How to Find Your Unique Illustration Style: A Fashion Illustrator’s Guide to Creativity & Success
My name is Rusanova Olesya, mostly known as Rusanovaart and I’m a fashion illustrator. I specialize in Fashion Sketch, which involves collaborating with clothing designers to create sketches for new collections, as well as working with beauty and fashion brands for commercial and advertising illustrations.
When I decided to make illustration my primary and sole profession, I spent a long time searching for the direction I wanted to take and the style that would reflect my individuality and my perspective on the world. Everyone has their own unique and interesting journey of self-discovery and finding their niche. For me, it turned out that my specific strokes—what I enjoyed drawing and how I approached it—defined my field of work. In other words, my style largely determined my focus and target audience.
The most common question I get from aspiring illustrators is: how to find your style? How do you find yourself in illustration? That’s the topic I’d like to offer a few tips on:
1. Start your search from within before looking outward: some illustrators analyse the market first to see what’s trending and where the money is, trying to fit into existing narratives. This carries the risk of burnout when the projects you’re working on don’t interest you and drain your energy, or the risk of following someone else’s path and losing your individuality—or even missing the chance to find it.
2. When practicing in different styles and techniques, let go of deliberateness, excessive diligence and academic rigidity. Fashion illustration captivated me precisely because of its freedom, the ability to turn mistakes into strengths and distinctive traits.
3. This advice is a continuation of the second: when practicing, focus not on what once impressed you, but on where your joy lies. Let your work, even if it doesn’t conform to conventional standards of professionalism—it doesn’t have to be super realistic or perfectly composed—be a vibrant expression of your emotions and your soul. Look for where the joy is in your work, and go in that direction! I’ve seen many incredibly talented drawings that went unappreciated, and conversely, many simple illustrations that resonated powerfully with people. I always tried to understand what set them apart, and I concluded that the energy infused in the work is the key! An artist draws not what they see, but what they feel! The more emotions are embedded in a drawing, the more it will attract attention. It doesn’t matter if it’s a richly composed illustration or a black-and-white sketch. Create from the heart, not just the mind! ~ @Rusanovaart
