I have a friend who asked for some thoughts about his drawings. It was gonna be pretty public anyway, so once I realized that I needed half a dozen pictures to make my point, I asked if I could put my reply here.
I am qualified to say things about drawing because I am mediocre. Being mediocre is the best qualification, because it means I've had to really work to learn to make a nice drawing. Naturally talented people make poor teachers, because they haven't made all the mistakes. I've made plenty of them, and I'll make plenty more, but I am slowly mapping the minefield.
I'm gonna skip basics, 'cause you've heard them. (If you haven't, try reading Andrew Loomis: Drawing the Head and Hands, and Figure Drawing for All Its Worth; and Betty Edwards: Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain. The first two are free online.) Rather than say the same thing that every drawing book says, I wanna say the things that no one ever told me. I'm also gonna skip the complement sandwich --- you're doing fine. Your instincts