A peek at Maria Coryell-Martin’s sketchbooks over the years.

Developing Your Own Style

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Art Toolkit Team

Inspiration | July 08, 2022

It takes time to develop your own style. For many artists, creating starts as an imitation of work they already like, and there is nothing wrong with that! But how do you make the transition from being inspired by to just being inspired?

  • Put the hours in. Over time you’ll start to intuitively know what you do and don’t like and how to use your muscle memory to create things the way you want.
  • Play as much as you can. Try different tools, colors, and techniques, and spend a lot of time exploring before settling into just one style.
  • Once you’ve found what you like and the tools you enjoy, try looking at your favorite sketches and picking the three best things about them. Write those down on the back in pencil so you can flip through your sketchbook and find the common elements that make your work so uniquely yours when you’re seeking inspiration!
A peek at Maria Coryell-Martin’s sketchbooks over the years.
A stack of Maria’s sketchbooks