crafts because her wife loves them (I have a headcannon that Laswell and her wife have emotionally adopted Sweetheart AHAHA) Sometimes her wife would give Laswell rocks and feathers that she found at home so Laswell can give it to Sweetheart (she's so giddy everytime)
Once the week is almost over, they have SSS (Sweetheart Scavenger Sundays) and the guys show what they have LOL Horangi would even FaceTime Rodolfo and Alejandro to show off what Sweetheart sent them (Alejandro has a necklace that's laced with silver and gold teeth and human finger bones, a handmade knife sheath made out of rabbit skin, and a tiny house made out of tank metal. Rodolfo has a carved wooden bunny, a lucky gecko tail key chain, and a pouch full of silver coins)
They love all of her gifts, even though they're weird and sketchy as fuck, but it's thoughtful! And don't touch them or ask to have it or they will give you the side eye
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