How to develop an illustration style?
When it comes to style my advice is always the same – try to figure out who you are. What is your voice as a visual artist? what is your look and feel? Can you own it, does it feel truly yours? We are so surrounded by visuals, in the age of Instagram it’s so easy to be flooded by outward influences and so there’s much that becomes 'borrowed' or 'inspired by' or 'influenced'. What we produce is commercial, so there will always be many Artists with overlaps in style – but to really stand out, I’d say you need to work hard to understand your point of difference and be as different from the pack as you can. Why would clients choose you and your work over someone else's? What’s your edge? There’s so much competition and noise out there - your practice, what you are doing and are about needs to cut through.
It might not come together the year straight after you graduate – it could be five years in – or it could be whilst you study – it’s a hugely personal pathway to developing this and finding something that feels right. But in my experience there’s usually a tipping point when a body of work begins to make sense and feels unique to your hand. That’s what I always try to uncover in an Artists portfolio. The pieces that are truly them.