The 4 Artistic Personality Types

Artistic individuals are often characterized by their vivid imagination and their ability to use their surroundings as inspiration for self-expression. However, everyone is unique, including artists and other creative individuals.

Of the 16 personality types, there are 4 that exhibit the most artistic characteristics. Creative individuals are often more introverted and sensitive to their environment and the emotions of others. It’s important to note that being introverted does not mean being less social, as artists are often highly engaged. 

However, their idiosyncrasies and unique perspectives contribute to an independent personality.

1. INFP (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving)

This personality type is characterized by a strong imagination, which often leads them to be interested in art and literature. Due to their sensitivity, they tend to lean towards a form of self-expression.

• Idealistic
• Flexible
• Emphathic
• Independent

Famous INFP artists: William Shakespeare, Tolkien, Audrey Hepburn

2. ENFP (Extraverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Perceiving)

An ENFP often makes decisions based on their feelings and values. They are imaginative, highly creative, and constantly seek to discover hidden meanings and patterns. An ENFP personality is often seen as charismatic and has the power to inspire others.

• Inspiring
• Versatile
• Enthusiastic
• Engaged

Famous ENFP artists: Quentin Tarantino, Salvador Dalí, Andy Warhol

3. INFJ (Introverted, Intuitive, Feeling, Judging)

If you’re an INFJ, you are very thoughtful and value having a mission in life. Therefore, INFJs often have a clear vision of what they want to do and achieve, and they often succeed in doing so. You can recognize them as quiet but highly motivated creatives who are ready to motivate and support others.

• Driven
• Profound
• Visionary
• Seeking harmony
• Reserved

Famous INFJ artists: Cate Blanchett, Al Pacino, J.K. Rowling

4. ENTP (Extraverted, Intuitive, Thinking, Perceiving)

An ENTP is often energetic and enjoys being in the spotlight. They are open-minded individuals who excel at arguing and defending viewpoints. Additionally, they are skilled at coming up with innovative solutions to complex problems.

• Assertive
• Entrepreneurial
• Unconventional
• Perspective

Famous ENTP artists: Gene Wilder, Tom Hanks, Leonardo da Vinci

Because as humans, we tend to think in categories, finding your artistic personality type is an easy way to explain yourself. However, as individuals, we are influenced and constantly changing, making it difficult to exclude ourselves from characteristics of other personality types.

Furthermore, creativity means much more than just creating art. Problem-solving skills in politics also require a significant amount of creativity, which is often not as recognized.

Determining Your Personality Type

If you want to know if you possess one of these four artistic personalities, the best way is to take this simple test. After a series of questions, you will see which category you fall into.

For decades, this method called Gifts Differing has been used to determine one’s personality type. If you want to be certain about which of the 16 types you belong to, you can take the test here.

Discover if you have an artistic personality >>

Can you influence/change your personality type?

It is certainly possible for your personality type to change to some extent. It is based on the choices you make and your outlook on life, which can naturally evolve over time due to positive and negative experiences.

Creativity also goes through phases and can even decrease in some individuals. However, this does not mean it disappears completely, but without attention, it is unlikely to increase significantly.

Completely shifting from one personality type to another is generally not possible because it is based on multiple aspects that would all need to change.

Is it really that important to know?

It may seem like you are categorizing yourself based on traits you already knew about yourself. However, it can be highly interesting if you are unsure about which choices to make and if you want to discover more about yourself.

Additionally, knowing the personality types of others can help you better understand and interact with them.

Can artistic persons excel in analytical or technical fields?

Yes, artistic personality types can definitely excel in analytical or technical fields. In fact, these fields often have a wealth of creative individuals. The focus may not be on self-expression, but rather on solving complex problems.

This requires a great deal of imagination and the ability to think outside the box.

We often associate artistic personalities with objects or stories that evoke emotions, but we forget that creativity goes far beyond that.

Working in teams and maintaining effective communication and leadership requires sensitivity and independence, qualities that artistic personalities possess.

Common creative personality traits

Risk tolerance: Taking calculated risks is something that creative individuals enjoy. Staying in your comfort zone does not lead to new insights and opportunities. Although you may also be perfectionistic, you are generally not afraid of failure and exploring new areas that may involve risks.

Associative thinking: Do you excel at linking experiences together? This ability enables you to quickly generate new ideas. Making connections between events or topics also immediately opens up new perspectives.

Flexibility: Creative minds thrive in a world of change and easily adapt to new circumstances. They are willing to explore different perspectives, challenge conventional thinking patterns, and embrace new approaches.

With their flexibility, they can adapt to new challenges and effortlessly integrate diverse ideas into their creative work.

Curiosity: Being curious is a good thing. As a creative personality, you can immerse yourself completely in a subject and want to know everything about it. This enthusiasm can also quickly fade, leading you to want to dedicate each period to something else that captures your interest.

Humor: One of the most powerful ways to express emotions is by making others laugh. As an artistic individual, you sometimes instinctively know what can tickle someone’s funny bone without much thought. Partly because you’re sensitive and can understand others on a deeper level, but also because you’re just adept at quickly coming up with funny ideas.

Expressiveness: You have an intrinsic need to express yourself. You find your voice through art, writing, music, or other forms of creative expression. Through these means, you can bring your emotions, ideas, and experiences to life, inspiring, touching, and engaging others.

Interdisciplinarity: Creative minds have broad interests and a natural inclination to explore the boundaries of different disciplines. They integrate knowledge, techniques, and ideas from diverse fields into their work. By embracing this interdisciplinary approach, they can discover new perspectives, push boundaries, and foster innovation.

High sensitivity: Artists usually have heightened sensitivity to emotions and the world around them. They can be deeply moved by art, music, and other forms of expression. This sensitivity enables them to express profound emotions in their work and touch others.

Free-thinking: If you are open-minded, you always push the limits of what is considered “normal” and are very accepting of what falls outside the norm. This mindset also leads you to think deeply and experiment with new techniques, materials, and concepts.

What creatives are often known for:

Innovative design: Not only an eye for aesthetics but also efficiency and usability are things that creative people love. It is therefore not surprising that many inventors from the past have an INFJ or INTJ personality.

Perfectionism: When you start something, it has to be done well. Right? Perfectionism often arises because you convince yourself to meet a certain standard but don’t know how to get there. Sooner or later, a project stalls, and the greatest frustrations about yourself and your creativity emerge.

Finding the root cause of perfectionism >

New perspectives: Not everyone is blessed with the ability to come up with solutions. It’s often the creative person who unconsciously thinks not in difficulties but in improvement and solutions. Having creative ideas is therefore on an equal footing with seeing other perspectives, which can also bring tranquility to your daily life.

Storytelling: Coming up with a story is one thing, but being able to convincingly convey it on paper or to an audience is another. This is, of course, a separate skill. However, creative individuals are more inclined to immerse themselves in a story and to want to share it with others. Therefore, for ENFP personalities, it’s a thrill to take an audience along on the same emotional journey.

3 common challenges faced by artistic personality types

1. Finding real connections

Walking around with ideas is sometimes the most beautiful thing there is. You can invest your identity in something you plan to create/write. It may be that you’re not sure how to share this with others. What will they think of it?

Not only what you want to do, but also, if you’re a bit more sensitive, it can be challenging as a creative person to connect with someone who approaches it differently than you do.

2. Struggling with Artistic block

If there’s something frustrating, it’s experiencing an artistic or creativity blockage. Everything that comes out of your hands seems dull or not good enough to pursue further. This blockage can last for days, and for some, even months. However, it is certainly possible to overcome this blockage because it is not related to a lack of talent.

3. Comparison with others

As a creator, sooner or later, you will encounter people on your path who share the exact same vision as you, only they seem to be more talented or better than you. It is challenging not to be distracted in a competitive field like the creative sector by those who are a few steps ahead of you.

The 10 struggles of an artist >>

Final Thoughts

Knowing which type resonates with you as an artistic person can help you better understand yourself. However, placing too much emphasis on it can lead to an excessive desire to categorize yourself and others. 

It’s important to find a balance and use personality types as a tool for self-discovery and understanding, rather than a rigid framework that limits individuality.