Hey, @Glen Piper! It’s been a while since you posted this, but, hopefully, I’m not too late to share some thoughts. One of the hardest things of studying art on our own is indeed to figure out how to schematize our own “curriculum”. A good news, I think, is that you’ll be practicing draftsmanship skills regardless of the specific subject you’re studying at the moment: whether you’re focusing on figure drawing, portraiture or animal drawing, it’s likely that the nuts and bolts of line, shape, form, proportion and perspective will be involved - so you’ll still be headed towards your bigger goal regarding draftsmanship even when varying your subject. With that said, perhaps you might find it helpful to consider your most relevant interests in art - if you really want to explore more than just the human figure, why not redirect your energy to other topics for a while? Maybe you can take a few weeks to let go of the human figure altogether and focus on another topic you like, or perhaps you could organize your study schedule in such a way to have some time for everything within a week’s or month’s span. Just possibilities. On the frustration of not feeling capable to do a finished piece, I totally get it. When we look at finished artwork done by masterful instructors, it can indeed feel like we’re too far away. But it can be helpful to remember that our perception is always subjective, and “feeling miles away” doesn’t necessarily mean that we haven’t progressed or that we won’t reach our goals. Plus, I think it’s important to notice the difference between literally just finishing a piece versus finishing a piece within the technical standards we would like to achieve - these are two different frameworks. Maybe consider this: if you apply all the skills you’ve already learned, how far can you take an art piece? Well - that much is your current standard for “finished”. For example, if you’ve been studying gesture and form, but not lighting, your finished pieces can be expected to be linear drawings, but not fully rendered - because it’s obviously unfair to expect that you should be able to apply more than what you’ve learned so far. Perhaps you might wanna do an experience: spend some time working on a drawing and make it as finished as you can using what you know. Try not to judge yourself or your results too hard, just focus on the process and be at peace with doing the best you can at the moment. Then, when you’re done, step away for some time, try to get some emotional distance, and, once your mind feels fresh, take a new look at it and analyze what you would like to have done differently and what are the skills or techniques involved in this idealized result you’re imagining. Based on that, you might then draw some rational conclusions and maybe set some clearer goals for your next steps in your study journey. Above all, keep in mind that evolving as an artist never feels like a straight line, but rather as sort of a roller coaster with periods of boost and moments of dry spell. By regardlessly being consistent and patient though, we eventually see that, over the “big picture”, we have grown. I think that the images I’m attaching here illustrate this idea in a more compelling way than my words. :) Hope this all helps somehow!

Mate, I feel exactly the same and I've been learning for a few years. Glad I'm not the only one. Maybe, and I'm sure you've heard this before, we need to just enjoy the journey. What are you learning for? Because you have to or because you enjoy it? If you approach it with a frame of mind of 'play' and looseness and joy as opposed to rigid drill style practice ironically you're art would come out of you easier and be more beautiful. That said, I TOTALLY get how you feel and I also struggle to take the above advice. If you watch artists like Rembert Montale or Ian Mccaig sketch you'll note how they seem to do so joyfully and with a 'no pressure' attitude. Maybe we should do the same

Could you please inbox me the secret to unlimited artistic skill? Thanks (if it involves a deal with the devil that's all good)

Hi David - I gave this a go but couldn't really get anywhere without reference (?) Feel like there's so much information to each animal that I couldn't possibly recall enough to even get through a sketch without knowing the subject that well... Is that kind of the point, or would you recommend just trying to push through anyway and seeing what happens? Thanks!

Wylie Beckert...I adore her style, kind like a modern Leyendekcer. Feel a million miles away from being able to even approach emulating her, though D;

Hi @David Colman - I want to give this assignment a go but my head drawing s u c k s Would you recommend learning more portrait drawing first or just jumping in a giving it a go? Thanks!

Hi! A humbing assignment for me: I use to go sketching outside, but never people... they're easier in photograph or in life drawing session :) !! Will try to make a habit of it from now on...