Found my first sketchbook from 2008 and counted the pages

I was cleaning out my closet and found my old design sketchbook from when I was just starting out. I flipped through it and counted 32 pages of really basic, stiff dress designs, all drawn with a regular pencil. It's wild to see how my style has loosened up since then, and I barely even think about construction lines anymore. What's the oldest piece of your own work that surprised you when you looked back at it?

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3 Comments

margaret_chen6mo ago

Ever think that old work is just bad? I used to. But seeing that care in the lines, like phoenix_wells said, it's not about skill. It's a record of how much you wanted to get better. Changes how you see your own start.

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benk266mo ago

Totally. I see this with old photos too, not just art. That awkward family picture where everyone's trying so hard to smile nice? You stop seeing the bad haircuts and start seeing the love behind it. It's all proof you showed up and tried.

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phoenix_wells6mo ago

Honestly I kinda love my old stiff drawings. They show how much I cared about getting it right back then. That careful energy is its own cool thing.

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