{"id":740,"date":"2009-05-28T21:42:17","date_gmt":"2009-05-28T21:42:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hip97.com\/wp\/?p=740"},"modified":"2012-10-31T23:23:19","modified_gmt":"2012-10-31T15:23:19","slug":"good-to-know-issue-2-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/2009\/05\/28\/good-to-know-issue-2-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Good to Know: issue #2"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><img src=\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/1364.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.e-junkie.com\/ecom\/gb.php?i=259767&#038;c=cart&#038;cl=68716\" onClick=\"javascript:ejw=window.open(this.href,'paypal','width=850,height=600,toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,menubar=no,status=1,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes');ejw.focus();this.blur();return false;\" target=\"paypal\"><img src=\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/1366.jpg\" border=\"0\"  alt=\"Add to Cart\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/cgi-bin\/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&#38;hosted_button_id=5774153\"><img src=\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/1367.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img src=\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/1361.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p><b><em>Please note that the answers submitted by participants are only for the purpose of the Good to Know project and should not be reproduced in any other format or publication (individual blog posts with a link back to this page are most welcome!)<\/em><\/b><\/p>\n<p><img src=\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/1361.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I think a personal style has developed when you are confident creating (without pressure) after seeing way super incredible works by other artists \ud83d\ude1b<br \/>\nProbably because you are more confident from all the experiences you\u2019ve accumulated \u2013 learning what sparks your creativity, what color palette you love to use for what specific occasion, what tools you enjoy and what tools you don\u2019t. All these personal lessons play a big part in crafting your individual style. I find that it is important to know what style you have, in order to communicate your ideas and work to people. And hopefully your style changes and evolves to more exciting levels whenever it is time to learn something new \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n<p>Xin<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.doinkydoodles.com\">www.doinkydoodles.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>When does one know that a personal style has developed?<br \/>\nI think that it\u2019s kind of a retrospective thing combined with a comfort thing. When I feel comfortable with the work I\u2019m doing I feel like I\u2019m \u2018in\u2019 my personal style. I can usually sense a familiarity or a link with work I\u2019ve done in the past. Looking at the work of others, as often as possible, really helps too &#8211; knowing what I like and feel connected with helps me to identify more closely with my own style.<\/p>\n<p>And is it important to know what exactly that style is?<br \/>\nI like to let myself have room for development and change and hope that my subconscious knows what I am up to! I have a few different \u2018types\u2019 of work that I like to make and I sometimes wonder if this jeopardises my \u2018style\u2019 but figure it\u2019s still me making it &#8211; and trying new things is good! If I deviate too far from my comfort zone though I usually don\u2019t like the work and don\u2019t take it any further. So I guess having a strong sense of my own style is very important.<\/p>\n<p>Belinda Kemp<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/gretchenmist.etsy.com\">gretchenmist.etsy.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I suppose a succinct way to tell if you\u2019ve developed a personal style, is when people recognize your work as <span class=\"caps\">YOURS<\/span> [without looking @ the signature;)] right off the bat.<br \/>\ni think i got \u201cthere\u201d sometime in high school, and have been refining mine ever since.<\/p>\n<p>Brian Patenaude<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/blognaude.blogspot.com\/\">blognaude.blogspot.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I didn\u2019t know I had a real style until a children\u2019s book editor pointed it out to me. And the only reason he brought it up was he thought a couple of my illustrations with people in them weren\u2019t \u201cme\u201d. I thought a lot about it, in fact it stopped me drawing for about a month&#8230; then! I believe I saw what he saw. I think, as well since working more full time on my work, my style has become stronger. I don\u2019t think you should be limited and not having the possibility to grow, and you will always develop and change, maybe ever so slightly, but I think you should be aware of how you create, careful not to ape someone else\u2019s style. I like to hear from people that they knew I drew \/ painted a piece before they saw my name these days.<\/p>\n<p>Emma Kidd<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.benconservato.com\">www.benconservato.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Over time you start to see your style really come into play. You will see similarities and themes that always show up in your work, if you\u2019re consistently creating. I think for me, I knew my personal style when I felt comfortable and confident in my artwork. It\u2019s funny because I have a different style depending on the medium I work with. But knowing your style is a benefit because you should use it towards your advantage. When you\u2019re forced to use a different style that isn\u2019t your own, I think you\u2019re denying your natural talent and instincts. <\/p>\n<p>Cathie Urushibata<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.cathieu.com\/\">http:\/\/www.cathieu.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s extremely hard to determine exactly when my personal style developed. It could have happened as a child when my line drawings started evolving; I was always sketching with a continuous, unbroken line. I think this has continued in my adult life but matured and with that become more refined.<\/p>\n<p>I have always painted too and I would say my paintings have been my recognizable style over the past 15 years.<br \/>\nI think when clients started hiring me for jobs based on these paintings I realized that I had a \u201cstyle\u201d. The purpose of having a personal style is that art directors can rely on and hire you for a job knowing what they\u2019re going to get. It\u2019s more a commercial construct than anything else to me.<br \/>\nI don\u2019t think this has to mean that you only have one style by which you work. It\u2019s possible to have a couple of styles but important to keep these consistent and strong.<br \/>\nIt\u2019s also important to know that your style will develop and change over the years and that\u2019s one of the most fascinating parts of being an illustrator for me. It keeps you learning and discovering the breadth of possibilities. One\u2019s medium and techniques may change and with that whole new avenues open up.<\/p>\n<p>Claudia Pearson<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.claudiapearson.com\">www.claudiapearson.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>From my point of view, a personal style is the expression of your vision.  It is also the expression of your personal taste, of your personal choices.<\/p>\n<p>Your personal style would be developed over time and certainly visible in your work from time to time and would become bolder. It develops, expands and becomes more unique as you continue making your vision a reality. Every time you create a new piece, you will be one step away towards achieving your personal style. However, one has to work as hard as you can at developing your style. After years of paint, sculpting, building, designing, or whatever you try to achieve, your styles will \u2018become\u2019 you.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever style you develop, I think it\u2019s more important for the artist to have strong connection with his\/her medium because that\u2019s how you \u2018talk\u2019 to your audience. Some galleries would prefer artists with a distinctive style which would suit their gallery concept or their art market and eventually some artist has to change their style in order to be able to fit in. However, an artist can allow themselves to be more flexible but not so much in losing their own personal touch. To claim or put your work in a specific style\/period is very rigid. It is not always the style but one should also look into the quality and emotional impact of the work that makes it marketable.<\/p>\n<p>D.U.R.A aka i.itch.illustrations<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/iitchillustrations.etsy.com\">iitchillustrations.etsy.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>My personal style changes over the years, and to speak for me &#8211; looking back to 10 or more years my style and the influence of the ancient fashion\/design\/graphic design\/music&#8230; became evident.<br \/>\nBeing in the centre of a designing process, I often try different things &#8211; with disappointing results: they just don\u00b4t feel right, but suddenly things start linking together &#8211; like a puzzle &#8211; and then I know <span class=\"caps\">THIS<\/span> is my way!<br \/>\nI was always very self-critical, because I couldn\u00b4t recognise <span class=\"caps\">THE<\/span> certain personal style, like other artists have. It took a good piece of experience to learn that you have to work for this certain style <span class=\"caps\">AND<\/span> of course this style should change, should grow with you!<br \/>\nYears ago I was totally fond of the vector-based illustrations and for years I nearly never touched a pencil &#8211; then I saw so many georgeous hand drawn illustrations I was sooo eager to draw again &#8211; like I did before, ever since I can remember. Same person, totally different styles.<\/p>\n<p>Dolores Wally<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/achtungkinder.blogspot.com\">achtungkinder.blogspot.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I think personal style should not be pushed and is natural to the way you work.<\/p>\n<p>Elizabeth Graeber<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.elizabethgraeber.com\">www.elizabethgraeber.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Personal style is something I think develops with practise and time.  For me style is something that links to my interests, my work is very much based on the things I collect.  I don\u2019t think it is important to have one set style .  I like to work in a range of different styles to keep my work varied.<\/p>\n<p>memo<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hellomemo.com\">www.hellomemo.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I think I realised that I had a personal style when people after seeing what work I did would say \u201coh I saw your work last weekend in a gallery in Taupo!\u201d <\/p>\n<p>If you are doing a degree in the visual arts then it is probably a critical thing to know what style you work in, the historical background of that style,<br \/>\nwho else works within it, the elements of the style etc&#8230;  <\/p>\n<p>But for me I know what I do and I know specific elements of my style that make it me, and who would usually like it. I know where it fits in the world.  But I haven\u2019t really delved into where it has all come from. <\/p>\n<p>Katherine Quinn<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.sleepandhersisters.etsy.com\">www.sleepandhersisters.etsy.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>There\u2019s a lot of talk about personal style in the illustration world, and particularly in art school.  I think this leads to the misconception that it\u2019s something an artist needs to strive for.  I believe quite the opposite: personal style is something quite elusive, something that perhaps you can\u2019t see in your own work but others can, that as soon as you start trying for it, slips away.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t think you know when a personal style has developed: I think other people see it first.  For years I felt I had lots of different things going on in my work.  I work in many different media, in black and white and colour, and I felt like it looked like the work of many different people.  But my friends and tutors told me otherwise: they saw a strong unifying thread that made it all \u2018very Katie\u2019.  Now I see it myself too.  It\u2019s the thing that, when you look at a piece of artwork, lets you recognise instantly who did it.  From the viewer\u2019s perspective it\u2019s a sensitivity of line, a colour palette, a method of drawing faces, or a use of texture that is unique to that person.  For the artist it is not necessarily a decision, but just how something comes out when they draw it.  I have a way of drawing vegetables that would be considered my style, but from my perspective I just couldn\u2019t draw broccoli any other way!<\/p>\n<p>Personal style is influenced by many things, including but not limited to the artists who have inspired you, but also the peculiar and unique way in which your brain communicates with your hand.  I don\u2019t think its important to know what your style is, because I think this can lead to trying too hard, or rejecting your work on the basis that doesn\u2019t fit in with \u2018your style\u2019, when in fact it might do and you just can\u2019t see it yourself.  I also think that if personal style is conscious it can sometimes become a box and a comfort zone that prevents artists from experimenting and moving forward, and that\u2019s never good!  I think you have to stay open to your style evolving over time and trust that connection between your brain and hand to still produce something that\u2019s recognisably yours.  I believe it always does.<\/p>\n<p>Katie Green <br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.katiegreen.co.uk\">www.katiegreen.co.uk<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>The route to my personal style was through lots and lots of drawing. My own style developed once I accepted and embraced the way that I naturally draw, without editing my self, or being self conscious, and things really fell into place once I discovered my favourite brand of drawing pen which enables an extremely fine line. I do think that it is helpful to be able to articulate what your style is both for yourself and other people, but it is important to allow your style to develop and change, with your interests, inspirations and abilities.<\/p>\n<p>Kerry Lemon<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kerrylemon.co.uk\">http:\/\/www.kerrylemon.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Isn\u2019t this the question every budding artist wants to know? Style to me is a combination of interests, influences, and you yourself dealing with your strengths and weaknesses as an artist. It\u2019s like a soup with many ingredients that evolves into something complex and delicious. However, just like a soup you have to let it simmer &#8211; if you just threw stuff in a pot and ate it after 5 minutes, it probably wouldn\u2019t taste very good. So developing your style might take a while. I think one can always identify certain traits in their art that fit under a style umbrella so to speak. As for knowing, I think it\u2019s important to know what potential your work has, but I\u2019m a fan of not labeling things to death. For instance, my work obviously attracts a lot of children projects, but I have plenty of adult and alternative clients. If I strictly told myself \u201cI am a colorful children\u2019s illustrator and all I do is colorful children\u2019s illustration\u201d, I probably would have missed out on a lot of opportunities. Plus, if you\u2019re constantly trying to define yourself, you might be hesitant to experiment and try to new things in the future.<\/p>\n<p>Lauren Minco<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.laurenminco.com\">www.laurenminco.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>When you feel comfortable with what you are doing you have probably found a style that suits you <span class=\"caps\">BUT<\/span> one should always push past the comfort zone in order to develop and grow their own style.<\/p>\n<p>Paula Mills<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lovelysweetwilliam.etsy.com\">www.lovelysweetwilliam.etsy.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I can only speak from experience on this one, but my personal style came late. I always knew I loved art, but didn\u2019t have a personal style until I was 23 years old. It came from what was going on in my life at that time. My sisters had all had kids, and everything around me was cute and sweet. It really influenced my art and what I enjoyed working on. As their kids grew up, I found that my personal style did not. I was still working on things that were cute and juvenile. I finally realized when my surrounding changed, and my art didn\u2019t that I had found my personal style. I loved what I was creating and how it made me and others feel. I had finally found my niche. It was truly a disappointment for it to come so late, but better late than never. I also think that sometimes it is important, especially if you are going to make a career out of it, to know exactly what that personal style is. For instance, in bios and questions people ask you. You need to be able to talk about your art. What it means to you. How it came about. How you like it to make people feel when they have it up on their wall and see it each day. On the other hand, I still believe that all artist should have the right to do what-ever they want. Even if it doesn\u2019t fall into the general style they usually fall under. Don\u2019t let that personal style trap you into doing the same old things all the time. Apply it in different ways to things. I made my illustration of a octopus transfer over to a softie doll octopus.<\/p>\n<p>Shawna Stobaugh<br \/>\nNonna Illustration &#38; Design<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/pikaland.com\/staging\/www.shawnanonna.etsy.com\">www.shawnanonna.etsy.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I teach illustration at Washington University in St. Louis in the College of Art. The question about personal style is one my students ask me about constantly&#8230;.how will I know when I have one&#8230;.how can I get one&#8230;..I am looking at other illustrators for inspiration is that okay? Here is my general answer.<\/p>\n<p>Every illustrator looks to other illustrator\u2019s work for inspiration, we each have our own illustration heroes. When an illustrator starts out, the influence of their heroes is sometimes evident in their artwork. But we all have to start somewhere and emulating someone else\u2019s work to some degree is inevitable.<\/p>\n<p>But as your develop your artwork by practice, practice, practice&#8230; I cannot emphasis this enough&#8230; those influences begins to drop by the wayside and your own sense of design and drawing become more apparent. I tell my students to look at the development of your artwork as a journey, one that develops over the course of your lifetime, you will change your style over and over but if you are being true to how you make art there will connecting threads through everything you do&#8230; for me the use of color,  multiple pattern,  a sense of whimsy, decorative detail and shape based drawing is always there no matter how I make my artwork or what media I make it in. I have gone through lots of changes in the media I use, watercolor and ink, acrylics,three dimensional collage using fabrics, embroidery and found objects and cut paper. And no matter how I make my art, the above threads are always there.<\/p>\n<p>I also tell them that the artwork they make should come naturally to them, if you are drawing or making art in a way you feel that you are always struggling to make it work, that could be a sign that you are on the wrong path. Your artwork should feel like it flows from you and brings you joy.<br \/>\nFor me that meant giving up on the idea I could draw with a sense of perspective (could never understand it) or that I could create artwork that was highly rendered or used techniques of light and dark like pencil shading, crosshatch or scratchboard. Some of my heroes needed to just be heroes, I had to admire their work but to try to emulate them was useless. To this day I am always trying to make my images be very graphic and simple. But this never works because when I look at my artwork  it does not look right to me and so I go in and add details and busyness.<\/p>\n<p>So what I say to students is to not worry about personal style, it will develop if you just concentrate on making art, taking risks, trying new media or ways to make your art, be willing to have small and big failures in what you make, and then be able to jump back on track and continue creating.<\/p>\n<p>Linda Solovic<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.lindasolovic.com\">www.lindasolovic.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>A personal style has developed when it talks about you, without you being there. When people recognize your work, your illustrations, even if your signature is not there. Thus, style is to achieve your own language to say things, to express your ideas. Style is what you want the other to take from whatever you create.<\/p>\n<p>Mar\u00eda Paula Dufour<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.mariapauladufour.com\">www.mariapauladufour.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I admire artists who seem to have found their personal style. Partly because I often like what they do and want more, more, more and partly because I am neurotic and like everything to be consistent. I admire those the most who have a personal style, but are still able to experiment and have fun within it.<\/p>\n<p>I realize that as I am writing this, I am kind of assuming that personal style is a \u2018choice\u2019. For me, personally, I have never been able to stick to one way of drawing, simply because I am often not completely satisfied with my own work (this is an understatement) and I find it terribly limiting to not move outside of that box. On the other hand, this causes me to feel like my art goes through so many tantrums, it lacks consistency and will never reach \u2018adulthood\u2019.<\/p>\n<p>Writing all of this down, I now understand that perhaps I have been thinking about style in terms that are too much about choice, and not enough about expression. As I said, I feel my work has no consistency, yet I often get e-mails from people who say they love my style, that although my work is often different, you can still recognize my \u2018style\u2019. I find this flabbergasting when I think of my own work, but indeed, what I admire about other people\u2019s work is the way they use line, form, shape, color. The whimsy \u2018signature move\u2019 their pencil makes. Perhaps style is about successfully expressing your own character through your work. This is not about technique. It\u2019s about the way you see things and translate them into visual art.\t<\/p>\n<p>Is it truly possible then, to know when you have found your personal style? Perhaps not, for when I look at myself, expression through art is often an unconscious thing. But, on the other hand, if personal style is about expression of your own character, perhaps it becomes obvious through the smoothness of your artistic process. In a way, I think perhaps studying art history has put a tremendous burden on me, knowing how difficult it is to be truly original. It makes it hard to look at my own work without seeing a million references to the great artists I read about.<\/p>\n<p>Is it important to know what your personal style is? Well, I can\u2019t speak from experience, since I do not feel like I am there yet, but I have been able to experiment more and more when I realized bright colors and bold lines are \u2018my thing\u2019. This has led me to try out other methods of drawing and coloring illustrations, that I might not have tried if I didn\u2019t try to reflect on my own work. On the other hand, it might feel very limiting to some people when they realize that they follow a certain pattern. Especially when the pattern is a popular one, it might feel like you have to live up to certain expectations.<\/p>\n<p>Anna Denise van der Reijden (<span class=\"caps\">AKA<\/span> AnnaDenise)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.annadenise.nl\">www.annadenise.nl<\/a> <\/p>\n<p>I feel you have arrived at a personal style when people recognize your art, drawings, illustratons with knowing it is yours. This is important to show that you have found your \u201cvoice\u201d as an artist.<\/p>\n<p>Missy Kulik<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.missykulik.com\">www.missykulik.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I wasn\u2019t sure I had a personal style until people started commenting on it, saying that they could recognize my style anywhere. I think for artists, we\u2019re sometimes too close to our own work to know what our style is. Receiving feedback about your style or asking for some feedback can help you figure out what your style is if you\u2019re having trouble seeing it yourself.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t think it\u2019s essential to know exactly what your style is. Artists need to feel the flexibility to grow and change. And I think if you stay true to your muse, your style will always shine through.<\/p>\n<p>Leah Piken Kolidas<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.CreativeEveryDay.com\">www.CreativeEveryDay.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>One knows when personal style is developed when one no longer feels the need to copy.<br \/>\nStyle is all about originality and feeling like the style fits the person.<\/p>\n<p>Patricia<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.pvedesign.com\">www.pvedesign.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Personal style? I don\u2019t know if I actually have a personal style, per se. But I believe as an illustrator it is important to have versatility in order to ensure a broader variety of projects. Projects means being able to pay yourself. Which is jolly nice. <\/p>\n<p>People can (and do) succeed with one method of working. But I personally enjoy the challenge of making work to suit the brief, even if it means trying something new. <\/p>\n<p>Kellie (Miss Pearl Grey)<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.misspearlgrey.com\">www.misspearlgrey.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I\u2019ve been asking myself what my style is for years.  I still cannot put it into words, and I do not even know if I have one.  I mean, I think I do, but it\u2019s difficult to recognize and verbalize, because style is about doing things that are natural to you.  I have a linear style that uses crisp graphic lines, and a more gentle and soft style that I use when I draw with pencils.  Through the medium, I have found creative balance.  I do know however, what mediums I like to use and why, what subject matters I\u2019m drawn to and why, and the process of combining these is my style.  As I change, my style will change.  This is  the excitement involved  in being an artist!  I don\u2019t know what my future holds for my style, but I\u2019m committed to exploring and discovering it.<\/p>\n<p>Racheal Anilyse<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/rachealanilyse.com\">http:\/\/rachealanilyse.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I think, it should be natural&#8230; as soon as a creative person wants to stop developing their own style, as soon as the creative person feels saticfied. As I saw in my life, real creative people don\u2019t stop developing. Ever. Sometimes there are people who like to experiment with extremly different styles, and sometimes there are people who change their style within their own limits. The most important thing is that style is a direct reflection of the personality of the artist&#8230; so this personality will choose the style itself. Of course, there is also a place for some rational decisions, like choosing a certain style because of its commercial success, for example. And I\u2019m sure there are a lot of examples in the history of visual arts. But usually it doesn\u2019t influence the progress of visual culture. In my opinion, only a very personal, honest and talented view on things could bring something totally new in the visual world. It\u2019s not important to know about the style, but it\u2019s important to feel your own development&#8230; your own satisfaction with your works, your style, your world.<\/p>\n<p>Daria Rychkowa\/rdw<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/robordw\/\">www.flickr.com\/photos\/robordw\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>I believe an artist\u2019s individual approach or style evolves and is inherent when they feel they are making work that reflects their passions. I made artistic discoveries half way through graduate school when I realized my paintings could combine a variety of my interests and strengths.  For instance, I enjoyed making my paints by hand, painting realistically and\/or abstractly and incorporate drawing, text, and writing all within one piece.  <\/p>\n<p>I think it can be important to know your \u201cstyle\u201d if it provides inspiration or impetus for creating a body of work or gives the artist a feeling of ownership.  Yet, if an artist feels they haven\u2019t found their style, it can be quite frustrating.  At which point I say continue to explore, play, and experiment and you will find what you are meant to do.<\/p>\n<p>Heather Smith Jones<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.hrsmithjones.etsy.com\">www.hrsmithjones.etsy.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p>When an artist works primarily in a certain genre (mine being figurative, often with a narrative slant) as opposed to say working in an abstraction style then he\/she has a &#8220;style&#8221;.  Personally, I like to see artists whose works I admire, branch out and experiment in a different vein.  Most often I find it&#8217;s their message and personal interpretations of a subject which drew me to their images in the first instance.  A not so obvious thread of connection is there and the works will resonate in any medium.<\/p>\n<p>I often find myself reaching for the same color palette and though I may apply the paint in a different manner or technique, my works have a familiarity to them.  Figures have similar features as if they could be related to one another, although the occasional oddball will appear.  <\/p>\n<p>As artists are continually inspired and experimenting, many do not follow an &#8220;exact&#8221; style.  But, like a signature, one&#8217;s imprint will show through. <\/p>\n<p>Kat Hannah&#8221;:http:\/\/kathannah.etsy.com<\/p>\n<p>Personal style, to me, has to do with comfort level and ease. It is when you stop trying to be like the artists that inspire you and you start giving validity to your own work. I work very intuitively so my style is different for each medium I am interacting with. I love the high contrast and flow of black ink on paper; I would consider my style as \u201cdoodle\u201d or \u201cwhimsical\u201d although my stipple takes on a more serious illustrative edge. My ink work is clean lined and inspired by organic shapes, spirals and henna. I can go from open and airy to incredibly detailed. My paintings are more abstract, unless I get into specific themes; color is driven by emotion.<\/p>\n<p>I think it is important to know what your style is because it is a part of what defines you, like knowing what kind of food you like or what kind of clothing you feel comfortable in. Each piece of art contains all of your experience, all of your thought, all of your longing.<\/p>\n<p>Ana Maria Seaton, Renmeleon<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.renmeleon.com\">http:\/\/www.renmeleon.com<\/a><\/p>\n<p><img src=\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/1361.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.e-junkie.com\/ecom\/gb.php?i=259767&#038;c=cart&#038;cl=68716\" onClick=\"javascript:ejw=window.open(this.href,'paypal','width=850,height=600,toolbar=no,location=no,directories=no,menubar=no,status=1,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes');ejw.focus();this.blur();return false;\" target=\"paypal\"><img src=\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/1366.jpg\" border=\"0\"  alt=\"Add to Cart\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"https:\/\/www.paypal.com\/cgi-bin\/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&#38;hosted_button_id=5774153\"><img src=\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/1367.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><img src=\"http:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/05\/1361.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p>++ See also: <a href=\"http:\/\/pikaland.com\/staging\/2009\/04\/14\/good-to-know-issue-1\"><strong><span class=\"caps\">ISSUE<\/span> #1: Overcoming stumbling blocks to creativity<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p> &#8230; <a title=\"Good to Know: issue #2\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/2009\/05\/28\/good-to-know-issue-2-2\/\" aria-label=\"More on Good to Know: issue #2\">Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":37167,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_generate-full-width-content":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/740"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=740"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/740\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29221,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/740\/revisions\/29221"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37167"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=740"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=740"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=740"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}