Trying to Get the Hang of Mariana Rojas’ Style
Alright, so I spent some time recently trying to figure out this Mariana Rojas approach. Saw some stuff, got intrigued, you know how it goes. Decided to roll up my sleeves and actually do something with it, not just look at it.
First thing, I just gathered images. Loads of ’em. Tried to stare at them long enough until something clicked. What was it about her work? The colors? The lines? The general vibe? Hard to pin down initially.
Then I actually started practicing. Fired up my usual software, grabbed my tablet. Thought I’d start simple, maybe try to replicate a small piece, or even just a section of one. Seemed easy enough on the surface.
Boy, was I wrong.
Getting those specific textures she uses? Nightmare. Spent ages messing with brushes, trying different settings. Nothing quite matched. It looked flat, or just… off. Felt like I was missing some secret ingredient. It’s frustrating when you see something that looks effortless and then you try it, and it’s like hitting a brick wall.
Realized pretty quick that just copying wasn’t gonna cut it. Her style isn’t just about the final image, it felt more like it was baked into how she builds things up. The layering, the way colors interact. It wasn’t just picking a color and filling; there was more going on underneath.
Breaking It Down Instead
So, I changed tactics. Stopped trying to make a finished picture that looked like hers. Instead, I focused on the parts:
- What kind of brushes could achieve that look? Even if not the exact ones, what type? Soft? Hard? Textured?
- How does she handle light and shadow? It seemed subtle but really effective.
- What about her color palettes? Were they planned out, or more intuitive?
Spent a whole session just making blobs and lines, experimenting with these elements. Didn’t care about making anything pretty. Just trying to understand the mechanics, you know? Made a lot of digital mud, basically. But it felt more productive somehow.
Slowly, I started to get a feel for it. Not perfectly, not by a long shot. But I began to understand the choices she might be making. It’s less about having her exact tools or brain, and more about understanding the thought process, the decisions made along the way.
It’s still a work in progress. I haven’t suddenly mastered the Mariana Rojas style. But I learned something about breaking down a complex look and trying to build it back up from its core components. It’s a grind, like most things worth learning. You see the slick final product online, but the messy, frustrating practice hours? That’s where the real work happens. Still got a ways to go, but felt good to actually get my hands dirty with it.
