This is one of my favorite topics, and I haven’t talked about it in a long time. I’ve been illustrating regularly since 2015, so I’ve had time to observe how my personal style has evolved. By sharing my journey and what has worked for me, I hope to help you uncover your own aesthetic in your work.

Just to give you an idea of how my art has changed over the years, I’ve added photos below of pieces from every year I’ve been illustrating. In order to better see how my style has evolved, I’ve pulled pieces that are similar in subject matter.

2015

When I look at this piece, I’m reminded of how fragile I was in the beginning. I had just started freelance graphic designing full-time I hadn’t illustrated anything for 10 years. I was TERRIFIED of the blank page. I only used colored pencils and pens, because that’s what I was comfortable with. I was desperate to find my own style, but didn’t know where to start. I announced on Instagram that I would be sharing a drawing per day, and that was the only thing that kept me going. I didn’t want to let anyone down.

2016

At this point, I was elated I’d kept the commitment to myself to make art. Honestly, I didn’t think I had it in me. Freelancing full-time was a game changer, because I had more energy and control over my schedule. I saw how much happier I was because of my art. I still didn’t know what my personal aesthetic was, but I had the drive to keep going. Here, I started getting really into Sharpies and metallic pens.

2017

This was a pretty experimental year. I was much more confident, so I wasn’t as afraid to try new techniques. As far as aesthetic and subject matter go, I was all over the place. I was still dabbling in colored pencils, but also Sharpies and pens.

2018

This was the most pivotal year in my illustration journey. I noticed a lot of illustrators I admired used gouache, so I gave it a try. It was a slam dunk. I’m glad I started out drawing, because that was my comfort zone. However, at some point, pencils and pens began slowing me down. I used tiny paint brushes, so gouache felt similar to drawing. However, I could work more quickly and my pieces were a lot cleaner, allowing me to edit them easily. Gouache gave my work a more refined feel.

2019

This was another experimental year. I was now comfortable with gouache, so I focused on finding my unique aesthetic. I started incorporating metallic gold back into my work using gold acrylic. I also began played around a lot with negative space, leaving white areas of the paper exposed. This year, I got really into sketchbooking, a habit I could never stick to before (for more on that check out this post).

2020

Just last year, art began to feel “easier.” FINALLY. I could confidently create a decent painting in a few hours. I was able to identify the subject matters I enjoyed most, and started repeating themes in my work. I stopped envying the work of other artists, and focused on uncovering my own aesthetic. Around this time, I discovered dry brushing - a technique where you let white paper show through your backgrounds. I played around with various brushes, mastering how I used each one.

2021 (Last Week)

I painted this Central Park piece just last week. If I thought painting felt easier last year, this year has been a cake walk. I have a process nailed down, so I no longer fear the blank page. I work differently than I used to. I focus on little areas at a time, rather than on how the entire piece is going to look. My recent focus has been on painting trees and foliage that match my aesthetic. I’m also working on loosening up. At some point, my work became more stiff than it was circa 2018, and I want to bring some of that back. I’ve also started adding small areas pencil and pens over gouache, bringing my journey full circle in a lot of ways.

Now that I’ve taken you through my art over the last six years, I’m reminded of how much I’ve learned along the way. Everyone is at a different point in their art journey, so different advice is relevant depending on where you’re at.

For those of you just starting out…

Accountability and ease are the ticket here. Force yourself to make something every day - whether it be sharing your art on social media or with a friend. You will quit, if there are no repercussions. Expect it to be very difficult for at least a year or two. You can’t do it alone.

When I say ease, you need to make things as easy as possible on yourself. If you have a demanding job that drains you dry, you may need to find a new one or cut back on hours in order to make the art habit stick. It’s very possible that you just don’t have the energy to be creative at the end of the day.

Use whatever medium you’re comfortable with in the beginning. If I were to go back to 2015, I’d tell myself to use mechanical pencil only and make one simple sketch a day. Drawing usually feels easier in the beginning, so start there. Don’t try to recreate the Mona Lisa. Just spend 10-30 minutes drawing whatever sounds easiest. In the beginning, I drew lots of plants, food, and household objects, because it felt less intimidating.

Other ways to make art a habit are to tag it onto another habit you have - whether it be working out, or taking a shower. Whatever it is, try to sit down at the same time every day. Also, set up a desk for yourself and leave your materials out. Every time you pass that desk you’ll be reminded to create.

When you’re just starting out, don’t think about your aesthetic yet, just focus on the habit of creating. Here, I caution against viewing the work of other artists too much. It’s a great way to get imposter syndrome and feel bad about yourself right out of the gate. You don’t need that extra negativity. At this point, you won’t even have the skillset to have much to gain by viewing others work. I wish I knew this in the beginning too.

For those of you a few years in…

Finding your unique aesthetic is like a science experiment. Illustrate something two ways, and decide which techniques you like best from each. It’s as simple as that. Do enough of these experiments, and you’ll be well on your way. What I didn’t realize in the beginning, is that our unique aesthetic is always there, buried deep down. You just need to do exercises to uncover it. Your aesthetic is part of your DNA. It’s the reason you like certain colors and patterns over others. You just do.

At this point in the journey, it can be beneficial to study the work of other artists. Use their work only to get ideas for new techniques to try. Try not to look at the whole piece, and be overcome with a wave of jealousy. Look at the piece objectively, and dissect what’s going on. What color palettes are you liking? What subject matters are you drawn to?

Looking at the work of other artists is a great way to land on a new medium. If all the art you like is done using the same tools, chances are, that’s your golden ticket to success.

When you’re a few years it, making art may still feel really difficult. In a lot of ways, it can be harder than when you first started out. That initial excitement has probably worn off, and you may feel like your art should be better by now. Just remember, everything takes much longer than you think. Just show up as often as you can, focusing on the quantity of work over the quality. I formed the healthiest relationship with my art when I became less results oriented, and started viewing creating as a practice, similar to meditation. I do it because it challenges me and makes me a happier person, not because I need to end up anywhere in particular.

For those of you who have been on this road for a while…

At some point, the art gets easier. You make enough things, and the work starts to flow. It’s like learning how to ride a bike - once you get good enough, it becomes second nature. For me, this happened five years into making art regularly, but everyone’s timeline is different.

That being said, I still have bad days like everyone else. Because I’ve been through A LOT of bad days, I have the luxury of knowing they will pass. When I’m feeling down, I give myself exactly what I need to get through the slumps quicker. If I’m feeling bored and uninspired, I probably need to take a vacation to get new perspective. I take a lot of pictures while I travel as inspiration for my paintings. If I’m in a deeper, more negative slump, I’m probably too connected to other artist’s work and am feeling that good old imposter syndrome. That never goes away. When this happens, I get off social media, and force myself to make things in my studio alone. I try to make art fun again, playing joyful music while I work and enjoying tasty drinks.

At this point, looking at other artist’s work isn’t beneficial to me. At this point in my journey, I don’t want my work to look like an artist who’s making things alongside me. If I do look at the work of other artists, I try to stick to vintage art or photography. I like pulling inspiration from interior design and fashion as well. If I can gather inspiration from my real life, even better. The more sources of inspiration the more unique my aesthetic will become. Usually, when I’m gathering inspiration, I focus on color palette, subject matter, and pattern.

These days, I rely on rituals to ensure my work keeps improving. I start and end every piece the same, so I can focus on the goods stuff. If I change something about my materials or tools, I’ll alter one small thing at a time, so I don’t scrap what’s working. I create a new art print every week to add to my online shop. I also try to sketchbook regularly. I know that if I follow my rituals, I’ll be a lot better next year than I am now.