while i don't subscribe to the idea of being born with talent, i feel like... perhaps some people do have a slightly bigger interest in certain things, or a small natural advantage in being able to pick up on them? some people seem to get the hang of language systems faster than others, some people understand the logic behind certain mathematical equations easily (i am not one of those people), some people have a great eye for detail, etc. HOWEVER! this does not, in my opinion, automatically make people talented. talent is never something that just gets handed to you as you exit the womb!! even if you have a slight advantage that is useful when learning art (steady hands, eye for composition, etc), it is still something you will have to practice to get better! and if you DON'T have an advantage, i don't think it's automatically impossible to get good.

i feel like in my earliest drawings you can see that i definitely had an eye for detail from a young age; i would often include tiny things that were important to me. for example, when i would draw myself, i always included the lil mole in the middle of my neck, even when i barely knew how to hold a marker. so apparently i liked paying attention to detail, and was able to copy things from real life easier bc of that. that was a slight advantage, perhaps! however. the drawings themselves still looked like those of a 3 year old. bc i was 3 years old!!! i only got better at drawing because i kept doing it! i loved doing it! i had a lot of interest in art and looking at art and studying art and developing my art. i have drawn SO many ugly anime girls with fox tails and their hands hidden behind their backs to get where i am now.

btw i don't think art is something you need to learn when you are young in order to get good at it. SO many people don't start developing a creative hobby until they're much, much older, because they suddenly have more time for it, or look for a change in their daily routine. and those people still get really good, sometimes! and sometimes they don't! and that's okay too! as long as they're enjoying it.

now, what you're saying to me sounds slightly conflicting. you say you want to start drawing, but you also say you don't want to waste your time. but if you like drawing, how could it ever be a waste of time? do you want to start drawing because it seems like something you'd have fun with, something you're interested in? or do you want to start drawing just because you want to be good at it? both are totally okay answers btw!! but for the second option i think you're gonna have to accept that it will genuinely take some work.

it took me 29 years to get where i am now. but i am certain people can do what i did in way less time than that if they're dedicated and have the means and energy! you don't need decades to become really good at art. but you do definitely need a few years, i think. however, in order to simply get better than you are now, you don't need long at all! bc every drawing you make contributes to you learning your craft, especially if you try to draw very consciously, or follow tutorials and guides from other artists. see it like a muscle you train at the gym. it's not gonna get bigger all on it's own! sure, normal daily use might keep it active at least, but in order to get the best results and the biggest gains, it takes focus and dedicated practice.

luckily, there are SO many useful guides and roadmaps out there for people that want to get started with art! please make use of them! figure out what you are most interested in getting better at, and focus on that. accept that you can't learn everything at once. accept that your art might not look exactly the way you want it to for a while. that is okay! you are learning. with time, you will be able to find beautiful things in your own work, not only because you simply get better at it, but also because you will feel more aware of the effort you are putting in. that is, if you're interested :) if you don't think this is for you after all, that is totally fair too!

finally i want you to know that handwriting has NOTHING to do with art, my handwriting is absolutely horrible when i'm taking notes or writing casually :'))) also i really appreciate you reaching out! i hope i was able to be of some help in some way.