TUTORIAL // how to steal a style
Added 2025-05-08 12:54:26 +0000 UTCIt's finally here: my tutorial on how to steal a style! That's a bit of a clickbait title, because it's not really possible to steal a style. However, it is possible to absorb elements of an artistic style in order to boost your creative growth, and this video is all about how you can do that!
I talk about how to analyze and break down a visual style, which exercises you can do to learn more about it, and how you can gradually absorb these elements into your creative practice. I hope you like it! ✨
The main brushes I use in this video are:
The MaCaLabs HB pencil brush for the initial sketch (there's also a Procreate version)
The hard round brush from my own brush set for blending and painting
Here's the artwork I made during the tutorial, which is referenced directly from J.C Leyendecker's artwork.
Here are some additional tutorials I've made in the past that would be a great supplement to this one:
Warmups & exercises for improving your skills: I mention this tutorial in the video, because it's all about choosing an area of focus before getting started on a study - something you can also do for master studies. This tutorial elaborates more on that concept!
Creating an artistic routine: this tutorial is all about setting goals and figuring out how you can implement them into your artistic practice. This is something I talk about a lot in this video, so if you want to know more about it, you'll probably find the artistic routine tutorial helpful!
I also talk about a worksheet in which you list your inspirations and extrapolate specific elements from them in order to set goals. You can find that worksheet in the free exercise booklet on finding your style!
Here's a cheat sheet with the most important information from the video - you can also find a PDF version with clickable links attached to this post!
I hope you enjoy this video ! Feel free to share any future tutorial suggestions in the #tutorial-suggestions channel in the discord server (If you don't know how to join, just follow the steps outlined here) or leave them in a comment below ❤
Comments
This is an amazing video. Thank you so much! My favorite artists are Mariusz Lewandowski and Zdzisław Beksiński. And now I know how to take very deep dive into their work and analyze it. Thanks for your great work. :)
Christin
2025-05-31 18:36:26 +0000 UTCyeah it's definitely the same for me - i find it soothing to just copy what I see! but sometimes I notice that I don't retain any knowledge from such sessions. having said that, there's nothing wrong with drawing because you enjoy the process! I'm glad you enjoyed the tutorial 😊
Loish
2025-05-19 10:14:48 +0000 UTCI loved this tutorial, I'm learning so much on your Patreon. I think I'm still very much a "human photocopier" 🤣 It's Zen drawing for me to render a flower as I see it without questioning it (laziness... maybe but I like it). But above all I love learning and I'm in the right place for that, thank you for your teaching 🩷
Chantal
2025-05-18 19:03:29 +0000 UTCglad you liked it Joviana!
Loish
2025-05-15 10:55:41 +0000 UTChaha I'm glad you liked it! ✨
Loish
2025-05-15 10:54:18 +0000 UTCI just gave you an ovation in my bedroom. You are a genius professor!!!
Zu Roque
2025-05-15 06:05:42 +0000 UTCThis is absolutely amazing, Loish! Thank you! That one helped me a lot!
Joviana Fernandes Marques
2025-05-13 12:21:36 +0000 UTCim a broken record at this point but thank you once again for the super fun, super insighful value packed tutorial Lois! i've grown my artistic practice sm since joining your patreon _(:‚‹」∠)_ ❤️🔥i also enjoy a lot how you create a custom color palette for each tutorial to match the artwork <3
Laura
2025-05-12 13:13:12 +0000 UTCso glad you found it helpful! and yep, I feel the same. Leyendecker has inspired my work for a long time now and I only grow more fond of it over the years!
Loish
2025-05-12 10:31:00 +0000 UTCthanks kayla, I'm so glad you liked it!
Loish
2025-05-12 10:30:27 +0000 UTCi just took a look, Pontormo's work is fascinating! it definitely has a surreal vibe and the eyes really capture my attention.
Loish
2025-05-12 10:30:19 +0000 UTCi'm so glad you liked it! for a different subject, i'd say it's the same basic idea: make a good reference board and try to map the style of the artist onto the different subject as much as possible. it's challenging but you can probably still find ways to translate it. you could also collect reference of similar textures, like hair for example, to understand how the artist would draw fur.
Loish
2025-05-12 10:26:25 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this tutorial! I love how you make worksheets for certain tutorials too! Helps me focus my ideas and such!
Kayla
2025-05-11 23:56:22 +0000 UTCThis video made me think of a class I took at Art Center. My instructor was a master of classical figure drawing (Harry Carmen). He probably had many influences over the years, but one of his major (favorite?) old master influences was Jacobo Pontormo. A stylistic trait that can be seen in many of Pontormo’s drawings and sketches were deep-set eyes. A bit unsettling when you see this in some of Pontormo’s sketches of youthful figures.
Michael H
2025-05-11 11:52:56 +0000 UTCAt SB☕️. Watching the complete video this morning. VERY! helpful.👍🏻💙
Michael H
2025-05-11 11:25:21 +0000 UTCThis is such a great tutorial! Whenever I've tried to study styles in the past, I always get overwhelmed, and this breaks it down nicely. Do you have any extra tips on doing this with a completely different subject? (ex: wanting to 'steal' the style of someone who only worked with human figures and translating it to animal ones) Since there is no true reference, if that makes sense.
LilDarkVixen
2025-05-11 00:05:21 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this excellent tutorial! I've been fan of Leyendecker's work for years, but I couldn't quite grasp exactly how to create that texture until now, your explanation of what he was trying to do is exactly what I needed. This also helps me to think better when I study other artists! and how to approach my study sessions. Leyendecker's surely was a master on stylization, I just adore his shape design
Anaid Jimenez
2025-05-10 02:02:21 +0000 UTCso glad you liked it Inês!
Loish
2025-05-09 12:58:07 +0000 UTCthanks so much buffie! we've all been there with our art heroes for sure. i remember being absolutely obsessed with specific early 00's online artists! enjoy the leyendecker artbook, his work is a constant source of inspiration to me.
Loish
2025-05-09 12:57:52 +0000 UTCso glad you liked it Jamie!
Loish
2025-05-09 12:57:12 +0000 UTCglad you liked it, Annett! it took me a while to realize how important silhouette was to me as well. I think that's one of the reasons I'm so drawn to animation concept art - they always keep a close eye on the silhouettes!
Loish
2025-05-09 12:56:57 +0000 UTCThank you so much for this amazing tutorial and especially for pointing out silhouette as an appealing factor. With some of my influences I really couldn't say what exactly it was that attracted me to their work, except for colour and movement. But now I know: Silhouette! 😊
Annett
2025-05-09 06:45:03 +0000 UTCSuch a great tutorial! I love to watch your tree different approaches to Leyendecker! the way you tought about style -like the different parts and the different intentions- is very clever and very simple to understand! thank you once again!
Inês Garcia
2025-05-08 22:27:12 +0000 UTCThis is very interesting to hear about your style influences and how you take style inspiration! because I too have done the thing where I put your art next to the canvas and tried to channel that when I was a teenager haha (things like flowy hair, buttoned nose, painting directly on a dynamic sketch, etc.) also I love JC Leyendecker and just bought an artbook 😆
Buffie
2025-05-08 21:00:40 +0000 UTCsuch a great tutorial i loved this one. i need to go find some artists to reference and practice styles with besides yours lol SO GOOD
Jamie Seroogy
2025-05-08 21:00:19 +0000 UTCThank you for this wonderful tutorial ❤️
Mia Hobbes
2025-05-08 19:25:17 +0000 UTCME TOO!
Lawrence Hernandez
2025-05-08 15:39:09 +0000 UTCmy patrons are giving me the confidence 😂
Loish
2025-05-08 14:33:58 +0000 UTCyay!! your comments about getting the leyendecker book were top of mind for me as i was conceptualizing the idea for this, so thank you for that 😊
Loish
2025-05-08 14:33:29 +0000 UTCI love how shameless loish is getting 😛
Art Mancy 🔮
2025-05-08 14:31:56 +0000 UTCI’m going to like this one!! Since purchasing the Leyendecker book, (and spending lots of time with each illustration)—-this tutorial will be perfect. Leyendecker seemed to be able to ‘sculpt’ with paint….especially with his white paint where he defines many (most?) of his negative areas with those great brush strokes. THANK YOU Loish for this one! (I haven’t even watched it yet)🧐💙
Michael H
2025-05-08 13:37:05 +0000 UTCSo brilliant! Thanks for sharing.
Becky Brunton
2025-05-08 13:06:51 +0000 UTChaha such perfect timing!! i hope you enjoy it ✨
Loish
2025-05-08 13:02:39 +0000 UTCI LITERALLY SCREAMED WHEN I SAW THIS i've been a HUGE fan of leyendecker and have been trying to do masterstudies THANK YOU LOISH IM SO EXCITED!
Jam
2025-05-08 12:57:36 +0000 UTC
