Art High School Flashback
I can’t believe I still have these old high school art pieces. That was over 15 years ago! 😳🎨
I don’t really know how I feel about seeing them again except that I need to give myself some grace for the things I would do differently now. It’s easy to look back and focus on the details you don’t like, but then I remember how little I knew about the different mediums at the time and how much there still was to learn.
Back then we didn’t have Instagram, YouTube tutorials, or endless art content at our fingertips. If you wanted to learn a new technique, you mostly had to figure it out yourself, ask a teacher, or hope you found a good book on the subject.
Honestly, looking at these now makes me feel more inspired than embarrassed. It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come and how many resources are available to artists today that simply didn’t exist back then.
Sometimes growth is easier to see when you look back at where you started. ✨
Do you still have any of your old artwork, or is it long gone?
#ArtTok #ArtistJourney #OldArtwork #CreativeProcess #ArtProgress **
Looking back at old high school art pieces can be an eye-opening and inspiring experience. I remember how limited the resources were when I was starting out—no Instagram art reels, no YouTube tutorials, and certainly no quick access to diverse techniques online. Most of us had to figure things out on our own, rely heavily on our art teachers, and scour through books to learn new mediums. This scarcity forced a different kind of creativity and problem solving, which embeds valuable lessons that still impact my art today. Seeing these old works now reminds me of how much progress is possible when we continue to learn and adapt. It’s important to approach past creations with grace—critique is natural, but it should be balanced with appreciation for how far you’ve come and the dedication it took to reach this point. If you still have your old artwork, I encourage you to revisit it and use it as motivation. Not only do these pieces document your artistic skill development, they also capture your unique creative mindset from that time. Today’s artists benefit from an abundance of online tutorials, community support through platforms like #ArtTok, and instant inspiration from global creators. These tools can accelerate your growth and help avoid some of the frustrations earlier artists faced. However, the foundation of persistent practice, experimentation, and reflection that we practiced remains key. To anyone on this journey: don’t be discouraged by early imperfections. Each stroke and sketch is a stepping stone. Embrace the creative process and celebrate your progress—sometimes growth is easier to recognize and appreciate when you look back where you started. Revisiting past artworks can remind you why you fell in love with creating art in the first place and spark new ideas for your current projects.
