How To Develop A Consistent Art Style: 6 Proven Strategies (including examples)

A consistent art style—or a consistent artistic practice—is a necessary pretext for a prosperous career as an artist. However, finding a unique and personal style is not something that falls from the sky, nor does it mean that you have to create the same thing repeatedly. In this article, we will discuss six proven strategies for how established artists created consistency in their oeuvre or developed a unique and intriguing style that made them recognizable and successful.

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ℹ️ About CAI:
CAI is the abbreviation of 'Contemporary Art Issue,' a hybrid platform for contemporary art including:

👨 About the host Julien Delagrange:
Julien Delagrange is an art historian, contemporary artist, and the founder and director of CAI. Delagrange studied Science of Arts at Ghent University, Belgium, and worked for the Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR) in Brussels, the Jan Vercruysse Foundation, the Ghent University Library, and has contributed to the international contemporary art scene as an art critic, lecturer, curator, gallery director, consultant, advisor, and as an artist. As an artist, he is represented by Galerie Sabine Bayasli in Paris, France, and Gallery Space60 in Antwerp, Belgium.

🎯 The mission of the CAI YouTube channel:
→ To empower artists by providing adequate and industry-approved advice for artists for long-term success in the highest realms of the art world, sharing inside information and proven strategies based on real-life experiences in the art world.
→ To contribute to the online canonization of recent art history, having its finger at the pulse of contemporary art.

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Table of contents:
00:00 — Introduction
00:58 — Style & Consistency Explained
03:14 — 1. Technical Consistency
07:01 — 2. Visual Consistency
10:54 — 3. Consistency in Presentation
14:40 — 4. Consistency in Motifs
19:33 — 5. Conceptual Consistency
23:31 — 6. Intentional Inconsistency
27:25 — More information
27:39 — Outro

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Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders. However, if you feel you have inadvertently been overlooked, please take up contact with Contemporary Art Issue.

[larsvangemerden]

I think consistency is not the purpose, but the end result, but it can take a lot of experimentation. Consistency is almost automatic because the artist is the constant.

[HarrietL]

“Be yourself, be yourself radically” …love this thank you!

[priscillawrites]

Love that Perrier is unimpressed. She reminds us to be consistently present in our work, but not take the world too seriously. ♥️🐈

[julietugwellart]

Fabulous advice. I have been a full time artist for about 6 years and finding my style is still a journey.

[dizzydean]

Julien Delagrange- As an inexperienced person in the art world, I find that your attention to detail coupled with your incredible presentation skills truly make learning about this subject a pleasurable experience. In that regard, I want to thank you for sharing your valuable knowledge, insight and experience with the community as it underlines the importance of how impactful the art world is in our lives. I wish you the very best and look forward to your next chapter soon.

[franzdoreza]

I met Nicolas Africano, when I was a student at the Art institute of Chicago.. I was working as an art mover, part time while being a student… I was highly praised by my teachers at the school, even told I was going to be a star one day… And when you hear that from the most senior painting teacher at the school in front of for the other students during a critique… It’s embarrassing and overwhelming… Yes, it gives you confidence but then you feel like you’re on the spot… So much pressure… I’m not saying this to brag… Because I’m struggling, not because of my work, because I’m not working… Because of the way, the art world has changed… And the way the art world is set up… Mainly because we have to fucking pay bills really… I haven’t worked in more than 20 years because of this… The world is saturated with a lot of art, most of it, not very good… People are making how to videos so they can tell people who have no talent how to paint abstract art? Are you fucking kidding me? I guess it’s easier to make money doing that because the people who watch it have no idea what they’re doing. And there are a lot more of those people anyway… More people with money and no idea, no taste. Anyway, when I saw his painting, which was about 10 x 10‘… It was muddy, brown, black and gray… Childlike stick figures with a few words underneath, neither good or bad, just plain, dull and boring and confusing… His sculptures, however, were very beautiful… So I asked him what inspired you to do these paintings… I didn’t want to insult him I was at his studio… He said they pay me $100, 000… So basically it’s about money because I don’t think he really likes those paintings, he found a little niche, fooled some people into believing it’s worth it… And that’s what happens in the world… Sometimes these critics and galleries, they turn crap into gold, because they say so… and some pseudo intellectuals but it..And a lot of famous artist, who I find extremely boring, and some of it it’s not really painting, but graphic design… have become very successful because of what other people say, people who I don’t trust anyway… They’re not artists, they’re just critics, basically… So why do we have to follow what they say? The artists should control that not the critics and galleries… What the fuck do they know? a certain style of art never has to end because it always changes even though it has similar qualities… Some galleries were telling me. Oh, that was already done before we want to do something different… Everything has been done before… But now since you have to change materials, let’s see, I’m going to use shit and piss this time or maybe catchup and mustard… or cut a dog in half..And I’ll do a painting on toast or drywall with some pieces of paper plates in it… Different just to be different is not making art. Different to provoke or to alienate, or shock is not making art… My art, what I care about is beauty, even frightening and depressing can be beautiful… I don’t care about provoking or shocking people… That doesn’t mean it’s art, that’s just a statement… It’s more of a philosophical idea… contemporary art is very alienating to me… Some of it’s nice, but most of it is just alienating… So why is that worthy of our attention? Anyway… You can see I’m frustrated because I don’t always understand what’s going on even as an artist myself, it’s even more confusing… … But like I said, I think Artist should have more control of what we do and what is art instead of critics and gallery owners..

[paintingsbypintar]

I stumbled across your channel during my constant search for insight into creating abstract art. I stopped this video at 7minutes just shaking my head in agreement. I struggle, struggle so much with finding consistency and looking for a unique "voice" of who I am and what is my art. I've learned to have large containers of gesso handy to destroy whatever weak painting I've come up with. It's a lot of experimentation.

[DanielLopes-jtyl]

In my opinion there is nothing left to add, nor should anything be taken out. I’m on a mission to watch this 100 times before further comment. This is my second time 98 more to go…

[denizkaptan]

I am glad you mentioned Richter; I absolutely LOVE Richter not only because his insane painting ability but also because he didn't buy into the capitalist expectation of "consistency" that galleries push forward, and still became immensely successful and recognized. He became an expert of his medium and explored all the varieties of human emotion while exploring the capabilities of his medium. His process in itself is art: human, honest, and beautiful.

[MrRushepoo]

there are artists who absolutely refuse the disciplines you listed but you give every reason why they are absolutely necessary, useful and practical. Thank you for your content. personally, I'm getting better by simply considering that you are correct and putting it into practical use in my own work.

[Moe-zofm]

This was incredible. You brought me back to think about what is important in my art. Thank you, this helped❤️😊

[enkhyy]

I heartily agree that consistency and technical skills are key elements of quality in the arts. I take pride in giving my ideas to an open audience. Thanks for your excellent presentations of some difficult concepts. We, your audience, are better for it.

[julieisthatart]

Thank you, very good. And, I was so glad when the dog finally moved, I was worried it was one of those taxidermy statements.

[leawaldridge-artist]

It’s astonishing this channel doesn’t have more followers. The quality of content, thorough discussion of concept and professionalism garners a much higher following. It also brings to question You Tubes discernment. I stumbled upon it without it having ever been recommended.
Anyone truly desiring success in the artworld round benefit from the iniwk😢so freely given on this channel.

[TheDreadfulCurtain]

Great lecture so clear and well broken down into the relevant sections with examples. I think this talk alone would make a great book. Thank you so much for this. Well researched and concisely delivered. As an artist it is so easy to forget these core principles over time and just drift. Making art requires a rare combination of discipline, freedom, experimentation, focus and attention to detail. So many balls to juggle at the same time !

[nigelbanksart]

Conceptualising alternative conceptualisations - an awesome framework that neatly binds and presents for easy digestion an invaluable collection of insights. Thankyou so much for this remarkable piece of artistic leadership - 🙏

[grahameldridge]

Wonderful food for thought as I continue my artistic journey of self discovery. ❤

[tasrijatnika]

Excellent presentation, truly clear and sharp for achieve higher level of persistence

[cece.g]

I simply can't thank you enough for all of your precious advices.
I usually don't comment on videos but this is Genius. Please keep sharing your precious knowledge! I subscribed.

[debbieslowey]

Wonderful presentation. INTENTION is spot on throughout our careers, ... what gets us ticking! Thanks