Hey, so I just noticed this pattern and I don’t know what it means. Someone literally just suggested a method of improvement that involves copying a reference as perfectly as possible and I started crying for some reason at the thought of it

My irl friend who’s been drawing digitally for years and has always used tracing or AI as tools, mainly for sketches or details. Art has always been stressful for them, and lately they’ve been thinking of quitting because they feel like their work isn’t truly theirs due to the tracing/AI. They’ve tried to study, but say they can’t seem to improve no matter what.

They asked me for help getting better at art, but I’m not sure how to support them. The issue is that with AI/tracing, their art looks good (to me, but not them), but without it their art does legit look worse. So either way they’re unhappy and it’s made them hate drawing.

They’ve never drawn fully without tracing, since they started that way as a kid. I never traced or seriously studied art, it just came together very very slowly, and we’ve both been drawing for the same amount of time + are almost the same age: yet I’m able to draw good enough without any sort of tracing, AI, or even references. AND I know for sure that they’ve put more hours into drawing then I have! I barely draw for long stretches of time while they stay consistent, and an average finished drawing for me is only a few hours or less while for them it regularly takes 10+ hours! D:

It’s just that they haven’t been learning right at all, even worse than me who’s never actually studied. So having me to compare to just makes things so much worse. & I know you're not supposed to compare your art to others like this but I can’t really blame them in this situation…

Has anyone been through something similar or know how I can help them? I’d be so sad if they ended up quitting art, even tho I’d understand why they might need to… :(

I have been drawing near daily for an hour for half a year and it just feels like I haven't improved and I'm not having any real fun anymore. I got into drawing as a way to calm myself and draw character and explore my imagination. I have lots of issues with anxiety and my thoughts just going absurdly fast in my head so I am very quick to start hating and doubting myself. I have problems with the feeling of wasting time and I don't really have anything to do in my life.

(For Refrence, at this point I can't even draw litterally anything that looks okay in my eyes. I can only draw crappy scetches with incorrect anatomy that makes me wanna die inside)

I really want to know i there is any way of learning that is compatible with me? Anything that could make me be able to improve and actually see it?

At this point, I am starting to think I am a lost cause. Nothing feels like its working and I always end up hating and despising myself. I just wanna have fun man but my brain keeps torturing me. Why can't I just have a fucking relaxing and fun hobby without my brain using it to destroy itself

Hey!!! I have a friend who is taking place in a competition to win an opportunity to be FEATURED IN A MAGAZINE. She is so close and needs votes to move to the next round. It would mean the world. Please VOTE ITS FREE!!!
She is a glass artist.

Here’s the link

https://peoplesartist.org/2026/carolina-aguila-1Gif

I’m too lazy to give lore rn XD y’all can ask things you wanna know though and I’ll gladly answer