Brown's drawing style had always changed from project to project. He frequently cited Harold Gray of "Little Orphan Annie" as the primary influence on the drawing style of "Louis Riel"—restrained artwork which avoids extreme closeups, and blank-eyed characters with large bodies, small heads, and oversized noses. Gray's drawing and compositional style was well suited to the subject of "Louis Riel". Gray often used his strip as a public platform for politics, and "Louis Riel" was also very public and outward-looking. This approach is in great contrast to the inward-looking comics Brown had previously been known for—notably his autobiographical work. His cross-hatching style was reminiscent of the editorial cartoonists of Riel's time. Gray's outdoor scenes were inspired by the Illinois plains of Gray's youth, terrain similar to that of Manitoba and Saskatchewan.