Independent Designers & Style

Style.  It is an important word and a vital one to the survival of an independent designer.  Their is no limit to what that word may be worth in value in regards to a designers work.  It could be a few dollars, it could be millions.  Every designer will have a specific style to their work which will set them apart. 

Style is not something that can magically appear from a hat.  Style needs to develop through exploring ideas, experimenting with a variety of techniques and time.   Then, in time, the style of a designer can be start to be recognised in their work.  This is the time you can recognise a painter from the artwork (think Pro Hart), or a fashion designer from a garment (think Alannah Hill).  However the journey of developing style doesn't stop there, and will never stop.  Throughout a designers lifetime their style will constantly be altering and adapting in relation to their own journey, quite often cycling every five years.

So where does one start?  Well that is easy.  You just need to start!  Remember you can't have style without the journey.  I'm going to share some images (primarily artists & illustrators) to show you their development of their style so far.

THEN - Audrey Kawasaki (USA) "Blueroom" - 1999

NOW - Audrey Kawasaki (USA) "Karasaki" - 2008

______________________________________________

View love pad's map

 

       Taken in                         a place with no name         (See more photos or videos here)

THEN Eveline Tarunadjaja (AU) 2004

NOW Eveline Tarunadjaja (AU) - "Cactus Heart" 2008

______________________________________________

THEN - Stella Im Hultberg (USA) "Jolie" 2005

NOW - Stella Im Hultberg (USA) 2008
_____________________________________________

THEN - The Black Apple (USA) "Boy Meets Girl" 2005

NOW - The Black Apple (USA) "Snow, Rose and Bear" 2008

______________________________________________

THEN - Lilly Piri (AU) "At The Gallery" 2004

NOW - Lilly Piri (AU) "Monkey Arms" 2008
______________________________________________

THEN - Kat McLeod (AU) "Bird" 2002

NOW - Kat McLeod (AU) "Cocktail" 2008? (not sure)
______________________________________________

As you can see from these examples that the journey each artist & illustrator has taken is quite apparent.  They've started off with some fantastic works which have developed into something completely different.  The early works are by no means the first artworks any have created, but they are a stepping stone in what is a life long journey.  Most of the comparisons have a few years of distance between the creating - and a lot can happen in that time.

No designer can plan what their future work will look like, it is just a matter of experimenting to see what will happen.  Just remember that you can't plan your style, over time it will find you.

So what are you waiting for?  Let us create! 

Comments

[art4friends]

awesome awesome post! thanks so much for that!

and congrats about the made it thingy! well done! you and anna laura are m favourite blogsters!

[Emmarose]

Hey thanks for this post AliJ, as a relative newcommer to blogworld, I appreciate this reflection of then and now. Goodluck with the Madeit gig, I'll be checking in from time to time. Cheers

[Du Buh Du Designs]

These are all incredible..the last one is my favorite but I'm going to have to come back and revisit each of these artists. Thanks for sharing these and congrats on your post above! Every time I come here you are involved in something new!

[Paopi]

Ohmygosh! what a wonderful post! thank you for this! i got inspired to keep moving and develop my own style :D

[Scarlett]

Fantastic post Ali - so inspiring. I adore seeing where well known artists started. Although I'd seen Audrey's early work before I hadn't seen any of the others. Fascinating. It makes you wonder what you'll be painting/drawing in 5 years time. Hell, it makes me wonder what will be happening in 12 months time! xxx scarlett

[Marjorie]

This is such a wonderful post! :) My husband and I were just talking about style and how it just sort of 'happens' the other day! It's sort of like one's subconscious coming through, I feel. :)

[Jennifer]

this is fabulous, thank you. i remember seeing audrey kawasaki early works and thinking wow, her paintings certainly have evolved. i know for myself i have struggled with developing my style - mostly b/c i don't DO it.

what's really funny is that the past few months i've realized that i need to just create and not worry so much about it being admired or perfect, but just to unlock whatever that is wanting to come out by just drawing every day. then i come across you blog and you are saying the same thing!

found you on venus zine - you have wonderful style! :)

(ok, this is the longest comment i've ever left. EVER!)