by Susan Day Campbell

Created on: February 29, 2008

You already have your own style, of course. You just need to recognize it. You show your style in your manner of dress, your taste in movies, your choice of home decor, etc. In my watercolor teaching, I have discovered that all it takes for students to develop a distinctive painting style is to trust the same feelings, intuitions and visions that they used to choose the things they live with while they learn to let go and play in those puddles of paint.

However, for you analytical types, here is a list of questions to ask yourself as you work your way to your own style.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE?

Grab yourself a stack of art books. You don't have to own the books. Go to a bookstore or the library and browse. Find yourself somewhere comfy and spend an hour or two.

Look quickly at each painting. Do you like it or not? Mark the one you like with sticky notes. Don't worry about why you like them or if the ones you choose are wildly different from each other.

COMPARE YOUR FAVORITES

* Is there a decided subject preference? Do you go for landscapes, still lifes, portraits?

* Did you mark more classical masterpieces or edgy contemporary works?

* Does one point of view draw you in more than others? Do you like it up close or a dramatic panoramic view?

* Do you like simple, uncluttered paintings or rich tapestries full of interesting elements? Classical symmetry or asymmetrical balance?

* Do you like to know immediately what the focal point is or would you rather spend time discovering it?

* Do you like reality or non-representational art? Or a combination of the two? Hard-edged and angular or curvilinear and misty?

* Do you like rich, heavy paint applications or transparent veils of paint? Bright and splashy or muted and earthy?

* Do you like to see evidence of the artist in her brush strokes or sketch lines?

* Do you like vignettes or paintings that are fully developed from corner to corner?

* Are you drawn to beautiful artwork or subjects that make a political or social statement?

* Would you have it in your home?

* Is there any painting in the group that you wish you'd painted?

* Pick a few favorites and decide if you can see yourself actually painting such paintings. If not, why not? Too difficult? Your mother wouldn't approve? You don't think it would be salable?

PATTERNS

By now, some patterns may be emerging. Don't worry if some of your choices don't fit the mold. It means you have more than a few preferences. Good for you! You'll probably get to those as you progress through your

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