Squint often at your subject and also at your drawing or painting. If you can squint away an element in your subject, but not in your painting or drawing, then you know the value is too light or too dark in that area of your work and you will know that you need to tone it down.
When you begin an image (a painting, a drawing, a sketch), you want to lay in just the structural basics first. Details should come ONLY at the end.
Squinting allows you to remove all the detail from what you see and leaves you with just the basics - the basic shapes, the basic values (light and darks). Begin by drawing or painting only these basics (your structure), then later you can open your eyes more, see more and decorate your structure with the details.
What we're afraid of:
Not seeing everything! Missing details! (Actually, we're afraid of creating a bad image that others will laugh at. Then "they" will know our secret.... we aren't really any good!) Want to know a secret? We ALL have the SAME secret!
SOLUTION:
Create for yourself only. Show only the work you are happy with (destroy the rest - hey! A LOT of famous artist's have done this!) But seriously, create for the sheer pleasure of creating. Don't worry about how it will turn out or whether it will be 'right'. There is no right or wrong in art (just my opinion here folks), because whatever you create is an expression of your inner being, and only YOU know what's inside.
Growth. Just keep practicing. Practicing gives you the chance to better yourself (here that? Better yourself, not be better than everyone else!) As you notice improvements (by looking back at your older work), you will find yourself enjoying the process - and frankly, that's what I think it's all about!
Now just go for it!
.... Repeat after me: "I can do this! Yes I can! This is being FUN!"
Good idea.
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