23 Art Styles to Try Out and Boost Your Creativity

Have you ever felt stuck in a creative rut, unsure of which direction to take your artistic endeavors? 

Exploring new art styles can be the perfect solution to reignite your passion and expand your skills. 

From the fluid strokes of watercolor to the bold lines of graffiti, each style offers a unique perspective and a new set of challenges.

Many artists don't venture far from their initial comfort zones, potentially missing out on techniques that could transform their work. 

This article will guide you through various art styles that are not only fun to try but could also be the key to revealing your next great piece. 

What Are the Best Art Styles To Try Out?

Exploring various art styles not only enriches your creative repertoire but also pushes your artistic boundaries. 

Here are five captivating art styles to consider that meet the criteria of being both enjoyable and innovative.

1. Impressionism

Characterized by small, thin brush strokes and an emphasis on light and its changing qualities, Impressionism captures the essence of a subject. 

If you're interested in portraying more about the atmosphere rather than the fine details, this style is ideal. 

Famous artists like Claude Monet and Edgar Degas exemplify this style in their works, such as Monet’s "Water Lilies."

 2. Surrealism

Drawing on the elements of surprise and unexpected juxtapositions, Surrealism gives you the freedom to explore your unconscious mind. 

This style is perfect if you enjoy tapping into the abstract and the fantastic. 

Salvador Dali’s "The Persistence of Memory" with its melting clocks is a quintessential example.

3. Abstract Expressionism

This style is all about expressing emotions through non-traditional forms and vibrant colors, which is why Abstract Expressionism is ideal for those who want to convey feelings over realism. 

Jackson Pollock’s action paintings, where he dripped paint on canvas, radically embody this style.

3. Digital Art

In the digital age, harnessing technology for art creation is more accessible than ever. 

Digital art allows for endless experimentation with tools and techniques that are not possible with traditional materials. 

Artists like Beeple and Loish gained popularity through their digital works, showcasing that this medium is recognized and celebrated.

4. Mixed Media

Combining various techniques and materials, mixed media art offers a canvas of experimentation. 

If you enjoy experimenting with textures, layering, and incorporating unexpected items into your artwork, mixed media can provide a thrilling creative challenge. 

Artists such as Kurt Schwitters and Robert Rauschenberg are pioneers in this field, often blending painting with collage elements.

4. Art Deco

Exploring Art Deco, you investigate a world marked by rich colors, bold geometry, and decadent detail work that epitomizes luxury and glamour from the early 20th century. 

Originating in the 1920s and 1930s, this style integrates fashion, art, and architecture with its unique blend of modernism and ornamentation.

This art style stands out for its symmetrical shapes and vibrant patterns. 

You'll notice the use of streamlined and geometric forms such as zigzags, sunbursts, and stepped shapes. Materials like aluminum, stainless steel, and inlaid wood suggest a fascination with industrial progress and technological innovation. 

Artists like Tamara de Lempicka and Jean Dunand left significant marks on the Art Deco movement.

5. Abstract Expressionism

Exploring Abstract Expressionism can immerse you in the world of emotional intensity and spontaneous style that characterizes this art movement. 

Bearing a strong contrast to the symmetrical and geometric precision of Art Deco, Abstract Expressionism values individual expression and dynamic uses of paint.

Abstract Expressionism emerged in the 1940s and 1950s, primarily in New York, marking a significant shift in the art world. 

Artists such as Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning led this movement, breaking away from traditional forms and techniques to embrace more fluid, abstract forms. 

6. Art Nouveau

Transitioning from the dynamic strokes of Abstract Expressionism, you might find the intricate and ornamental style of Art Nouveau refreshing. 

Emphasizing curved lines, natural forms, and detailed patterning, Art Nouveau emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and offers a distinct departure from the rigid forms of Art Deco.

Art Nouveau is easily recognizable by its flowery motifs and undulating lines, resembling stems and blossoms. The style imbues a sense of movement through asymmetrical shapes and lines that mimic the natural environment. 

For example, the works of Alphonse Mucha feature lush illustrations of women with flowing hair and floral backgrounds, capturing the essence of this style's elegance and organic feel.

7. Bauhaus

Exploring Bauhaus connects you to a century-old philosophy of art that emphasizes functionality combined with fine arts. 

Originating in 1919 in Weimar, Germany, founded by Walter Gropius, Bauhaus urges artists to reconsider the material world through rational, geometric forms. 

This style leverages simple shapes and colors to create compositions that are both aesthetically pleasing and practical.

Bauhaus art merges diverse elements from fine arts, crafts, and modern technology, thereby encouraging unity between artistic creativity and industrial mass production.

Investigate works by Wassily Kandinsky and Paul Klee, whose graphical representations embody the school's ethos. 

Also, explore Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's architecture, where clarity and simplicity speak volumes.

8. Contemporary Art

Transitioning from the structured and minimalist influence of Bauhaus, you'll find that Contemporary Art offers a dynamic shift. 

This style reflects the complexities of the current global aesthetic and intellectual climate. Seeing it in practice, you can explore diverse approaches ranging from installations to digital art.

Artists like Ai Weiwei and Jeff Koons blend sculpture, digital media, and everyday objects to challenge societal norms. 

An example is Ai Weiwei's installation "Remembering" (2009) which used backpacks to symbolize child victims of an earthquake in Sichuan, China—illustrating how Contemporary Art can ignite social dialogue.

The integration of modern technology with art is another defining trait of Contemporary Art. You might explore digital art forms such as video installations. For instance, Pipilotti Rist's immersive works meld colorful, hypnotic visuals with sound to create transformative environments, pushing you to reconsider the intersection of art and technology.

9. Cubism

Cubism offers a striking contrast to contemporary art with its abstract and fragmented perspectives. 

Conceived by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque in the early 20th century, Cubism challenges the conventional depiction of subjects, emphasizing a radical viewpoint through geometric shapes and interlocking planes.

When you investigate into Cubism, you encounter scenes broken up and reassembled in an abstracted form—objects are analyzed, deconstructed, and recomposed from multiple angles. 

This creates a dynamic interaction between the artwork and viewer, encouraging you to engage deeply to understand its full narrative.

For instance, Picasso's renowned painting "Les Demoiselles d'Avignon" (1907) showcases Cubism's revolutionary approach. The figures in the painting are depicted in a provocative and disjointed manner, marked by sharp geometric shapes and interwoven planes, which disrupt traditional forms and perspectives. 

10. Dadaism

Moving from the structured and geometrically driven world of Cubism, you’ll find Dadaism offers a striking contrast. 

Emerged in the early 20th century, Dadaism began as an avant-garde reaction to the horrors of World War I, emphasizing absurdity, irony, and the whims of chance in art creation. 

Unlike Cubism, which dissects reality into abstract forms, Dadaism seeks to challenge conventional artistic norms and societal expectations.

Start your exploration of Dadaism by embracing randomness. 

Famous Dada artist Marcel Duchamp used found objects—his most notorious being “Fountain,” a standard urinal signed "R. Mutt"—to create art that questioned, "What is art?" You might not have a urinal handy, but try incorporating ordinary items in unexpected ways in your art. 

This could mean creating a sculpture from kitchen utensils or assembling a collage from magazine clippings and fabric scraps.

11. De Stijl

Founded in 1917 in the Netherlands, De Stijl, also known as Neoplasticism, streamlines art to its basics: straight lines, rectangular forms, and primary colors alongside black, white, and gray. This style celebrates simplicity and abstraction, aiming to achieve universal harmony in art.

Piet Mondrian, one of the pivotal figures of De Stijl, exemplifies this approach in his work "Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow." 

Here, Mondrian restricts his palette to primary colors framed with black horizontal and vertical lines against a white background. 

This strict, yet vibrant, compositional language encourages you to focus on the balance and tension between the elements.

12. Expressionism

Expressionism offers you a powerful platform for personal expression through art, emphasizing emotional experience rather than physical reality. 

This art style originates from Germany at the beginning of the 20th century, characterized by its use of vivid colors and dramatic, sometimes distorted forms. 

Expressionism seeks to convey the artist's subjective emotions and responses that objects and events arouse within them.

13. Fauvism

Transitioning from Expressionism's emotional landscapes, explore Fauvism, a style celebrated for its radical use of color to convey light and space. 

Originating in France in the early 20th century, Fauvism shuns realistic colors, opting instead for vivid, exaggerated hues that capture emotions and impressions rather than accurate depictions. 

Artists like Henri Matisse and André Derain pioneered this movement, emphasizing painterly qualities and strong color over representational values.

Fauvism is known for its simplicity and concentration on color purity.

13. Fluxus

Fluxus, founded in the 1960s, emphasizes art processes and ideas over the final product. Its essence lies in challenging traditional art forms and commercial aspects of art culture, promoting a blend of different mediums and disciplines.

Fluxus is not merely an art style; it's an attitude. It advocates for blending various forms of art—music, performance, visual art—all while infusing elements of humor and simplicity. 

George Maciunas, the founder, described it as "a fusion of Spike Jones, gags, games, Vaudeville, Cage, and Duchamp." Famous works like Yoko Ono’s "Cut Piece" and George Brecht's "Water Yam" encapsulate the experimental and interactive nature of Fluxus.

14. Minimalist

Minimalist art, known for its simplicity and focus on essentials, presents a refreshing shift from the complexities of previous artistic movements. 

Pioneered by artists like Donald Judd and Agnes Martin, this style strips away the unnecessary, leaving only what's essential. 

Minimalism emphasizes form, color, and texture without excessive detail, allowing you to focus on the artwork’s actual composition and the emotions it evokes.

Adopting a minimalist approach to your art can significantly refine your artistic focus. 

By simplifying shapes and color palettes, you encourage viewers to appreciate the purity of the artwork. 

15. Folk Art

Exploring Folk Art introduces you to a blend of culture, history, and community through creativity. This style embodies the essence of traditional crafts and visual storytelling predominant in rural areas across various cultures.

Delving into Folk Art involves incorporating traditional designs, symbols, and motifs specific to geographic and cultural origins. 

For instance, artists like Grandma Moses captured the American rural life, while Amate Bark paintings reflect the indigenous Nahuatl people of Mexico. 

When you start, choose a culture that fascinates you; research its traditional visual elements such as folk motifs from Ukrainian Pysanky (decorated eggs) or intricate Indian Madhubani paintings.

Folk Art is celebrated for its use of humble, often locally sourced materials. 

You don’t need high-end supplies; instead, make use of what is readily available to you. 

Everyday items like fabric scraps, wood, clay, and natural dyes can transform into beautiful art pieces. This approach not only lowers costs but also enhances the traditional authenticity of your work.

16. Futurism

Futurism, borne out of Italy in the early 20th century, emphasizes speed, technology, and industrial progress. 

This style merges emerging concepts of the modern era with artistic expression, creating a dynamic vision of the future.

Futurists like Umberto Boccioni and Giacomo Balla captured moving subjects by blurring lines and using repeating patterns. 

You can try to depict elements in motion, such as cars or humans, to contribute a sense of velocity to your pieces. 

Futurism isn't subtle; it's bold and assertive. 

Focus on urban themes and mechanical elements. Use sharp angles and incorporate metallic tones to mirror the industrial aesthetics Incorporate vibrant colors and stark contrast. Use a palette that includes deep blues, vibrant reds, and striking yellows.

All these practices can add and enhance the futuristic element of your artwork.

17. Harlem Renaissance

Exploring the Harlem Renaissance reveals a period of rich artistic flowering in African American culture centered in Harlem, New York, during the 1920s to 1930s. 

This movement celebrated Black cultural identity, influenced by a strong sense of community and the societal shifts post-World War I. 

Harlem Renaissance art is distinguishable by its vibrant portrayal of African American life and its combinatory style of both African and American elements, with some of the most popular artists being Aaron Douglas, Archibald Motley, and Augusta Savage. 

Douglas, for example, utilized silhouetted figures and flat forms reminiscent of African tribal art but merged them with modernist influences, creating a distinctive visual language.

18. Impressionism

Impressionism revolutionizes the way you perceive and depict light and color in your artistry. Originating in the late 19th century in France, this style focuses on capturing fleeting moments and the effects of light using vibrant brush strokes. 

Artists like Claude Monet and Edgar Degas are seminal figures, often painting en plein air to better capture the atmosphere's transient qualities. Their works, such as Monet's "Water Lilies" and Degas' "Ballet Class," exemplify the essence of Impressionism, showcasing the beauty in everyday life with a soft yet dynamic touch.

Embrace the foundational techniques of Impressionism by prioritizing light over detail. Start by setting up your canvas outdoors—this aligns with the Impressionist practice of painting directly from nature. 

Experiment with natural light and its changes throughout the day; this will help you understand and depict its impact on colors and shadows. 

19. Installation Art

Installation Art transforms spaces to create immersive environments, encouraging you to engage directly with the artwork. 

This art form integrates various elements, such as sculptures, sound, light, and video, crafting experiences that are more than just visually appreciable—they're meant to be felt and interacted with.

Installation Art offers a unique artistic experience by altering a physical space, making the viewer a part of the art. 

This form differs from traditional sculptures or paintings, which often only require passive observation. 

Museums or galleries featuring installations like Sehnsucht by Ann Hamilton use the enormity of space, coupled with audio elements, to encompass viewers in a sensory experience.

20. Magical Realism

Magical realism blends daily life with fantastical elements, marking a fine balance where the mundane meets the miraculous. Unique to this style is the way normalcy is painted with a layer of the extraordinary, offering a new lens to view the real world.

Magical realism thrives on the integration of realistic narratives with surreal elements. 

Artists like Frida Kahlo and Remedios Varo exemplify this genre. 

Kahlo's "The Two Fridas" and Varo's "Creation of the Birds" display encounter typical experiences intertwined with dream-like scenarios. The seemingly impossible coexists with the usual, not as something foreign, but as a natural part of life.

The World of Art Styles To Try Out Is Broader Than You May Think

It may be overwhelming to be surrounded by so many different art styles to try ou. However, each style offers unique techniques and perspectives that can transform your approach to art. 

Whether you're experimenting with the bold colors of Fauvism or embracing the dynamic forms of Futurism your artistic vocabulary will expand tremendously. 

As you continue your artistic journey remember exploring different art styles isn't just about learning new techniques—it's about discovering new ways to see and interpret the world around you. 

Check out our website to get inspiration from real-life examples and outstanding artwork that will help you get acquainted with different art styles.