4 Strategies to Stop Copying and Develop a Style of Your Own
Mar 17, 2025When you're first learning a skill, it's essential to have examples to model yourself after. Following my tutorials will help you to break down the process into digestible steps and to practice the basics without having to make every decision yourself.
This is how we learn. It's how I learned too.
But there comes a point when you want to make different and distinct creative decisions than your teachers, when you want to explore a painting style all your own.
This is the topic of today's video and blog: how to cultivate your own watercolor style.
How to Develop A Unique Watercolor Style
Your watercolor style will shift and change gradually as you learn, experiment, and refine your process. This is part of what makes artistry so fun. You're never stuck in a box, never attached to a specific subject matter or painting process.
But how do you step out into your unique style? Here are four pieces of advice that will help push you in that direction.
1. Vary Your Influences.
The beauty of the world we live in is that it's easy to access a wide variety of influences. You can type the phrase 'watercolor artists' in on any number of platforms and become acquainted with dozens of impressive artists.
As you peruse their art, think about what you are drawn to and what it is that catches your attention. Think about what makes one artist's style different from another.
It can be easy to focus in on someone you consider a "master" and mimic their style. When I first started painting, I was enamored with Joseph Zbukvic, a renowned watercolor artist from Australia. I mirrored his style, watched all his tutorials, and even had the privilege of doing a workshop with him early on. At the time, I was painting Walmart versions of his masterpieces.
Of course, he is still an influence and someone I look up to, but as I broadened my horizons and studied other watercolor artists, I was able to drill down on my style.
2. Reach Beyond Watercolor.
Inspiration can come from anywhere.
My family and I love to visit The Nelson Atkins, our local art museum. Of course, I love to wander through the Impressionist paintings, but I am also awed by Ancient Egyptian art, Native American art, portraits and sculptures and upholsteries.
These influences may not be as obvious in my watercolor art, but they definitely shift my perspective and fill me with appreciation for all different creative methods and viewpoints.
Spend some time studying other art forms. You might be surprised how much they inform and inspire you.
3. Vary Your Subject Matter.
Maybe you gravitate toward landscapes, or street scenes, or still life paintings. Or maybe - like me - you find inspiration in the everyday scenes in your neighborhood.
Whatever scenes are default for you is perfectly fine. It's good to lean into what draws your attention.
But, don't get too comfortable if you're working to create a unique style. Try your hand at something completely out of left field. Or just take baby steps and try something slightly different.
The possibilities are endless. Try a nocturne. Paint farm animals. Attempt to paint a family member. Try your hand at an interior. Create a floral pattern. Focus on the natural world or the architecture of a city. The point is not to render a perfect it, it's to see what all you can do with your supplies and a little creativity.
Stepping out of your default mode like this can mix things up and give you new things to incorporate into the scenes that are more familiar to you.
4. Give it Time.
My last piece of advice is much easier said than done. It's simply - give yourself time.
Be patient and trust that your consistent watercolor practice and intentional studies will result in you finding your style. Like I said earlier, it is a gradual process, not a flip of the switch. Try to enjoy the evolution as you integrate new ideas, techniques, and subject matter into your painting.
Little by little, you'll refine your preferences and soon be comfortable painting in your own style.
Extra Tip - Pay Attention to Where You Focus Your Attention
Our attention is one of our most valuable tools as artists. Without it, we can't make art.
Equally important to protecting your attention is noticing what fixates you. By that, I don't mean what steals your attention and leaves you feeling empty, but what captivates you and leaves you feeling invigorated or satisfied in some way.
Paying attention to what makes you curious. Curiosity is a green flag. When it tugs on you, note it. Pursue it. And let it inform your painting life.
Related Blogs
How to Loosen up Your Painting Style
What to do when you don't know what to paint? (3 Watercolor Action Steps)
