Hot take: Style is overrated. Here’s what to chase instead.

If I had a brushstroke for every time someone said, “I just want to find my style”, I could fill a dozen sketchbooks (does that work or was it too cheesy?)...

I get it. Style feels like the thing that separates “real” artists from the rest of us. It’s what makes work recognizable. Cohesive. Shareable. It’s what the algorithm supposedly wants. It’s what art school emphasized. It’s what you think you’re supposed to have by now.

And yet... it’s not something I teach. Ok, I do.. but not directly. Not because I don’t think style matters - it’s lovely when it emerges - but because chasing it too soon can actually stall your growth more than help it.

Here’s what I mean...

Style isn’t a shortcut. It’s a byproduct.

A lot of people treat style like it’s this thing you can unlock if you try hard enough. Like it lives at the end of a personality quiz, or that you can choose one from a menu and commit to it forever.

But the truth is, style simply isn’t a shortcut. It’s a side effect.

Your style is the fingerprint that shows up after you’ve made a whole bunch of stuff - your habits, your happy accidents, your obsessions. It’s what remains when you’re not trying so hard to look like someone else (even unintentionally).

And that takes time. And probably some weird experiments along the way.

Why forcing style backfires

Here’s what I see all the time: someone wants to find their style, so they try to make everything they create match a certain aesthetic. They pick a color palette. They pick a medium. They try to make it all look “on brand.” They post it. They tweak it. They curate.

And it works... for a while. Until they get bored. Or burnt out. Or start second-guessing everything they thought they’d love forever.

Because they’re not chasing joy, they’re chasing consistency.

But joy always wins.

What I focus on instead

In my classes, I don’t give you a formula for style. I give you space. Space to explore. To follow your curiosity. I show you how to draw one thing five different ways to see which one feels like you. To make a total mess and not apologize for it.

Whether we’re building pattern repeats, sketching loose florals, getting messy with paint, or even Procreate, I’m more interested in what lights you up vs. what boxes you in.

You don’t need to look like someone else to be an artist. You don’t even need to look like yourself all the time. You just need to keep showing up.

Because the more you make, the more your work will start to echo back your voice. Even when it evolves.

So if you're wondering where your style is...

It’s not hiding from you. It’s just waiting for you to get curious again. So draw something weird today. Try a brush you never use. Mix watercolors until the color is muddy but kind of magical. Follow what feels fun. The style stuff? It’ll catch up. Promise.