Style vs visual identity: What’s the difference?

Twisted Vacancy’s case opened up a new debacle in art: What is the difference between style and visual identity?

Let’s take one of the most popular art styles as an example: Manga. Manga is a form of style and there are countless manga characters produced by Japanese artists. However, the artwork produced with manga style is inherently different. Take Doraemon and Sailor Moon for instance. Even though both fall under the manga category, both bear no similarity from one another.

Style refers to how individuals create their image, whether through the use of the camera or other aspects, such as hues, tones, typography, patterns, space and composition. Looking for trends can be a way to figure out what style is. Style cannot be exclusively owned by anyone. It is a technique or method.

On the other hand, imagery, colours and artistic style all contribute to your visual identity. The key is to get to the heart of how these components convey a message of who you are, what you stand for and why they should stick with you. Various cultures, behaviors and beliefs will cultivate visual identity.

“Style is the method on how to create your art. Visual identity is a representation of you, what your beliefs are and what are your ideals in your art,” said photographer Dave Teru.

For illustrator Anindya Anugrah who goes by the name Phantasien on social media, style translates to a technique. “Style is technical, like technique on creating artwork that can be categorised into certain movements. For instance, signature brushstrokes in impressionist artwork, line characteristics that are distinctive like in art nouveau, etc.”

Visual identity according to Anindya is a signature style that shows the individuality of an artist. “Usually shown through narration that is often brought up - which comes from personal experience of the artist or likes and dislikes of the artist or sentimental values the artist wants to showcase. Therefore, the objects in the images are symbolically or repeatedly used on purpose to ‘serve’ those narratives.”

Indonesian photographer Hengki Koentjoro and French photographer Alexandre Manuel capture landscape images in infinite shades of black and white. Hengki focuses on the natural scenic landscapes of Indonesia, whilst Alexandre dives into the world of natural scenery found around the world. It is fascinating how two photographers specialise in the same category and have similar style but can set apart their characteristic.

Hengki’s photos have a defining feel of texture, shapes and lines – his pictures emphasise the borderlines of darkness and light, shadows and highlights. His images are striking and bold; it can be seen that there is a sense of complexity out of two opposites.

On the other hand, Alexandre’s photographs are filled with meticulous dramatisation of a more silent and serene landscape that can be found in our planet. The results are timeless with an aura that pulls in a sense of luminosity instead of darkness. His work has a refined style that is captured with a long exposure technique where it naturally registers the tension found within what is present and absent. His images are natural and give the viewers a glint of peacefulness.

Photographers are great at image storytelling. Each has their own artistic identity and style. Trailblazing photographers like J.P. Ball and Augustus Washington captured staged portraits of black and Washington photographed members of the Liberian upper and middle classes as a way to craft an image of a newly recolonised Africa.

Today’s contemporary black photographers like Deana Lawson are continuing this legacy. Lawson’s photos represent a story of the sociopolitical condition and visual representation of what black culture and life is about. This is what we call photographic vision and style.

In fashion, with an array of styles and diverse tastes, it’s visually easier to describe and differentiate one designer from another. However, for bridal wedding dresses, the lines can be blurred. Colour options are limited as traditionally, many would opt for white dresses. Wedding dresses are a niche that is to some “similar,” but it is actually complex because each fashion house and designer has their signature style and elements, thus setting them apart from one another.

Image: Lily of The Valley wedding gown from Monique Lhuillier (left) and Penny wedding gown from Marchesa (right). Both gowns have similar silhouette but distinctive look

Examples of world-renowned bridal designers are Monique Lhuillier and Marchesa. Both are luxury bridal wear designers and very sought-after brands. Marchesa’s signature design and style are corseted busts, 3D flowers as finishing, guipure lace and matching veils. Georgina Chapman, the designer of Marchesa, has a more traditional aesthetic.

The elements of lining and boning are very much the foundation of the designs. The bridal wear emphasises silhouettes and shapes. In addition, the way they allow the fabric to drape and flow is what makes Marchesa sophisticated in terms of style.

Lhuiller takes on a modernised look of bridal dresses, much more whimsical in silhouettes - such as regal proportions of sleeves and flamenco style skirts, dramatic details of embellishments, lacework, as well as extravagant tails. Lhuillier’s signature is her love for floral embellishment and full-scale floral lacework.

With a play on pantsuit, detachable boleros and tailored look, Lhuillier offers a traditional newness that is unconventional with a touch of edge. They are both essentially creating one concept which is bridal wear, but puts an emphasis on certain elements and designs that makes the brand known for its signature style

While style refers to the steps or process of creating your art to build a particular “image,” visual identity refers to the collection of physical elements that make up the style. Visual identity is the characteristic that gives off its own personality. Both style and visual identity play a role in the way an artist creates and how they are manifested in the end result.

Developing a visual identity

When we think of artists, we often imagine someone creating in isolation - which is true in some cases. This could be traced back to the Romantic Era where music, painting and literary geniuses like Edgar Allan Poe, Beethoven and Francisco Goya were creating as a means to express their individualism: emotions, imagination and experimentation.

However, in the Baroque Era, people worked together in workshops and schools to preserve artistic training. They emphasised collaboration. Artwork was expected to have a consistent style. For example, Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel created over twenty paintings together. Ruben specialised in portraits and Brueghel specialised in the lively nature imagery, which can be seen in their Madonna in a Garland of Roses painting.

Image: Madonna in a Garland of Roses painting by Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel

Another aspect in developing visual identity is having a muse or inspiration. It’s a way for artists to draw out new ideas and it further aids them to evolve. Every fashion designer has their own muse and inspiration.

Virginie Viard debuted Chanel 2020-21 Fall/Winter couture collection with the posthumous designer Karl Lagerfeld. She reimagined the brand through Lagerfeld’s earlier days where he would accompany dressed up women at ‘Le Palace’ who were very eccentric and wore punk rock taffeta dresses with feathers and over-the-top jewellery.

“As an artist with no prior background in art, I have created artwork since 2011, but I just found a suitable narrative in early 2017 (after coming back from travelling to Europe for two months and visiting several museums that store medieval art and observing them in detail - got inspired when I went back). After that, I found compositions that reflect my obsession toward medieval art and [I] try to use it consistently. I am still experimenting and often analysing whether the visual identity I apply is suitable with the story I want to tell,” said Anindya.

“There is a lot of soul searching. It might feel easy at first, but you usually doubt yourself a lot, coming back to square one and repeating again and again until you are really sure that it is ‘yours,’” said Dave. “Read a lot, ingest a lot of media and build a mental reference library. Select a hero, mentor and source of inspiration, then explore, experiment, fail, succeed, doubt, retry and finally achieve,” he continued.

Photographer Angga Pratama encourages emerging artists to experiment with everything. “An artist is someone who creates. Artists are not just tattoo artists, painters, etc. They are creators.”

As trends continue to evolve, it is important for artists to find their niche. “An artwork will keep on evolving like its artist (be it psychologically or physically), hence why I believe it doesn’t limit the possibility of an artist to change style or explore other styles that he or she feels will be more ‘fitting’ to the narrative he or she wants to tell,” said Anindya.

Illustration has the potential to reimagine life in a manner that is both familiar and delightfully unusual, which is especially helpful when explaining a complex concept. It's an effective way to break through the clutter and easily relay complicated feelings.