Study a large collection of art from one specific artist to understand the similarities between each of their pieces. Look to see if the artist has a social media site where they upload videos or posts about their work or methods.
For example, if you find another artist’s nature drawings that you admire and want to create your own nature drawings, use the artist’s work as a guide and practice drawing mountains, trees, or bodies of water similar to their work. Draw inspiration, but do not try to copy other artists. [5] X Expert Source Kathy LeaderArtist Expert Interview. 13 February 2022.
Feel free to try out different types of art until you find one you love. For example, you can explore painting by studying color theory, creating work in black and white vs. in full color, and trying a wide range of subject matter such as still lives, the human form, and abstraction.
If you’re into drawing, practice drawing anatomy and still lifes. If you want to develop your own style of pottery, begin by making a simple bowl or vase. Try new materials, subject matter, colors, compositions. Experiment as much as possible![8] X Expert Source Kathy LeaderArtist Expert Interview. 13 February 2022.
For example, create sculptures out of clay, wire, metal, paper mache, and any other material you find. Practice drawing using a single stroke without taking your pencil off the page, and then practice using small, tight strokes. Paint on super tiny canvases as well as canvases stretching 3–4 feet (36–48 in).
For example, if you show your illustrations to someone and they say they’re a bit 2-dimensional, work on making your art more 3-dimensional. Ask the person questions like, “What does this piece of art remind you of?” or “Which elements of this artwork are working and which do you think need improvement?”
For example, if you love the ocean and are passionate about marine life, study the shapes and colors of the waves and mimic this movement in your artwork.
For example, maybe all of your work tends to stay in the same color scheme, or you use very fluid brush strokes as opposed to straight, rigid ones. Perhaps you find yourself wanting to only draw realistic urban cityscapes or mostly create sculptures representing an issue in the environment.
For example, if you’ve noticed that you create prints consisting of lots of simple shapes, try arranging the simple shapes in a pattern or obscuring them in some way.
Try to put aside 30 minutes to an hour each day to create art, whether it’s sketching right before bedtime or practicing mixing certain paint colors.
For example, if you’ve developed a style of painting that mostly only uses bold colors, don’t be afraid to incorporate small amounts of black and white into your artwork to see how it looks.
