Finding Your Voice in a Noisy World: The Struggle for Originality
There’s no shortage of voices in the art world. Whether you’re scrolling through social media, visiting galleries, or talking with fellow artists, it can feel like everyone has already found their niche, their style, their message. Meanwhile, you might be sitting in your studio (or at your kitchen table) wondering where your voice fits into all of it.
It’s an ongoing struggle. And honestly? It doesn’t always go away, even when you’ve been making art for years. No matter how long you’ve been creating, the question of originality (how do I find my own voice?!) can sneak up at any time. And with the internet making everything so accessible, it’s easy to feel like there’s nothing new left to say, no visual approach that hasn’t already been explored.
But here’s the thing: finding your voice isn’t about being the most unique artist in the world. It’s about getting to the core of what matters to you and making work that feels honest, regardless of whether it’s trendy or marketable.
The Pressure to Stand Out
There’s a lot of pressure to be different. The internet thrives on novelty, and the art world isn’t much different. You see it in the way certain aesthetics take off on social media…suddenly, everyone is making art in a particular style, and the temptation to follow suit is real. And hey, experimenting is fine. It’s how we learn. But it’s easy to fall into the trap of making work just for engagement rather than making work that actually feels like you.
Maybe you’ve caught yourself stuck in that loop…wondering if your work is good because you love it, or because it gets a certain reaction. Or maybe you’re holding back from sharing anything at all because it doesn’t feel “original enough.” Either way, the fear of blending in can be just as overwhelming as the fear of standing out.
But here’s something worth keeping in mind: your voice isn’t just about what you make…it’s about why you make it. The choices you make, the themes you keep coming back to, the things you care about. These are the things that shape your artistic identity. Originality isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s about intention. The more you focus on what’s important to you, the clearer your voice becomes.
The Influence of Others (and How to Manage It)
No one creates in a vacuum. We’re all influenced by something…other artists, personal experiences, the world around us. But in the age of social media, influence can feel overwhelming. When you’re constantly exposed to other people’s work, it’s easy to start second-guessing your own. Or worse…feeling like you’re just echoing what’s already out there.
There’s a balance to be found here. Looking at other people’s work can be inspiring, but if you find yourself more focused on what others are doing than on what you actually want to create, it might be time to step back. That doesn’t mean shutting yourself off completely, but it does mean being intentional about how you engage with outside influences.
One thing that helps is paying attention to how different works make you feel. What draws you in? What makes you linger? Instead of mimicking a style, try to identify what about it speaks to you. Maybe it’s the mood, the energy, the sense of movement…those elements can be explored in your own work without directly copying anyone else.
The Process of Finding Your Voice
Finding your voice isn’t a single “aha” moment…it’s an ongoing process. It’s shaped by the work you do over time, by the risks you take, by the failures you learn from. Some artists settle into a recognizable style early on. Others spend years refining their approach. Either way, it’s not a race. There’s no deadline for figuring it out.
What helps is showing up consistently, making work even when you’re unsure. You don’t need to wait for a grand realization before you start. Every piece you make, even the ones that don’t feel groundbreaking, is part of the process. The more you create, the more patterns emerge…the things you naturally gravitate toward, the ideas you keep coming back to.
And sometimes, your voice isn’t just in what you make, but in how you make it. Maybe you approach art with a sense of playfulness. Maybe your process is meticulous and detail-driven. Maybe you work best in chaos, or maybe you need structure. All of these things contribute to your artistic identity.
Dealing with Doubt
Doubt is part of the process. There will be times when you wonder if your work matters, if anyone will care, if you’re just adding to the noise rather than cutting through it. That’s normal. But the only way to move forward is to keep going despite those doubts.
It’s easy to feel discouraged when you don’t immediately see the results you want, whether that’s recognition, sales, or even just personal satisfaction. But finding your voice isn’t about external validation…it’s about doing the work that feels necessary for you.
If you’re struggling with doubt, step back and ask yourself why you create in the first place. What do you get out of it? What would you be making if no one was watching? What kind of work excites you, challenges you, or feels like an extension of yourself? Those are the things worth holding onto.
The Value of Persistence
There’s no shortcut to originality. It comes from doing the work, making mistakes, trying new things, and letting your instincts guide you. Some days, you’ll feel like you’re onto something. Other days, you’ll feel like you have no idea what you’re doing. Both of those moments are part of the process.
Your voice isn’t something you find once and hold onto forever. It evolves. It shifts as you grow, as you experience new things, as you push yourself in different directions. And that’s a good thing. The most compelling artists aren’t the ones who figure everything out early on…they’re the ones who keep exploring, who allow their voice to develop over time.
So if you’re feeling lost in the noise, know that you’re not alone. Every artist, at some point, has been there. But the only way to find your way through it is to keep making, keep questioning, and keep moving forward.