In this article, I’m not going to cover the ins and outs of artist copyright, and why it’s not okay to trace or directly copy someone’s work without attribution. I dealt with a situation like this recently, but I don’t think it’s the norm. I think most of you know what’s considered right and wrong in that department :) Also, let’s be honest - that topic is a bit of a buzz kill.

What I do want to talk about is how to be inspired by other artists without having your art unintentionally look like something they made. Also, how do you keep those jealous, icky feelings at bay when you’re staring into the judging eyes of a masterpiece someone else made? I think these issues are the toughest part of being an artist. While I don’t have all the answers on this topic, I’ve come a long way in my journey and I want to share what I’ve learned with you all.

I’ve realized that, in the beginning especially, it’s okay to copy someone else’s style. It’s not just okay, but necessary. You probably won’t be able to help it. Obviously, you can’t copy their exact work, but you will definitely make a lot of work that looks like someone else. In this stage, it’s nice to share with others how inspired you are by that person’s work. If you want to go the extra mile, send them a thank you message for inspiring you. You’ll make their day.

The important thing in this stage is to not beat yourself up, and to expect it to happen. I’ve learned to view my art as a science experiment, and this has been the healthiest way to look at it. I’m seeking the perfect combination of ingredients that will make the most beautiful art I’m capable of. My art says nothing about me as a person, and I refuse to let it impact my self image.

I remember when I first got back into illustration, I was so inspired by Anna Bond’s work (from Rifle Paper Co). Who isn’t, right? I would get comments that my early prints looked like hers. It was frustrating, because I was desperately trying to create my own style and didn’t know how. Her work was everywhere around me, and I couldn’t escape it. If this is where you’re at right now, that’s okay. Embrace it.

The key is not to linger in that space of mimicking too long. You don’t want to get stuck there. The first step is to infuse many different artists into your work, and not just one. If you find yourself looking at one person’s art too much, move on to someone else. Try picturing two of your favorite artists making a painting together. What would it look like? Then, picture three. Then four, and on and on. The more styles you combine, the more your work will start to look like “you.” Also, try mixing up your medium, color palette, and subject matter to be different than the artists you love. Obviously, you’ll need to make a lot of art to do this. That is crucial. Get as many bad paintings out of your system as you can, and the good will start to emerge.

My next tip is to pull inspiration from everywhere. Not just artists, but musicians, stores, fashion designers, anything you love. If I hear a song I really like, I think, “What would this song look like as a painting?” Or maybe I travel to a city I love, and I think, “How can I paint something that captures the essence of this place?” The more obscure your sources of inspiration are, the more unique your work will start to look. It will be easier to capture these strange sources of inspiration the more you refine your technique, so give yourself time to get to this stage.

Once you get to a certain level, you’ll need to start protecting your well of inspiration and build a little brick wall. This is the stage I’m at right now, and I never knew it was coming. At some point, other artist’s work will become a distraction and you’ll need to put blinders on. You just don’t need it like you once did. I’m confident enough in my style at this point, that I don’t want anyone else’s work to change the trajectory of my work. So I’ve made a rule - don’t look at other artist’s work too much, especially right before I paint.

When you get to this stage, you need to recognize whose art you love a little too much. These are probably the people who give you feelings of jealousy. It’s not their fault, they are just that darn good. There are several artists I’ve had to unfollow on Instagram, just because I know they will influence me too much. I don’t need the feelings of inadequacy their work can bring either. It’s hard enough to make art on a good day, and I can’t afford to have it cut into my productivity. I’m sure these people aren’t offended, because they get it. If my work brings about feelings of inadequacy in you, first off - I’m flattered. Second, please unfollow me on social media. I want you to make your best work, and that is way more important than me losing a follower. Not all artists will make you feel this way, but you need to pinpoint the ones who do.

Presently, I try to pull inspiration from anything that isn’t art, just to keep myself on track with cultivating my own style. The only art I really use for inspiration is vintage art. In my opinion, the artists who have come before us are the perfect teachers. By learning from them, we are carrying on their legacy in a way - as long as we give them credit for inspiring us. Also, if I “recreate” one of their pieces, I always give attribution. Below is an example of a work I recreated by Roger Duvoisin last year.

My favorite thing about using past artists as inspiration is that no matter how much their work effects us, we are living in a different time with different resources. That’s usually enough of a separation to keep the work from being too similar - especially the further back you go.

So that’s where I’m at with this topic. I know we’re all in different stages, so the important thing is to accept where you’re at in your unique journey and follow your intuition. I don’t know what changed as I moved through each of these stages. It was mainly just a feeling that I was suddenly in a different place than I used to be.

If you want to learn more about how to create your own unique illustration style, you can check out my ebook here.