Finding new ways to display content via social media, artists are able to share their creations more easily than ever. Instagram can be a useful tool for any artist, as it allows them to present their work to a large audience and receive feedback that can help them improve their skills.

For junior Ian Haas, his account serves as a platform on which he can promote the service he offers. Haas performs elaborate braids on people’s hair for fun and for events such as school dances. Having a record of his work helps Haas improve his braiding skills, as well as provide options for future customers.

“[The account] gives me a reference so I can recreate it,” Haas said.  “Or if I’m gonna do someone’s hair, I can show them the account and they can pick out what they want, like a catalog.”

Sharing his work online motivates him to braid frequently and post more.

“Having the incentive to post on the account makes me braid more, so then I get better,” said Haas.

Also drawing inspiration from her account, senior Genevieve Roberts finds motivation in receiving positive feedback from her followers.

“I want to be able to get myself out there and have people see what I do and react to it and like it,” Roberts said. “I want to be able to make an impact with my art.”

In contrast to those who use social media for promotion, some artists share their work online for the freedom it provides them. Junior Lauren Schoepflin feels that school art classes are more strict and require an extensive process, but she can express greater artistic freedom when working on her own.

“For school, we have to follow a process of brainstorming and thumbnails before we create a piece,” Schoepflin said. “It’s very premeditated, but other work I create and post on my art account is a lot more spontaneous. It just depends on my mood or inspiration rather than having to fit a specific assignment.”

Posting their work not only allows artists to be supported by their followers, but also to constructively collaborate with those who share their craft. Displaying her acrylic paintings online, Alexis Daggett finds it rewarding to watch herself improve over time with the help of others.

“It lets me see how much I’ve improved,” Daggett said. “If people are telling me how to improve then I can learn from that and that really helps.”

Schoepflin also finds it important to be able to reflect on the progress within her work overtime. Her account allows her to correct past mistakes, recognize her technical improvement, as well as find patterns in her work.

“[My account] improves my artwork because I can look back on flaws, or mistakes from previous pieces, and try to work on improving in those areas when creating new work,” Schoepflin said. 

Roberts finds it important to the growth of her artistic abilities to be able to reflect on her old work. She enjoys redoing old art and comparing pieces to create a visual of how much she’s improved.

“I love looking back on my older posts and seeing where I came from and how I’ve developed through the years,” said Roberts. “I like to redo things that I’ve done before, so I can have a visual of how much I’ve improved since then.”

Being able to share their art is a crucial step for these artists to progress their work in the future. Striving to to continue her art when she’s older, the internet provides Dagget a chance to collaborate with her followers and continuously practice her skills.

“I’ve wanted to be an artist ever since I can remember,” Dagget said. “My account is definitely a good step towards a career and a way to learn how to keep up with art for the future.”