©1999 Carolyn A. Pappas, Untitled. Colored pencil, apx 9 x 6.5 inches
Keep your old work. You did it. There are virtues and there are faults in it for your to study. You can learn more from yourself than you can from anyone else. -Robert Henri in The Art Spirit
I found my old, old sketchbook the other day when I was cleaning out through boxes of stuff. This is the sketchbook that I had from 1997 through 1999. It is really shocking to me how I thought that certain things were good when I made them, but now when I look at them I am more embarrassed than anything else! Even my handwriting is so different. I remember drawing this picture from a little resin charm that was attached to a pair of pants from American Eagle Outfitters. I was really pleased with it at the time and even now I like the drawing because it is so bold and colorful. Do you ever go back and review your older work? Do you show it to other people?
Something to check out:
I really liked this “mini podcast” from Michael Nobbs about how to avoid “ideas exhaustion,” or rather, when you can’t get anything done because of all the ideas floating into your head. I can really relate to this! Also he has a new microMagazine Getting Your Important Work Done, which is a email newsletter you can sign up for that goes out every two weeks. It is very interesting, and has helpful tips and links.
Your colors are always phenomenal, Carolyn. I see it has always been so! I love the shading in the mask itself; so amazing! I do occasionally go back and look at old pieces. I’m always mortified by just how bad I am at art. I often find myself thinking that maybe I should just give it up. I do it because I love it but I always am disappointed with my pieces.
Thank you Sherry, but I have a lot of drawings that are really bad as well. I just don’t put them on the internet! Maybe one day I will post one of my bad older drawings just to show how bad they can be. Don’t give up! If your old pieces are discouraging you, then you should only look at the ones you like.
Carolyn – Our sketches and drawings represent our frame of mind as it was when we did the sketch. This painting is so bold, vibrant, energetic and has a youthful appeal.
@Sketch Gurl, it is true that when I look back onto an old sketch, I can remember exactly what I was thinking about when I was drawing something in particular. Or even the smell in the room or something else specific.