of course all of that is from my personal experience, so it might not be true for everybody, but here’s what i’ve got:
you don’t have to love everything you do, but don’thateanythingyou do. you made stuff and that’s SUPER COOL
trust your own strokes; confidence is visible in your lines and makes drawings easier to read and understand
find out what works for you! some people are line-types, others are made for shapes, some work better in colour, some better in b/w—don’t think you have to do something a certain way just because everyone around you does
don’t equate effort with quality; a drawing doesn’t have to take hours to be “good”
good drawings are those that resonate with the viewer—so if your doodles receive more attention than elaborate paintings don’t be surprised or discouraged! think about what those quick drawings have that the paintings might lack
don’t try to make things pretty, especially not from the get go. my initial sketches look abhorrentand i’m glad they do because that makes it easier to set the right atmosphere
learn when to stop. some things were never meant to be more than sketches
realise that there are different ways of learning: deliberate observation and actual drawing practice. observation and understanding of what you see expand your mental reference library, and train your eye. practice hones your skill of transferring your knowledge onto paper, and trains your hand. do both!
style comes from repetition—don’t try to find your own style too soon and too desperately, that will only impair your general improvement. use whichever style you feel works best to visualise your idea. if you do end up with a single distinctive style: cool. if you don’t: also cool!
change the way you sit every once in a while. that’s good for both your body and mind and allows you to view things from a new perspective
enthusiasm. and drawing is a lot more fun if you allow yourself to suck!
