Being an artist is like growing a tree. It takes time, daily care, and patience. But if you stick with it, your work will grow into something powerful. The Mona Lisa? It took Leonardo da Vinci 16 years to finish — now it’s worth $860 million. That’s the power of long-term dedication.
Don’t regret your early work. Every sketch, every mistake, every step makes you better. The r/drawing community proves this. Artists there share their journeys — from rough beginnings to jaw-dropping progress.
Take a look below. These creations didn’t happen overnight — and neither will yours. But they will happen.
#1. White charcoal
#2. My father drew this in 1974 after an acid trip. Wish he would still draw.
#3. One of my favorite drawings
#4. Just found out about a month ago someone posted my art here claiming they made it on LSD. They didn’t. Here it is again with proper attribution – “City Train Adventure”.
#5. The legend of Capy: The Windwaker, by me.
#6. Pressure
#7. Is my art too niche?
#8. I drew my infant son rolling about on the floor
#9. Perseus and Medusa
#10. So this is the picture of my current wip, it’s a ballpoint pen illustration as you can see, and that’s why I took so long to post again 👌hope you like it!
#11. I’ve been drawing old photographs of mushroom people
#12. This is my first attempt at drawing skin tones using only the three primary colors
#13. Here is the finished piece for the Spongebob ‘S’ in my ToonType drawing project. (16+ hrs of work)
#14. 3 drawings inpsired by one piece of paper
#15.Typefaces: the Numerals, pen drawing by me
#16. An A4 sheet of portraits done for my tattoo apprenticeship homework!
#17. My initial sketch didn’t get too much attention but I thought I would post the finished drawing anyway
#18. How it started vs how it ended
#19. A page in my sketchbook. Entirely in ballpoint pen
#20. Mini ballpoint pen portrait by me
#21. A page in my sketchbook… what do you think?
#22. One of my student works with colored ballpoint pens
#23. doechii
#24. I’m not very good at realism but I can do this
#25. Reddit has helped me to improve my drawing skills. Thanks to the pros, your critics have helped me. This is my current work in progress. I thought of sharing it with you.
#26. I finished 1 whole pen for this. Turned out decent, i think
#27. Me and my best friend have a completely different art styles
#28. Every day my very talented Anatomy student draws something for us. I’m going to do a better job keeping record.
#29. I was told you guys might like my work.
#30. I drew a bunch of people I saw at the traffic intersection
#31. Some drawings I did while waiting at the airport✨
#32. Recent sketches in my little travel diary.
#33. My 14-yr old was bored today
#34. Some of my sketchbook pages
#35. a collection of my Daily Duckies (so far)
#36. Noir in Blue. Sketch by me.
#37. Working on an idea for a painting, it’s my first time committing to drawing something out first before moving to canvas.
#38. Watercolor and brush pen
#39. I’m 60, should I stop?
#40. I draw maps. This is a little piece of Morgantown WV.
