I am not a perfect drawer, but I would say you are excellent. Keep up the good work hope to see a few of your pics.
First of all, let me tell you that I appreciate the honesty in your post. Through all the sarcasm and innuendos that dwell in these forums, your post comes across, in my eyes, as very refreshing.
Anyway, it's true that learning from anime, manga and online tutorials, is the one thing people tell you not to do. However, there are quite a few autodidacts mangakas out there, who through passion alone developed their own style and have been extremely successful.
I guess it all comes down to this: do you draw for recognition or for passion/fun.
If you decide it's for the former, then you rely on those comments and therefore need to follow the "classic" route of fine art.
If you decide for the latter, then it doesn't really matter if you followed online tutorials and anime as a guideline.
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Then I got artist blocked... for three years.
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Quick side note.
Artist block is, I believe, one of the most important part of an artist's evolution. It's through this very moment - no matter the length of time - that one looks back at all he/she has achieved until then and analyses subconsciously their skills and where they are heading. So as frustrating as it is, it's necessary and positive.
Just thought I'd share that.
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But I have never been one to sit in a mall with a sketchpad and draw things. I picture what I want to draw in my mind and put it on paper.
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Another side note.
You don't -have- to draw exactly what you see. You can "replicate and adapt" what you see (in a mall for example) into anime/comic/cartoon/whatever style you're into.
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Anyhow, have I been doing it wrong? Or is it okay, and just the way I work best? Often wondered, and I never really figure it out.
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You know, the simple fact that you are posting your concerns here, shows that you are evolving through soul-searching. So I can only see positive things emerging from all this.
Furthermore:
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And I often find myself wondering if I've taught myself the wrong things in getting where I am the way I did.
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Irrelevant.
Every time you draw, you learn. Maybe a tiny bit. Maybe a huge chunk.
It's like xp in coh. There is never a time where you lose xp. You always go forward. Always adding to your knowledge and always improving.
May I point out that art/drawing/painting/any form of expression is not an exact science. So I'm sure many could disagree with this post.
I'm not worried for your situation. Not when you can produce little beauties like this, this or this!
You're just in a "halted" state.
You're doing fine Aug.
Your concerns are justified for the simple reason that they'll help you improve, regardless of the direction you'll be heading next. 
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Then I got artist blocked... for three years.
[/ QUOTE ]
Quick side note.
Artist block is, I believe, one of the most important part of an artist's evolution. It's through this very moment - no matter the length of time - that one looks back at all he/she has achieved until then and analyses subconsciously their skills and where they are heading. So as frustrating as it is, it's necessary and positive.
Just thought I'd share that.
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Augery, looking at your stuff, I don't really think you have much of a problem; you obviously have talent and that's most of the battle, everything else is technique & craft, which is the stuff you learn through practise.
Art schools can teach technique and give you different persectives, but if like me you hate just looking and drawing stuff 'for the sake of it' (rather than with any sense of purpose, research etc) then they can rub you up the wrong way. The trick of course is creating a purpose, finding something there that interests you, or can be useful... I was never terribly good at that, still life *still* bores me.
I'd say life drawing is the exception to this rule, but I've banged that particular drum here before, and ended up in a flame war with someone who believed everything you need is contained in a particular book from Marvel..
I have 'talent' (at least, I *used* to), what I lack is enthusiasm; I've let my naturally lazy tendences overwhelm me to the point where my 'block' is currently totalling 8 years and rising - so thanks for the positve spin on that Swissy, that actually made me feel a little better.
You learn from online tutorials? So what?
I learn all i can do from comics, online tutorials and such. Never had a course about it or gone to Univertisy for Arts.
As far as i can see you are very very talented. It's a golden rule for arts. As i said i never participate in any kinda trainning but my figure especially human figures are well liked by University students.
For Comic and Anime/Manga drawers, pencilers in particular,style is most important thing. So if you think you have a constant style, in my book this is a good thing.
I had your doubts many many times in past. Still having them because art is an endless course. Everyday you have to learn somethings, like Swissy said.
If you like your drawing when you finished it, or you can see your faults in it, both are good things.
PS: I write it little passionally i think. I meant no offense to anyone. Just my thoughts on that matter.
Cheers and Have Fun. 
awwwww... Come on, Augury, there is no one and best way to learn to draw. I don't know how to draw, I learnt by myself, sometimes in book, most by seeing the drawings I love, like Knighty.
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I guess it all comes down to this: do you draw for recognition or for passion/fun
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THAT's the right question 
btw, you remind me of a friend who learnt by herlself to draw manga. She was irritated because I always tease her with "OMG !!!! You have to draw CIRCLES to draw bodies !!!!" she never took me seriously because she knew I was joking.
It's like modelizing objects. I realized 5 years ago that I couldn't modelize like majority of people I knew : they can use a rough form and then detail it until they have what they want. I was very angry with myself because I could'nt do that. Then I realized that there were other ways to modelize objects, I found mine and now, even if it's not the same as others, it's good for me as the result is quite the same as others methods. With drawing, it's even more "free" as there is no "good" or "bad" result, only harmony (or disharmony) or ambience, or feeling or...
Some people need professors, some don't need it, I need the 2 actually >.<
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You're doing fine Aug.
Your concerns are justified for the simple reason that they'll help you improve, regardless of the direction you'll be heading next.
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Swissy just said it ! 
Put simply, if you can create works like those examples Swissy gave I don't think it matters how you got there. Additionally, so long as your work gives you pleasure in it's creation, whether or not other people enjoy it is surely secondary? From what I've seen of what you can do, I really don't think you have to worry about that score
@SteelRat; @SteelRat2
"Angelina my love, I'm a genius!"
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This post has been a long time coming. I've never really had anywhere to ask though, so I'm asking here.
I often wonder if through taken the wrong approach to art I've hampered my own ability to do it, in the end. I've never been one to draw for life except for school for a few years, but yet I always hear this is how you do it. I suppose I find life too boring a subject, and just copying what I see doesn't let me express it, so I have a distaste of it.
I'm actually not sure how I got quite as good at drawing as I am. (although, there's still oodles of room for improvement) I remember when I was very young I drew a lot for a while. I had a basic grasp of the human form that most other children didn't have.
For instance, a human I'd draw as an oval, with a trunk that goes straight down, and extends into shoulders and arms with elbows and then hands. As well as pelvis and legs. Sure it was very crude and I was just a little kid, but I remember this drawing exercise where we had to draw some humanoids in... rain? shower? can't remember, but I remember all the other kids drawing the torso as a bigger oval under the head, and having the arms and legs extend like sticks from that.
I also remember getting complemented on my insight by my teacher.
I didn't get back into drawing til much later, when I got into webcomics, about halfway through my teens. I'd mostly stopped drawing by then. One day I decided I was going to learn how to draw, and sat down, and did.
But I learned from anime and manga and online tutorials, the one thing people tell you not to! Over the years I drew a lot and slowly got better until I got to a point where I had enough quality in my work that I felt good about it. Then I got artist blocked... for three years.
Before then I had been always borrowing bits and pieces of styles of others I liked as I went along, making the look and feel of my art horribly inconsistant. The block didn't go away until I forced it too, and I seem to have developed my own style in the year or two that came after it.
But I have never been one to sit in a mall with a sketchpad and draw things. I picture what I want to draw in my mind and put it on paper. (using reference material mostly for objects and the like I dunno how to draw) Or rather, on photoshop, since all my work is done on tablet since there is no room for a scanner here and I see no point in creating art unless I share.
Anyhow, long story there, hah. Problem comes in that now my progress has become really slow, even though my art style and quality are far more consistant. And I often find myself wondering if I've taught myself the wrong things in getting where I am the way I did.
Some day I'm going to have to work through Loomis figure drawing book and then work on detailed anatomy, I suppose.
Anyhow, have I been doing it wrong? Or is it okay, and just the way I work best? Often wondered, and I never really figure it out. I'm pretty sure if I told anyone who went to artschool this they'd have a coronary.