Finding Your Style in Digital Illustration: Myth, Process, Practice

One of the most common anxieties in digital art is the feeling of not having a style.
You scroll through social media, see beautifully distinct artwork, and wonder — why doesn’t mine look like that? When will I “find” my style?

Here’s the truth: you don’t find a style. You grow one.
And it’s less about discovery than about direction, choices, and time.

Let’s unpack what “style” really means — and how to develop your own.

1. Style Is Not a Filter — It’s a Pattern

Many beginners believe style is something you “apply” to a drawing — like a Photoshop preset. But true style runs deeper.

It’s made of:

  • The way you simplify or exaggerate
  • Your favorite shapes, textures, and lines
  • Your sense of color and composition
  • The subjects and moods you return to

You don’t need to choose this all at once. You simply need to notice what keeps appearing.
Style is built from repetition — what you draw again and again, even unconsciously.

2. Copying Isn’t Cheating — It’s Training

Many artists are afraid to imitate others. But in truth, studying the styles you admire is essential.

You won’t become a clone — you’ll absorb technique, rhythm, and decisions.
The key is this: copy many, combine freely, and evolve from there.

Over time, what you borrow blends into something uniquely yours — like mixing pigments into a new color no one else can replicate.

3. Style Evolves — Let It

You may settle into a look, only to outgrow it later. That’s natural — even necessary.

Don’t hold your own progress hostage by clinging to an old version of yourself.
Your style will change as your influences, tools, and voice mature.
Let it stretch. Let it shift.

A strong style isn’t one that stays still — it’s one that stays true, even as it transforms.

4. Keep One Thread Consistent

Even as you experiment, having one element that stays steady gives your work a signature feel.

It could be:

  • A specific color palette
  • Your linework style
  • A recurring theme (melancholy, humor, fantasy, etc.)
  • The way you light or frame your subjects

This thread becomes recognizable. It’s what helps someone say, “Oh — I know who drew this.”

5. Create With Curiosity, Not Comparison

The fastest way to kill style is to chase someone else’s.

When you focus only on trends or followers, you start creating from fear — not joy. And fear-based art rarely has soul.

Instead, return to curiosity:

  • What do you want to draw today?
  • What excites or challenges you?
  • What’s missing in the art world that you’d love to see?

Follow that trail. That’s where style lives.

Your Style Is Already There — You’re Just Getting Closer

You don’t need to force a style to become an illustrator.
Just keep making, keep looking, keep listening to what draws you in — and what pulls you back.

You are already building it, stroke by stroke.