Wow, that's some determination, so you taught yourself huh? I'm impressed. I don't think I could be as good as I am now without having my drawing classes. Although I do teach myself most of the time since beginning of college. What helped me the most was studying with my art teacher who is an artist himself. I think he taught me what I know about proportions, composition and anatomy. *ramble* I had lessons with him throughout highschool. I don't do much observation studies anymore but at that time I was doing lots of still life and people sketches. Yeah, those drawings do help.
lol, its not really determination since i've always liked to draw, when you love something it doesn't matter how many hour who pass doing it... I remember in my anatomy classes in college, we had to draw bones and muscles and i remember getting angry while drawing bones because back than i couldn't see the point in drawing bones to draw a body, to draw all i had to do is observe. But i agree with it did help too...i see it now.
Yep. I often draw the bones first to figure out the body. Although I still haven't drawn many bones like legs and stuff. But I know the general structure. I'm just too lazy. lol.