Art is all about getting creative and pushing boundaries, but it's easy to get comfortable with a specific art style. Art should be about having fun, but when art seems to feel repetitive, (with each piece after the next turning out the same) it's time to shake things up a bit.
One of the best ways I've found to shake up my art style is by doing tutorials. Learning from other artists is amazing and with the internet, we have access to thousands (possibly even millions) of art tutorials. Artists and their unique styles always tend to inspire me to be creative. So here are a few art tutorials and videos I used as references or as inspiration!
Art tutorials
The first art tutorial I used is ✨ "TRICK" FOR SIMPLE FACE DRAWING TUTORIAL ✨ - YouTube done by the youtuber Mmmmonexx. This one is your classic art tutorial, as they take you through the process of drawing faces from multiple angles.
I quite enjoyed this tutorial as it was straight forward and easy to follow. I attempted this drawing in October and added a few more details than the tutorial did, but you can still see the faint outlines of the triangles for the face shape and the nose. This tutorial helped me specifically work on faces from different angles, which is something I really struggle with. It also pushed me style wise, as this artist has a more angular style than I usually use. The jagged edges on the hair made it an interesting piece.
It also helped me emphasize the shadows on the face that a profile creates. Shadows are something I typically avoid altogether in my art, because I'm not particularly good at them. But, with this tutorial I was able to follow along and see just where to put them. I still have a lot to learn about facial angles and shading, but this tutorial helped me explore a new style as well as new skills.
Another art video that I watched was (8) Hair journal page 3. This one isn't technically a tutorial, but Scott shows us his art process as he creates this piece. I decided to recreate it, while giving it a little gallery of mistakes flair. I am quite proud of this piece, although she doesn't look as regal as Scott Christain Sava rendition, I love the highlights in her eyes and the hair is a little different on each side, but I like that. I'm sorry, I'm geeking out a little bit too much over this painting, but I'm really proud of it. Her dress does kind of look like an ice cream cone, but hey that's alright. This piece was wayyy out of my comfort zone at the time I made it, which was probably around half a year ago.
(Always put dates on your drawings otherwise you'll never be able to remember when you did them. Learn from my mistakes).
You'll never guess which painting is which, but just in case, mine is on the left while his is on the right. This recreation challenged me to experiment with line work, watercolors, highlights, and shadows. Scott's style of art pushed me to make something more realistic than I usually create, but I feel although I did make it slightly more cartoonish (okay, probably a lot more) I learned a lot from painting with Scott's style in mind. I loved making this piece and Scott has truly been an inspiration to me and my art.
Using other artists as inspiration
The previous examples I've given are more of recreating the art of other artists, but in this section, I'll go over making new pieces that have aspects of other artists' styles. I've seen my art style change as I watch other artists create their art. Sometimes it's intentional as it was during this piece.
I had just finished my other piece based on Scott's hair journal art work, I wanted to create another piece that wasn't inspired by a specific drawing but his style in general. This one didn't go exactly as I wanted it to, but I am still able to see Scott's style in this painting. Now, I know what you msut be thinking... WHO IS THIS CREEPY OLD GUY? Well, he's my attempt at Scott's art style. I see Scott's line work in the hair specifically and the highlights in the eyes and one the nose. Although, this one is far from perfect and I don't think truly captures Scott's style, I still see some of his influence on this drawing. Yet, I still haven't even gotten close to his level of skill when it comes to layering different water colors on top of each other for the shadows and highlights of skin. Maybe I will eventually learn, but for now I'll just leave that to Scott.
I've seen influence my art is Creative Carrah. I've seen some of her line work in this piece specifically in this piece. The technique I used for the line work on her hair I recognized from this video Tiny Art #2 - YouTube.
The line work in the hair specifically reminds me of Carrah's style and I feel like it helped me a lot while making this piece. I have always loved drawing and painting hair, but it never comes out quiet how I want it. But with almost a combination of Carrah's and Scott's style, I believe I've created my own and it truly shows in this piece below.
But isn't copying plagiarism?
Getting inspiration from an artist is not against the rules of art (mainly because there are no rules). However, that doesn't mean you can put your name one someone else's art! Make sure to credit an artist who has inspired you and your style though. Go out and find some artists that truly inspire you and you'll find that over time your art style might begin to change. I love seeing different people's influence on my art and I hope that I can inspire all of you as well. Now go out, find an artist who makes you want to create, and go make some art with heart!
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