Cultivating a unique illustration style is a topic I’ve always been obsessed with. So much so, that I even wrote an ebook about it. Side note - if you subscribe to my mailing list, you get a free copy. I believe that having a unique illustration style is the only thing that separates good artists from great artists. Sometimes the idea of creating work that’s never been seen before can feel so daunting, but it’s really not. There are simple things you can do that will make all the difference.

Why is it that some artists work looks so much like them, while other artists consistently make art that looks generic? Don’t get me wrong, the art is great, but it looks like something anyone could have done. I think a lot of factors are at play here, but there is one thing you can do to immediately take your work to the next level. It will make you look like a pro in seconds. Ready for it? Drumroll………it’s COLOR!

The one thing I noticed about all my favorite artists is that they have a very distinct and limited color palette. In fact, it’s so distinct that it might seem limiting to many artists. And this is the key! When we are limited, the magic happens. I have seen such improvement in my work since I started limiting my color palette. And guess what?! It actually makes things a lot easier. You don’t have to mix as much paint, or purchase as many shades. You also spend less time debating what color something should be.

So how do you go about finding your color palette?

First, you need figure out what shades you like. Consider all the main colors in the color wheel - red, blue, green, orange, etc. Now think about what shades of these colors you like best. For red - do you prefer a shade like maroon, or something more like scarlett? Or maybe you don’t like red at all. If you simply don’t like a color, just decide never to use it in your work. You won’t ever catch me using purple in my work, and that’s something I accept wholeheartedly. This exercise works best if you use paint swatches from the hardware stores or actually illustrate little swatches of the colors you like.

Next, you need to select your shades. Look at all the shades you like of all the colors and select six shades total that actually look nice together. Imagine you are choosing six colors to use in a pattern, and they must look awesome. I would also suggest choosing a light and a dark neutral. The obvious options are white and black but, as we all know, there are many shades of white. Maybe for you, your neutrals are actually ivory and dark brown.

Now, it’s time to commit to a palette. Now that you have your color palette - 6 colors, 1 dark neutral, and 1 light neutral, go shopping. Yay!! Make sure you purchase any shades that are missing from your arsenal. Now try using only these shades for 30 days. I know this can sound scary, but I promise you will find it very freeing! The beauty is, you can mix your light and dark neutrals with any shade to create light or dark versions of your colors. This actually expands your palette significantly.

After 30 days, reassess your color palette. See where you felt limited. Maybe you have too many colors. Or you really missed a shade. Your color palette will be an ever evolving process. Just try not to keep adding shades, and do more swapping out. The max number of shades you have will vary for everyone, but I think that eight is my top number.

I’ve included some work below by some of my favorite artists who do color especially well. Hopefully browsing through their work will give you some great inspiration!