Style is as individual as there are as many sunrises and sunsets. Everyone has their own style, and if they don’t, they are looking for it. Seems this is the place to be, having your own style expressing your own inner feelings to share with the world. Sounds like a deal, doesn’t it? Sure! As artists we all strive for that.
What is your style? Do you have some image that is signature to your work? Is it your composition or color palette? They way you apply paint, or write music in a certain way? Do your dance routines shout your name with unusual steps and rhythms?
If you think about this, most artists who have become renowned do have something unique about their particular style. So, whatever it is they found and applied as their own, it worked. Its like a trademark when recognized as yours when your pieces, dance routines, or sculptures pop up. People start to look for this and they like it when they can identify something as yours by its signature characteristic that speaks you.
Those of us who are musicians or music aficionados recognize great works of music from history by the sound of the score and the period style of the music. Every era has its own style. Following musical history and the way music throughout the ages change it is very much like the visual arts and mirrors what society looks like at that time. The same goes for popularity in movies and books. In these you may see a series like the Harry Potter sequels, or a series of books by your favorite authors. They always leave a small leaf unturned for a sequel. This keeps people going to the movies and buying books.
If you are a painter, think about what you produce. Are your colors more subdued, or highly brilliant and visible? Is the color what the viewer takes in first? Or is it the subject matter, canvas size, or composition? I once knew an artist who had a regular job working for the local power company. He made really good money on this job. He discovered he loved to paint and people started to recognize his work and his pieces began to bring big bucks. So, he quit his job at the power company, rented a room downtown upstairs over another business, and set up his studio. This man specialized in mountain scenes. His color palette was very muted with ochres, browns and forest greens. Very lifelike. Huge canvases thus the large studio to accommodate those canvases. He did very well and painted for years in his newly found passion. His name was Don Price. Some of you local may remember his work.
Think about style. Do this while working on your own art work. When listening to music, watching a play or performance, viewing art, check out the individual style of artists. Practice this and soon you will have built a mental library of art in various forms to increase your knowledge, artistic vocabulary, and experiences.