Dear TB, I know you're reading this and I hope this will help you with your art struggles so that you can realise you can draw better than you think.

So this is something I think I should tell for all those people who want to be great artists but aren't confident enough to think they're good when they actually are.

When I first started drawing, I wasn't Picasso. I remember the first drawing I ever did (that I have a record of) was a cat and an apple. (I'll show the pictures when I find them. Honestly it was both adorable and embarrassing). Anyway the second drawing I did was of a Serval from the game Kinectimals on my Xbox 360. I still have that game and it was one of my favourites growing up. I did that drawing when I was 8 or 9. It was already when I was in Switzerland so around that time.
Not long after that I found an interest in art and drawing. I watched a lot of speedpaints and animations from creators like Eucalyptus Splash (now Koerenn) and River Spirit. They were my idols and I wanted to draw like them.

I was a huge fan of Warrior Cats and I wanted to be able to draw cats and do amazing pieces of art where I'd get praise. Buuut I didn't start like an expert. I started how most people start drawing, tracing and copying.

Now I'm one of those people who think tracing and copying isn't bad when you first start to draw because that's how you get used to proportions and how you develop your style. I remember I was so proud when I traced Koerenn's characters from her animation on 'Youth' a Snowfur and Thistleclaw map. I remember stopping the video, getting some printing paper, turning out the lights in my room and drawing with pencil, then with pen and colouring xD
And after that I drew a cat leaping, that time without tracing and I loved it. Then I drew Sandstorm saying goodbye to Firestar and so on lol

Now at my Russian school, I was offered art lessons and I did take them. Every Saturday morning for 45 minutes we had an art class. I remember I hated the architecture things and drawing landscapes. I still have those pictures oh lord help me haha

At the same time I stopped tracing and started just copying. Now if you look back on my very first art book, I'm pretty sure you can tell it was copied.

Also my mum got me a set for drawing fantasy creatures. I remember over and over I tried to draw things (and failed) but I was so proud. The unicorn that I drew in my first art book was from that book. I think that's the best horse I'll ever be able to draw hhhh
And then I was given more art books to learn from and study.

And slowly with time I stopped copying and just used pictures as references to help and I drew more from memory.

Now just like any other artist, I have difficulty with some parts. Mine are legs and hands and even wings. Yes...feathered or bat-like wings, doesn't matter, I still suck xD

And with time I just tried to draw things I was most passionate about like cats, wolves and eventually dragons. It took me three years to even retry to draw humans and honestly it still need work but I'm proud. (The humans were inspired from anime but I never traced or copied...though I should've)

Today, my art is 95% out of my head and the 5% remaining is with help from Google images.

So TB and everyone else reading this, don't worry if you're not an expert on drawing eyes. I suggest you experiment. Copy styles that you like. Doesn't matter if you can't draw semi-realistic things, hecc you can draw cartoony things for all I care. You just have to have the strength and courage to experiment and explore options. It always helps to step out of your comfort zone.

Now I will also copy this and put it in my art book cos idk everyone needs to read this