What steps helped you to become artist you are today?

You are being very critical, which is the first step in improving.  Are you keeping a notebook and analysing what is good and bad about each of your works and identifying what you have learnt from each experience/ experiment?  Have you identified what it is that you want to improve?  What have your tutors said about your work?  Can you provide us with an example? Without seeing your art, we cannot suggest how to improve it.  There are many skilful artists who are happy to give constructive criticism on this site.

i have painted for more years than i care to recall but i still think much of my work is poor and needs to get better, even the better paintings go through an ugly duckling phase where they come close to being abandoned. For what it is worth i think a critical approach to your work is a pre-requisite for improvement and you should not be discouraged, rather the reverse. You may take a lifetime to get where you want to go but enjoy the journey and don't be discouraged.

I agree with Linda, what do your Tutors say about your work? I think it best t talk to them and see how you might progress further. As for myself i just paint what i like to paint, occasionally pushing my limits to stretch my art, but then again, i am a self taught armature painter. But in the end, my philosophy is; It's only a piece of paper and paint! It's not the end of the world if paintings don't turn out the way you planned, it's all re-doable until it pleases you.  Just don't store your disregarded art under your bed, 'cos, by the time you feel you are painting what pleases you the bed will be too hight to get into.... Ask me how i know. :-)

Returning to your question.  In my previous post, I turned the question back on you, but my experience has been firstly acquiring drawing skills.  This is paramount.  I spent a year at art college and drew from life, 5 days a week, either 6 or 3 hours a day.  Paintings can go seriously wrong if not enough time is spent at the drawing phase.  Secondly composition.  Thirdly Tonal analysis - perceiving how light falls on the subject, light, shadow, shade, and reflective light. Fourth - colourmixing.  When I first started painting in acrylics, I was surprised that colours did not mix in the way I thought they would.  Fifth - Aerial perspective - how to create a sense of distance, though the colours you use.  I have books on all of these topics, largely acquired in charity shops which I have found helpful.  I’ve also been on courses in watercolour s, oil painting and acrylic as well as watercolour pencils.  Before lockdown, I was still going to a portrait class and a general art class, which included other artists work.  I’m still learning and try different approaches.

I think everything that has been said is very valid. To me when you get to the stage where you think your work is so good, it’s time to step back and take a better look. Nearly every person I know and have heard on this site as well have,  that little bit of doubt about their own work. To me this is what makes us better artist ,that we are always trying that bit harder to be that bit better. I have never had formal or any training in art, so I cannot discuss your work from a trained artist point of view, and would not attempt to do so. I paint or draw on a daily basis, and have done more since retirement,  I have always drawn or sketched but only started painting about twenty years ago . What do I paint, well I’ve tried most mediums but prefer watercolour, I paint what takes my fancy, I do have thinks I prefer to paint old vehicles etc, but would pint what at any given time catches my eye. I think it this diversity that prompts me to keep going. I do think since I have started to draw more , most days, my painting has  improved. The big thing has been displaying my painting on POL, getting feedback has been the most encouraging thing , even paintings I have not been sure about have had feedback that has helped me develop . Plod on keep at it there is no easy way to get what you want , try to be a little less critical of yourself and accept that others sometimes see  your paintings more positive than you . Sorry I have rabbited on somewhat, good luck with you training.  

Having read your post, a few things struck me which may highlight why you are not satisfied with the way your art is developing. You say you have the fundamentals and ground skills, so after spending three years at an art college I can believe that you likely know a lot more than many artists here who are like myself self taught. i.e from books in the main and just practice at what they have learnt to get where they are today and who are all striving to improve on their work.  You also don't mention what you like to paint, where your main interest is, what medium you prefer to use be it oils, watercolour or acrylics, or maybe dry media as in pencils, pastels and charcoal etc.,.  I personally will paint in most mediums, but I do have favourites. Do you want to paint realistically, loosely, or abstractly,  whichever way you wish to express your art, make it your own, build your own style of artwork, admire other peoples work but don't emulate them.  You have probably heard this hundreds of times, but it has to be said because it's true, there is no short cut to improving on your work, it's all down to the individual as to how much they paint or draw to improve their skills, the more you do the better you become. Immerse yourself into what interests you, get to know the subjects you want to draw and paint inside out, remember there are no rules in art, do what pleases you, feel free to explore and express yourself as you want, not as others would like, for example look at Pollock, he couldn't draw, but made an awful lot of money by dripping paint on a canvas. Lastly, you say you haven't improved, have you compared the work you are doing now to the work you did when you first started?  I would think you will see a big difference, you have learnt all the basics skills, now you have to learn how to step forward and experiment with what you know.  You CAN do this, just believe in yourself.

You ask for concrete steps - I think you've had some excellent advice in the posts above, and by the way I agree that it would be easier to help you if you would show us some of your work............. because everything depends on what you want to do.  I've been painting and drawing for over 50 years, by the way, and have never felt - may be other than in drawing caricatures or cartoons - that I've reached the standard I want. If you want to draw figuratively, that is, to achieve an approximation to actual objects, figures or faces, as I did, then maybe the way I went about it all those years ago will help you a bit.  LOOK at what you want to draw or paint - study it hard and mercilessly; look for the big shapes, the twisting and awkward bits, the way the light falls on them or could be made to fall on them; look in other words for how you could manipulate the light and tone in order to improve your picture.  If you use graphite pencils, try switching to carbon, charcoal, or pen and ink for a while.  Use a brush with ink or watercolour - or cocktail sticks, bits of twig.  Take photographs - I didn't do that 50 years ago: didn't have a camera, to start with!  But I would now supplement sketches outside with photographs that showed the position and context.  Draw a lot - doesn't really have to be every day, but draw a lot: fill sketchbooks - you don't have to worry about the quality of the drawings in them if you don't want to; and if they're rubbish, or you think they are, hide them or burn them, BUT - I discarded a good few of my sketchbooks, and have always regretted it.  I now keep everything, whether it's worked or not.  Make things up; doodle.  Not all of us are capable of producing good drawings in our chosen subject - we just don't have that fine draughtsman's touch; but we can paint better than we can draw: I think I can, for what it's worth.   What I did not do was treat my work as a drudge or chore - I worked when I felt like it, because if I worked in an office routine, I'd produce work that was boring to do, and boring to look at (though I got lucky occasionally - something worked that I hadn't ever thought would.  If I draw every day - and it happens that I usually do - it's because I enjoy drawing.   Are you embarrassed to show your work in public?  I understand you might be - but if you are, just send a few drawings to me, if you like: I've helped others when I've seen their work, I might be able to help you.  My email address is: [email protected].  But don't get depressed - we all (probably) did, or do, but art is a lifetime's study, not something you can go to college, say 'I've finished the course, I'm a real artist now', and expect to convince anyone, least of all yourself.  Art students are supposed to suffer, learn, develop, but over time, more than a three-year course (or whatever yours is): and it has to be said, not all art students are going to be good just by having gone to college - not all art students have competent tutors or intelligent course-work requirements; some might even be better off or happier for not attending college at all, frankly.  Particularly lone-wolf types of character - we don't all flourish in groups..... some do better with online courses, on which you can take your time.  One of our members - absent at the moment - took the Charles Bargue drawing course, and his work visibly and obviously improved.  Try it, or another.  I did not, but might have made faster progress if I had done.  What I did instead was read - and really, that's what I still do.   Get some good books, on the line of work that most interests you, read and be inspired. But it would help all of us here to help you if you told us what line of work DOES most interest you.  

Well, after three years at college, I would expect you to have improved considerably since your initial foundation year! If you haven’t then you’re wasting your time! You need to discuss these negative issues and thoughts with your tutors, that’s their job and have hands on knowledge of your progress and ability, which we don’t.  You give so little detail, virtually none in fact, so I can’t offer any advice other than I’ve already mentioned. I spent five years at art college, and there was a definite progression in my painting each year - that’s what should happen! As well as numerous hours spent in the life class, all the students were set regular painting projects to work on, with constant hands-on advice and encouragement from the tutors, this is how it works in most colleges, or used to... college atmosphere is buzzing and exciting, embrace it! My painting and subject matter now, doesn’t have any resemblance to my college work, but I now paint subjects that interest me, as well as being saleable to the public.   I still manage to motivate myself to paint most days, and am constantly trying out new techniques and ideas which help to keep me interested!