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Are there any artists that are considered a must for someone new to the field of art? What path did you follow to develop a personal (individual) artistic style?

Learning philosophy or philosophy history is one thing (I'd guess it is more about discussing texts with others than acquiring encyclopedic "knowledge").

To develop your own "philosophy", you need to get rid of other philosophies. Then maybe you will become another philosopher or not. Check my answer on how to think for yourself for the details.