A couple of tips for inspiring artists. Get a hardbound sketchbook, preferably eight and a half by 11 to jot your ideas in. Always use a ballpoint pen, so your mistakes will always be there to be seen. Never tear anything out, years from now you will regret it. Everyone and their brother will try to ingrain the basic rules of drawing. Composition , balance, line quality, these will all be mastered in time. In your sketchbook be loose and conceptual. this is your inner world to explore.  

Never listen to critics or even people who may seem to draw better than you. I was told as a teenager i could improve a hundred fold and still not be good. I was also told my work was too abstract by someone who only knew how to imitate other artists. Come correct . be bold and create your own vision. if you have a passion for drawing all the other tools will come in time. Think of creativity as a muscle that needs development, think of drawing as a martial art that you must practice at daily.

Concepts that your skills can not convey may be returned to in later dates to develop.

My current method of image making requires a digital camera,or scanner, a drawing tablet, and a digital imaging program with layering.

1. I create several black and white clip art files. Scan picture of item  in, open in program. Make a duplicate layer, and multiply. Fill second layer with white, i use gradient tool set to whit fore and background. with tablet trace or draw object or scanned picture. Save these files as j pegs to use in future projects. Flatten these images or discard other layers.

2. My style is black line work with mostly flat colors and minimal highlights. this is a personal aesthetic choice. Once i have my line work dun i use the magic erase tool and move plus button. Open other windows to set size of picture format. Arrange items on page as you like. Flatten page and create duplicate and multiply. Fill with white.

3. Time to add color, use gradients to make a nice sky pattern. Then add colors as needed. You may want to use the original files for color reference, or not.