This is something kind of random that really interests me, which I discussed with a friend a while back but would definitely be interested in getting more feedback on (from a larger sample pool)! Or at the very least, getting it off my chest.

Basically I'm wondering how an individual's personal aesthetic comes into being. Why do different people have different drawing/painting/art "styles"? Part of it obviously is what influenced us creatively when we were learning how to draw (establishing which elements we want to keep and which elements to discard), but when we make those choices of "I want to draw like this" there's obviously some element of individual psychology at work. Something about whatever you were influenced by "felt right" to you, or else it wouldn't make such an impression, right? What I'm getting at I guess is whether there's any (in)direct correlation between your aesthetic choices and your innate character, your personality and your background and your values. Can we even put a finger on what that nebulous "something" is? Why do I draw the way I do? Where did it come from? If I try to look at myself objectively, personality-wise, I can see where the CONTENT of my drawings come from (I like nostalgic, sentimental things, despite being a cynical pragmatist), but I'm not sure entirely how the formal/technical aspects of my art manifested themselves in these ways (realistic vs idealized figures, color choices, etc). I mean, maybe because I'm so sentimental I like very organic, loose art (like Impressionism) but I also adore rigid, intricate, mathematical art as well (but maybe that's because I like science?).

So I wonder: How do you think your drawing style parallels your personality? Has your style changed a lot over time, and did that correlate in any way with changes in your personality, your values, etc? Mine's changed a lot through the years. I've obviously changed as a person but I wonder if there are any defining marks that I've carried with me even as my drawing "style" changed drastically.

Also! I'd be interested if anyone out there can boast that they actually LOOK like the characters they draw in their style. It's a hypothesis I've heard that hasn't thus far been shown to hold any water whatsoever, but it's certainly a fascinating idea. Sort of like the whole "people look like their pets" thing.

I feel like I'm talking in circles. Maybe this is a really silly question that doesn't make any sense?? Ah well, that's okay. Just being curious. Mostly I wanted to bump that 2-year-old entry about oekaki off my page.