Eight-Year Difference

I recently was in a slump, so I decided it might be interesting to draw updated versions of characters I made up back when i was still in my Freshman Year of High School.

The first pic is of a character design of a young boy-wizard (Pre-Harry Potter Generation, thank you very much.) named Arnis that I drew back in 1999.

Now here's the updated version of him that I drew a few weeks ago at work.
...It's interesting how much a person's style can change in eight years, isn't it? I'm not entirely sure what I should do with him, though. The project I had originally made up that involved him has been long abandoned, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's useless, now does it? I'm sure I can think of something for him. :3

Comments, of course, are always welcome.