A style of your own
Still searching for a painting style to call your own? Mike Barr thinks you might already have one, it’s just a case of recognising it
Still searching for a painting style to call your own? Mike Barr thinks you might already have one, it’s just a case of recognising it
I’ve heard many artists say that they are trying to find a style, particularly those who are new to painting. Also, many people who have been painting for a while think they don’t have a style yet. The thing is, they probably already do have a style – they just need to recognise it. Artists sometimes say they need to find a style when what they mean is they want to paint like someone else and are looking around to see who they might emulate. Eventually though, even though we might take on someone else’s style we nearly always revert back to what we do naturally. Unfortunately, some artists actually do become clones of other artists, both in style and content, and are never quite true to themselves.
Workshops
An often-repeated comment is ‘I would love to paint like you’ and some attend workshops of artists they like in the hope that this might come true. The fact is, if tutor artists thought that their students would end up painting like them, workshops would quickly become a thing of the past!
It’s true that during a workshop, students will come up with paintings that resemble the style of the tutor, but generally it ends there and, once they are at home, they find they paint like they always did.
The point of workshops is not to change your style, but to get better at your own style. One of two things picked up in the workshop or demonstration and put into practice at home, will make the experience invaluable. Painting style is as personal as handwriting – we are all taught how to write but we all do it differently. We all know how to walk but every single person has their own unique way of doing it – the same goes with painting, so learn to recognise your own style, embrace it and love it: it’s you!
A run through a mixed painting exhibition will show how each artist is different in their own way. This is because each of them has their own style. Some artists I know have changed from the traditional to a more contemporary way, but their underlying style is still there, it’s quite unavoidable. Over time our style will develop and grow as we improve our painting skills, but this will come naturally and not as a result of wishing to change. It just happens. Enjoy the journey!