"I don't have an art style.”

I told myself this every time I picked up a brush, wondering if I’d ever have one.

I thought style meant consistently painting the same subject matter or developing a signature look that everyone instantly recognized. I believed it had to look a certain way, perfect, polished, unmistakably “me.” At least that’s what was promoted through various artists’ feeds and podcasts discussing a niche.

But every time I imposed this idea of STYLE, my art felt less and less MINE.

So, the statement stuck…

If you’re in this predicament, you’re not alone. I was in the same position for four years until I finally realized my watercolor sketchbook had been shaping my style all along.

I thought I was “struggling” to find my style, but my watercolor sketchbook was doing the heavy lifting, quietly collecting clues: the colors I reached for, the marks I made without thinking, the messy studies I almost threw away.

The Moment it all Clicked

After I gave up on finding my style, I painted things people asked for or tried to copy other artists’ work. Every attempt felt like I was borrowing someone else’s thoughts. So I stopped creating altogether. I gifted away my unused sketchbooks, wrapped up every leftover painting.

And for a WHOLE year, I didn’t paint.

Then one evening, as storm clouds rolled in, I leaned on my balcony, feeling the breeze and gazing at the sky. Out of nowhere, the urge to paint returned.

Excited, I picked up my papers, thinking I’d start again…

BUT when I tried, it was like I had forgotten how. So I just sat there with my sketchbook as the rain fell, flipping through old pages.

Suddenly, I couldn’t unsee it.

I finally saw what had been there all along. My signature style is singing clearly and loudly from every sketchbook page.

Scroll down and steal my simple sketchbook habits (the ones most artists miss) and let them quietly reveal YOUR style too.

The Myth of the Perfect Style

I was told that to grow as an artist, I needed to paint a certain way or stick to the same subject and be a “serious” artist.

But how to find your painting style? Or, what even is style?

Because when I used to scroll through other artists’ feeds, I’d think, “They’ve nailed it. They have a style. I don’t.”

Here’s the trap: the more I tried to force a recognizable look, the tighter my creativity felt.

• I second-guessed every brushstroke.
• I stuck to “safe” subjects instead of exploring freely.
• Painting felt like a chore, not a playful experiment.

When you chase a perfect style, you’re not creating; you’re curating.

You trim away all the messy, experimental moments that lead you to discover your unique artistic style.

My style wasn’t missing; I was just too busy chasing someone else’s version of it to notice my own.

How My Sketchbook Became My Sanctuary

I dreamed of that perfect painting, that finished masterpiece. And to get there, I forgot my most useful tool: my sketchbook.

Teachers, seniors, and even visiting artists told me to keep one at all times. (Ooh, yes, I was an art school kid.) But instead of exploring, I stressed over making each page a “perfect” painting.

Keeping a sketchbook turned into a headache, not a safe place to explore.

By 2020, it all crashed down. I realized I was copying work I saw on Pinterest. That moment shocked me.

It was the first time I truly doubted myself as an artist.

After Trupti’s Online workshop, I won my Blue Pine Arts Large Landscape sketchbook. This time, I started like a kindergartener - painting freely, filling pages with everything: tiny florals, loose landscapes, color swatches, even messy notes about what I loved or wanted to fix.

I didn’t know it then, but this was the start of my style quietly taking shape.

👉 Having one dedicated sketchbook made a world of difference.

Want a sketchbook that helps you grow without pressure?

I used the Blue Pine Arts Watercolor Sketchbook throughout this entire journey. It became a creative companion.

It’s the journal I wish I had from day one - 220 gsm cold-pressed pages, bright-white paper, lays flat (umm! hello, saddle stitching), and perfect for watching your style evolve organically, page by page.

If you’re in dire need of a safe space in your sketchbook that handles your messy studies, playful experiments, and surprising discoveries in one spot, check them out here.

Watercolor Sketchbook Habits That Changed Everything

Looking back, I can see a few simple habits in that sketchbook where my style grew quietly, page by page:

→ Habit 1: Track Everything

I mean everything: finished paintings, quick pencil sketches, color swatches, even happy mistakes. I’d jot down what I felt while creating, what I liked about it (and why), techniques that excited me, and what I’d do differently next time.

💡 Tip: Do this as soon as you finish painting. Your brains forget those little “aha” moments fast, but writing them keeps your growth visible on the page.

✨ This is how I finally saw patterns I’d been missing for years; it connected the dots for me.

→ Habit 2: Low-Pressure Studies

I love creating small, stress-free studies. I don’t have to be precise or finish a perfect piece, just playful explorations. Doing so, I noticed new color mixes, subjects, brushstrokes, and elements I naturally gravitated toward.

💡 Tip: When you take a tutorial or watch a YouTube session, your sketchbook is the best place to follow along.

✨ These playful pages turned out to be my biggest teachers, showing me what felt natural without me even realizing it.

→ Habit 3: Mini Explorations

Once my study was finished, I’d swatch leftover paint right next to it or cover an entire page. This “skippable” habit showed me how much I love warm greens, granulating deep blues and purples, and earthy tones.

💡 Tip: Notice the pattern in repeating paints.

✨ Without this, I’d still think I had “no palette”, but looking back, these tiny swatches were building it for me.

→ Habit 4: Revisit Old Pages

Months later, I’d flip back through my sketchbook and finally notice the patterns: colors I reached for, shapes that felt like second nature, and subjects I kept coming back to.

💡 Tip: When you feel stuck, don’t start fresh. Sit with your old pages and circle what feels most you; that’s the seed of your style.

✨ Looking back, this is when it finally clicked. I wasn’t lost; my style was waiting for me to notice.

Your Style Was There All Along

I didn’t realize it at the time, but showing up and filling those pages without judgment slowly shifted me into autopilot.

Each page was alive with scribbles and notes of what I wanted to improve, paintings I loved, classes I took, little moments I was proud of, and even how I felt that day.

That sketchbook became my messy, honest playground. And without realizing it, this is where my style started taking root, not from painting the same subject over and over, but from natural, repeated choices that flowed out of me.

Your style doesn’t arrive with fireworks; it hides in your everyday pages.

If you have an old sketchbook, flip through it. Look for the colors, marks, and subjects you return to again and again. You might be surprised to see your style has been there all along, just waiting for you to notice. → Shop the sketchbook I used

Sakshi Chaudhary is an India-based artist who paints loose watercolors inspired by fleeting glimpses of nature, bringing a sense of belonging and calm, and evoking the nostalgia of those enthralling moments around us. Follow her work at  @sakshichaudharystudio or sakshichaudharystudio.com

___________________________________________________________________________

P.S. If you’re ready to let your art style unfold without pressure, I can’t recommend the Blue Pine Arts sketchbooks enough. They’ve been my safe place to experiment, mess up, and notice the patterns that became my style.

Every size feels like a new adventure, with bright white watercolor paper, strong 220 gsm pages, and space for your voice to emerge, one brushstroke at a time.