You might hear other painters say, "Your style will just show up eventually."
Comforting.
But not helpful when you stand at your paint table, stuck on what to paint next.
Most painters who feel stuck don't lack ideas or effort. Actually, they may have learned too much.
When you've absorbed advice from many teachers, styles, and tutorials, everything blurs. One instructor says plan everything. Another says, "Be spontaneous!" You're trying to paint like everyone else instead of discovering how YOU actually paint. Nothing feels wrong, but nothing feels like you, either.
So you try harder. Second-guess more. And painting stops being fun.
To gain your own voice,
forget about having it heard.
—Allen Ginsberg
Here's the shift:
There is no "right way" in art.
Finding your style isn't about choosing the right look. It's about how you work best.
Inside Watercolor In Flow, there's a lesson called "Discover Your Natural Painting Process" where I break this down into four painting identities. I paint the same sunflower four different ways. You see how the approach changes everything.
Work with your natural tendencies? Painting feels easier.
Work against them? Frustration shows up fast.
The full lesson is included in Watercolor In Flow.
Join before February 11 to bring your 'Is this really me?' questions to our live Q&A.
P.S. I surprised myself filming this lesson. Turns out I loved painting in a style I rarely use, which proves the whole point!
