Vanilla Beans: My Way, Your Way

October 5, 2024 Amy Shulke

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It’s been one of those weeks…

I’d say it’s been all go-go-go but the truth is, my rear has been glued to my computer chair, cranking out the last of The Point lessons, launching the October Wonk and UP projects, and moving Wonk into it’s new digs.

I’m going to do something rare this weekend. I’m locking my studio door and handing my husband the key.

He’s 6’4” and I’m not, so I’m betting he’ll hide it where I’ve never thought to dust.

If Vanillaworld blows up today, I’ll handle it on Monday.

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NEW IN COLOR WONK

Acorn Variations is our October project for intermediates. Every Acorn here uses the same marker/pencil recipe. We’re jazz riffing with color.

My Way, Your Way

Everyone wants to develop their own artistic style.

You're tired of copy-catting class projects and tutorials. You want more!

Whoa, ages and ages ago, I wrote an article about the old copy cat problem. I suggested taking baby steps towards making your own original marker art. Read about those baby steps here.

Now we all love the idea of doing hard stuff via baby steps— the whole point is that they’re small and easy, right? So you’re learning to do the thing you fear the most (making art with no tutorial) but doing it as pain free as possible.

The problem is, how do you know which baby steps to take?

Because frankly, baby steps are only good if they don’t lead you right into a ditch.

Maybe baby steps should come with a set of instructions, a full map, and nowadays— a bespoke app.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you which baby steps to take.

I can make generic suggestions like

Try adding your favorite color to every project.
Or add texture to one object in the first project, add two textures to the next, and so on until you’re eventually coloring fully textured projects.

But if I give you specifics like "this is how to color grass" or“this is how to make real looking bricks” then you’re back to toodling along behind me.

And I’m hindering your development.

By telling you to do this or that, I'm influencing your artistic voice.

That ain’t good.

Okay, so what's an artistic voice?

Your voice is when you begin coloring like YOU instead of how the teacher told you to.
Your voice is why people can pick your coloring out of a big pile of projects— because what you’re doing is unique, special, and never been done quite that way before.

And that my dear grasshopper is precisely why I can't tell you to use more blue or start doing striped backgrounds.

For a voice to be true to you, I can’t be yammering away in your right ear.

Now here's the thing I want to stress for anyone who's beginning to veer away from copying the class samples and you’re secretly deviating from tutorials because you see better ways of doing it…

Do not worry about finding your voice.

Your voice will come-- in its own time, on its own terms.

There are lots of videos and articles on the internet about “finding your style” and “developing your voice.”

These self-appointed gurus make it sound like a shopping spree…

I like how Jane outlines everything in pink and I like how Amy underpaints but let’s combine it with Frank’s marker combinations and use a vintage color palette like Margaret…

Or even worse:

I love Jane’s style so that’s my new style too!

Folks, you don’t get to pick your own style!

Because if you pick it out, it ain’t your style, it’s someone else’s style!

Style isn’t planned. If you pick it, it isn’t style!

Style finds you.

Start listening to the strange little observations that pop into your head when you color.

When your brain says "this would look better if it had a touch of purple" or "I know it's streaky but I kinda like the streaks"— oh man, these impromptu observations are pure gold!

They're the beginnings of your voice, your style…

You doing things in the way you were born to do.

Listen to your voice. The more you listen, the louder it speaks.

But here’s the important part: Stop searching for your style!

If you worry too much about finding your voice, all you’ll hear are the worries.

Your voice is very quiet. It's less than whisper.

In fact, others will know your voice before you do.

If you were to ask me to define my own style, I'd uhmmmmmm and duhhhhh until you put me out of my misery.

I’ve been in the business for 30 freakin’ years and I still couldn’t pick my own style out of a police lineup.

But here’s the weird thing—I'll bet you could describe my style for me.

See, I know you know my voice. Something about the way I color attracted you to me. That’s why you take my classes, that’s why you’re subscribed to this newsletter. You know and like my style but me? I’ve honestly got no idea what you’re so all-up about.

The point isn't to know your own style.

In fact, art is better when you don’t know your style.

As soon as you define yourself, you’re also defining your boundaries and limitations.

The goal is simply to listen for your quiet little voice and follow where it leads.