fnnch: Seek the adjacent familiar

Artist fnnch:

Humans like what I call the adjacent familiar — something similar to what they already like but different in an interesting way…

Some artists have made careers through simple repetition, but much more rewarding for you and your fans is the adjacent familiar. It is like pop music. People like to be pushed, but only slightly. The images you paint must be different from what has been done before, but once you find something that resonates, you can explore the adjacent territory. The whole body of work gains power as you develop it, and your audience gets to join for the ride, delighting in each new exploration.

If you look at every successful artist, you will find that their work is in some way repetitive. A Keith Haring work is so iconic because he repeated the same style so many times.

Source: The excellent How to Make a Living as an Artist (via JK)