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ButterflyEmpress
Sep '19

For those who have a ton of old artwork (mainly stuff drawn on paper) that you kinda don't like, what do you do with it?

I've always had a hard time decluttering since I run into old works I made as a kid and teenager. The typical art class stuff and sketchbook drawings. Most of them I want to trash 'cause the subject matter makes me cringe, but at the same time I feel bad if I do so.

Has anyone ever felt that way? What do you do?

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    Sep '19

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    Sep '19
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liann
Sep '19

I kept minr because theyre inspiring to look at and realise how far ive come. Some ive given to friends

Iris-Grimoire
Sep '19

None of my old sketches are at a good enough state to give away, so whatever isn't necessary for reference or isn't good even for my skills at the time goes into the trash. I try to at least keep a little from each "era" though, to see how my skills improve - I've got a massive box in my shoe wardrobe just full of it - from coal drawings to my first acryllics.

Humbug
Sep '19

I kept them all, in fact, I should compile them into an actual album because they are not properly sorted, being in various folders and sketchbooks. Sure, most of them are godawful, dating as far back as high school, but there's sentimental value in them and I wouldn't be where I am today without them.

I am most upset that I lost the notepad that contained the very first drawings of my fantasy characters. That was history!

indagold
Sep '19

store it in a drive until the drive breaks and you're too stupid to back it up ;-;

nostalgicroxas
Sep '19

Things you really like: scan and put them on your online storage thing for art - tumblr or dA (it has a Scraps area specifically) are prime choices for me. Mainly dA because Folders and Scraps. You can also scan them, digitally combine them into 1 giant file, and upload that.
If you can't scan them, invest in either a Portfolio or clear pages in a binder and keep that in a regular room of the house to keep it mold-free.
I just had to throw out a huge portion of my older artwork because of mold QQ

rajillustration
Sep '19

Man I had to toss most of my traditional paintings when I moved. I couldn't fit myself in the car because the amount of huge ass oil and acrylic paintings I had. A took a picture of it before it went on to the great beyond (of a dumpster) and that helped. Sold what I could before the move so some of it could go to a new home. but overall, I've done so much work since that particular move that like...I have no regrets. I barely remember that art. It's nice to hold onto one or two things for comparisons sake. I still got my High School portfolio, lol.

Luminosophy
Sep '19

I keep them, they're a crucial part of my timeline to where I am now even if they're super cringey. All the old ones I still have sit in a folder with plastic sleeves.

CAOMouse
Sep '19

Post on Deviantart, it has "scraps" folder which is separated from your main gallery, a good way to store (and maybe earn views) from your sketch drawings

Rhonder
Sep '19

I have the majority of my drawings from childhood still, they sit in a few plastic drawers near my work station. I personally love looking back through all of my old stuff, especially from pre-middle school which was when I started "seriously" getting into drawing as a hobby, just to remember all the crazy stuff I did xD

Similarly to @Humbug there are a few notable missing things that I wish I could find but seem to either be gone or buried in storage somewhere though- One was a series of comics I made in elementary school about a rabbit named FRED- Funny Rabbit Except Dumb. Was just a grade-school level comedy strip that I'd like to re-live.

The other is a nartuo fan comic I made in middle school, just because A.) I can't remember if it was better or worse than the digimon one from the same era that I still have in my drawers and B.) I remember it being kind of mean because the main plot of the first chapter was a kid I didn't like in school getting assassinated and all of the self-insert MCs having to solve the mystery of whodunnit. While mean, also hilarious and similarly would like to see again xD

ZatchZ
Sep '19

Keep in a dark cool place to preserve for later reference.

teasidesketches
Sep '19

I keep my old DeviantArt accounts to keep an archive of my old work, but a lot of my really, really old work (like, middle school and early high school) I've thrown away in the name of trying to keep as few things as possible in preparation for a big move.

It's nice to be able to see how far I've come, but a lot of it was just... the kind of elementary school stuff that your mom would put on the fridge to encourage you. And only a mom because her precious child made it. XD

On the other hand, I have a bunch of storage boxes for more recent art that I couldn't bear to get rid of yet because I'm still proud of it, or still remember being proud of it.

nostalgicroxas
Sep '19

It was in a plastic container under my bed too! It shouldn't have gotten moldy! My room doesn't get moist and cold. If I store papers for long-term next time I'm going to be tossing those packets you get in jacket pockets and such - moisture suckers. You can get them by the bulk off ebay/amazon/ect I hear. That should help a lot.
Also don't store your papers and arts (paints and markers don't count really) in cardboard. That thing basically has mold written all over it. Especially corrugated cardboard.

Akhdas
Sep '19

i'll prolly make a campfire out of them one day, it's not enough right now.

Kat
Sep '19

I've burned garbage bags full of the stuff.
-realizing I still draw animu art-
I'll keep the world warm :+1:

rajillustration
Sep '19
ButterflyEmpress

It was and it wasn't? It was right after I finished Uni so it was like...letting go of the old me. That and I had to do it or I was trapped in my student apartment forever. :wink: