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How to get style?

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How to get style?

Reverse engineering style #1

Adam Ming
Sep 3, 2021
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How to get style?

adamming.substack.com

“Style is knowing exactly what you want to say and saying it exactly” - C.S.Lewis

I’ve got style. An illustration style that is. And a few short months ago I was something I struggled with. Like - really struggled with! But now with 20-20 hindsight, I thought I’d share how I came to have an illustration style.

I’ll share this as a checklist of things I’ve done to arrive at my style. And I’ll take each item on the checklist as a post on its own. But before that…

What is style (in illustration) ?

I see style as a default approach to specific creative problems. I say default because while we may develop a regular way of working, we’re always free to change it. In this way, style doesn’t become a burden but rather an asset. A Standard operating procedure if you like.

How to engineer illustration style? (reverse engineering my process)

  • Set aside time to work daily

  • Get regular feedback

  • Draw icons

  • Decide how you create shapes

  • Decide how you use lines

  • Decide how to render light

  • Decide how to create texture

  • Decide on your subject matter

  • Decide how you draw hands

  • Decide how you draw faces

  • Define a color palette

  • Limit your brush choices

  • Decide how you draw letters.

  • Create a process for finding ideas

  • Create a process from going from idea to finished illustration

  • Define your black and white style

  • Define your sketching processes

  • Define your writing process

  • Decide how you develop poses and proportions

  • Decide how you portray emotions (typecast yourself)

  • Decide how you do perspective

  • Write an artist statement

  • Curate a portfolio

Those were the steps I took to develop my style. In the coming days, I’ll be writing about each step. I also took two classes that helped me build some vocabulary around thinking about style. Please don’t think of this as anything definitive, it’s just me sharing my own journey. My hope is that by being transparent about my journey, that it will inform yours.

Would love to hear what you think about this list and where you are on your own style journey.

Recommended Classes:

  • Andy J. Pizza

  • Tom Froese

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How to get style?

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