Finding a style.
Whilst at University, my lecturers hammered home about how important it is to find 'your style'.
They offered little direction with how to do so, but it seemed that to make it as a designer it was imperative that we soon found this magical 'style'.
I studied fine art in college and instantly developed a style I was happy with, but it hasn't been as smooth-sailing when it comes to graphic design.
I'm curious as to other peoples experience in finding a style.
Is it as important as my lecturers stressed? How does one find their style? How do you know when you've found it? Do design studios keep a lookout for unique styles when hiring? Have people in other creative areas also struggled?
Replies15
- The main thing about style is that it won't please everyone, so it's imperthat you work in a way that that means something to you & that's authentic. My own style is difficult to pin down because as a creative, a designer working for over 25 years, it has developed and changed. Don't feel you need to be pigeon-holed or easily difined by your/a 'style' per-se. Show your knowledge, experience, inspirations, imaginations and let others decide what your style is if they need.
- We all have a style, whether it be visual or approach or both.Visual style can be applied to a creative idea, but needs to be genuine to connect in emotional and memorable ways.No style allows space to spark creativity in others.
- Hey man..Actually it is more on the lines of finding your niche more than style. Let me explain.My father actually, is a painter/artist/designer. So being a painter means you can paint anything right? Though, what he has developed a so called "style" is that he paints women and old style mughal art. Mixed with castles etc... you get the gist.So with that he found a niche in a niche. I think that is the style being referred to. Do fine arts your way. Do not think what others say about that. I hope that helps. Let's discuss if you think you might need more help in understanding or if I did explain it wrong or did not get you haha. Peace!
- Hi Dom,The short answer no you don't need a style as a graphic designer. Your main job as a graphic designer is problem solving on a visual way. The fine but important line between art and design is that art is about you design is about others. And so you always should prior the clients' style before your style.In practise if you already have a style in fine art than you can translate it into graphic design but be sure you consider my point about problem solving in the process. so don't end up making pretty things without visual communication.In case of finding your style there is no such a thing. Let me tell a teach tale about. Two fish is chatting and the little asking the big one 'I'm looking for the ocean do you know where it is?' the big fish 'you are exactly there, in the ocean' the small fish 'no it's just water I'm looking for the ocean'. Hope it make sense.
- @Robin Howie Hi Robin, I really appreciate the lengthy reply! It was a great read. I guess there will always be Jean's out there (especially the denim kind).I would love to hear about why you believe designers can do more than solve problems!
- Wow! There are some bloody great replies here.Thank you all for taking the time to answer. It's refreshing to see some different takes on the matter. Funnily, it's reassuring seeing that not all of them are the same.
- Hey DomDamn. This is an ace question.The truth is there will be two camps that will answer this question very differently… On one hand, you will have designers who aim to have no style, creatives that work like chameleons and adapt to different creative challenges. Often these designers will refer to themselves as ‘problem-solvers and will place emphasis on the content and context ahead of their own personal preferences.On the other hand, there are designers whose work is an extension of a more personal approach, your tutor refers to it as a ‘style’ but perhaps you could say it’s work which has handwriting to it… and just like a person's actual handwriting these designers style(s) can evolve over time.Broadly speaking the first lot; the problem-solvers… they work in teams but they can also work alone, clients typically come to them to help them figure out the best way of doing something for them… the second lot, those with the ‘style’ or handwriting, they often work alone, sometimes with assistants… clients will come to them to ask them do what they do really well just within the parameter of their brief.These are literally two schools of thought stemming from what sort of design education the individuals have had… Clearly, your tutor is in one camp! but that doesn’t mean you have to follow suit.Now some folks might weigh in heavily and tell you which way is right and which way is wrong… I want to give you a little story about why I’m a little allergic to any of these hard-line positions.Personally, I’d be placed more in that problem-solver camp (though ask me another time about why I believe designers can do more than solve problems)… and as a young designer, I used to get a bit frustrated with all of these cool opportunities going to designers that in my mind were over in the style based camp. Hell, I probably even got a bit hot-headed about it… ‘it isn’t right! why is that like *that*? that approach doesn’t make sense, clearly, they should have worked with X agency!’… that was the circular kind of nonsense that went round in my head, typically when I saw something ‘cool’ but couldn’t see the logic behind it.A year after completing my degree I went to study an MA and found myself sitting behind Jean Jullien who in my mind was a really bloody brilliant illustrator, but interestingly Jean called himself a designer. And man he was (and annoyingly still is) on fire. Jean was getting all of these awesome editorial illustration commissions and super fun design jobs…Interesting. This was someone I really respected and practically love everything he does. But according to my previous hot-headed philosophy he was the enemy! To add salt to the wound Jean would often refer to himself as a problem-solver which clearly he was (and still is). So, a style-based problem-solver doing work that I adored. Damn. Clearly, I needed to rethink my positions… I just had it all wrong.Slowly I came around and relaxed — realising that OH MY DAYS the world would be ridiculously boring if everyone had a similar approach… that we NEED different approaches (oh hello diversity) and different ways of working because ultimately whatever design work is being made at any time should when you zoom out be a reflection of the cultures we live amongst.So, I’m not siding with your old tutor… but I think we can all make space for more ways of working right… And what I find interesting more recently is that if you talk to designers from *any* camp or any space in between it’s that aesthetics aside we all have our unique ways of thinking and approaching work… or put differently we all have our own style of thinking.
- If you talk about a specific graphic style, I think it's not compulsory to have one if you're a graphic designer. As Matt said, style can be how you approach a project or your thinking in solving design problems. There have been graphic designers who had a very specific style (think David Carson's grunge look & feel) and illustrators who sometimes change style (like Christoph Niemann), but you can tell it's him because his illustrations are always simple and witty. I think it depends how you feel more comfortable. I personally enjoy not having a style: every project is a new adventure and a new personality to take on.
- Hi @Dom Lord, all those moons ago, when studying or in my early career as a designer, developing my own style was all I cared about – it's that passion that got me into design in the first place.By all means do, but concentrate on being good at what you do, and substitute 'style' for integrity. Design is about fulfilling a need or simply improving the world for others, not rewarding your own ego.As a creative person, your talent is to be able to see the world from the perspective of others. If you focus answering a brief to the best of your ability you'll have a much more flexible approach to what you design, rather than imposing style on the solution. Your 'style' is how you, personally, respond – the solution you come up with will be inherently your own, noone else's. Do your job well and it'll be all the gratification you could ask for.
- This is something I've been thinking about a lot recently. I'm a graphic designer who has also dabbled in illustration.I think having style is much more important and helpful when you're an Illustrator. People will hire you for your personal creative 'voice'.It's a bit different with graphic design. It depends what kind of graphic designer you want to be. If you want to have a wide scope and work for everyone and anyone then you don't really need a style, as you'll need to adapt to each client and their individual visual needs.However if you have a specific idea of who you want to work with and the type of work you want to do, having a style isn't necessarily a bad thing (but it's also not a requirement).I have a particular style which I can use or not use as needed. However I'm currently in the process of figuring out what types of clients would want my style. There are two reasons for this: One because it will help me focus on who I'm targeting with my marketing, and two because I'll enjoy creating the work more. It also helps me stand out against other designers.The important difference here is not all people will want my style - but I'm not trying to speak to all people, so that's OK!To sum up: as a graphic designer you don't have to have a style. But if you happen to find yours that's not bad either.
- If your 'style' shows up visualy — you are severly limited, and can quickly struggle to remain relevent. Particularly if you get any kind of significant exposure — people, sectors, investors tire of seeing the same thing. Design is often about creating differentiation, not fitting in.HOWEVERIf your 'style' resides in your approach, your manifesto, your process etc— then that can be very useful and reassuring to both those paying for the work, and those working with you.
- Any lecturer that asks you to 'find your style' within the world of graphic design has a fundamental misunderstanding of the industry.It's very much the one thing you should never try and do.Look at the best design studios and designer's work, and you will never find a 'style' because designers work within style boundaries, create them, and break them when required to answer briefs.And your 'style' should reflect this.
- We don’t really do “styles” as designers. The work isn’t free-form enough for us to let our own creative voice leak into the work. Which isn’t to say we don’t settle into routines that gives our work a certain unique something. But that’s not a voice, its just reflective of how our skills come together. Don’t sweat it, just do good work.
- What a load of rubbish. When doing graphic design to for brands all you need to do is impliment your creative flare to there branding guildlines and what is states in the the brief. Job done.
- I have the same experience being that I’m about to go into my second year of undergrad and I feel as though I haven’t really found my style yet. But what I’ve noticed from past experiences doing fine art in secondary till college is that I’m more drawn towards illustrative styles. Even with the graphic design projects that I’m doing right now, I am beginning to dislike going with the trend of things and doing whatever I feel like is right to me. So I guess my style is all over the place I guess.
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