Stuck

So, I kind of told myself at the beginning of this year that I would finally fulfill something that I’ve wanted to do my entire life: learn to draw. Just in general, this is something that I’ve always struggled with.
 
My biggest problem at this point is just feeling confident enough to finish anything. I sketch every single day but nothing ever comes of it.
 

 
I know my lines need to be smoother and that my anatomy is wonky, trying to improve the former.
 
Here’s my drawing of an apple, inspired by a lesson from Art Academy, something that has slightly helped me:
 

 
I don’t know how to get out of this rut…

Aw, you ain’t that bad! keep it up!
 
Perspective should be the next practice topic; it’s fairly easy to spot on your Rainbow Dash that the left front leg needs to be bigger than the one behind and if she’s not raising that leg then the hoof needs to be lower than the other.
 
And I would redo the rump and the thigh with the same spere-lines you used on the head, so that the leg looks more like a flattened ball, hung onto a round ball (the rump). Would ad a bit more lenght to the lower line so that the upper leg seems like it is covering the lower leg, too.
 
A few tricks like that and there alredy is an illusion of 3-D!
 
I think your pics aren’t uncomfortable to look at, which is really the no. 1 thing that matters to me. That Dashie is pretty cute.

@Vree  
Perspective has always been an issue for me. I can see what I did wrong with the legs there, already correct it in my newest sketches.

@Itsthinking  
Have you studied perspective theory? Vanishing points and all that stuff?

@PaskaNaakka  
I know the basics of two point perspective and practice it with cubes. Three point is a bit harder.

I have to give you credit for learning the comparative sizes (and shapes) of pony parts already - that’s more difficult than it seems! looks like you’ll be drawing all the pony in no time!

In addition to what’s already been said, I think you should make the neck a bit longer.
 
And the less the pony’s leg is bent, the less rounded the flank will be. In a standing position like this it would normally be more of a rounded curve than a circle-like shape.  
That is, if you’re trying to draw them show accurately. If you’re not, then you can ignore that.
 
As for lines needing to be smoother, you could always go back over the messy sketch lines with a pen and then erase the pencil, or with a pencil that’s smoother. It does’nt have to start out smooth.
 
Wings on the show are really just a sort of oval shape with lines when they’re closed, so they’re easy. If when you have more confidence you want to draw them differently, I suggest looking at the anatomy of a bird’s wing.
 
 
I suppose I’m not really the best person to give drawing advice. But i’ll just leave this here anyway.

@Vree  
I’ve known the “two circles make a bean” thing for a while, and I’m particular about the shape of hooves.
 
 
@luna the great!  
Appreciated regardless, thanks!

@Itsthinking  
Well believe or not, I do get pony proportions completely wrong, esp. without a reference. Learning a specific character by heeart takes time, too. (Happy for us that if one knows one pony body he knows them all.)
 
So, yknow, not just empty praise there.

@Vree  
Yeah, the practice I do lends to pony anatomy well enough.

Honestly, I think the first thing to work on is pencil technique. Holding it right, drawing smooth curves, that kind of thing.  
Being able to see the relationships between objects (like Dash’s bangs) will help you figure out how to draw the things you look at.
 
Frankly I’d just find some nice curves and start tracing them. Just copy the shape, concentrating on moving your arm right and changing the angle of the pencil to get the line weight right.  
Then start drawing parallel lines and curves, freehand. Once you can repeat the shape you’re going for every time without thinking about it, you’ll have a much easier time putting the right shape on paper.

@Eggonaught  
I’m kind of adverse to tracing, but okay…
 
And man, I could draw curves and random squiggles that looks like the inside of a lava lamp all day.
 
Grid drawing helps me a lot.

Been reading and drawing a lot lately. Expect me to post some in this thread soon.

dude awesome! keep going!
 
It’s a tough journey that I also made but totally worth it.  
Few tips to watch out for:
 

 
oh and if you want a help, I try my very best to help new artists understand drawing and construction of characters. I will NEVER say “just draw” as advice cause thats what I got when I learned and it’s frustrating.

Draw every day.
 
Draw even if you think your work looks like crap.
 
Draw even when you’re feeling uninspired.
 
The only way to get better is to keep doing it.
 
 
I can’t admit to being much of an artist, but if it works in writing, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work in drawing.

Drawn appul:
 

 
Appul and sundae:
 

 
Shading wasn’t as good on the digital apple, forgot layers existed for a second.

@Itsthinking  
Those are quite good. Better than what I can do with crosshatching. Keep it up.

The Pac is back, but did he ever really leave?
 

Quick ponk head. Muzzles are hard.
 

Drew one of those Maneki-neko things:
 

 
Trying to draw one actual thing per day when I can.

Just sketched boxes and practiced vanishing points today.

A point about shading: Your line should follow the shape of the object’s surface. The way you’ve shaded dis appul:  

 
makes the surface look angular. Try to think of the shading as a part of the object’s surface texture, something you have to spread along the object’s surface rather than just put on top of the picture.  
Also, if the object you’re drawing is round, it’s usually a good idea to shade it horizontally to make the shape more visible, like you can hopefully see in this sketch of mine:  

Thanks for the feedback.

I want to, but I am so fucking lazy to draw something.

I feel like shit because all I can bring myself to draw recently is perspective practice and random shapes. I guess it’s better than nothing?