if i could do it all over again
as artists, it's natural for us to look back on our old work and go, "oh god, this is terrible! what was i thinking???" i'm not immune to that. in fact, i think it all the time, because i'm always learning new things, or at least trying to.
so, when i look back at my old work, i say to myself, "this would look so much better if i had done XYZ or just had more time." for instance, the video i animated for "Black Swan" by PINK TURNS BLUE:
of all my projects from my early animator days (2024), i think this one came out pretty good. but if i could do it all over again, i would've added just a little bit more detail to it; less repetitive animations; more effects, to change it from being just a good video, to a great one.
of course, i also feel this way about my for-fun art projects. such as this album of mine, dream diary:
if i could do it all over again, i would re-write some of the lyrics. i would add more tracks. i would improve the mixing and mastering. and i would've drawn the album cover art myself, rather than asking my friend to do it for me. and obviously, i would've made more visuals for it. i mean, i'm the music video animator, and i barely make visuals for my own musical projects? what's up with that?
but, you can't change the past. what you can do, is apply the "if i could do it all over again" energy into your new projects. you've got the experience, you've improved your skills, now apply them! create a new work of art with everything you've learned. you got this!