I have a different "past" in the art field. When I was at school I was not interested in arts, but I love literature (even if my favorite field was mathematics) and my teacher invited me to write my thoughts and my short novels or everything in my mind every day, so I usually collected many journals full of notes. Just about 5 years ago I started my "adventure" in the field of art, when I met the man that today is my husband. He's an artist from more than 20 years and he teached me art because he thought I had some not expressed skills. It was like to discover a new world for me. I started to fill my journals with sketches , not just words and slowly I saw I was improving my skills. Sure, it's just a little part of my "learning way" and I totally agree with you: there's no short cut! For example, I learned so much meeting other artists, talking with them, watching their works and observing them at work. I love to try new tecniques and materials too and I think it's also another great way to learn, but yes, thinking also about the experiences of my hubby and watching them every day, to be an artist means to have a life-long learning and this is a thing that I like so much ;)