How do you 'break out' of your fav artist's influence? HELP!

[*Kim-L*]

Hey guys,

I noticed lately that my work reminds people a lot of Falcoon, a really great Japanese artist whose work is an inspiration and influence to me. I'm sure all of you have favourite artists of your own who influence your work and style. :)

Before I discovered Falcoon's work, I had a really difficult time understanding CG and digital colouring, but I improved a lot more after. The problem is, after studying his style to better understand and learn more on digital colouring ... I think I learned too well, and I can't seem to break out from his style! The influence has become so strong that I'm embarassed to say people have even mistaken Falcoon's work as mine before. :o

Well, guys, can you help me out? How do I break out of his style and go my own way? I'd really appreciate it if anybody can help me with this. Thanks!

~ Kim.

[mcotie]

expand your favorites list and check out new and unfamiliar artists. Study their techniques and lighting. Try a different genre altogether.

Mitch

[R_M]

Originally posted by mcotie
expand your favorites list and check out new and unfamiliar artists. Study their techniques and lighting. Try a different genre altogether.

Mitch

You stole the words from my mouth... I change my favorite artist at least once a month!

[GhostofMacbeth]

Just draw and draw and draw .. Don't think about it. Your influences will be there someplace anyway but look at other people's work to break the habits you have formed and then draw ....

[al-x]

Do lots of lifedrawing/photostudies, trying to do stuff realistic makes you find other way's to simplify your art/find your own style.

[davi]

i say learn a completely different style, or start attempting...

[*Kim-L*]

R_M, would you like to share your list of favourite artists? :D You probably have a pretty long list if you have at least 12 new artists each year.

davi, uhm ... start attempting what?

Perhaps I should have specified something ... if I painted anything in Painter, I'm alright style-wise. This only happens when I draw and colour anything in Photoshop. It's almost like a Pavlovian response, heh.

But anyways, thanks for the tips, guys! :)

[LiL QoH]

I'd draw loots and lotsa of life drawings

[R_M]

Jim Burns
Masamune Shirow
K. Ototmo
frezzato
michael Whelan
Stephen Youll
chriss Moore
Roger dean
Syd Mead
Chris Foss
Jhon Foster
Biz
Moebius
Brom
David Seeley
Tim White
Phil Hale
Don Maitz
Peter Johnes
Rodney Matthews
Patrik Woodroffe
Fred fields
Keith Parkinson
Frazetta
Mike Mignola
Elmore
Easley
Glen Orbik
Robh Ruppel
.
.
.
..
and the list goes on and on, plenty to find on CA too!

[*Kim-L*]

Lil Qoh: Cool, thanks for the suggestion!

R_M: Wow, nice list! There're a quite a few of my favourite artists in there as well. :) I'll go check out the ones I'm not familiar with. Thanks again!

[shyst]

frezzato-

sounds like a rip off from frazzeta..lol*

[R_M]

Originally posted by shyst
frezzato-

sounds like a rip off from frazzeta..lol*

:D never saw that one!

[*Kim-L*]

*lol* So is Frezzato a nickname or a real name?

[R_M]

Massimiliano Frezzato

made some great comics foe Heavy metal

[*Kim-L*]

Wow.

I like Frezzato's work so much, I just decided to buy four of his books! :D

Thanks for letting me know about him, R_M!

[shadow]

Check out Hung Tai Kim, ooo so good:)

[jwo]

i saw some of your stuff. and i thought you were falcoon.
i would try not using his coloring tech, and practice your own.

"if i try to be like him,
who will be like me"

shalom out

[*Kim-L*]

shadow: I assume you mean Hyung Tae Kim. ;) And yes, I'm familiar with his work ... he's one of my favourite artists.

jwo: I guess that makes you the third person so far. :p Yeah, I'm striking out on a different style now ... but I have no regrets over learning his style. It was a positive thing that helped me to learn many things. By the way, who quoted that?

[jwo]

its a yiddish proverb.

[gekitsu]

do it the borg way: strive through the art universe, see lots of art and artists, learn about new stuff and assimilate everything that will come in handy.

note that "assimilate" derives from latin "a" - short of "ad", meaning "to", in a non-location way and "simil-", a word stem meaning -well- similar.
try to integrate useful and new things into the way the lines flow out of your hand, not just dumb copying.

[cybercyst]

hey, as long as it's 10% different than the original, you can claim it as yours...so for example, if this artist of yours painted an ear, just stick an earring on it, and BAM! You're out of that rut, because you just created an original. Heh..heh. Yeeaah.