Elina Ellis

So, why were we drawing all these bears? 🐻

I wanted to make a point.

So many of us think we don’t have a style. That our work looks like everybody else’s and there’s nothing particularly recognisable about it.

Now look at these bears.

We all had the same brief: draw a bear drinking tea. Nobody was told what style to use. And no two are the same. I bet people who know your work could pick out your bear without seeing your name.

Every drawing involves so many decisions. Our experiences influence them. Our personalities and the way we see the world find their way onto the page. Much of this happens without us even noticing.

You already bring your own perspective to everything you draw. Your visual language might still be at the very beginning, but it is there.

We spend so much time chasing something that we rarely stop to look at what we already have. Why do we draw this way? What keeps appearing in our work? What do we enjoy enough to explore further?

Of course your style can develop. There is so much more to discover. But you already have somewhere to begin, because you are already there, making those choices.

That’s what I wanted you to see. ❤️

Thank you to everyone who joined our Creative DNA Experiment. I’ve loved seeing your drawings and reading your discoveries alongside my own.

There were far too many bears to include everyone, and I couldn’t find all the entries. I’m sorry if I missed yours! If you spot your drawing here, please tell us which one is yours in the comments so others can find you. If I missed you, or you’re still finishing, tag me when you share your bear.

This experiment is just the beginning. On Monday I’ll introduce my Creative DNA course, where we’ll look more closely at your visual language and how you can develop it in a direction that feels right for you.