How to Find Your Art Style in 3 Simple Steps

Every artist dreams of finding their own unique art style, that visual fingerprint that makes your work instantly recognizable. But waiting for it to “just happen” can take years. The good news? You can actually develop your art style intentionally.

This guide breaks down a practical, three-step process to help you discover, refine, and build your own distinct look faster, through curiosity, observation, and structured practice.

Step 1: Collect the Art That Inspires You

Start by gathering artworks you genuinely love. Don’t overthink it — just go with pieces that make you stop and stare. Aim for around 30–40 images from different artists and styles. These could be illustrations, animation frames, paintings, or even small details you find appealing — like how someone shades skin, paints light, or stylizes anatomy.

You can save your collection on Pinterest, in a desktop folder, or even as a collage in your sketchbook. What matters most is that these images reflect your personal taste, not what you think you should like.

For example, I personally love artists like Guwiz, Marc Brunet, Yuumie, Maciej Kuciara, and WLOP — each has a distinct approach to lighting, storytelling, and color that really inspires me. Building your reference folder with artists you genuinely admire helps reveal what kind of mood, technique, and atmosphere resonate most with you.

Tip: Include both digital and traditional art. The wider your mix, the easier it becomes to notice patterns in what truly inspires your own creative direction.

Step 2: Analyze and Filter What You Love

Now that you’ve collected a folder of inspiration, it’s time to analyze it. For each piece, ask yourself what exactly do I like about this?

Write your answers down, maybe it’s the soft lighting, the simplified anatomy, or the expressive linework. Be specific.

Then comes the crucial part: decide if you admire it or if you envy it.

• If it’s admiration, it means you enjoy looking at it, but don’t feel the need to replicate it in your own work.
• If it’s envy, that’s your cue — it’s something you want in your art style.
  

Remove everything you only admire and keep the ones that make you think, “I wish I could draw like that.”

This process gives you a Skill Envy List, a clear map of the traits you want to incorporate into your own art.

Step 3: Build Your Style Through Practice

Once you know what elements you want in your art, the next step is to build a plan to get there.

Go through your Skill Envy List and sort each item into difficulty levels — easy, medium, or hard.

For each one, ask yourself:

• Do I already have the technical skills to do this?
• If not, what fundamental skill do I need to study first, anatomy, perspective, lighting, or color theory?
  

Great art styles come from a deep understanding of fundamentals. Every stylistic choice, from exaggerated proportions to bold color palettes, starts as a conscious tweak to reality.

Start practicing the easier traits first, then gradually tackle the harder ones. Over time, as you combine influences from many artists and add your own touches, your personal style will emerge naturally.

Remember, style is a process, not a moment. Every sketch, every experiment, and every “happy accident” contributes to the unique visual language you’re building.

Final Thoughts

Finding your art style isn’t about copying, it’s about curating your influences and turning them into something new. By studying what inspires you, identifying what you truly envy, and practicing those elements intentionally, your art will evolve faster than you think.

Keep exploring, refining, and creating, and soon, your audience will recognize your work before they even see your name.