Drawing style: Baked in your genetic makeup or can it be changed?

[Brötje]

Hey,

I was just looking trough all my sketchbooks and I REALLY don't like my style. I have drawn in a cartoon style all my life, so that's all I can draw now. I'm fuckin' sick of it. I want to change to more realistic manner of drawing, but I seem to be stuck in that cartoon shit.

This made me wonder. Is style of drawing somethin you can change or is it something that is glued to you like Palin on McCain? In other words... Can I change my style after all these years?

Cheers!

[Elwell]

Brian Leister went from this
498898
to this
498899

Eddie Guy went from James McMullen-inspired watercolors (sorry, couldn't find any on line),
to this
498901

Marvin Mattelson went from this
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to this
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[Mirana]

Is this a serious question? Style is not genetic. You can go for something different anytime you feel like it.

[dose]

Just about any animator needs to be able to match the style of the studio they're working for or the specific project they're working on. The Simpsons has probably had hundreds of animators working on it, both in the US and in Korea. Do you think they all just naturally draw in the Simpsons style?

[Brötje]

Fair enough, that answers my question.

Thanks everyone!

[deliciouspeter]

Think of styles as languages. You speak English not because of your genetics, but rather because it took a very long time to learn the basics and you practice every day.

[Psypomp]

This sounds just like those overweight people who blame heredity for ALL their problems. Style is based on who you are as a person, your skill level (for people who write off bad anatomy as "just their style") and maybe your influences. Even artistic ability isn't really hereditary (in my opinion), it's just how you were brought up & your own personal drive.

[Oakseed]

I can see Brotje point though. I am quite the same. I can draw pretty life like if I am doing still life's or life drawing, but when it comes to imagination I too get cartoons. Yep it's annoying, but it's all practice. Hopefully we'll be able to get out of this.

[Scotteh]

Think of styles as languages. You speak English not because of your genetics, but rather because it took a very long time to learn the basics and you practice every day.

Good line.