I've been planning for my upcoming classes and wanted to know how my readers would define stylization or personal style. As stylization is a fantastic illustration technique (my class is called illustration techniques) I'd like to briefly touch on the subject.
So! Have any of you found sticking to a specific style, engineering it and letting it grow to be helpful? Have you found a couple styles that you like to promote? Is it easier to have a broad range when you keep your illustrative efforts local?
Thanks for the comments!
Hi Crystal! Funny you bring this up, because this is a subject that has been on my mind a lot lately (and worrying me concerning my own style/styles). I was always under the belief that my own natural style would develop on its own, and never wanted to "force" a style. I love experimenting and trying new techniques. For animation, which is what I went to school for, it was probably a good thing, it's nice to have range and be able to interpret different styles or other people’s styles which is needed in some cases. For local work I find it's helped me too (to be able to do realistic portraits and such.) However for illustration I see Art Directors want to see just one style from you, and this is my dilemma. The worst part is I'm indecisive! I'm not sure which of my styles is the strongest or which I should develop more. Plus, I don't want to just limit myself to one market; I want to do children’s, fashion, conceptual, I want to do it all! I think this weekend this will be something I try to concentrate on. Any Advice? You have a very defined beautiful style. Good luck with your classes!
ReplyDeleteWhat can I say about that Elisa? What a fantastic comment! Funny thing is your style is coming along like crazy and I find your work distinctive (I'd recognize it from a big pile of others work). I think that like me we have had to develop two different styles for the more "adult" editorial world and the "juvenile" world. It's hard to keep up with two distinctive styles even though it's not hard to actually be able to draw in many. Yet, how else can we accomplish all of our goals? Some styles don't cross mediums very well. I really like how you have set up your website, with branches to your different styles. This separates and yet joins with a common themed home page that somehow links the two different looks. As we're both still pretty young, have lots of time left in our careers, I find it more than acceptable to work both styles at the moment. When I go to see an art director, however, I research them and really define what's in my portfolio at the exact moment by what they usually use. Then switch it up...
ReplyDeleteI'd like to give your question a great answer but it's my question too. I think you have a strong style but my own style is still developing. However, I do think one eventually settles into their style - it can't really be forced. My style is influenced by many different artists but it still looks like I did it - which I hope is a good thing. And I don't think it hurts to have 2 or 3 styles, as long as they are distictive (from an art director's point of view).
ReplyDeleteIf you find a good answer to this, let me know! :)