Establishing a clear style can be key to standing out from the crowd, particularly in a time when commissioners and art directors are being inundated with good work. But getting there isn’t always an easy, or quick, process. It’s also one that’s filled with anxiety, with students and up-and-coming artists under pressure to find their ‘brand’ and kickstart their career with a portfolio of work that’s recognisably theirs. For more established creatives, questions swirl around how to continually evolve their style, and how to avoid getting stuck in a stylistic rut.

Add to all this the siren call of the internet, and the temptation to find ‘inspiration’ from the many blogs and websites aggregating creative content, and the journey becomes even more fraught.

Below, Creative Review interviewed three creatives at the top of their game – graphic designer Hansje van Halem, illustrator Kyle Platts and photographer Casper Sejersen – to find out how they established their own approach, why it matters, and how rushing to establish a style can be the kiss of death for creativity.