have you taken a lot of paint Like Me classes I've coined this term to describe classes created by artist teachers who demonstrate how to make art in their style this can be a fabulous introduction to the world of art as a newbie this is an amazing way to learn new techniques Master any medium you wish to explore such as acrylic or watercolor and begin to develop confidence in your ability as an artist as a seasoned artist this can be a means of exploring new ideas taking new approach to your work and even having some fun
and taking a break from your more committed art but how do you know if your work looks too much like your teacher's art and how do you start making it look more like your unique art let's dig in hi I'm Carrie and here on artist strong I help self-taught artists who have a home studio feeling stuck with their art move from wondering what's next to confidently expressing themselves through unique original art to date thousands of joined the community if you feel like gaps in your learning hold you back from making your best art sign up
and watch my workshop called how to create art from your imagination it's completely free for you to watch and the link is in the description below today let's talk about how to consciously use the skills techniques and ideas that influence your work while creating work that stands out on its own we reach a stage in our learning where we've developed just just enough skill through following the process of other teachers that we imagine more for ourselves and our art selling and exhibitions feel a greater possibility now that you don't feel like a total beginner but
how do you get from where you are now to where you want to be feels less clear maybe the next paint like me class or free tutorial will be just what you need or will it you've started to have this inkling that there's not one Master Lock in one key you can't use what's worked in the past that brought you to the new level you're at because now it's no longer about emulating your teachers it's about what comes from inside of you just last week someone confided in me I want my paintings to look less
like a paint and wine party and instead be more reflective of me you need something different a new approach so how do we use the lessons and learning we can now apply to our art to step into the next stage of our work first what kind of art materials media genre movements Mark making Etc do you feel drawn to and excited to explore in your work you can also list all the classes You' started yes even those you didn't finish observe any trends that you spot when looking at all the classes materials and kinds of
art you've created during this learning period let's go through this process Now list any patterns You observe in the comments below second how much have you deviated from your teacher's work this is vital to your development and style if you can't see this yourself get feedback from fellow creatives peers or mentors that you can trust guess what It's Tricky figuring this out it's nuanced and not a black and white answer it's going to evolve and that will happen more quickly if this is something you can honestly self assess we get good enough to be proud
of our growth and in the quality of our work people get excited and even asked to buy your work but this is also where a scarcity mindset can come into play as well as the bending of ethical boundaries I have seen so many artists on Instagram request that people be more conscious of their work and how reflective it is of a unique style because too many excited Learners and explorers will share very close interpretations of the work without credit or acknowledging it isn't a process they developed two terms are important here derivative and appropriation and
I argue they are heavily related here's an example you study star KN by Van Goff you learn about his pallet and Mark making and instead of creating a copy as a study piece you do a local Urban landscape you decide the composition in your image reference but use his colors and techniques when you're finished people admire the work tell you how great it is and compliment you by saying it looks just like a vanoff this kind of art is derivative it is so heavily influenced by teachers the person's Voice who painted it is obscured appropriation
means to take from other artists or cultures and then use it in your work again it's the idea that the influence is dominant and this doesn't even touch on how selling appropriated Works can take money from the cultures and people who have the original idea this is a great learning activity it even demonstrates a level of skill and application to apply vof style to a composition of your own but it is only a beginning if you seek a unique style in voice so let's start asking ourselves what do I want to say how can I
change up what I'm doing to step further away from the work of my teachers step three this is where I'm going to refer to steal like an artist by Austin Cleon very briefly in his gorgeous little book he calls on us to map our artist family tree He suggests we fully research the people who Inspire us and then the people who Inspire them and keep going looking at these many threads you can begin to see how and why you enjoy certain parts of your teachers art both living and dead and this opens the door for
much greater creative exploration as you more consciously mash up the techniques ideas colors Etc into something that is Uniquely Yours if mapping sounds interesting and you'd rather have a step-by-step process that walks you through this concept then I encourage you to hop on a call to apply to enroll in my program self-taught to self-confident self-taught to self-confident walks you through building strong foundations to draw and paint whatever you want this way you can confidently build a practice to show up regularly for your art and explore what you want to say walk away with a series
of artworks ready for you to share with your loved ones exhibit and even sell take a peek at my calendar to choose a time where we can discuss your art and decide if you're a good fit today we discussed how part of our Learning Journey includes a stage where our art is heavily influenced by those we take classes from and study taking paint Like Me classes can be a great way to develop skill and your confidence but at some point you might start feeling an inkling for something more you're ready for your style to show
through in your art in order to get there we must take the time to reflect and consider our interests influences and how close our work currently looks like those we learn from when we do this and engage in a process like M mapping our artist family tree we can start making more conscious steps forward with our own style and voice are you ready to step into your best work yet I know it's inside of you and I can't wait to see what you create thank you so much for watching please like And subscribe to artist
strong if you enjoyed this video and remember proudly call yourself an artist together we are artist strong
