I teach a Manga and Illustration class on Tuesday evenings to preteens. I have this one really gungho student who's 14 years old and always stays after class to ask me questions.
Me: ok class, this wraps up our illustration half of the program! Starting tomorrow, we'll be working on story writing and planning!
Student: excuse me, how do I "practice" art?
Me: like how we did in the class exercise: figure drawing, new image to eye every 60 seconds... Eventually you would have drawn a thousand hands and be able to draw from memory instead of having to copy a picture.
Student: ok but what about original artwork and not just copying what we see?
Me: Even my originals (pulls up WIP) are a mashup of certain references that I have to copy. Drawing is sorta like a formula of components that you must combine in order to create something original. Kind of how you need a formula for math or story writing.
You know how in 8th and 9th grade you learn the parts of a short story? You can't leave out the setting, conflict, or characters, cuz then you won't be able to write a coherent story. Even in a slice of life, you would have miniature conflicts like a falling out between friends.
Student: I'm actually a novelist and I didn't know that. (He's homeschooled). I came to learn how to draw so I could insert some pictures in my book.
Me: oh, if you're a novelist, why don't you just ask an artist to draw for you?
Student: no, but I would really like to be able to draw it myself.
Me: SPARKLY PROUD TEACHER MOOD
THE END
IT'S A NICE STORY OF WHAT HAPPENED TO ME TODAY!!
Side note today we were doing a Hand boot camp and one of the girls broke down during practice because she was upset that she couldn't draw a certain pose T.T