Illustrations made by old flame with sufficient inital skill (8)
I believe the answer is:
examples
'illustrations' is the definition.
(I know this)
I cannot understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for examples that I've seen before include "Representative samples" , "They illustrate general rules" , "Illustrative warnings" , "Things characteristic of their kind" , "Illustrations, instances" .)