Okay, so I decided I wanted to figure out that specific look Jade Hernandez gets in her work. You know the one. Saw it somewhere and thought, “I gotta try that.” Seemed simple enough at first glance, but man, was I wrong.
First off, I spent a good chunk of time just digging. Looked up everything I could find online with that name attached. Saved a bunch of images, stared at them for hours. Tried to break down the style, you know? The way the light hits, the textures, the whole feeling. It’s got this certain something that’s hard to pin down.
Then I actually started trying to make something similar. Fired up my usual tools, the ones I know best. Felt pretty confident. Started sketching, blocking out shapes, adding color. But it just felt… off. Flat. Didn’t have that life her stuff has. It looked like a bad copy, honestly.
- I tried adjusting the colors like crazy.
- Played with different brushes, hoping one would be the magic trick.
- Even tried layering things differently than I normally would.
Nothing really clicked. It was super frustrating. Felt like I was missing some secret ingredient. Maybe it wasn’t the digital tools? I thought maybe she used traditional media first, scanned it in? Or maybe some weird software I hadn’t heard of. Went down that rabbit hole for a bit, tried mixing media, scanning textures I made myself.
The Wall
Still, it just wasn’t landing. The results were getting maybe closer, technically, but the feel wasn’t there. It lacked soul or whatever you want to call it. It felt forced. Like I was trying too hard to imitate, instead of understanding.
After banging my head against the wall for a while, I kinda stepped back. Looked at all the attempts I’d made. Realized maybe trying to perfectly copy someone else’s style is a fool’s game. Her style is hers, probably developed over years of practice and her own unique experiences. You can’t just follow a recipe for that.
So, I eventually dropped the direct imitation project. It was taking up too much energy and honestly, making me feel kinda inadequate. Decided it was better to just appreciate her work for what it is and focus on developing my own voice. Maybe take inspiration from certain elements, sure, but not try to be Jade Hernandez. It was a good reality check, I guess. Made me respect the real craft behind unique styles a lot more. It’s not just technique; it’s something deeper.
