Before and After Meme V2

Looking through old drawings is probably one of the most motivational things you can do for yourself. No matter how far you still are from your artistic goals, compare anything you drew two or three years ago to anything you've drawn recently and the difference will be amazing. Like, the first two drawings here - both from high school - are lightyears apart in everything from coloring (I'd gotten Prismacolor markers by the time the second one came around), anatomy (I still suck at hands but oh my godddd 2008 hands), and just general composition (they're supposed to be stuck in a photobooth, how was there still so much black space?). The difference between 2011 and 2015 is still significant (I mean, Naruto's face alone shows how much I've improved) but it's not nearly as dramatic. There are still some things I'm unhappy with, but you know what, maybe I'll do this again in three or four years and it'll be even better.

That's why I love this meme. It makes me so optimistic. "Yeah, I still can't draw ____, but look how much better I am at it now than I was before. If I keep practicing, I'll keep getting closer."

I did full-on change a few things about the drawings. In the first drawings, I had intended for them to be about 14 years old (hence Hinata's long hair), but they totally don't look it. So I just decided to make them all about their ages in Part 1 of the series (hence Hinata's short hair). Added Ino's angry point to make it more dynamic. Opened Kiba's eye because I wasn't paying enough attention. Slightly different expressions on Sasuke and TenTen. I'm happy with most things, and those that I'm not, well, I'll work harder on them next time. (Although I do wish the scanner captured the pale skin tones better. Oh, well.) And I hadn't realized how long it's been since I've drawn any of the Rookie 9 from part 1! The babies~

Blank Meme:bampire.deviantart.com/art/Mem…
The first drawing solo (/my second-ever deviation): witchofoz93.deviantart.com/art…

Neji, Hinata, TenTen, Naruto, Sakura, Ino, Sasuke, Kiba, and Akamaru (c) Masashi Kishimoto
Art (c) Me, Witchofoz93