Having a distinctive characteristic is mandatory for a creative worker. Because that is what differentiates their work from other workers. Characteristics present give uniqueness to a work which is usually related to a person's personality or creativity.
However, in practice, finding distinctive characteristics is not an easy matter. Some of those who have been involved in the creative world admitted that they had difficulty finding their "identity". Sometimes, the work created is actually similar to someone else's style and as a result it becomes a burden to go further.
Even so, it is not without a solution. The key is to start having the courage to explore further about preferences and abilities to find a characteristic. This preference is usually related to personality or things you like. How to find it?
Exploration of Various Styles
First, you can explore various styles from the field you are studying. For example, if you are a painter or illustrator, try to find various styles in art galleries, museums, books, or simply by browsing the internet. See how the work attracts you from its composition, colors and lines.
Apart from that, if you are interested in the world of writing, you can find your style by diligently reading lots of things, such as books, newspapers, magazines, and so on. Find various references on how someone starts, develops and ends writing. Remember the key, that a good writer is a good reader.
Focus on the figure you admire
After exploring various styles, choose a character with a unique style that you really like to be your role model. Try observing to find out more about their work process, from finding inspiration to the methods and supporting tools they use to create new works.
Next, you can immediately start honing your skills. In this case, there are several ways you can do it, namely:
Whatever the field, you must first master the basic techniques. This will be your foundation in working before going further to find a particular style. Basic skills, for example in design or illustration, include composition, color combination, line techniques, and others. Meanwhile, basic techniques in writing consist of exploring ideas, establishing angles, composing paragraphs, editing, and much more.
Know the basic techniques of the field you will be studying. If there is a technique that you haven't really mastered, it's time for you to focus on it and learn more about it.
Within one area, try to experiment with different techniques. This is important to do so that you don't get stuck in one technique that will make your work monotonous. For example, in drawing, you are too comfortable and used to drawing fanart, which makes you reluctant to look for other things to draw. So, try to get out of that comfort zone. Try learning new techniques and mix and match them with the sources of inspiration you have.
Some creative workers who have achieved success do not just stick to one technique. They continue to explore new techniques and media to produce new works that can amaze many people.
Whether musicians, designers, writers, or a number of other creative jobs, need a special theme that will become their trademark. That would be better than just being a generalist. For example, toy artist Paskalis Kunang is known for his dark products which represent various anxieties experienced by humans. Another example is the writers Ayu Utama and Djenar Maesa Ayu are known for their writings which often raise women's issues.
Training with special dedication and full concentration allows you to improve your abilities quite rapidly. Set aside extra time every day to sit down and practice seriously to develop your style. Determine your weak areas and keep practicing to improve them. Make sure you are in an environment that makes you feel comfortable so you can practice as much as you like.
On the other hand, to remain consistent, you can also join self-development communities in your field. Usually, if you join a community, there will be various motivations so that you can remain consistent.
Some creative jobs may be learned autodidactically over many years. However, taking special classes can give you knowledge and experience that you didn't know before. You will learn techniques and stories from the teachers and other participants. With this knowledge, you can know what steps to take when entering a field. You can also start anticipating various challenges that will arise in the future.
So, those are a series of things you can do to explore your abilities and find your unique characteristics in your work. All these steps are not difficult as long as you are determined and consistent in doing them.