i think you just answered yourself a bit there! you might be worrying too much! i think it’s fine to be a perfectionist and to want everything to look right, but when it’s getting in the way of ever finishing, or even STARTING something, you might wanna step back and take a breather, even just for a little while. i started getting faster and improving when i didn’t fret too much about what i was going to do, and just sort of did things with a general idea. i didn’t build up these wild expectations, i just sort of had a something i wanted to draw and scribbled and tried to find what i was doing and it may have strayed a bit from what i originally intended, but since i just kept going instead of worrying about getting it perfect, i always ended up with something and it would usually be something i didn’t even know i could do! and i often liked it way more than what i first was thinking of anyway! a year ago i started taking art more seriously and needed to get better quick, so i tried to draw at least a picture a day. i’d doodle any idea that came to mind…ALL OF THEM whenever it hit me, even if i was about to fall asleep in bed. i usually do this now too, i don’t worry about how or if i’m going to finish or anything, i just put it down. and if something happens it happens, and 9 times out of 10 it does! and it’s usually ok!! so just don’t worry too much about getting things perfect at this state. especially if you’re just beginning. just DO things. that way you’ll learn more even if it’s small, but those small things will add up and you’ll develop the skills to do things faster and more complete. as for sketchbook stuff, i found that life drawing really helped me a TON with getting lines down. but other than that i think you should try to be more loose with your lines, and again don’t worry too much. just try to do gestures. make a fast swipe in one line for like one side of a leg/back/whatever. it doesn’t have to look proper. it can look totally deformed but i think it gives sketches more energy when they’re not so stiff and a little off kilter? just keep at it!! remember don’t let fear hold you back, just be loose and have fun!
