self reflective essay on art

The Art of Self-Reflection: A Guided Journey for Artists

Self-reflection is a powerful tool that can elevate your artistic practice, foster personal growth, and deepen your connection with your craft. In this blog post, we'll delve into the art of self-reflection, exploring why it is crucial for artists, how it enhances creativity, and providing practical steps for embarking on a guided journey of self-discovery through introspection.

The Importance of Self-Reflection for Artists: Self-reflection is the process of examining and understanding your thoughts, feelings, and actions. For artists, it is a crucial practice that goes beyond technical skill, providing insights into the motivations, inspirations, and aspirations that drive their creative endeavors.

Enhancing Creativity Through Self-Understanding: Understanding oneself is fundamental to unlocking creativity. Self-reflection allows artists to tap into their unique perspectives, experiences, and emotions, providing a rich source of inspiration. As you delve into your inner world, you'll discover a reservoir of ideas waiting to be expressed through your art.

Identifying Personal Motivations and Goals: Self-reflection aids in clarifying personal motivations and artistic goals. By asking yourself why you create and what you hope to achieve, you can align your creative endeavors with your deeper aspirations, ensuring that each piece becomes a meaningful step in your artistic journey.

Recognizing Patterns and Evolutions in Your Work: Artists often undergo stylistic changes and thematic evolutions. Regular self-reflection allows you to recognize patterns in your work and trace the evolution of your artistic voice. Understanding these shifts contributes to a sense of continuity and purpose in your creative process.

Cultivating a Mindful Approach to Art-Making: Mindfulness, rooted in self-awareness, is a key component of the artistic process. Self-reflection fosters a mindful approach, encouraging artists to be present in each moment of creation, savoring the textures, colors, and emotions that contribute to their work.

Navigating Challenges and Creative Blocks: Artistic journeys are not without challenges. Self-reflection provides a compass for navigating these challenges. By examining the root causes of creative blocks or setbacks, artists can develop strategies to overcome obstacles and emerge stronger in their creative pursuits.

Strengthening Emotional Resilience: Artists often invest emotionally in their work, and the creative process can be emotionally charged. Self-reflection enhances emotional resilience by allowing artists to process and understand their emotional responses, fostering a healthy relationship with both successes and setbacks.

Cultivating a Growth Mindset: A growth mindset is essential for artistic development. Self-reflection nurtures this mindset by encouraging artists to view challenges as opportunities for learning and growth. Embracing the journey of improvement and embracing the potential for continual development becomes a natural part of the artistic mindset.

Bridging the Gap Between Intention and Impact: Intention behind artistic choices doesn't always translate directly into the impact on the audience. Self-reflection helps bridge this gap by encouraging artists to consider how their work is perceived and the messages it conveys. This alignment fosters a more profound and intentional creative communication.

Pra ctical Steps for Self-Reflection: Now that we understand the importance of self-reflection for artists, let's explore practical steps to embark on this guided journey: a. Establish Regular Reflection Sessions: Dedicate specific times for self-reflection, whether it's daily, weekly, or monthly. Create a comfortable space where you can engage in introspection without distractions. b. Ask Open-Ended Questions: Pose open-ended questions to yourself, exploring various aspects of your artistic journey. Questions like "Why do I create?" and "What emotions am I expressing?" can provide valuable insights. c. Maintain a Reflection Journal: Keep a reflection journal to document your thoughts, observations, and realizations. This journal becomes a tangible record of your artistic growth and a resource for future self-reflection. d. Review Your Artistic Portfolio: Periodically review your artistic portfolio. Examine the progression of your work, identifying recurring themes, evolving styles, and the impact of external influences on your artistic choices. e. Seek Constructive Feedback: Actively seek constructive feedback from peers, mentors, or trusted individuals in your artistic community. External perspectives can offer fresh insights and prompt new avenues for self-reflection. f. Celebrate Milestones and Learn from Setbacks: Acknowledge and celebrate your artistic milestones, no matter how small. Similarly, when faced with setbacks, view them as opportunities for learning and growth rather than insurmountable obstacles. g. Embrace Vulnerability in Your Art: Embrace vulnerability as you create. Allow your art to be a mirror reflecting your authentic self. This vulnerability not only enhances self-reflection but also fosters deeper connections with your audience.

Reflecting on the Reflection: Self-reflection is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. As you delve into your inner world, recognize that your understanding of yourself as an artist will continually evolve. Embrace this evolution and allow your self-reflection to guide you on a dynamic and enriching artistic journey.

Conclusion: The art of self-reflection is a transformative practice that empowers artists to deepen their understanding of themselves, enhance creativity, and navigate the complexities of the artistic journey. By embracing regular reflection sessions, asking open-ended questions, maintaining a reflection journal, reviewing artistic portfolios, seeking feedback, celebrating milestones, learning from setbacks, and embracing vulnerability, artists embark on a guided journey of self-discovery. Through this introspective process, artists not only refine their craft but also cultivate a profound connection with their authentic selves, fostering a more meaningful and purposeful approach to their creative endeavors.

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How to Teach Self-Reflection, Critiques, Artist Statements, and Curatorial Rationales Like a Pro

Teaching art in the 21st-century is different from previous centuries. (Yes, some of us have taught in two different centuries!) Like many art teachers, you may be trying to transition to more student-centered pedagogies such as choice-based  art education , project-based learning (PBL) , Inquiry-Based Learning, STEAM , or another constructivist teaching approach.

The goals of student-centered learning and teaching are to:

• Help develop critical thinking and self-reflection skills.
• Provide space to self-advocate in the learning process.
• Give enough room to fail and learn from missteps.
• Show specific techniques for accessing the information relevant to their interests.

Four artistic processes can help facilitate successful student-centered learning:

• Self-reflection
• Artist statements
• Curatorial rationales

Are you finding it difficult to figure out how to teach these processes and fit them into your curriculum and limited class time? Let’s look at these processes, their purposes, and how and when to teach them to your students at various ages and grade levels. We even have a handy packet for you to download so you can easily reference all these tips and strategies.

Self-Reflection

“ Self-reflection basically gives us an opportunity to pause and look back so that we can look ahead with more passion and vitality .” Self-reflections are a way for students to document what they have accomplished and what they have learned. They can engage with artistic thinking about how they envision their work or discover what skills they need to develop. It’s also a way to document ideas the current work may inspire. Students can find solutions to design problems they will encounter later in art class or other contexts later in life.

Self-reflections can include information the student will need when they return to class. Examples may be how to mix a particular color or questions they need answers to before moving on. “Looking back so we can look ahead” is important for students to recognize their progress and accomplishments and be motivated for their next work session.

In K–12 art education, we want students who put deep thought into their work and ideas. It is important for students to step back and evaluate their work with a critical eye and be able to envision what their next steps are. We want them to develop all of these skills as habits of mind . Artists, designers, engineers, or anyone trying to solve a problem in their community or workplace engages in self-reflection. Honest, thoughtful reflection is an essential life skill. Self-reflection should be taught and modeled at the beginning of the year, then openly expected for the remainder of the year, and retaught and reinforced as needed.

Lower Elementary Grades and Struggling Writers

Use questioning strategies and allow students to verbalize answers:

• What is your work about?
• What is the most important thing people should notice?
• What did you learn today?

As students move from kindergarten to first and second grade, increase the complexity of the questions:

• Why did you choose those colors?
• Is there anything you need to learn how to do to complete this work?
• How did you use (whatever skill you taught, such as layering colors with crayons or color pencils)?

Upper Elementary Grades and Strong Writers

Try these as sketchbook prompts or exit tickets as often as possible: 

• Use sentence starters to guide students’ thinking and writing.
• As students get older, increase the complexity of the questions and the expectations for the depth of their answers.
• Model the process with your own artwork by thinking aloud and showing them how artists use self-reflection.
• Try artistic habits as springboards for self-reflection.

Middle School and High School

Set expectations on day one for self-reflective thinking:

• Use daily exit tickets using focused, self-reflective questions. What did you focus on today? What is the most important thing you accomplished today? How are you using (contrast) in your work? How did you decide to ______? How do you feel about what you did today?
• Use weekly reflections to focus on what they have accomplished and learned and plan out their next steps. What new skills/techniques did you develop this week? What did you accomplish this week, and what will you do next week? What might you need to improve/refine before continuing your work?
• Teach them how to identify what they need to learn to improve the quality of their work.
• Use questions to guide them while they work on a piece. This webpage has questions organized by various stages of creation.

A critique is a detailed analysis and assessment of something. In our case, it’s artwork. But a critique is more than saying what you like or don’t like about a work of art. It’s also not about getting or giving a grade.

“ Rather than coming from a place of judgment, critiques can be used for educating viewers on an artist’s practice, understanding the intent of a body of work, or providing comments that strengthen an artist’s creative endeavors .”

Critiques should provide an honest look at students’ work in a positive, nurturing, and collaborative atmosphere. They provide an opportunity for students to accept and incorporate criticism into their work to refine and improve it. This will develop critical skills for our students’ futures, as critiques often mimic work performance and project evaluations. For students to become willing participants and open to feedback on their work, first focus on making critiques fun and useful.

Set the stage for constructive critiques with these two tips:

• Conduct historical and contemporary art critiques, but save the Judgment component for another time. This will allow students to focus on the process rather than on judging the product.
• Focus on a particular aspect of the art and/or a concept you are teaching. What elements and principles did the artist use to create emphasis? How did the artist use contrast? How does the color contribute to creating a mood? What is the theme/idea of the work? How do you know this?

Lower Elementary

Focus on celebrating their ideas and work, as well as getting used to sharing in front of the class with these questions and prompts:

• Tell me about your work.
• Where did you get this idea?
• I like the way you  (colored in the sky all the way down to the ground.)
• I wish  (the dragon was larger since it’s the most important part.)
• Here are some fun, creative ways to conduct critiques to develop a positive mindset around the refinement and revision of student artwork.

Upper Elementary

As students advance through the grades, have them do peer-to-peer, small group, and whole-class critiques during the creation process as well as when students finish a piece.

Ask these three questions of viewers and then ask the artist if there was something they missed or misunderstood:

[special-list]

• What do you see?
• What do you think/feel?
• What in the artwork makes you think/feel that? 

First and foremost, create a positive, nurturing mindset for critiques. Set strict ground rules similar to these:

• Emphasize that it’s about the work , not the person, and the student artist must disassociate from their work during a critique.
• Focus on the goal of a critique, which is to analyze .
• Conduct formal, scheduled critiques as well as impromptu, informal ones when you see a student “hitting a wall” or needing some constructive feedback.
• Differentiate between the roles of an Artist, Viewer, and Moderator. Read the Beginner’s Guide to Constructive Critiques for helpful information.
• Check out these 15 Questions to Inspire Quality Art Critiques . For a quicker, more informal critique, try the three questions method mentioned above for Upper Elementary.

Try Pair-Share or Gallery Walks with these questions for both work-in-progress pieces and finished works:

• Which artwork shows the best use of contrast?
• What title would you suggest for this piece?
• What is a question you have about the work?
• What do you think the work is communicating?
• How is this different from the artist’s intent?

Artist Statements

An artist statement in K–12 art education is a short narrative about an artwork. It is generally written in the first person. It goes into more depth about the artist’s ideas and inspiration. It also helps the viewer understand the work.

Artist statements are generally written about a single work of art. Several unrelated pieces in an art show by one artist may include a different statement for each piece. Some teachers use artist statements as an assessment tool for completed work. Regardless of how you use them, consider what you will have students focus on when writing their artist statements.

Additionally, the writing prompts or questions should be constructed so that students are being asked to consider their prior self-reflection and critique feedback in their writing. Although self-reflection can look similar, artist statements are a culmination of the self-reflection that has taken place during the creative process and from engaging in formal and informal critiques. It is noteworthy to add that students must first be adept at self-reflection at all points during the creative process. This will help them become effective participants in individual or group critiques. It will also help them write interesting and informative artist statements.

Teach artist statements as students begin to finish their work and ready it for display. Whether you use the artist statements as an assessment tool or for an art show, be clear about what students need to be thinking about. Tell them what the expectations are, and show them some examples of well-written artist statements, along with some that are not.

For non-writers, try these two ideas for artist statements:

• Audio or video record their responses and create a QR code to display with their work that will take the viewer to the recording.
• Transcribe their responses with the help of parent volunteers, older students, and/or teacher assistants.

Create a template for students to write their artist statements in Grades 2–5. Scaffold the forms for various writing levels by using sentence stems for beginning writers. For older students, provide questions with set expectations, such as complete sentences and two sentences or more per answer. As a baseline, some teachers require one sentence per grade level.

In Engaging Learners Through Artmaking , Katherine Douglas and Diane Jaquith suggest using these prompts:

• Tell me about your artwork.
• What do you want people to notice?
• Where did you find this idea?
• How did you make this?

Middle School

Continue to provide a variety of options for students who may still struggle with written expression:

• Allow video or audio recordings.
• Provide sentence stems and questions.
• Provide peer assistance where appropriate.

High School

Provide differentiation as needed and appropriate, but also demand more depth and critical thinking about their work.

Focus on these three tips:

• Give clear directions and criteria.
• Emphasize the purpose for completing them.
• Display a typed version with their work.

Check out this guide to writing well-written artist statements appropriate for all secondary students.

Artist Statements as Assessments:

Many teachers use self-reflection as a formative assessment and artist statements as a summative assessment. Below are some ideas and tips to make this happen successfully.

• Compose process displays as artist statements that contain images and descriptions of the work in progress from beginning to end, along with the finished work. This can be done online or as a physical display.
• Use a blog platform for artist statements and process documentation. Students can leave feedback and questions through the comment feature.
• Write an artist statement for all completed work , whether or not it was successful.
• Articulate what was learned in the process, even if it was deemed unsuccessful. One can learn as much from a failed work of art as from a successful one!
• Require the appropriate use of art vocabulary .
• Adjust the artist statement prompts to hone in on what your curriculum is focusing on.

Having students write artist statements to address meaningful and relevant prompts will aid them in articulating their artistic process. It will also provide you with a way to grade them on their process rather than their product. When students know they are being graded on the process and not the artwork, they will focus on the process more. Consequently, their artwork will improve. All of those students who are afraid of getting a bad grade because they “can’t do art” are now focusing on something they feel they can control.

Curatorial Rationales

Curatorial rationales, such as those used in International Baccalaureate (IB) Schools , are different from artist statements. In IB schools, visual art students are required to create a final display of a coherent body of related works. This display is accompanied by a curatorial rationale, which an examiner uses for assessment. “ Writing the Rationale is part of the process of self-reflection, decision making, and of understanding of [sic] the relationship between artist and audience .”

Because IB Schools focus on critical thinking skills, curiosity, and solving complex problems, these rationales go into greater depth than the traditional K–12 artist statement. However, the idea behind this process can also be implemented in general high school art classes to add an important and stellar writing component to your curriculum. It can be a great authentic mid-term or final exam instead of the traditional test format.

For more submission details on IB curatorial rationales, check out this article . Take a look at an excellent example of an IB student’s rationale here .

The curatorial rationale is generally broken down into three parts:

• Overview, Concepts, and Ideas What is your work about? What are the underlying themes or threads? How did your theme come about? What are the concepts, issues, or ideas you have explored here? How are they linked in your work? What experiences have contributed to the making of this work?
• Selection of Works What materials and techniques have you used? Why did you choose these? Do the materials have an impact on the meaning of the work? How do you justify your selection of works?
• Relationship With the Viewer How does the way the work is presented contribute to how it communicates with the viewer? How did you consider the arrangement of the works within the available space? Do you have an overall vision for presenting this body of work?

Here are some journal reflections to help students brainstorm and process before writing:

• What media do you work with?
• What interests you about this type of work?
• What themes, concerns, and ideas have you explored in this work?
• Is there a relationship between the media you used and the ideas you worked with?
• What outside interests, artists, encounters, or experiences have influenced your work?
• What ties your individual pieces of work together into a cohesive body of work?
• Is there an “intention” behind the work?
• What do you want the work to achieve?
• How do you want your audience to experience it?
• How have your display methods of display (how the work is arranged and presented) contributed to the viewer’s experience?
• Imagine you could have any possible space or display method. What is your vision for presenting this body of work?

Why is this important?

These artistic processes are embedded within the National Core Arts Standards . Instruction and expectations for these processes should be included in all art curricula that strive to meet the NCAS.

Read the standards again closely and see how these processes align with them:

• Anchor Standard 3: Refine and complete artistic work. Enduring Understanding: Artists and designers develop excellence through practice and constructive critique, reflecting on, revising, and refining work over time.
• Anchor Standard 4: Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation. Enduring Understanding: Artists and other presenters consider various techniques, methods, venues, and criteria when analyzing, selecting, and curating objects, artifacts, and artworks for preservation and presentation .
• Anchor Standard 5: Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation. Enduring Understanding: Artists, curators, and others consider a variety of factors and methods, including evolving technologies, when preparing and refining artwork for display and or when deciding if and how to preserve and protect it.
• Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work. Enduring Understanding: Individual aesthetic and empathetic awareness developed through engagement with art can lead to understanding and appreciation of self, others, the natural world, and constructed environments.
• Anchor Standard 8: Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work. Enduring Understanding: People gain insights into the meanings of artworks by engaging in the process of art criticism .
• Anchor Standard 9: Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work. Enduring Understanding: People evaluate art based on various criteria.

Engaging students in meaningful self-reflection and critiques as well as writing thoughtful artist statements and curatorial rationales will ensure students are meeting these standards.

These processes are also essential to building 21st-century skills. The Brookings Institute conducted a meta-analysis of education department documents across several countries. They identified several common skills and competencies across all national documents.

The most common skills and competencies cited were:

• Critical, innovative, and reflective thinking
• Reasoned decision-making
• Communication
• Collaboration

The art classroom is where these skills and competencies are explicitly and methodically taught and applied every day. Art educators stand at a fork in an important road. One way takes us to more budget cuts and less art instruction for students. The other way takes us on a path to advocate for our subject matter . These skills are important for all students to develop. We need to show the relevance and significance of art education in targeting these skills. If we do not teach them, who will?

So, how do you fit all this in?

As stated above, these processes fall under the umbrella of the NCAS and should be built into your curriculum. These are not add-ons or extras. They are essential parts of your curriculum. Weave them into your daily routines in order for students to adopt them as habitual ways of working and thinking. Taking the time to model, teach, and reinforce these processes will go a long way in making them part of your classroom culture. How you teach each of these processes will be different depending upon the grade level you teach, your schedule, and the academic abilities of your students.

It is important to remember all students need to know:

• Why they are doing these things
• The purpose of each process
• How it will benefit them in the short and long term
• How to engage in each process
• What artists think about while they are self-reflecting
• Questions artists ask themselves
• How artists reflect on, react to, and use the feedback received during a critique to refine, improve, and finish their artwork

Teaching any process without putting it in a meaningful context is not going to create the buy-in from students we want. Show them artists are not just born with the knowledge and expertise to be brilliant artists. Instead, they use these processes to become better at their work.

When your scheduled time with a group of students is limited, look at ways to scaffold these skills across grade levels. Most students in elementary will have the same art teacher (or two) every year. It is manageable to scaffold and build these skills across grades.

In middle and high school, try to collaborate with your colleagues in scaffolding and building these skills across grade levels. Subject area departments should always vertically align the curriculum in order to build the skills and competencies from grades K–12. Include these processes in the curriculum so all students can have as much exposure to and practice with them as possible.

Teaching students how to self-reflect, participate constructively in critiques, and write strong artist statements or curatorial rationales will not only improve their artmaking but also provide them with essential life skills. Not all students will pursue art after graduation, but we can equip them with the essential skills of self-reflection and communication through writing. Start by trying out these processes with the tips and strategies outlined above. Strive to create an atmosphere where all of these processes are expected, transparent, honest, and useful to your students. This will allow them to successfully navigate the 21st-century world in which they live.

National Core Arts Standards (2015) National Coalition for Core Arts Standards. Rights Administered by the State Education Agency Directors of Arts Education. Dover, DE, www.nationalartsstandards.org all rights reserved.

NCAS does not endorse or promote any goods or services offered by the Art of Education University.

What struggles have you encountered in implementing these artistic processes, and what solutions did you find?

How will you introduce these processes to your students next year?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Claire McWilliams

Dr. Claire McWilliams, a retired K–12 art and special education educator, is one of AOEU’s Adjunct Instructors. She believes in creating a rigorous curriculum and advocating for how the visual arts contribute to a 21st-century education.

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Gillian Hebblewhite

A Guide to Keeping a Reflective Art Journal

Introduction.

Being able to reflect is a fundamental part of learning and reflective practice is an invaluable tool to help artists develop their confidence, practice, self-awareness, identity and much more. Many artists forget about or neglect doing a reflective art journal because they aren’t sure where to start or if it will actually help them. This guide explains what a reflective art journal is, provides a model of reflection for you to use, highlights the benefits of keeping one and explains how you can start your own.

What is a reflective art journal?

There are many descriptions and ideas of what a reflective art journal is and what it should contain, often it’s a notion of a visual chronicle or diary of an artists’ thoughts, ideas, memories, hopes and dreams, sometimes these are combined with positive affirmations (positive and reassuring words or images). For me, alongside all of these (and anything else you want to put in your reflective art journal), there should be some element of reflection on your experiences to really help you learn and develop as an artist. This is what differentiates the reflective art journal from an information / research file, an artist’s sketchbook or a diary, all of which are sometimes confused with a reflective art journal.

While your sketchbook is a good place to do observational work, experiment, take notes, collect relevant research, explore and develop your ideas, etc…, a reflective art journal helps you to learn from your experiences, supporting you to become a more confident and competent artist. Gillian Hebblewhite

What is reflection?

Let’s start with the basics… what is reflection? Reflection is fundamental to all learning. It is a process that helps you become aware of, think about, and analyse your previous experiences to help you develop and transform your knowledge (ways of thinking about things) and practice (ways of doing things). There are plenty of models and frameworks to help you reflect. I personally like to use Kolb’s experiential learning cycle that has 4 stages:

Stage 1: Concrete Experience

Doing / having an experience. For example, you completed or didn’t complete a piece of artwork, a project, a mood board, etc… you saw an artist’s work that had an impact on you, you experimented with a new medium in your sketchbook and it went really well or didn’t turn out how you expected, you received feedback on your work, you experienced something that inspired or motivated you, you felt disappointed or not satisfied with an aspect of your work, you have been afraid to show others your work, take the next step or try something new, etc…

Stage 2: Reflective Observation

You observe, think about and reflection on that experience (how and why something happened), which then leads to…

Stage 3: Abstract Conceptualisation

Learning from and coming to conclusions about the experience, forming new ideas or modifying the way you think about something or how you want to do something, and planning. This then leads to…

Stage 4: Active Experimentation

You apply what you have learnt, new knowledge, idea/s, modification/s, etc… to see what happens, which results in new experiences. These new experiences can then be reflected on if needed and you start the cycle again. Learning is observed when you have worked through the 4 stages of the cycle.

[Critical reflection] asks us to think about our practice and ideas and then it challenges us to step-back and examine our thinking by asking probing questions. It asks us to not only delve into the past and look at the present but importantly it asks us to speculate about the future and act. Department of Education and Training, State Government of Victoria, Australia (2007:1) From ‘A “Critical” Reflection Framework’

https://flic.kr/p/aA6rpK

Why is reflective practice for artists important? What are the benefits of keeping a reflective art journal?

It was only when I experienced the process of critical reflection as an art tutor and then a lecturer and health professional, did I really understand the benefits. I then realised how much this skill could have helped me decades ago as a young art student at college and university, where critical self-reflection was not specifically taught. I have kept a reflective art journal for many decades now and it has really helped my own practice and proved useful when I was working through decisions and what directions to take at certain points in my life. Looking back over my reflective art journals: my thought processes, what has influenced me and what I have learnt and achieved, is enjoyable, illuminating and motivating. It helps me to remember the obstacles I have overcome to be able to create the art that I create, and it gives me the space to plan what I would like to do in the future.  

A reflective art journal should be personal to you because there are many reasons why we choose to create things. It could be a rewarding hobby, a way to relax and/or something that improves or maintains your mental health. It may have helped you develop your self-awareness, come to terms with a transition in your life and/or create ways for you to become more involved in your community. You may be (or thinking about) selling your own artwork, studying for an art-related qualification and/or embarking on an art-related career. A reflective art journal will not only help you identify what drives your creativity and what you gain from creating your art, but also where you really want to take it. It can help you set goals, keep you focused on achieving what you want to achieve and improve your self-awareness, confidence and artistic knowledge and practice. There are so many benefits from keeping a reflective art journal, here are just a few.

A reflective art journal may help you:

• Identify what you have achieved, enjoyed, and discovered by creating your artwork
• Identify your artistic hopes, aspirations and values
• Identify what you want to achieve as an artist and how you might go about achieving them (without becoming overwhelmed)
• Focus on what really matters to you
• Capture what you have learnt
• Evaluate what you have tried
• Improve your self-awareness
• Improve your knowledge and practical skills as an artist
• Develop your confidence
• Develop your own visual language and style
• Progress academically and/or professionally
• Write an artist’s statement (who you are, what and why you create)
• Document your progress for your own and others future reference. One day your reflective art journal may help others (who may want to research you and your work) understand how you viewed the world, your creative processes, ideas, influences, etc…

Do something today that your future self will thank you for. Sean Patrick Flanery @seanflanery

How to start a reflective art journal

As I’ve said already, a reflective art journal is personal to you. They can be personalised in so many ways to meet your own needs as an artist or creative. Alongside reflections, a reflective art journal can include all kinds of things: images, poetry, found objects, positive affirmations, collage, drawings, colours, textures, etc… Don’t be afraid to try new things in your reflective art journal. Challenge yourself and be brave.

I’ve put together a list of prompts / questions, which follow ‘The what?’, ‘So what?’ and “Now what?” framework, to help you start your reflective art journal. From these prompts / questions you can apply Kolb’s experiential learning cycle (or another model of reflection) to help you learn more from your experience.  

Prompts / questions to help you start your reflective art journal

• How is your artwork progressing?
• How does your artwork compare to your previous work?
• What has been going well and why?
• What are you finding hard and why?
• What are you enjoying most and why?
• Would you want to do anything differently?
• What medium / media are you using and why?
• What techniques are you using and why?
• Have you encountered any obstacles or barriers in the past concerning your art? How did you overcome these? What did you learn?
• Are you currently encountering any obstacles or barriers concerning your art? How are you (or how could you) overcome these? What are you learning?
• What have you learnt about your own or others’ art this week?
• What has inspired you today? What has inspired you this week?
• Is there anything you would like to do differently and why? How could you do this differently?
• What skills do you think you need to improve? How will you do this?
• What has helped you generate ideas and inspired your own artwork?
• How / where did you find these ideas and inspiration?
• Have you researched any artists, art movements, etc… that have helped your own work? How did it help?
• What have you learnt from analysing your own or another artist’s work? Could you incorporate what you have learnt into your own artwork? If so, how? If you want to learn how to analyse art work try my blog How to Analyse Artwork: A Step by Step Guide
• Have you received feedback from others about your work? How did this make you feel? How could you use this feedback?
• What do you hope to achieve tomorrow? this month? this year? What steps can you take to achieve this?

Just a little note on any feedback you receive, many people may want to offer advice to you or give their opinion on what you are creating which you may or may not find helpful. Try to get feedback from people who know about art (or what you are creating) and the process of creating art (or what you are creating) or you may find yourself being steered in the wrong direction or, even worse, disheartened with your creations.

Back to starting a reflective art journal… I personally write my reflections in Word on my computer (double-spacing the lines) and then I print them out ready for me to cut up, rearrange and glue into a plain A4 note book. This allows me to expand and introduce other things into the reflection/s, add colour and make connections – it could be a list of ideas on how I could do something differently or how another artist has approached something similar. I may then analyse a few pieces of their work, which I prefer to handwrite directly into my reflective art journal next to an image of the artwork. My reflective art journals are quite messy – which I quite like as it gives me plenty of freedom to really work through the reflective cycle. Sometimes I tear pages out, cut them into pieces that are meaningful to me, rearrange and glue them back into my note book to form the basis of a new reflection and then continue to develop it. Lately I’ve been reflecting on using mindfulness techniques as a starting point for my abstract drawing and my experimentation with sgraffito techniques using different media for some plant inspired artwork. Sgraffito literally means ‘scratched’ or ‘scratched away’ in Italian. Britannica (2014) describes sgraffito as ‘a technique used in painting, pottery, and glass, which consists of putting down a preliminary surface, covering it with another, and then scratching the superficial layer in such a way that the pattern or shape that emerges is of the lower colour’. I’ve asked myself what has gone well and why? What has not gone well and why? How could I do it differently next time? Why am I drawn to and enjoy sgraffito? How have other artists used this technique and what could I learn? I set aside some time each month to do some reflections on my progress, the things I have learnt and to evaluate my goals.

I hope this blog has inspired you to start a reflective art journal or given you some new ideas for your reflective practice as an artist. I would love to hear about your own experiences of keeping a reflective art journal and your top tips.

Aside from giving you enjoyment, inspiration, ideas and something to reflect on, analysing other artists’ work is a great way to develop your knowledge around art in general, learn more about specific artists and their work and what actually draws you personally to certain art. To find out more have a look at my blog How to Analyse Artwork: A Step by Step Guide

Kolb, D. A. (1984). Experiential learning: Experience as the source of learning and development (Vol. 1). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall.

McLeod, S. A. (2017, October 24). Kolb – learning styles and experiential learning cycle. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/learning-kolb.html

State Government of Australia, Department of Education and Training (2019) A “Critical” Reflection Framework [online] State Government of Australia, Department of Education and Training. https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/childhood/professionals/support/reffram.pdf

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Published by Gillian Hebblewhite

I am an artist from Kingston upon Hull in the United Kingdom with a background in learning disability nursing, health research and community, adult and higher education teaching in visual arts, illustration and health-based subjects. In 2021 I decided to focus on my own artwork and use my experience, knowledge and interest in art and wellbeing to support others. View all posts by Gillian Hebblewhite

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Personal Reflection Through Art: Beautiful Imperfections

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When my time stopped being consumed by constant rehearsals on my feet, I turned to art I could create on my ass. It all started with the ugly Ikea table taking up too much space in my tiny apartment. I hated looking at that cluttered, ring-stained surface. It was something so plain and neglected, but I knew it could be transformed into something better. Yet, I was nervous that I would somehow ruin it and be stuck with something I didn’t like. Then I wondered: how could putting love, time, and effort into something make it any worse?

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How to Start a Reflection Essay on Art

Isaiah david.

Because a reflection essay on art is your chance to go back and take an informal look at a substantial project you have completed, many people incorrectly assume that it will be the easiest part. In reality, it takes a mature perspective, a developed voice, and the ability to be simultaneously informal and articulate to write a good reflection essay on art. In this article, I assume that you are writing a reflective essay on art you have made yourself, but the instructions can be easily adapted to help you reflect on an art history unit or a report you did on an art exhibit.

Explore this article

• Consult the rubric
• Look at your art project
• Think about the project as a whole
• Use the drama
• Leave the reader hanging
• Step back to tell the rest
• As you go through
• Make to hit every detail
• For your conclusion

things needed

1 consult the rubric.

Consult the rubric. Generally, your teacher will provide a list of points you are expected to address. Jot down a few notes on each point. Don't try to be comprehensive - keep it light and flowing at this stage. Think of the first things that come to your mind.

2 Look at your art project

Look at your art project. What does it make you think about? Do you like it? Hate it? Take a closer look at the details. Was there some part that you had to struggle to complete? Was there something that came easy or hit like a burst of inspiration? Write down as much or as little as you are inspired to.

3 Think about the project as a whole

Think about the project as a whole. Find a moment that encapsulated the whole process of creating, refining, and finishing your work of art. It could be the first moment where you really felt engaged in the project, or it could be an obstacle that nearly stopped you dead in your tracks and that you had to overcome. That is where you should start your reflective essay.

4 Use the drama

Use the drama of the moment you just thought of to begin your essay. You want your essay as a whole to tell the story of your project, and your first paragraph to tell a story within that story to draw the reader in. Use vivid descriptive to make the reader feel what you felt.

5 Leave the reader hanging

Leave the reader hanging. Don't tell the whole story of whatever moment you chose in your introductory paragraph - leave something for the ending. Then, you can keep the reader interested in the story within the story even as you lead them through the entire process.

6 Step back to tell the rest

Step back to tell the rest of the story. For example, if you start with a description of a last minute problem you had to solve in your art project, you might start the next paragraph with something like "By that point, of course, I had been working on the project for 6 weeks." This will take you right back to the beginning of the project, allowing you to reflect on each stage in order.

7 As you go through

As you go through, use the details you thought about in step 2. If there are some aspects of your work that you are especially proud of, tell the reader how they came about. If there are other aspects that you don't like, tell the reader why you don't like them. Don't just list them, but put them in at whatever stage of your project they occurred.

8 Make to hit every detail

Make sure to hit every detail on the rubric. Try to keep it in the back of your mind as you go through. Tat way, you can integrate it into the flow of your essay and make it sound more natural.

9 For your conclusion

For your conclusion, come back to the mini story and relate it to the project as a whole. If you found you had to trust your intuition to complete one aspect of your piece, explain what the project as a whole has taught you about intuition in art. If you had to scrap it all and start over at some stressful point, you might talk about what you learned about the need to plan, or the willingness to admit to yourself when you are wrong. Be humble. Show that there is something you had to learned, and that you learned it.

• Don't proofread your essay too aggressively until you are done. The important thing is to get started. You can come back and polish it later.

About the Author

Isaiah David is a freelance writer and musician living in Portland, Ore. He has over five years experience as a professional writer and has been published on various online outlets. He holds a degree in creative writing from the University of Michigan.

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The Reflective Statement: Your Path to Artistic Enlightenment!

By Miranda Aschenbrenner in Art Business Advice   >   Motivation

It’s extremely important to be self-aware as an artist.

We should always be thinking about our processes, our decisions, our strengths and weaknesses, and our prejudices. Knowing these things will help you learn from your mistakes and use your strengths to their fullest advantage.

When you become aware of the things you’re doing intuitively, you will be able to create strategies for yourself to overcome challenges in your art practice. You will also able to overcome the things you do that might be holding you back artistically.

One great way to become more self-aware is by writing a reflective statement.

What is a reflective statement?

A reflective statement is a written record of your artistic process for any individual artwork you’ve created.

A good reflective statement describes step-by-step what you did, and more importantly, why you did it. It can touch on some of the challenges you faced and how you overcame them. It can even mention ideas you have for your next piece.

Why write a reflective statement?

Writing down your thoughts about your own creative process forces you to be aware of your decision making process while you are creating.

This includes the conscious decisions you make, as well as the things you do intuitively. It can become a record of your thoughts while you’re working and is something to refer to later to remind yourself about issues you want to explore further.

A reflective statement is also a good conclusion to an artwork. Rather than setting it aside as done, you get the chance to reflect on what you have learned.

How I’ve used reflective statements:

I was first introduced to reflective statements in a painting class where I was required to submit one along with every painting that I completed. I paid a lot more attention to my process knowing that I would be required to write about it.

Sometimes I found myself writing my statement in my head while I worked, which made me even more aware of the decisions I was making. I found it so helpful that I continue to write reflective statements for myself to this day.

To give you an idea of what a reflective statement might look like, here is an excerpt from one that I wrote for a recent painting:

“Because the last orange painting I did ended up being a very red-y painting, I was very conscious of adding enough yellow to make a proper orange. I wasn’t happy with the colour of that painting because when I added white for highlights, the whole piece took on a bit of a peachy salmon tinge.

In this piece, I made sure I added extra yellow to the highlights. However, I must have gone too far in that direction because I’m no longer sure that I would classify the painting as orange. It is now more of a sandstone yellow, which I don’t mind.”

How to write a reflective statement

Think of your reflective statement as a journaling exercise about your creative process. Write for yourself, and don’t worry about spelling or punctuation or grammar. Just start writing to get the ideas flowing. If you’re stuck, here are 10 questions you could ask yourself:

1. What did you start with?

2. What did you do next?

3. Why did you choose that (brush/colour/pencil)?

4. Why didn’t you choose a different (brush/colour/pencil)?

5. What problems did you encounter?

6. How did you solve them?

7. Were their issues you couldn’t solve?

8. What is working well and why?

9. What isn’t working well and why?

10. What did you learn in this piece that you can apply in the next?

I encourage you to try this excercise with at least one of your next pieces. You’ll find yourself becoming more aware of your decision-making process and you’ll have a written record of your thoughts to look back on and use in the future.

For more articles by Miranda, please visit her art blog .

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Reflective Writing examples

Evaluation of project.

In analysing my work, I feel that this project compelled me to find inspiration from so many various sources, subsequently building on my imaginative capacity as well as my practical knowledge. Therefore I feel I have gained and developed many skills in terms of my own personal creativity and development.

Through creating my styling concepts, I not only became inspired by other practitioners, but felt I gradually began to find my own style in terms of composition and construction of narrative. I thoroughly enjoyed constructing the set for my photo shoot and sourcing possible locations as well as sourcing ideas for stylings from markets and museums and just taking in everything around me. Photographically, I was forced to consider and understand technical concepts of shooting in different locations. Technically I did find some difficulties transferring the image from film negative to computer screen, where I went through processes of scanning negatives etc, so next time I would like to improve on this element.

On reflection I feel the photo shoot was successful, in terms of it being well planned and in terms of realisation of my concept. I found the storyboards to be of great assistance on the day of the shoot. Putting my work into context, I do feel it works well as a CD cover. This is mainly due to my constantly keeping in mind the frame of a CD cover when planning and shooting my compositions, in order to allow for cropping. I feel the images also successfully visually represent and evoke the feel and atmosphere of the artist, the zeitgeist and, most importantly, the track.

As a whole in terms of a finished product I feel I fully transferred my original visualisation into a finished image, and feel it reflects many of my research sources from surrealism to psychedelia. I was really pushed to think conceptually and found this project challenging, enjoyable and, most importantly, a significant step in furthering my creativity, and hope this is reflected visually through my journal.

Adapted from Hannah Robinson, FdA Fashion Styling and Photography (LCF)

In the music image project, my aim was to resolve the problems I had in my last project with my accessories. This time, I customised and modified the gas masks and belts and printed some logos on a flag. I also made a mask from a T-shirt and printed an image onto a jacket. This has all come out quite well, but after I had made them, I continued developing the ideas in my head, and realised I could have done some alternative modifications.

It took a long time to create the images for this project. This is because I was dealing with political and historical content. I thought I could create good ideas if I explored them enough, but it was too time consuming, and I became confused when coming up with my own ideas. It was, however, very stimulating and inspiring to do some research on western history and politics.

In the styling section, my ideas for customising and modifying were not perfect, but I was able to achieve a certain amount. I am pleased with the work, and feel encouraged to push myself in the next project. I liked my styling, but found it difficult to make four outfits, because I had to use each garment separately. What I could have done was have put all the garments in one or two outfits only instead of spreading them through all of them.

In relation to the photography, I feel I should have explored more photographers. This would have given me inspiration for the mood, composition, lighting and location. I need to do more research on a daily basis not only for projects but for my visual diaries as well. On the day of the photo shoot, one of the models didn't turn up, so I had to consider everything again on location. From this I learnt that I need to be more responsive and flexible as this is likely to happen again. Choosing which photographs to use was difficult as well, as I had to consider both composition and layout for the cover.

In terms of IT, I really improved. I started using Photoshop about a month ago, and I can now create a quality of work which I am confident about.

Overall, what I discovered from this project is the importance of a schedule. I have to set a proper timetable and follow it. I also need to fully consider things before I actually do them, as otherwise I get lost and lose inspiration. Finally, reflecting on the positive and negative aspects of my project will, I believe, really help me improve myself for the next one.

Adapted from Ryusuke Kase, FdA Fashion Styling and Photography (LCF)

Reflective statement for dissertation

The dissertation process has been an important journey for me in which I have developed my independent learning. It has, however, been challenging at times.

It has been a time consuming process needing much focus and commitment. At first, I thought everything would be straightforward and that I could manage my time, but it was hard to juggle between my part-time work and family commitments. In order to prioritise the dissertation, I took a short period of time out from work and held back from family events.

To keep myself on track I constructed action plans. At the beginning of each week I would make a daily plan of what I hoped to achieve and how I would do it. I then ticked off each task as achieved. This helped me achieve smaller goals within the research. So throughout this process I have learnt to be self-disciplined, organised and become better at time management. These are clearly needed for future employment.

The primary research part was difficult and at times very frustrating. It was hard to find staff in retail companies that were willing to take part, and I did not have enough information. Through a personal contact I was able to interview someone who gave me a much clearer insight into my field of study. I learnt that it is important to test out your questions before actually doing an interview. Next time I would approach key people earlier and also maybe try to vary the research method: a telephone interview may be more successful for very busy people.

I also had to research a variety of sources such as industry journals and key texts. This at first felt overwhelming. My tutor gave me some targeted references and I also asked the library staff for support in accessing the information I required. I learnt that asking for help can be a good thing.

The information itself needed to be interpreted which required critical and analytical skills. I kept having to return to my initial question to avoid missing the point. At times I felt that I was not getting anywhere. I now understand that this is all part of doing research and, over time, I discovered some interesting themes.

Writing up the dissertation was also a challenge. I had to disregard a lot of information that was not entirely relevant to my research question. Also at times the content was vague, and the ideas did not always follow logically. I used Study Support to develop my writing skills, but wished I had approached them for help at an earlier stage, as this would have saved me a considerable amount of stress.

To conclude, the dissertation assignment has improved my confidence in my ability, through producing a lengthy piece of work. I feel it has effectively concluded the academic phase, and I am excited and motivated by the prospect of getting a job in the fashion industry.

Extracts from BA (Hons) Fashion Management students' dissertations (LCF)

Reflective journal - work experience

In a small salon environment such as London Beauty, customer service and communication skills are really important as the clients tend to know the therapist very well and have a close trusting relationship with her. The manager Shelly knows all the clients and talks very easily to them. This is a skill that I find comes very naturally to me and I have a few clients for whom special communication skills were required. They were nervous about some of the treatments. I could reassure them and put them at their ease. For example, a man came into the salon for a facial. It was his first time and was very uncomfortable. I saw this as a challenge and engaged him in conversation as I would with any other client. By the end of the treatment he was very relaxed and planned to come back again soon! I felt proud I had been able to make him feel comfortable.

Something that did not come easily to me was promotion. It was my job to stand outside the spa giving leaflets to people who went past explaining the treatments that were on offer. This is an awkward task as people do not like to be approached by others to sell them things. I was worried I would not be successful. I threw myself into the task and gave out over 100 leaflets and secured 7 bookings! I learnt that sometimes you just have to be enthusiastic and think positively about trying to sell things.

I felt my personal appearance was good throughout my time in the salon. I wore a light amount of make up and had no jewellery on at all. It is important in maintaining a professional appearance as well as the health and safety implications about following the dress code.

My organisational skills have always been a weakness for me and I did not want this to affect my work in the salon. I made sure I was always punctual and any task was completed in the appropriate time.

Overall I think my communication skills and my ability to work on my own initiative are my biggest strengths. I have learnt how to sell the services and also become more organised with my time. One thing I need to do is spend more time thinking about the more complicated treatments. Making a note in my learning journal on a regular basis would have helped me reduce my stress levels, and reminded me of where I was likely to mix up the order of the routine.

Overall, I learnt a great deal on my placement and I am now more determined than ever to qualify as a Beauty Therapist and have my own salon.

Adapted from Geraldine Topping, FdSc Beauty Therapy and Health Studies student (LCF)

Evaluation of work experience

Over the course of the week I examined work as diverse as From the House of the Dead, Demented and Deformed , to the Cunning Little Vixen . I feel this emphasises the importance of drawing as a tool for any designer, and by honing this skill I will feel more confident in expressing my ideas. I am pleased that I chose the Figure in Context as an elective. I have improved my technique and developed more competence with various media, particularly paint, an expressive means of suggesting texture.

Stan Won't Dance has opened up a new area of costume for performance thus far in my experience. I particularly enjoyed the process of examining designs and breaking down the image into practical components that can be sourced and customised to create viable, wearable costumes that must withstand the demands of movement and dance. Working closely with the assistant supervisor has given me practical exposure to the role of costume supervisor in the creative process. It was also satisfying to share these experiences with a member of my class peer group. I have drawn the conclusion that it is a role I would be interested in pursuing during my professional future.

Regarding the overall visual style of the production, I am now aware that I find an alternative approach to costume more stimulating than the conventional approach. I feel that such projects encourage an assistant to use his or her own creativity to a considerable extent, notwithstanding the development of pre-ordained designs.

The daily work schedules were regular, thus I had more time to attend exhibitions, read and draw. These activities have been inspiring and fruitful, and have helped me achieve an enjoyable balance between work, studies and leisure time. In the past I have not taken enough time to reflect on work and its related experiences, so it is a personal progression for me to do so now.

Perhaps one negative aspect of this industry-linked project has been that I have not been intensely involved in any one project. Yet this only serves to confirm my belief that I must be thoroughly engaged by a project with sufficient responsibility in order to feel satisfied by the process. The fragmented nature of this term's projects was partially down to circumstance - the archive did not require an assistant or trainee for the duration. However, the situation has taught me to be more pro-active in the future.

In conclusion, I believe that as a result of this experience, I have gained new perspectives on the roles I would like to pursue, and also on how teams - designers, supervisors, makers - work together to realise a creative vision. I am also more aware of the areas that inspire me, for example, how movements in art history (often symptomatic of social flux) have provoked design, and how the abstract and esoteric can, paradoxically, become material, and make comment on the world in which we live by way of a performance narrative. This is demonstrated by both the work of artist Antony Gormley, and proposed by Off the Wall.

Finally, I feel that I now can apply my research, drawing and academic skills to produce work that will do justice to this new, lucid perspective.

Adapted from a final year, BA (Hons) Costume for Performance, LCF

Thinking About Art Making: Questions for Reflection

The questions below are provided to students whose work is featured in AP Studio Art resources. The prompts were created to encourage reflection on art making and artistic thought processes. They may help organize and express ideas, and can be used to inspire creation of an artist's statement. Students may respond to any of the questions that are pertinent to what they'd like to share about their work.

• Would you like to share your ideas about the specific work(s) of art that were selected for display?
• Would you like to comment specifically on the Quality, Concentration, and/or Breadth section of your portfolio?
• What were your inspirations for creating art?
• Which media, techniques, and work processes did you use, and why did you make those choices?
• What do you intend for audiences to see, experience, and think about when viewing your work?
• Which are the most successful aspects of your work?
• What was your inspiration for creating this artwork?
• What were some of the decisions you faced in creating your artwork?
• Did you encounter any difficulties when creating your artwork? How did you work through them?
• Is there anything about your work that you now think you should have done differently? If so, please explain what and why.
• Did your work involve research? What kinds of investigations and discoveries were involved?
• How do your works of art relate to each other in terms of visual and conceptual content?
• How does your work relate to an assignment given by your teacher?
• How do you describe your artistic style/perspective?
• How do you define success as an artist?
• What do you find most rewarding about being an artist?
• What are some of the most important skills you draw upon to create your work?
• What are some of the most significant things you've learned through art-making?
• What is one of the best compliments you've received about your work?
• What advice would you give to other artists?
• What are your future artistic plans?
• Did you experience personal artistic growth as a result of creating the AP portfolio? If so, has that growth affected other aspects of your life?

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Reflections on the mirror in art

Posted 14 Jan 2022, by Anne Wallentine

Mirrors, like their reflections, can be ambiguous and even contradictory in their meaning. Do they show truth or illusion? Beauty or vanity? Self-reflection or shallowness? The answer is as mutable as the object itself: mirrors have been used to reflect all of those meanings and more in art.

Mariana in the South c.1897

John William Waterhouse (1849–1917)

Below are five key themes mirrors have reflected in art – and in their viewers, too.

Mirrors have been around for as long as humans have enjoyed looking at themselves. Reflections could be found in polished obsidian, metal, and even water when needed, but the earliest known examples of obsidian mirrors date from around 6200 BC in modern-day Turkey. A recent analysis confirmed that the obsidian mirror used by Elizabethan advisor and occultist John Dee , now in the collection of the British Museum, was Aztec in origin.

This obsidian mirror was used for occult research by Elizabethan mathematician, astrologer and magician Dr John Dee, born #otd in 1527 pic.twitter.com/iqrgGZ7PrI — British Museum (@britishmuseum) July 13, 2017

Though mirrors became increasingly popular and could be obtained in almost any form or price from the sixteenth century, glass mirrors remained a luxury until the industrial advent of the nineteenth century.

Regardless of the form it takes, the mirror is a crucial tool for artists to paint themselves, an important starting point when learning how to depict other features and figures. Mirrors have proved especially useful for artists who couldn't afford or gain access to models, such as women artists who were barred from traditional art academies. An example is seen in an early fifteenth-century manuscript of Giovanni Boccaccio's 1361–1362 treatise De Mulieribus Claris (Concerning Famous Women) , which illustrates the ancient Roman artist Marcia using a mirror to paint her self-portrait.

Illustration from Giovanni Boccaccio's 'De Mulieribus Claris'

c.1403, by the Master of the Coronation of the Virgin

As humanism came in and respect for the artistic profession rose in the early modern era, self-portraits also became important signatures to express artists' identity and prestige. Early artists rarely showed the mirror in use, preferring to either erase or imply its presence by depicting themselves posed like any other sitter or gazing directly at the viewer. But those who did include it could pull the viewer into deeper questions about the work and what it means to look at someone's inverted image. By looking at a painted reflection, we are reminded of the painter's artistry, perspective, and power to shape what we see.

In My Studio Mirror 1952

Trevor Makinson (1926–1992)

Trevor Makinson asserted his artistic identity by framing himself with the tools of the trade in In My Studio Mirror .

Self Portrait 1909

George Frederick Harris (1856–1926)

George Frederick Harris ' 1909 self-portrait achieves a similar goal by alluding to famous works like Parmigianino 's Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror and Jan van Eyck 's mirror from The Arnolfini Portrait .

Self-Portrait in a Convex Mirror

c.1524, oil on convex panel by Parmigianino (1503–1540)

Artists have also used mirrors to look outward, symbolising sight and truth. Early modern personifications of truth often incorporated mirrors and scales, like the sombre, seventeenth-century painting of Truth Presenting a Mirror to the Vanities of the World .

Truth presenting a Mirror to the Vanities of the World c. 1620–1630

Northern European School

The mirror's dark surface reflects the skull in front of it to show the transience of earthly life and pleasures. The same symbolism is found in allegorical images like Death and the Maiden , which depicts an old man surrounding a young woman with a skull and a mirror. The mirror shows both her and the skull looming over her shoulder, at once a heightened contrast between life and death and a vision of the inevitable future.

Death and the Maiden c.1570

British (English) School

In Lukas Furtenagel 's 1529 portrait of the painter Hans Burgkmair and his wife Anna, Anna holds a mirror that reflects skulls where their grim faces should be.

The Painter Hans Burgkmair (1473–1531) and his Wife, Anna

1529, oil on limewood by Lukas Furtenagel (1505–1546)

More prosaically, mirrors can show off artists' skill at capturing depth, perspective, and light, like Herbert Davis Richter 's Reflections in a Silver Bell or James Cowie 's The Looking-Glass .

Reflections in a Silver Ball c.1932

Herbert Davis Richter (1874–1955)

The Looking-Glass c.1940–1950

James Cowie (1886–1956)

They also add to the compositional playfulness or complexity of portraits – from a cheerful, homely watercolour of a baby...

Alfred Usher Soord (1868–1915)

... to the stark surrealism of John Humphrey Spender's photograph of Ben Nicholson .

Ben Nicholson c.1935

John Humphrey Spender (1910–2005)

As a visual device, the mirror purports to expose deeper truths about their subject not readily apparent on the surface.

Conversely – or perhaps convexly – mirrors can be associated with deception and trickery. Cornelis de Man used one to add depth to the Dutch genre painting A Game of Cards with a Woman Reflected in a Mirror , hinting at both deception within the game and the possibility of sexual stakes.

A Game of Cards, with the Woman Reflected in a Mirror

Cornelis de Man (1621–1706)

Artists also use mirrors to play benign tricks, creating visual illusions that enthral audiences and encourage them to contemplate the very idea of seeing and the limits of reality.

Las Meninas

1656–1657, oil on canvas by Diego Velázquez (1599–1600)

Diego Velázquez 's Las Meninas famously includes the Spanish King and Queen reflected in a mirror on the far wall, implying their entrance into the scene where the real-life viewer of the painting stands. This small detail adds to both the visual depth and political complexity of the work.

Portrait of Giovanni(?) Arnolfini and his Wife 1434

Jan van Eyck (c.1380/1390–1441)

The Arnolfini Portrait's central mirror adds similar nuance to its depiction of a newly married couple by introducing the reflections of two visitors entering the room where they stand.

Other works use mirrors to insist that appearances are not always what they seem, like Édouard Manet 's A Bar at the Folies-Bergère . The apathetic barmaid appears to both face the viewer frontally and lean towards a customer in the mirror behind her that reflects the buzzing surroundings of the bar.

A Bar at the Folies-Bergère 1882

Édouard Manet (1832–1883)

Some scholars have proposed that Manet's perspective is actually an offset view, heightening the optical trick. However you look at it, the mirror's illusion reinforces the divide between internal and external realities and the barmaid's isolation within the roaring crowd.

Allegorical images of women admiring themselves or performing their toilette in a mirror proliferated in European art, serving as a moral admonition against ego that remained popular over the centuries – especially as they often served a dual purpose by providing titillating subject matter for male viewers, too. These images embody the complex, gendered rules that demand beauty from women but punish the appearance of effort.

A Woman holding a Mirror 1625

Pieter Jacobsz. Codde (1599–1678)

A figure-shaped 'dummy board', like this one, served as a life-size reminder of the vice of vanity in a seventeenth-century household, while a companion figure holding a broom promoted the virtue of industry.

Woman with a Mirror (dummy board) 1630–1650

unknown artist

Woman with a Broom (dummy board) 1630–1650

In the same era, Gabriel Metsu 's allegory of human frailty, A Woman at Her Mirror , warned women away from the dangers of focusing on physical instead of spiritual beauty.

A Woman at Her Mirror 1657–c.1662

Gabriel Metsu (1629–1667)

Mirrors could easily reflect lust and beauty along with vanity, as in Velázquez's The Toilet of Venus and numerous idealised depictions of the goddess of love.

The Toilet of Venus ('The Rokeby Venus') 1647-51

Diego Velázquez (1599–1660)

Velázquez's painting shows a reclining nude Venus gazing at her blurred reflection in a mirror held by her son, the love god Cupid. The sketchy brushwork in the mirror keeps the focus on her body in this scene intended for private titillation.

Similarly, the rosy-cheeked, bare-breasted woman in Paulus Moreelse 's Allegory of Profane Love unabashedly points to her own reflection, symbolising material and sexual desires.

A Girl with a Mirror, an Allegory of Profane Love 1627

Paulus Moreelse (1571–1638)

Images of women at their toilet also featured heavily in eighteenth-century Japanese ukiyo-e prints by artists like Kitagawa Utamaro, designed to highlight beauty and pleasure.

Takashima Ohisa Using Two Mirrors to Observe Her Coiffure

c.1795, woodcut print by Kitagawa Utamaro (c.1753–1806)

Later paintings continued to follow the conventions of 'vanity' compositions, employing their mirrors and gestures to create works that chastised women for caring for their appearance and simultaneously objectified their bodies.

Nude Holding Mirror Adjusting Her Hair

Georges van Houten (1888–1964)

This compounded sexism is apparent in works like Georges van Houten 's Nude Holding Mirror Adjusting Her Hair .

Self Portrait with Mirror c.1962

Gwendolene E. Rodger

However, some works by modern artists show women harnessing the power of the mirror for themselves, like Gwendolene E. Rodger's 1960s self-portrait.

Mirrors can visualise emotional as well as physical realities, evoking deeper meanings in pensive and ambiguous scenes like David Muirhead 's Girl at the Mirror .

Girl at the Mirror 1928

David Muirhead (1867–1930)

Jane Urquhart 's Britannia provokes further thought as well: the personified warrior stands draped in the Union Jack in the mirror, but beyond the glass surface we can see her crumpled newspaper wrapping, revealing the doll's wooden under-structure, and the drooping stalk of wheat she carries.

Britannia 1968

Jane Urquhart (1947–1983)

What painting reflects, and what it doesn't, are up to the audience to decide. Reflections can also be imagined – Ken Currie 's portrait of physicist Peter Higgs uses a large mirror to halo his ground-breaking work on the Higgs boson behind his head.

Peter Higgs (b.1929) 2008

Ken Currie (b.1960)

And the surrealist René Magritte imagined a reflection as a translator between word and image in his Magic Mirror , which reveals the words 'corps humain' (human body) instead of a visual figure.

Le miroir magique (The Magic Mirror) 1929

René Magritte (1898–1967)

The wonder (or terror) of mirrors is that they can reflect anything and everything: their meaning is what we see and paint in them. Something to reflect on next time you glance in one.

Anne Wallentine, writer, editor and art historian

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How to Write a Reflective Essay?

07 August, 2020

17 minutes read

Author:  Elizabeth Brown

A reflective essay is a personal perspective on an issue or topic. This article will look at how to write an excellent reflexive account of your experience, provide you with reflexive essay framework to help you plan and organize your essay and give you a good grounding of what good reflective writing looks like.

What is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay requires the writer to examine his experiences and explore how these experiences have helped him develop and shaped him as a person.  It is essentially an analysis of your own experience focusing on what you’ve learned.

Don’t confuse reflexive analysis with the rhetorical one. If you need assistance figuring out how to write a rhetorical analysis , give our guide a read!

Based on the reflective essay definition, this paper will follow a logical and thought-through plan . It will be a discussion that centers around a topic or issue. The essay should strive to achieve a balance between description and personal feelings.

It requires a clear line of thought, evidence, and examples to help you discuss your reflections. Moreover, a proper paper requires an analytical approach . There are three main types of a reflective essay: theory-based, a case study or an essay based on one’s personal experience.

Unlike most academic forms of writing, this writing is based on personal experiences and thoughts. As such, first-person writing position where the writer can refer to his own thoughts and feelings is essential. If the writer talks about psychology or medicine, it is best to use the first-person reference as little as possible to keep the tone objective and science-backed.

To write this paper, you need to recollect and share personal experience . However, there is still a chance that you’ll be asked to talk about a more complex topic.

By the way, if you are looking for good ideas on how to choose a good argumentative essay topic , check out our latest guide to help you out!

The Criteria for a Good Reflective Essay

The convention of an academic reflective essay writing will vary slightly depending on your area of study. A good reflective essay will be written geared towards its intended audience. These are the general criteria that form the core of a well-written piece:

• A developed perspective and line of reasoning on the subject.
• A well-informed discussion that is based on literature and sources relevant to your reflection.
• An understanding of the complex nuance of situations and the tributary effects that prevent them from being simple and clear-cut.
• Ability to stand back and analyze your own decision-making process to see if there is a better solution to the problem.
• A clear understanding of h ow the experience has influenced you.
• A good understanding of the principles and theories of your subject area.
• Ability to frame a problem before implementing a solution.

These seven criteria form the principles of writing an excellent reflective essay.

Still need help with your essay? Handmade Writing is here to assist you!

What is the Purpose of Writing a Reflective Essay?

The purpose of a reflective essay is for a writer to reflect upon experience and learn from it . Reflection is a useful process that helps you make sense of things and gain valuable lessons from your experience. Reflective essay writing allows you to demonstrate that you can think critically about your own skills or practice strategies implementations to learn and improve without outside guidance.

Another purpose is to analyze the event or topic you are describing and emphasize how you’ll apply what you’ve learned.

How to Create a Reflective Essay Outline

• Analyze the task you’ve received
• Read through and understand the marking criteria
• Keep a reflective journal during the experience
• Use a reflective framework (Schon, Driscoll, Gibbs, and Kolb) to help you analyze the experience
• Create a referencing system to keep institutions and people anonymous to avoid breaking their confidentiality
• Set the scene by using the five W’s (What, Where, When, Who and Why) to describe it
• Choose the events or the experiences you’re going to reflect on
• Identify the issues of the event or experience you want to focus on
• Use literature and documents to help you discuss these issues in a wider context
• Reflect on how these issues changed your position regarding the issue
• Compare and contrast theory with practice
• Identify and discuss your learning needs both professionally and personally

Don’t forget to adjust the formatting of your essay. There are four main format styles of any academic piece. Discover all of them from our essay format guide!

Related Posts: Essay outline | Essay format Guide

Using Reflective Frameworks

A good way to develop a reflective essay plan is by using a framework that exists. A framework will let help you break the experience down logical and make the answer easier to organize. Popular frameworks include: Schon’s (1983) Reflection in action and reflection on action .

Schon wrote ‘The Reflective Practitioner’ in 1983 in which he describes reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action as tools for learning how to meet challenges that do not conform to formulas learned in school through improvisation.  He mentioned two types of reflection : one during and one after. By being aware of these processes while on a work-experience trail or clinical assignment you have to write a reflective account for, you get to understand the process better. So good questions to ask in a reflective journal could be:

<td “200”>Reflection-pre-action <td “200”>Reflection-in-action <td “200”>Reflection-on-Action<td “200”>What might happen? <td “200”>What is happening in the situation? <td “200”>What were your insights after?<td “200”>What possible challenges will you face? <td “200”>Is it working out as you expected? <td “200”>How did it go in retrospect?<td “200”>How will you prepare for the situation? <td “200”>What are the challenges you are dealing with? <td “200”>What did you value and why?<td “200”>  <td “200”>What can you do to make the experience a successful one? <td “200”>What would you do differently before or during a similar situation?<td “200”>  <td “200”>What are you learning? <td “200”>What have you learned?

This will give you a good frame for your paper and help you analyze your experience.

Kolb’s (1984) Learning Cycle

Kolb’s reflective framework works in four stages:

• Concrete experience. This is an event or experience
• Reflective observation. This is reflecting upon the experience. What you did and why.
• Abstract conceptualization. This is the process of drawing conclusions from the experience. Did it confirm a theory or falsify something? And if so, what can you conclude from that?
• Active experimentation. Planning and trying out the thing you have learned from this interaction.

Gibb’s (1988) Reflection Cycle

Gibbs model is an extension of Kolb’s. Gibb’s reflection cycle is a popular model used in reflective writing. There are six stages in the cycle.

• Description. What happened? Describe the experience you are reflecting on and who is involved.
• Feelings. What were you thinking and feeling at the time? What were your thoughts and feelings afterward?
• Evaluation. What was good and bad about the experience? How did you react to the situation? How did other people react? Was the situation resolved? Why and how was it resolved or why wasn’t it resolved? Could the resolution have been better?
• Analysis. What sense can you make of the situation? What helped or hindered during the event? How does this compare to the literature on the subject?
• Conclusion. What else could you have done? What have you learned from the experience? Could you have responded differently? How would improve or repeat success? How can you avoid failure?
• Action plan. If it arose again what would you do? How can you better prepare yourself for next time?

Driscoll’s Method (1994) and Rolfe et al (2001) Reflexive Learning

The Driscoll Method break the process down into three questions. What (Description), So What (Analysis) and Now What (Proposed action). Rolf et al 2001 extended the model further by giving more in-depth and reflexive questions.

• What is the problem/ difficulty/reason for being stuck/reason for feeling bad?
• What was my role in the situation?
• What was I trying to achieve?
• What actions did I take?
• What was the response of others?
• What were the consequences for the patient / for myself / for others?
• What feeling did it evoke in the patient / in myself / in others?
• What was good and bad about the experience?
• So, what were your feelings at the time?
• So, what are your feelings now? Are there any differences? Why?
• So, what were the effects of what you did or did not do?
• So, what good emerged from the situation for yourself and others? Does anything trouble you about the experience or event?
• So, what were your experiences like in comparison to colleagues, patients, visitors, and others?
• So, what are the main reasons for feeling differently from your colleagues?
• Now, what are the implications for you, your colleagues and the patients?
• Now, what needs to happen to alter the situation?
• Now, what are you going to do about the situation?
• Now, what happens if you decide not to alter anything?
• Now, what will you do differently if faced with a similar situation?
• Now, what information would you need to deal with the situation again?
• Now, what methods would you use to go about getting that information?

This model is mostly used for clinical experiences in degrees related to medicine such as nursing or genetic counseling. It helps to get students comfortable thinking over each experience and adapting to situations.

This is just a selection of basic models of this type of writing. And there are more in-depth models out there if you’re writing a very advanced reflective essay. These models are good for beginner level essays. Each model has its strengths and weaknesses. So, it is best to use one that allows you to answer the set question fully.

This written piece can follow many different structures depending on the subject area . So, check your assignment to make sure you don’t have a specifically assigned structural breakdown. For example, an essay that follows Gibbs plan directly with six labeled paragraphs is typical in nursing assignments. A more typical piece will follow a standard structure of an introduction, main body, and conclusion. Now, let’s look into details on how to craft each of these essay parts.

How to Write an Introduction?

There are several good ways to start a reflective essay . Remember that an introduction to a reflective essay differs depending on upon what kind of reflection is involved. A science-based introduction should be brief and direct introducing the issue you plan on discussing and its context.

Related post: How to write an Essay Introduction

For example, a nursing student might want to discuss the overreliance on medical journals in the industry and why peer-reviewed journals led to mistaken information. In this case, one good way how to start a reflective essay introduction is by introducing a thesis statement. Help the reader see the real value of your work.

Do you need help with your thesis statement? Take a look at our recent guide explaining what is a thesis statement .

Let’s look at some reflective essay examples.

‘During my first month working at Hospital X, I became aware just how many doctors treated peer-views journal articles as a gospel act. This is a dangerous practice that because of (a), (b) and (c) could impact patients negatively.’

The reflective essay on English class would begin differently. In fact, it should be more personal and sound less bookish .

How to Write the Main Body Paragraphs?

The main body of the essay should focus on specific examples of the issue in question. A short description should be used for the opener. Each paragraph of this piece should begin with an argument supporting the thesis statement.

The most part of each paragraph should be a reflexive analysis of the situation and evaluation . Each paragraph should end with a concluding sentence that caps the argument. In a science-based essay, it is important to use theories, other studies from journals and source-based material to argue and support your position in an objective manner.

How to Write the Conclusion?

A conclusion should provide a summary of the issues explored, remind the reader of the purpose of the essay and suggest an appropriate course of action in relation to the needs identified in the body of the essay.

This is mostly an action plan for the future. However, if appropriate a writer can call readers to action or ask questions. Make sure that the conclusion is powerful enough for readers to remember it. In most cases, an introduction and a conclusion is the only thing your audience will remember.

Reflective Essay Topics

Here are some good topics for a reflective essay. We’ve decided to categorize them to help you find good titles for reflective essays that fit your requirement.

Medicine-related topics:

• Write a reflective essay on leadership in nursing
• How did a disease of your loved ones (or your own) change you?
• Write a reflection essay on infection control
• How dealing with peer-reviewed journals interrupts medical procedures?
• Write a reflection essay about community service
• Write a reflective essay on leadership and management in nursing

Topics on teamwork:

• Write a reflective essay on the group presentation
• What makes you a good team player and what stays in the way of improvement?
• Write a reflective essay on the presentation
• Write about the last lesson you learned from working in a team
• A reflective essay on career development: How teamwork can help you succeed in your career?

Topics on personal experiences:

• Write a reflective essay on the pursuit of happiness: what it means to you and how you’re pursuing it?
• Write a reflective essay on human sexuality: it is overrated today? And are you a victim of stereotypes in this area?
• Write a reflective essay on growing up
• Reflective essay on death: How did losing a loved one change your world?
• Write a reflective essay about a choice you regret
• Write a reflective essay on the counseling session

Academic topics:

• A reflective essay on the writing process: How does writing help you process your emotions and learn from experiences?
• Write a reflective essay on language learning: How learning a new language changes your worldview
• A reflective essay about a choice I regret

Related Posts: Research Paper topics | Compare&Contrast Essay topics

Reflective Essay Example

Tips on writing a good reflective essay.

Some good general tips include the following:

As long as you use tips by HandMade Writing, you’ll end up having a great piece. Just stick to our recommendations. And should you need the help of a pro essay writer service, remember that we’re here to help!

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Digging Deep into Purpose and Importance of Reflective Essay

Reflection writing is a powerful tool for students and professionals as they offer a unique opportunity for self-exploration, growth, and understanding. This guide on the importance and purpose of  reflective essays  aims to change your perception of writing and shed light on the many benefits of incorporating reflection into your life.

With our amazing  paper help  resources and expert guidance, you can master the art of reflective essay writing and unlock your full potential.

Table of Contents

What is a Reflective Essay?

A reflective essay is a type of writing that allows the author to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences in a structured and analytical manner. This form of writing encourages critical thinking and personal growth by examining the author’s experiences, thoughts, actions, and reactions. 

Reflective essays often focus on personal development, learning experiences, or the impact of specific events on the author’s life. However, reflection writing is also used for  college essays  or other forms of academic writing.

Types of Reflection Writing

Reflection essays come in various forms, each with its unique focus and purpose. In this note, we will delve into five types of reflective writing;

Personal Reflective Writing

Professional reflection, academic reflective essay, creative reflection.

• Social or Cultural Reflection Writing

Understanding these different approaches will enable you to choose the most suitable reflection essay type for your needs and make your writing more coherent, insightful and trustworthy.

Journaling, manifestation dairies, and written meditations are common ideas. But would you believe these are all forms and branches of personal reflection writing?

Personal reflection essays explore what you’re going through, emotionally, mentally, and provide insights. These could be about their learning, inner conflicts, resolutions and growth.

This type of reflective writing allows individuals to examine their values, beliefs, and actions, fostering self-awareness and personal development. 

Personal reflection essays may focus on topics such as significant life events, personal challenges, or the impact of relationships on one’s identity and growth.

Professional reflection writing is common in academic or workplace settings. They involve analyzing personal and professional skills and challenges and identifying areas for improvement. 

This reflection essay encourages individuals to examine their professional experiences, decisions, and outcomes, fostering critical thinking and problem-solving skills. 

Professional reflection essays may focus on workplace conflicts, leadership experiences, or developing specific professional competencies.

As a  college paper writing service  platform, we know that most students are intimidated by reflective essay writing. In an academic setting, the reflection essay blurs the lines between informal and formal writing. 

You might be assigned an essay account of your experience with an event, but you’ll still need to follow strict rules of academic writing, i.e., formatting or  organizing a paper . 

Academic reflective writing involves analyzing and evaluating academic materials, such as readings, lectures, or research projects, and connecting them to personal experiences or broader concepts. 

It encourages students to engage with course content on a deeper level, fostering a better understanding of the material and its relevance to their lives and future careers.

For example:

You can be assigned to write a reflection essay on  modernism in literature . You’d have to write your thoughts and observations about this era. Still, you must follow the rules like citation, proper referencing, and contextual analysis of the ideas presented in that era. 

Creative reflection essays are often utilized in artistic or creative fields, allowing individuals to examine their creative process, inspirations, and outcomes. 

This reflective writing fosters self-awareness, critical thinking, and artistic growth, enabling individuals to explore their creative motivations, challenges, and successes. 

Creative reflection essays may focus on topics such as the development of a specific artistic project, the influence of personal experiences on one’s creative work, or the role of collaboration in the creative process.

Social or Cultural Reflection

These reflection essays focus on exploring and understanding social or cultural phenomena. It involves analyzing personal experiences, observations, or interactions with others and reflecting on their significance and broader societal implications. 

Social or cultural reflection essays encourage individuals to engage with the world around them, fostering empathy, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of social and cultural issues. 

These essays may focus on topics such as the impact of social media on interpersonal relationships, the role of cultural identity in shaping one’s worldview, or the challenges of navigating diverse social environments.

Students must grasp all of these forms of reflective essay writing. Understanding the different types of reflective writing and their unique purposes is required for crafting effective reflection essays.

By selecting the most appropriate reflection essay type for your needs, you can create a coherent, understandable, and persuasive piece of writing that fosters personal and professional growth.

Reflective writing offers a valuable opportunity for self-exploration, critical thinking, and meaningful learning, whether you are exploring your personal experiences, professional challenges, academic materials, creative endeavors, or social and cultural phenomena.

 What is the Purpose of Reflective Essay Writing?

The amazing thing about reflective essay writing is that, although we have discussed its few meaningful purposes, there’s still a long list to cover. 

These numerous goals are particularly for students dealing with academic stress and professionals experiencing work-related challenges. Here are 8 key purposes of reflective paper writing. 

• Self-awareness : Reflective essays help individuals develop a deeper understanding of themselves, their values, beliefs, and emotions.
• Critical thinking : It encourages the examination of one’s thoughts and experiences, fostering the development of critical thinking skills.
• Personal growth : Reflection writing enables individuals to learn from their experiences, identify areas for improvement, and set goals for personal development.
• Problem-solving : Reflection essay writing can help identify the root causes of problems and generate potential solutions.
• Emotional processing : Writing about emotional experiences can help individuals process and cope with their feelings.
• Learning from mistakes : Reflection writing encourages individuals to examine their failures, learn from them, and develop resilience.
• Enhancing communication skills : Reflective writing helps improve written communication skills and promotes effective self-expression.
• Empathy development:  The reflective essays can foster empathy by encouraging individuals to consider the perspectives and experiences of others.

Why Is Reflection Essay Important for Students?

Reflection writing is a crucial aspect of a student’s academic journey. Here are several reasons why reflection writing is essential for students:

Promotes Self-Awareness

Self-awareness in a student involves recognizing their academic learning style, studying habits, strengths, and weaknesses. Reflective Writing plays a crucial role in building self-awareness in students. 

Most students struggle with consulting adults or peers with issues like processing information, retaining knowledge, and solving problems effectively. They have a hard time coming to terms with certain values, beliefs, goals, and emotions. 

And an even harder time in exploring and creating their identities. Practicing reflective thought writing enables students to make informed decisions, set realistic goals, and develop healthy relationships. 

Self-aware students take ownership of their learning and personal development, seeking feedback, reflecting on experiences, and adapting their approaches. Thus, reflective essay writing contributes to effective communication, collaboration, and navigating challenges.

Develops Critical Thinking Skills

Reflective writing develops critical thinking skills in students by prompting them to analyze and evaluate their thoughts, experiences, and perspectives. 

It encourages questioning assumptions, considering alternative viewpoints, and making informed judgments. Students practice higher-order thinking skills such as analysis, synthesis, and evaluation through reflection. 

They learn to articulate their ideas clearly and support them with evidence. Overall, reflective writing plays a crucial role in fostering critical thinking by promoting deep thinking, evaluation of evidence, and effective communication of thoughts.

Practical Academic Stress Dealing

Reflective writing induces practical academic stress dealing in students by improving self-expression, facilitating self-composition, promoting goal-setting and problem-solving, enhancing writing skills, and fulfilling academic requirements. These benefits empower students to navigate their academic challenges more effectively and succeed in their studies.

• Improves self-expression : Reflection writing helps students enhance their written communication skills and promotes effective self-expression, which is vital for academic success and personal growth.
• Self-composition:  Reflective writing allows students to compose their thoughts and ideas in a structured and coherent manner. It encourages them to organize their reflections, leading to clearer and more articulate writing.
• Setting better goals:  Engaging in reflective writing prompts students to set better academic goals. It helps them assess their strengths and weaknesses, identify areas for improvement, and establish realistic objectives for their studies.
• Problem-solving : Reflective writing encourages students to analyze academic challenges and develop strategies to overcome them. It fosters critical thinking and problem-solving skills, enabling students to tackle obstacles and find effective solutions.
• Organized and better-polished writing skills : Regular practice of reflective writing hones students’ writing skills. It enhances their ability to structure their thoughts, use appropriate language, and present coherent arguments, leading to more organized and polished writing.
• Fulfills academic requirements : Reflective essays are often assigned as part of the coursework, and students need to write them to meet academic requirements. Developing reflection writing skills ensures students can effectively complete these assignments while meeting the expectations of their instructors.

Navigating Life Transitions 

Students often face significant life transitions, such as moving away from home or choosing a career path. Reflection essay writing can help them process these changes, identify their goals, and make informed decisions. 

By engaging in reflective writing, students can explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences related to the transitions they are facing. This process allows them to gain clarity, understand their values and aspirations, and evaluate different options. 

Reflective writing is a valuable tool for self-reflection and self-discovery, empowering students to navigate life’s transitions with a deeper understanding of themselves and their desired path forward.

Addresses Emotional and Mental Conflicts 

Students may experience emotional or  mental conflicts  due to various factors, such as relationships, academic pressure, or personal issues. Reflection writing provides an opportunity to explore and resolve these conflicts, promoting mental well-being. 

By engaging in reflective writing, students can express and process their emotions, gain insights into their turmoil’s underlying causes, and develop coping and problem-solving strategies. It offers a safe and therapeutic outlet for self-expression, self-reflection, and self-care. 

Reflective essay writing empowers students to navigate their emotional and mental challenges, fostering resilience, self-awareness, and overall psychological well-being.

Balancing Work and Studies 

Many students juggle work and studies simultaneously. Reflection writing can help them assess their time management and prioritization skills, identify areas for improvement, and develop strategies to maintain a healthy work-study balance.

Encourages Empathy Development

Reflective essays can foster empathy by encouraging students to consider the perspectives and experiences of others, an essential skill for building strong relationships and navigating diverse social environments.

Reflection Essay Writing Format

Reflection essays require a structured approach to ensure coherence and clarity in presenting one’s thoughts, emotions, and experiences. This detailed tutorial will provide an overview of the reflection essay writing format and offer instructions on how to apply APA and  MLA formatting to your reflection essay.

A well-structured reflection essay typically includes the following elements:

• Introduction : Provide an overview of the topic or experience you will be reflecting on and briefly explain its significance.
• Description : Describe the experience or event in detail, including relevant facts, feelings, and observations.
• Analysis : Examine your thoughts, emotions, and reactions to the experience, and consider the factors that influenced your response.
• Evaluation : Assess the impact of the experience on your personal growth, learning, or development and discuss any lessons learned.
• Conclusion : Summarize your reflections, reiterate the significance of the experience, and discuss any future implications or goals.

APA Formatting for Reflection Essays

The American Psychological Association (APA) formatting style is commonly used in social sciences and education.

Here are the key formatting instructions for a reflection essay in APA style:

• Title Page : Include a title page with the title of your essay, your name, and the name of your institution, all centered and double-spaced.
• Running Head : Include a running head on the top-left corner of each page, consisting of a shortened version of your essay title (in capital letters) and the page number.
• Font and Spacing : Use a 12-point, Times New Roman font with double-spacing throughout the essay.
• Margins : Set 1-inch margins on all sides of the page.
• Headings : Use headings to organize your essay, with level one headings centered and bold, level two headings flush left and bold, and level three headings flush left, bold, and italicized.
• Citations :  If you refer to any external sources, use in-text citations with the author’s last name and the publication year in parentheses.
• Reference List : Include a reference list at the end of your essay, with a centered and bold “References” heading, and list all cited sources in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.

MLA Formatting for Reflection Essays

The Modern Language Association (MLA) formatting style is commonly used in humanities and liberal arts. Here are the key formatting instructions for a reflection essay in MLA style:

• Header :  Include a header on the top-right corner of each page, consisting of your last name and the page number.
• Title :  Center the title of your essay at the top of the first page, using standard capitalization. Do not underline, italicize, or place the title in quotation marks.
• Indentation : Indent the first line of each paragraph by 0.5 inches.
• Citations :  If you refer to any external sources, use in-text citations with the author’s last name and the page number in parentheses.
• Works Cited : Include a Works Cited page at the end of your essay, with a centered “Works Cited” heading, and list all cited sources in alphabetical order by the author’s last name.

Topics for Reflection Essays

Reflective essay topics can vary widely, depending on the individual’s experiences, interests, and goals. Some examples of reflective essay topics include:

• A significant personal experience and its impact on your life.
• A challenging academic or professional situation and the lessons learned.
• A personal or professional failure and how it has shaped your development.
• A meaningful relationship or encounter with someone who has influenced your perspective.
• A volunteer or community service experience and its effect on your values or beliefs.
• A time when you faced a moral or ethical dilemma and how you resolved it.
• A personal or professional goal and the steps taken to achieve it.
• A cultural or travel experience that broadened your understanding of the world.

Examples of Reflective Essay

Our writers have written numerous examples of reflective essays here are some of them. 

Reflection Essay Example 1

A Poetic Turnaround: How an Online Assignment Platform Reshaped My Perception

Reflection Paper Example 2 

A Day Among Colors and Canvas: Art Exhibition at School 

Reflection Writing Example 3 

Spinning the Semester Around: Witnessing a Friend Succeeding in Their Academic Battles 

Reflective essay writing can polish your being in many ways. By understanding the purpose and importance of reflective essays, as well as mastering the format and selecting meaningful topics, you can transform your writing and unlock the full potential of self-reflection. For additional help, you can avail of our top-of-the-line writing service and confidently pursue your goals, knowing you have the best support for securing impressive grades.

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Art is a reflection of what we are. It is the essence of our own existence, the key that leads us to the world outside, and it returns to us a door leading inside ourselves. Creating art is to invent ourselves one more time, giving life to the things that we see, giving a second opportunity to turn appearance into something more than what it is. Observing is to look at ourselves, as each step that we walk in the way toward invention is a new opportunity for the world and for us.

To live without art would be to live without me. Neither are acceptable forms of being.

During my life, I have walked steps in many different directions. As a result, I found traits foreign and disturbing. Yet, art has always been my companion and peace-giver. Since a child, art was a need. Before learning to write, I drew lines of colour to explain the filters of my mind to the world. Each day brought forth a new canvas to express the feelings of my soul. The paper holding my creations became the representations of my years, with abstract lines of colour becoming intelligible surfaces of colour that, little by little, adapted to the order of life. As I now open my eyes to years past, I see mixings of colours in each object just as in me, the things whisper the exact tonality and intensity of colour that makes them unique.

I need to paint every day else I lose the nature of what I am. I spend hours in the studio working, almost forgetting about consciousness. I will forget to get up, forget to sleep or eat... it is as if I am escaping from my body's limitations to be solely existing in the mind and all of its possibilities.

Art is more than a mere pleasure; it is a form of living... filling a base need to feel alive. To live without art would be to live without me. Neither are acceptable forms of being.

Autorretrato (Self)

Acabada (Virgen de la Soledad)

Acuarela (Landscape)

Calavera Temple (Reflections)

Cuadro (Young)

Sueno (Dreams)

Muchacha India (Indian Girl)

Representacion del exterior (Cityscape)

Retrato (Helena)

Santa Faz (Christ of Humiliation)

Zapatillas de Ballet (Ballet Slippers)

Portrait of Girl

El Beso (Kiss)

• upvotes - downvotes

I absolutely love this. I feel the same when I am "making art", whether it be painting or poetry, I completely lose myself. I just posted a comment on a poem of mine speaking of how the art seems to flow through me rather than from me. Sometimes I start a painting not having a clue what I want it to be, and it gradually shows itself through the shapes and shadows.

Your art is beautiful, as is your writing. Thank you.

I understand perfectly what you mean, and it's a wonderful feeling. Would you mind posting some of your other artwork? I really enjoyed your writing :)

I can do that... =)

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8 Tips For Writing A Great Reflective Essay (With Examples)

By writing a reflective essay, you can capture some of these ephemeral emotions and make sense of who you are. Below, I share eight tips (and a few examples) that will help you do it in a better way. You may have to write a reflective essay as a part of an academic assignment or a college paper. Or perhaps you want to create it for yourself and never show it to anyone. Regardless of the reason, after reading this article, you will hopefully become better at it. They helped a lot of students over the years, so you may check them out.

Here’s how to write a great reflective essay:

1. first, what is a reflective essay, 2. the power of writing introspectively.

Many great men and women (like Charles Darwin or Frida Kahlo ) had a habit of keeping a journal. This seems to be forgotten these days as we record everything through our mobile devices. But the habit of introspective writing and journaling helps you get in touch with your inner self and even improves your mental health. The reflective essay serves a similar purpose. It lets you search for meaning in your life and lets you discover the underlying causes of your actions.

“Life can only be understood backward, but it must be lived forwards.” – Søren Kierkegaard

3. How do you start your essay?

You may start with an introduction of experience, an event, or a memory on which you’ll reflect. If your topic is “a life-changing incident you had when you were a child,” you could start with: I used to live on a sunny farm with my parents and grandparents when I was young. A few days after I turned six, something happened that would alter the course of my life forever. I’m fifty-two as I’m writing this…

This beginning has certain elements that make it effective:

“When I discover who I am, I’ll be free.” – Ralph Ellison

4. Learn how to structure your essay

In terms of length, it all depends on your assignment, but usually, the reflective essay has between 300 and 700 words . It has a rather informal structure and the use of language. After all, you’re drilling into your personal experiences, and often, this requires a poetic turn of the phrase. You’re more than welcome to use a wide range of advanced vocabulary .

Introduction

In this part, you set the tone for your reflection. You implicitly or explicitly say what will you reflect on, and what prompted you to do that. If you’re writing an academic paper , you’ll have to be more direct and for example, say: “What follows, are my reflections on what I’ve learned about life during the first year of college”.

Here, you sum up your essay and leave your audience with a final thought. Look ahead into the future and write about how your experiences are going to affect your life from now on. What’s the direction you’re going to take? What is there to look ahead to? You may also look backward and see how different you were in the past, compared to now. “I think it’s good for a person to spend time alone. It allows them to discover who they are and to figure out why they are always alone.” – Amy Sedaris

5. Create an outline for your essay

As with most writing assignments , the work begins with ideation and then creating some sort of outline . Here’s a simple process you can use to get everything ready before you start writing: a) Scan your mind in search of powerful experiences, meaningful memories, and thoughts about your past. This will serve as a raw material from which you’ll sculpt a piece of prose. b) Consider the attractiveness of your topic from the reader’s point of view. You certainly don’t want to bore anyone, so pick something interesting, but important. c) Organize your essay and divide it into a couple of paragraphs. Each paragraph should contain one important idea. d) Decide in which sequence you would like to share your ideas. Put some logic and chronology behind it. e) Jot down any side notes included in the essay. It’s always better to have an overabundance of material.

“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – C.G. Jung

6. The essay-writing process

Once you have the idea, you can follow a simple process:, 7. how to pick the right topic for your essay.

If you’re writing an assignment, you’ll probably receive the prompt from your professor. If that’s the case, follow it diligently. This may be something like: a) Reflect on what you learned during your first year of high school. b) Think about your favorite book and how it changed your life . c) How did your writing skills change over the years? And why? Or it might be something really specific like Write a two-page reflection paper on the Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain. Here, it’s not only about your personal experience, but about your interaction with a specific text, event, play, or movie and the effect it had on you. But what if you want to write an essay on your own? Which topic would you choose then? First, pick something meaningful to you. Second, pick something that you know well. Third, pick something that you want to explore and get deep into.

Here’s some more inspiration in the area of topics:

Personal reflection:, reflection on life and meaning:, reflection on events:.

“Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens

8. Learn from the masters

Montaigne was the father of the essay as a literary form. He was the first writer to use informal tone, colloquial language, and rather prosaic themes to get to the deeper truth about human nature.

I recommend you check his essays for inspiration, along with other masterworks:

And here are a few books filled with great reflective essays:.

And here you may find a huge list of 450+ essay books on Goodreads.

“Once we accept our limits, we go beyond them.” – Albert Einstein

Example #1 of a reflective essay:

The misgivings about the high school football, here’s a second, shorter sample of a reflective essay:, the sources of love for instrumental music., looking backward, moving forward.

There are certain milestones in your life: finishing high school, falling in love for the first time, your first journey abroad, the first kiss, the first psychedelic trip, graduating from the university, getting your first job, getting married, having children… Each of these brings something new and unexpected and makes you grow as an individual. But you can run through life and never reflect on how it all changed , how silly and incompetent you were just a few years ago. And how you’ll think the same thing about the present in a few years. Perhaps you should compose a reflective essay and think about all of this, and about what’s coming. Next up, you may want to explore a list of the best essays of all time .

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Hey there, welcome to my blog! I'm a full-time entrepreneur building two companies, a digital marketer, and a content creator with 10+ years of experience. I started RafalReyzer.com to provide you with great tools and strategies you can use to become a proficient digital marketer and achieve freedom through online creativity. My site is a one-stop shop for digital marketers, and content enthusiasts who want to be independent, earn more money, and create beautiful things. Explore my journey here , and don't miss out on my AI Marketing Mastery online course.

Essay Papers Writing Online

A journey of self-discovery through the written word.

In the realm of writing, reflection is a powerful tool that allows writers to delve deep into their thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Reflective essays serve as a platform for introspection and self-discovery, enabling individuals to explore their innermost feelings and perspectives on a particular topic or event. Through the art of reflection, writers can examine their past actions, analyze their growth, and gain valuable insights that contribute to personal and professional development.

The process of writing a reflective essay involves more than just recounting events; it requires a thoughtful examination of one’s thoughts and feelings surrounding those events. By articulating their thoughts in a structured and coherent manner, writers can gain clarity, insight, and understanding of their experiences. This introspective exercise not only enhances self-awareness but also encourages critical thinking, empathy, and emotional intelligence.

As writers navigate the intricate terrain of reflection, they embark on a journey of self-exploration and self-expression. Through the written word, individuals can articulate their innermost thoughts, fears, joys, and struggles, creating a narrative that is both personal and universal. By sharing their reflections with others, writers foster dialogue, connection, and understanding, creating a unique space for empathy, growth, and solidarity.

Understanding Reflective Writing

Reflective writing is a form of writing that allows individuals to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. It involves looking back on past events or situations and analyzing them to gain insight and understanding. Reflective writing is often used in academic settings to encourage students to think critically and reflect on their learning process.

When engaging in reflective writing, it is important to be honest and open about your experiences. You should consider how you felt at the time, what you learned from the experience, and how it has influenced your thinking or behavior. Reflective writing can help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your personal growth.

What is Reflective Writing?

Reflective writing is a form of personal, introspective writing that explores and analyzes thoughts, experiences, and emotions. It involves looking back on a particular event or experience, reflecting on how it affected you, and considering what you’ve learned or gained from it. Reflective writing often involves a deep level of self-awareness and critical thinking.

Through reflective writing, individuals can gain insight into themselves, their actions, and their relationships. It can be a powerful tool for personal growth, self-discovery, and learning. Reflective writing can be therapeutic, helping individuals make sense of their experiences and emotions.

Benefits of Reflective Essay

A reflective essay offers numerous benefits for writers and readers alike. Here are some key advantages of writing a reflective essay:

• Self-awareness: Reflective essays encourage introspection and self-reflection, leading to a deeper understanding of oneself and one’s experiences.
• Critical thinking: Writing reflectively requires critical analysis of events and ideas, fostering critical thinking skills.
• Empathy: Reflective essays often involve exploring emotions and perspectives, enhancing empathy and understanding towards others.
• Personal growth: By reflecting on past experiences, individuals can identify areas for personal growth and development.
• Improved writing skills: Engaging in reflective writing helps writers enhance their storytelling and communication abilities.
• Enhanced problem-solving: Reflective essays can help individuals identify patterns and lessons learned, aiding in problem-solving and decision-making.

Overall, the act of writing a reflective essay can lead to increased self-awareness, personal growth, and improved communication skills.

Personal Growth and Development

Reflective writing allows for personal growth and development by providing a space for self-exploration and introspection. Through the process of reflecting on our experiences, thoughts, and emotions, we gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

By engaging in reflective writing, we can identify patterns in our behavior, uncover hidden motivations, and gain insights into our strengths and weaknesses. This self-awareness is essential for personal growth, as it enables us to make informed choices and take intentional action towards our goals.

Moreover, reflective writing encourages us to learn from our experiences and mistakes, fostering a growth mindset that embraces challenges and setbacks as opportunities for learning and development. It helps us develop resilience, adaptability, and emotional intelligence, all of which are crucial for personal growth and success.

In conclusion, personal growth and development are central to the practice of reflective writing, as it allows us to cultivate self-awareness, learn from our experiences, and navigate life’s challenges with wisdom and resilience.

Steps to Writing a Reflective Essay

Step 1: Select a Topic

Choose a topic that reflects on your personal experiences or emotions that you wish to explore and reflect upon.

Step 2: Brainstorm Ideas

Reflect on the topic and jot down key points, memories, and emotions that you want to include in your essay.

Step 3: Create an Outline

Organize your thoughts and ideas into an outline to structure your essay. Include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Step 4: Write the Introduction

Start with an engaging introduction that captures the reader’s attention and introduces the topic of your reflection.

Step 5: Develop the Body Paragraphs

Elaborate on the key points and experiences in the body paragraphs. Include concrete examples and details to support your reflections.

Step 6: Reflect on the Experience

Reflect on the significance of your experiences and emotions. Analyze how they have impacted you and what you have learned from them.

Step 7: Write the Conclusion

Summarize your reflections and insights in the conclusion. Reflect on how the experience has shaped your thoughts and actions.

Step 8: Revise and Edit

Review your reflective essay, revise for clarity and coherence, and edit for grammar and punctuation errors.

Step 9: Seek Feedback

Share your reflective essay with peers, instructors, or mentors for feedback and suggestions for improvement.

Step 10: Finalize Your Essay

Make final revisions based on feedback and polish your reflective essay for a compelling and insightful piece of writing.

Choosing a Topic and Brainstorming

When starting a reflective essay, the first step is to choose a topic that resonates with you and allows for introspection. Consider events, experiences, or emotions that have had a significant impact on you. Reflect on moments of growth, challenges overcome, or lessons learned.

Once you have selected a topic, start brainstorming to generate ideas for your essay. Jot down key points, memories, and thoughts related to your chosen topic. Consider how the experience made you feel, what you learned from it, and how it shaped your perspective.

Brainstorming allows you to explore different angles and details of your chosen topic, helping you to delve deeper into your reflections and craft a well-rounded essay that captures the essence of your thoughts and emotions.

Structuring a Reflective Essay

When structuring a reflective essay, it is important to carefully outline the different components to ensure a clear and cohesive piece of writing. Here are some key elements to consider:

1. Introduction: Begin your essay with an engaging introduction that sets the stage for your reflection. Provide some context for the experience or event you will be reflecting on.

2. Body: The body of your essay should include detailed reflections on the experience. Share your thoughts, feelings, and insights on the situation, and provide examples to support your reflections.

3. Analysis: After sharing your reflections, take some time to analyze the experience. Consider what you have learned, how it has impacted you, and what changes it has brought about in your thinking or behavior.

4. Conclusion: Conclude your essay by summarizing your key reflections and insights. Reflect on the significance of the experience and any lessons you have learned. Leave the reader with a final thought or reflection.

By following these guidelines, you can create a structured and thought-provoking reflective essay that effectively communicates your reflections and insights.

Reflective Essay Examples

Here are some examples of reflective essays:

• Example 1: Reflecting on my first year of college and the lessons I’ve learned
• Example 2: Exploring the impact of a personal challenge on my growth and development
• Example 3: Reflecting on a life-changing experience that shaped my perspective

These examples provide insight into the reflective essay process and can inspire you to explore your own experiences through writing.

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Master The Art of Self-Reflection: Learning From Your Experiences

Self-reflection is an invaluable tool for personal growth and learning. It gives us the chance to pause and consider our experiences, ideas, and feelings. We can gain valuable insights that shape our future decisions.

This isn’t just about analyzing what happened or how we felt. It’s about comprehending why things happened the way they did and how we can use these lessons going forward.

When we look back on our past with an open attitude, we can find patterns, recognize strengths and weaknesses, and gain a better understanding of ourselves. Through reflection on our successes, problems, and even failures, we can draw meaningful lessons that help us develop personally and professionally.

Normally, we tend to focus on external influences when things go wrong. However, it encourages us to look within and figure out how our own decisions, views, or motivations may have led to the outcomes. This demands honesty and courage, but it allows us to take responsibility for our choices.

Self-reflection also brings about greater self-awareness. By observing our emotions and thoughts without judgment or emotion, we can become more mindful and make conscious decisions. This heightened awareness helps us to align our actions with our values, which leads to more rewarding interactions with others and improved self-confidence.

The potential of self-reflection isn’t confined to personal growth. Great leaders and visionaries throughout history have used it as a tool for transformation. For instance, Mahatma Gandhi’s practice of self-reflection played a major part in his peaceful resistance against British rule in India. Through reflecting on his beliefs and principles, he was able to motivate millions while standing up for what he believed in.

Benefits of Self-Reflection

Self-reflection is a powerful tool that can bring individuals insight and allow them to learn from their experiences. It grants many unique advantages, helping with personal growth and progress .

• Raises self-awareness: It encourages folks to look at their emotions, actions and thoughts. With this deep understanding, one can recognize their strengths, weaknesses and the spots that need improvement.
• Boosts critical thinking: Doing self-reflection requires examining one’s own values, beliefs and assumptions. This helps people challenge their current perspectives and consider other points of view.
• Helps with personal growth: Engaging in self-reflection allows individuals to identify habits or patterns of behavior that may be preventing their personal development. This awareness lets them develop new approaches or strategies to tackle difficulties.
• Aids decision-making: Thinking about past experiences assists in making better decisions by using knowledge and lessons learned. It gives a basis for analyzing options based on past successes and failures.

In addition, it can also boost communication skills by enhancing empathy and understanding for others’ opinions.

Making a habit of self-reflection is vital for personal growth. Make time to think about recent events, dive into feelings and thoughts without judging. Embrace the chance to learn from both successes and mistakes.

Pro Tip: Establish a routine for self-reflection by setting aside a specific period each day or week. This dedication will lead to more meaningful reflections and give you the most advantages from this practice.

Give yourself the gift of introspection; let it guide you to perpetual progress and success in various areas of life.

Also Read:  Master the Art of Small Talk: Engaging Conversation Tips

How to Practice Self-Reflection

Self-reflection is a must for personal growth and learning from our experiences. To do it properly, there are 4 steps :

• Embrace solitude
• Ask critical questions
• Do regular mindfulness exercises

Self-reflection is an ongoing process.

Marie Curie is an example of the power of self-reflection. She constantly assessed her work and looked for strengths and weaknesses. This enabled her to make massive contributions to the field of radioactivity, leading to a Nobel Prize in two separate scientific disciplines.

Self-reflection is an invaluable tool. It helps us understand ourselves better and make positive changes. It also helps build resilience and achieve greater satisfaction.

Reflecting on Your Experiences

Reflection on experiences is essential to personal growth and learning. It involves taking a look inward and critically analyzing past events. This will give you valuable insights and help you make better decisions in the future.

To show the importance of reflecting on experiences, let’s look at this table:

Experience Reflection Table:

This table shows that reflecting on different experiences gives us different lessons. These lessons are important for personal growth. By analyzing each encounter, we can gain invaluable wisdom.

It is also important to understand that reflecting on experiences is not a linear process. Every experience gives unique insights. This helps us become well-rounded and capable of tackling future tasks.

One person who was great at self-reflection was Mahatma Gandhi . He constantly reflected on his actions and beliefs. This helped him refine his methods, adapt strategies and lead India to independence.

Also Read:    The Role of Humor in Engaging English Conversations

Overcoming Challenges in Self-Reflection

Conquering the difficulties of self-reflection can be a life-changing process. When we look deeply into our experiences, we gain valuable understanding that helps us to grow and improve as people. But this adventure is not without obstacles.

One of the main issues when it comes to self-reflection is finding time and space to really focus on our thoughts and feelings . In today’s rapid world, it can be hard to find moments of peace and quiet. Our lives are full of constant interruptions, from technology to job duties. To overcome this, it’s important to put aside specific time for it . Whether it’s in the early morning or late night, finding a tranquil place where you can be by yourself with your thoughts is vital.

Another difficulty in self-reflection is being scared of facing unpleasant truths about ourselves . It can be distressing to face our flaws and weaknesses, but it is essential for personal growth. This challenge needs courage and truthfulness. Embrace fragility and let yourself explore your innermost thoughts without judgment.

Furthermore, external forces can obstruct our capability to engage in meaningful self-reflection . Society often makes demands and sets standards that might not align with our own ideals and objectives. To overcome this, it is important to make a supportive circle of like-minded individuals who motivate personal growth and genuineness.

Pro Tip: Keep a journal or practice mindful meditation as tools for self-reflection. These strategies provide an outlet for self-examination and allow you to gain clarity on your experiences, ideas, and emotions without outside judgment or influence.

By conquering these obstacles in self-reflection, we pave the way for personal growth and self-discovery. Accepting seclusion, confronting unpleasant truths, and being around supportive individuals are steps towards unlocking our full potential. So take the time to consider your experiences – it might just lead you to a more rewarding life journey.

Also Read: Top 100 Commonly Used A to Z Phrasal Verbs for English Fluency

We have looked into self-reflection and how it can help us. It’s about understanding ourselves, taking advantage of introspection and using techniques to think about our actions and behaviours. This helps us learn our strengths and weaknesses, spot patterns and make decisions which help us grow.

This isn’t a one-time thing – it’s a journey. It needs commitment, patience and being honest with ourselves . Through regular reflection, we can understand ourselves better and be more aware of how our thoughts, feelings etc. affect our lives.

Self-reflection also helps us with relationships. By taking the time to think about how we interact, we can understand our communication style , spot any bad habits and adopt healthier ways of relating to others.

It also helps with mindfulness. That means being in the present without judgement or attachment. Regular reflection can help us become more aware of our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations.

Research backs this up. Kong et al. (2019) found that those who reflected regularly had higher mindfulness than those who didn’t. This suggests that self-reflection can lead to better emotional resilience and wellbeing. Know More – The Fluent Life

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Why is self-reflection important? A: It is important because it allows us to learn from our experiences and grow as individuals. By taking the time to reflect on our actions, thoughts, and emotions, we can gain insights into our strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

Q2: How can self-reflection help me learn from my experiences? A: It helps us learn from our experiences by providing an opportunity to examine and analyze the decisions we made, the outcomes we achieved, and the lessons we can derive from them. It allows us to identify patterns, make better choices in the future, and develop a deeper understanding of ourselves.

Q3: What are some self-reflection techniques? A: There are various self-reflection techniques, including journaling, meditation, engaging in open and honest conversations with ourselves, seeking feedback from others, and taking time for introspection. Experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you.

Q4: How often should I practice self-reflection? A: The frequency of self-reflection is a personal choice. Some individuals find it beneficial to reflect daily, while others prefer weekly or monthly reflections. It is important to find a frequency that aligns with your schedule and allows you to make meaningful observations and insights.

Q5: What are the benefits of self-reflection? A: It offers numerous benefits, such as gaining self-awareness, improving decision-making skills, fostering personal growth , enhancing emotional intelligence, and building stronger relationships. It can also help reduce stress, increase productivity, and promote overall well-being.

Q6: How can I make self-reflection a habit? A: To make self-reflection a habit, schedule dedicated time for it in your routine. Set reminders, choose a specific place where you can reflect without distractions, and make it a regular practice. Also, start with short sessions and gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable with the process.

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Reflective Essay Examples

50 best reflective essay examples (+topic samples).

If you have ever read reflective essay examples, you would know that these types of written works examine the writer’s life experiences . When you write a reflective paper example, you write about your own experiences and explore how you’ve changed, grown or developed because of those experiences. There’s no standard format for this essay as it may vary depending on the target audience.

Table of Contents

• 1 Reflective Essay Examples
• 2 What is a reflective essay?
• 3 Reflective Paper Examples
• 4 Format of reflective essay
• 5 Creating the outline of reflective essay examples
• 6 Reflective Paper Samples
• 7 Tips for writing reflective essay
• 8 Reflective Essay Samples

What is a reflective essay?

A reflective essay is a type of written work which reflects your own self. Since it’s about yourself, you already have a topic to write about. For reflective essay examples, readers expect you to evaluate a specific part of your life. To do this, you may reflect on emotions, memories, and feelings you’ve experienced at that time.

Since you’re writing reflection essay samples about yourself, make sure that they’re interesting and exciting. This is very important so that your readers don’t get bored with what you’ve written. Reflective essays are very personal thus, they’re a special type of essay. As you write one, you need to reflect, think, and explain.

In the essay, you should demonstrate and describe different feelings or emotions which you’ve felt in the past. These statements breathe life into your essay as your readers start picturing what you’ve written in their minds. Reflective essays are very honest, personal, and emotional, especially those which describe painful experiences.

Reflective Paper Examples

Format of reflective essay

As aforementioned, reflective essay examples don’t have a standard format. They seem easy enough to write but once you’ve sat down to start writing, you may suddenly find the task very challenging! Besides the format, you must think about the life experience you want to write about and remember everything about it.

A reflective paper example is a lot like a personal journal or diary. Of course, the difference is that other people will read your essay. Therefore, you must write it with good structure and coherence. In this regard, reflective essays are a lot like the other types of essays too.

When writing a reflective essay, you will have to examine your own life experiences. The purpose of writing such an essay is to provide yourself with a platform to share your most meaningful life experiences with other people. You can also use it as a way to explore how your experiences have changed you as a person.

You can present reflective writing in different formats. Most of the time though, people use a learning log or a diary entry format. You can use these formats and others. Just make sure that your essay has a good flow and that it’s easy for other readers to understand.

The format to use for your reflection essay samples would depend on your target audience. You can make an academic reflective essay or you can make it as a general and informal piece of writing. If you need to write the essay for a class assignment, follow the format given to you by your teacher.

No matter what format you choose, you may write an essay which:

• Focuses on your personal growth Such an essay helps you learn how to evaluate and analyze the experiences you have had in your personal life. This helps promote emotional development and growth. It also helps you understand yourself and your behaviors better.
• Focuses on literature For this type of essay, you may have to include references to literature and apply these to your own life experiences. Such essays are commonly given as assignments to students in school.

Creating the outline of reflective essay examples

Before you write your reflective essay examples, you must create an outline for them. Although you’d write about your own life, creating an outline gives structure to your essay to serve as a guide for what you want to write about.

Whether you need to write an essay for school, for a magazine or for any other reason, creating an outline is the very first step. With a good outline, you have a better idea of how your essay will flow from one paragraph to the next all the way to the conclusion.

When creating the outline of your reflective paper example, keep it organized. Develop the outline gradually and put a lot of thought into it. In doing this, you make the writing process much easier. Here is a rundown of the steps involved in the essay-writing process:

• Choose a topic (a significant life experience you want to write about)
• Gather information
• Create an outline
• Write a draft
• Finalize your essay

Reflective Paper Samples

Tips for writing reflective essay

As you think about the content of your reflection essay samples, remember that the important thing is that such an essay must be highly personal but also engaging to readers. There’s so much more to reflective essays than just writing your story. You must also reflect on your experiences to engage your audiences.

For your starting point, think about the most significant experiences you had in your life. Those which had either a negative or a positive impact on you as a person. If the reflective essay is a school assignment, your professor would probably specify what you must write about. Here are some tips for you for writing your reflective paper example:

• Reflection The most important part of writing your reflective essay is the reflective process. Think about the personal experience you want to write about. Focus on what happened, how this experience made you feel, and how it affected your life. Explore your memories and emotions for this part of the process. As you’re recalling and reflecting on your life experience, take a lot of notes . Write down all the details you remember and try to be as clear and as detailed as you possibly can. Take as much time as you need for reflection. You can even close your eyes as you try to remember those experiences vividly. When you’re confident that you have recalled all of the details of your life experience, it’s time to write your essay. To make it more meaningful, try to answer some important questions about your life experience including: Did you learn anything new about yourself because of this experience? Have you grown or developed because of this experience? If so, in what way? Did this experience impact your life positively or negatively? If you had the chance to experience this all over again, would you do anything differently? Why did you behave in such a way at the time of this experience? Did you make the right choices? What are your general thoughts and feelings about this experience? Can you say that you learned from this experience? Did you gain any new perspectives or skills because of this experience? These are “signpost questions” which can help you write a more meaningful essay. These are just some examples, you can also think of your own questions to ask yourself. The point of these questions is to make sure that you think critically and deeply about the experience you’re writing about.
• Planning After you’ve reflected on your life experience, it’s time to start planning your essay. When it’s time to start, you might feel as if you’re not adequately prepared even though you’ve done a lot of reflection. This is a normal feeling, especially if you want to create a written piece which people will love reading. To ease your anxiety and doubt, come up with a well-rounded and comprehensive plan. The best way to do this is through an outline. With an outline to guide your writing process, you can come up with an essay that’s more coherent and which has a clear structure. An outline or plan is important for reflective essays. Since you’re writing about an emotionally-charged topic, you might find yourself getting “lost” along the way. This is especially true if you’re writing about a painful experience which still affects you until now. The outline serves as a map for you to keep your thoughts organized. In your outline, make sure to establish all of the fundamental details you wish to include in your essay. This helps you pick out and remove any superfluous information to make it easier to read and understand. Planning the points you want to write about makes it easier for you to stay on point. As such, your writing becomes a lot clearer and your readers can follow your line of thought. An outline also prevents you from missing out any relevant information. It’s very difficult and frustrating to go back after you’ve written the whole essay just to fit in this information! Planning your essay also saves you a lot of time. Coming up with the structure makes you more familiar with your essay even before you start writing it. Thus, you can spend more time writing, revising, and proofreading your essay to make it the best version possible.

Reflective Essay Samples

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Don’t Underestimate the Power of Self-Reflection

• James R. Bailey
• Scheherazade Rehman

Focus on moments of surprise, failure, and frustration.

Research shows the habit of reflection can separate extraordinary professionals from mediocre ones. But how do you sort which experiences are most significant for your development?

• To answer this questions, the authors asked 442 executives to reflect on which experiences most advanced their professional development and had the most impact on making them better leaders.
• Three distinct themes arose through their analysis: surprise, frustration, and failure. Reflections that involved one or more or of these sentiments proved to be the most valuable in helping the leaders grow.
• Surprise, frustration, and failure. Cognitive, emotional, and behavioral. These parts of you are constantly in motion and if you don’t give them time to rest and reflect upon what you learned from them, you will surely fatigue.

Empathy, communication, adaptability, emotional intelligence, compassion. These are all skills you need to thrive in the workplace and become a great leader. Time and again, we even hear that these capabilities are the key to making yourself indispensable — not just now but far into the future. Soft skills, after all, are what make us human, and as far as we know, can’t be performed well by technologies like artificial intelligence.

• James R. Bailey is professor and Hochberg Fellow of Leadership at George Washington University. The author of five books and more than 50 academic papers, he is a frequent contributor to the Harvard Business Review, The Hill, Fortune, Forbes, and Fast Company and appears on many national television and radio programs.
• Scheherazade Rehman is professor and Dean’s Professorial Fellow of International Finance. She is director of the European Union Research Center and former Director of World ExecMBA with Cybersecurity, has appeared in front of the U.S. House and Senate, and been a guest numerous times onPBS Newshour, the Colbert Report, BBC World News, CNBC, Voice of America, and C-Span.

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Self Reflection Essay

Self reflection essay generator.

What goes through your mind when you have to write a self reflection essay? Do you ponder on your life choices, the actions you take to get where you want to be or where you are now? If you answered yes and yes to both of the questions, you are on the right track and have some idea on what a reflection essay would look like. This article would help give you more ideas on how to write a self reflection essay , how it looks like, what to put in it and some examples for you to use. So what are you waiting for? Check these out now.

10+ Self Reflection Essay Examples

1. self reflection essay template.

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2. Project Self Reflection Essay

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3. Final Self Reflection Essay

4. Internship Self Reflection Essay

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5. Student Self Reflection Essay

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6. Basic Self Reflection Essay

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7. College Self Reflection Essay

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8. Self Reflection Essay Rubric

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9. Standard Self Reflection Essay

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10. Persuasive Essays Student Self-Reflection

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11. Self Reflection Essay in Higher Education

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Defining Self

A person’s self that is different from the rest. On occasions it is considered as an object of a person’s view.

Defining Self Reflection

A self reflection is often described as taking a step back to reflect on your life. To take a break and observe how far you have become, the obstacles you have gone through and how they have affected your life, behavior and belief.

Defining Self Reflection Essay

A self- reflection essay is a type of essay that makes you express the experiences you have gone through in life based on a topic you have chosen to write about. It is a personal type of essay that you write about.  It makes you reflect on your life and journey to who you are today. The struggles, the fears, the triumphs and the actions you have taken to arrive at your current situation.

Tips on Writing a Self Reflection Essay

When writing a self reflection essay, there are some guidelines and formats to follow. But I am here to give you some tips to write a very good self reflection essay. These tips are easy to follow and they are not as complicated as some might believe them to be. Let’s begin. To write a good self reflection essay, one must first do:

• Think : Think about what you want to write. This is true for the title of your essay as well. Thinking about what to write first can save you a lot of time. After this tip, we move on to the next one which is:
• Drafting : As much as it sounds like a waste of time and effort, drafting what you are preparing to write is helpful. Just like in the first tip, drafting is a good way of writing down what you want and to add or take out what you will be writing later.
• State the purpose : Why are you writing this essay? State the purpose of the essay . As this is a self reflective essay, your purpose is to reflect on your life, the actions you did to reach this point of your life. The things you did to achieve it as well.
• Know your audience : Your self reflection essay may also depend on your audience. If you are planning on reading out loud your essay, your essay should fit your audience. If your audience is your team members, use the correct wording.
• Share your tips: This essay gives you the opportunity to share how you have achieved in life. Write down some tips for those who want to be able to achieve the same opportunity you are in right now.

How long or short can my self reflection essay be?

This depends on you. You may write a short self reflection essay, and you may also write a long one. The important thing there is stating the purpose of you writing your essay.

Writing a self reflection essay, am I allowed to write everything about my life?

The purpose of the self reflection essay is to reflect on a topic you choose and to talk about it.

Is there a limit of words to write this type of essay?

Yes, as much as possible stick to 300-700 words. But even if it may be this short, don’t forget to get creative and true in your essay.

A self reflective essay is a type of essay that people write to reflect on their lives. To reflect on a certain topic of their life and talk about it. Most of the time, this type of essay is short because this is merely to take a step back and watch your life throughout the beginning till the present time. Writing this type of essay may be a bit difficult for some as you have to dive deep into your life and remember the triumphs and the loss. The beauty of this essay though is the fact that you are able to see how far you have reached, how far you have overcome.

Text prompt

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Write a Self Reflection Essay on a time you overcame a personal obstacle.

Reflect on your personal growth over the last year in your Self Reflection Essay.

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The Art of Reflection

Portfolios allow students to regularly reflect on their learning process—deepening their connection to content.

A few weeks ago, I met with a group of educators to discuss their observations from a series of learning walks in classrooms. They found that though students could accurately tell them what they were doing, they struggled to articulate what they might be learning. In response, I suggested building reflection into the daily routine. Whether students use audio and video or pen and paper, encouraging them to take a few minutes to capture not only what they learned, but also how and why, may ultimately allow them to make deeper connections to the content.

This naturally led to a conversation about portfolios. Portfolio discussions typically center on the tools: how to save, share, and publish student work. When we instead let the process of curating, reflecting, and sharing serve as the focal point, portfolios become summative in nature and can be viewed as an add-on to the end of a unit, project, or activity.

For portfolios to be truly valuable to both students and teachers, they need to provide insight into not only what students created as a representation of their learning, but also how and why they created it. If the ultimate goal is to develop students as learners,  they need an opportunity to make connections to the content as well as the overarching learning objectives.

Progress and Performance Portfolios

Through the act of collecting learning artifacts and compiling them into portfolios, students should have an opportunity to reflect upon their experiences and see their own growth. In Digital Student Portfolios , Matt Renwick discusses the need for both progress and performance portfolios: “By capturing student learning progress and performance in the moment… we can bring learning to life.”

Artists and writers often keep a portfolio to reflect upon their work. Leonardo DaVinci kept hundreds of notebooks documenting his thinking in notes, diagrams, and sketches. John Updike left behind thousands of documents illustrating how he rewrote paragraphs and solved technical challenges. In a similar manner, students can curate a body of work that represents their progress as well as their performance to show their thinking throughout their learning experiences.

Additionally, when we encourage students to capture their thinking on a daily basis, reflection is no longer merely a task at the end of a project. To build self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-reflection, students need time and scaffolding. By encouraging them to document their study strategies, their confidence with the material, and the connections they may be able to make between units of study or even across courses, educators can help students develop—and recognize—their skills as learners.

Teaching the Art of Reflection

The question remains, though: How do we teach reflection? Too often, students struggle with reflection because they don’t understand what they were supposed to learn and why. What if students knew from the start of the school year that all of their work would be in support of two or three essential questions , such as: What are the characteristics of good problem solvers? If students keep the essential questions at the forefront of their thinking, imagine the impact as they document their progress and their learning.

Teachers can also leverage visible thinking routines to scaffold student reflection. Developed at Harvard’s Project Zero, these questions support student inquiry and guide metacognition. For example, teachers can students at the end of each day or week to respond to the Connect, Extend, Challenge routine:

• Connect: How are the ideas that you learned connected to what you already knew?
• Extend: How did your learning then extend your thinking?
• Challenge: What do you still find challenging or puzzling?

This routine helps students synthesize ideas and make connections to prior content, encourages them to wonder and seek out new questions, and provides them an opportunity to acknowledge what they still do not know. 

Students’ critical thinking as supported by the utilization of both essential questions and visible thinking routines creates a more robust model for digital portfolios. Because the emphasis is not simply on publishing and sharing products, learning remains the central focus. As students reflect on each experience, they become more aware of the processes and strategies that make them successful, allowing them to learn from their successes as well as their challenges or failures.

The Challenge

Rhonda Mitchell , a teacher at the Trinity School in Atlanta, once wrote, “The true power of the portfolio is in the revisiting.” As educators, our challenge is ensuring that students have an opportunity to engage in reflection such that they create a meaningful product to actually visit (and learn from) again and again.

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Triloka, an art exhibition showcasing the works of three emerging artists, delves into the poetics of materiality and self-reflection

The true marvel of art lies in its ability to articulate what words often cannot. It is quite enchanting to witness the essence of your deepest experiences and emotions transmute into tangible forms before your very eyes. City-based Srishti Art Gallery is set to present Triloka, an exhibition featuring the innovative works of three women artists — Alamelu Annamalai, Alpana Vij, and Mahalakshmi Kannappan. Each artist explores themes of identity and transformation through unique materials, offering fresh perspectives to the city’s art scene.

Alamelu Annamalai, a visual artist from Chettinad now based in London, explores human nature and social dynamics through various mediums, including painting, drawing, and installations. Her art, influenced by nostalgia and language, juxtaposes images and text. Her piece Moving Pieces at Triloka, inspired by traditional Athangudi tiles, symbolises the shifting concept of home. Alamelu describes her process as meditative, using discarded books to create tiles imbued with layered meanings and memories. She views these tiles as a metaphor for materialistic pursuits, highlighting their ephemeral nature. In another series, Alamelu explores the daily practice of pulli kolam, a traditional art form she grew up observing outside her home, where her mother drew it every day. She explains, “I reinterpret traditional art and cultural forms in contemporary contexts, bringing a new perspective to these practices.”

Alpana Vij, currently based in Singapore, uses natural elements and gold leaf to explore themes of renewal and imperfection in her art. She showcases a series of mended leaves titled What Do I See When I See a Fallen Leaf, block sculptures named A Remembered Place, and paintings created by pouring concrete on linen.

Discussing What Do I See When I See A Fallen Leaf, Alpana says, “When I see a fallen leaf, I repair its cracks using real 24k gold thread. This technique echoes the Japanese art of kintsugi, which highlights imperfections in pottery with gold lacquer to celebrate the life lived.” She explains that by mending the leaf ’s cracks with gold, she honours its journey from vibrant green to its final stage. “It reflects how we, too, are part of nature, embracing our lives, imperfections, and experiences,” she adds.

Regarding A Remembered Place, she explains it is inspired by stratified rock surfaces where emotions and memories are embedded, questioning if they take us back to hidden parts of ourselves. In her concrete paintings, Alpana uses gravity to shape the artwork, avoiding tools to let the piece evolve naturally. Coated with resin, the paintings reveal subtle variations and imperfections, inviting deeper contemplation and meaning.

Mahalakshmi Kannappan, a Singapore-based artist, shares her vision, “I plan to showcase a series that highlights the duality of structure and freedom, featuring both smooth and textured surfaces.” She elaborates on her thematic focus, saying, “I am captivated by how these opposing forces coexist and create harmony within their contrasting nature. This fascination fuels my exploration of various forms, textures, and materials, pushing them beyond their conventional limits to give birth to new, unseen forms.”

Free entry. August 11 to September 30, 11 am to 7 pm.

At Srishti Art Gallery, Jubilee Hills.

Mail ID: [email protected]

Twitter: @kaithwas_sakshi

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