Hi, I'm an aspiring cartoonist who wishes to develop his cartooning skills as well as his realistic drawing and observation skills. I've seen good cartoonists also draw surprisingly realistic renderings (I think to be a successful cartoonist it helps to have at least a basic understanding of realistic drawing techniques, but I'm not sure exactly why or to what extent it helps- does it help?). Most professionals probably have a good understanding of both art forms- cartooning and realistic drawing may seem like completely different art forms, but they may interconnect to eachother, especially when it comes to gesture drawing and anatomy. What I'm looking for are some tips to understand how to use my time efficiently and to make the most out of it to learn art techniques in both fields like the pros do.
I've heard that it takes about 15 years or more to become "fluent", if you will, in the language of art. There's only so many hours in a day, so I want to get the most out of the time that I have each day. What I'm doing now is practicing realism one day and cartooning the other. I'm not sure what route the professionals took, but it sure looks like they got the best out of the many years they spent drawing to get to where they are.
Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks!