Find your creative style Challenge

This is a no-fluff challenge and it will start right now, no delay. YAY!

Just to be clear, this is not a “how to draw _____ challenge” and will never be. Sorry.

So, let's begin!

Part 1

Tell me if any of these sound like you:

1. You are an artist, you know that. But you feel like create everything and anything.
2. You have a creative mind that's boiling with new ideas and every day you change your mind with a new thing you want to create and show the world how incredible you are.
3. Or maybe, you are a shy artist that wants to be discovered and be the next sensation but you're not doing the steps needed to achieve that, because you just want to be discovered.
4. Or maybe you just have too many ideas and don't know where to start or how to start.
5. Or you see other artists on Instagram with 350k followers and you want to be like them but have no idea how.

I know. I was the same way. The world has too many wonderful things to be experienced and I’ve been there done that. You’re not alone. I have a Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts but I also work as an Illustrator, Graphic Designer and Marketing Specialist for 12 years combined (Corporate, Agencies and Freelancing). I found a system and I want to teach you too.

Finding your style can be very stressful and overwhelming, so I will break down in small tasks.

First task is to think!

What do you like to do? And I mean, enjooooy doing. What excites you the most?

What I want you to see that this exercise doesn't have any ideas. It's about you and what you like to do.

Grab a paper and make 2 columns with "Things I like/Things I like to do" and "Things I like to draw/sculpt/paint/create." and write everything that comes to your mind.

Part 2: who is your client?

I expect you have a nice list of things you do and what you like to draw/sculpt/paint/create. Because this part is not about you.

At least, not directly.

What's the main goal of your art? You can say 'money'. That's nothing wrong in it. Bills need to be paid.

This challenge is for people who want to make money with their art. If you treat art as a hobby, you can continue to draw whatever you want and be happy with it. No judgment here.

However, let's say in the future you might want to transform this hobby into something profitable. So, don't give up just yet.

Let's say people want to buy your art.

How can they buy your art?

1. Canvas?
2. Note Cards?
3. T-shirts?
4. A plain paper?
5. Print on demand?
6. Stickers?
7. Commissions?
8. Hiring you?

It's not simple, eh?

Now let's say, you want to buy someone's art. Someone you follow on Instagram, you click on their profile, there's no website, no call to action, nothing. Most people give up. I know that sales feels icky, but well, if you want people to buy from you, you really need to tell them how.

So, who is your client?

Do not say "everyone and anyone", that's the same of saying "nobody!"

Why do people buy art? Because they can relate to.

Everybody needs arts at some point and you are the provider.

Now take those lists above and try to connect both to create something relatable with what you like to create and what you like.

• Do you think there's a community there?
• Is it relatable enough?
• Do you see a client buying from you?

Relatable art is profitable!

Part 3: Style

Style is a choice. We make choices every day in our arts, the moment you decide to use watercolours or going full digital, you are making a choice towards your style.

A colour palette is part of style. Shapes, symmetry, mediums, culture, inspiration are part of style as well.

Your style is just the sum of all creative choices you make consistently.

The only way to find your creative style is through practice. It's not something that will magically appear in front of you and you go for it.

The only way to find your way to create something is doing it.

You don't need to do this alone. You're allowed to get inspired by other people's work. Just don't copy and say it's yours.

Also don't use style as an excuse to never improve.

The more you practice, the better you become, and you can choose what direction to go and improve your style.

Don't forget about what you enjoy, what your story is and how you can make your art relatable.

The next exercise is to create a Pinterest account (if you don't have one) and/or create 2 secret boards:

Inspiration (stuff you love and I mean it),

My identity (who you are as a person, put everything you think it reflects you)

Set a timer to 30 minutes and go for it. Try to get at least 10 images per board. The boards are secret because I want you to go all-in with passion. Nobody is looking.

Allow yourself to be vulnerable.

(By the way, Pinterest is just a suggestion, you can make folders on your computer and download the images.)

Part 4: Your theme

By now you should have

1. Two lists - one of things you like to do and another with things you like to create
2. A list with relatable art that's an amalgamation of the item 1
3. Two Pinterest secret boards or two folders (Inspiration & My identity)

I want you to look at your boards/folders and try to figure out why you put those stuff there.

Grab a paper, make 2 columns and write the name of the board/folder on the top of each column: Inspiration | My identity.

In each column, write down what do you like about each piece you put there. These can be practical things, like an object, or aesthetics, can be a theme.

Do this and you will realize how some words are very similar, how you were drawn to that image because you like it, because it's in you.

Find your patterns and connect your words.

Does it speak to you?

For me, based on my identity and my keen for experimentation, my creative style is digital paper. I created stuff using paper my entire life and I always came back to it.

As a graphic designer, I used Pinterest to figure out my clients brand colours and I used it to figure out my style as well. When everything is only in your head, it's really hard to see what direction you're going to.

You can follow my art account here.

Create a new board on Pinterest and name it My Style and try to grab only images like the patterns you noticed.

Part 5: You did it!

Congratulations!! I am so happy for you!!

When you know the type of art you do and what kind of public you're aiming for, it's easier to create posts and a calendar, talk about what you know and what's important to you.

The secret is consistency.

The more you make, the more you will tune your style and it will be more you. Do you think you can make your Instagram account reflect what you learned here?

Most people only care about vanity metrics, and because of that, they put out content for the wrong people, wasting time, and getting false results.

Now you know how to get better results.

If you think this helped you, please share with your friends.