New and Seeking Critique.

[Pocket-Carwash]

I'll be quite honest... I am nervous.

I currently am okay with my art, but I know it could be so much better. Coming a long way from drawing nothing but 'chibis' and other anime cliches I have tried to drag myself far away from that and into something... my own.
I was always told by my family, friends, and random peers that I was a great artist. I figured that I was so great I didn't need to get better.
I believed them all until I started career tech school for two blocks my 10th grade year. My professor told me I was terrible. At first I was angry and hurt, but looking back he was what started my thirst for improvement.
From that time until now I have been improving simply by observing people, but after a while I began to search for someone to teach me. I've always learned better with a second person.
Sadly, my professor is more interested in my Auto CAD work than my art. I can't trust my friends or family to give me critique because they're afraid to hurt my feelings.
I need critique, though. I love to draw, but I need to get better just because I know I can. I hope I can receive what I need here.

I am sorry for that. I felt the need to say something along with this. I ramble. Forgive me if that irked anyone.
Anyhow, here is some of my drawings. All of which were drawn this year.
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Newest one and currently my favorite. Also, a WIP because I'm afraid to ruin the sketch. v

A redo of a picture from mid-2011. v

A redo of a picture from early 2011. v

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Thank you for your time.

[TinyBird]

Newest one and currently my favorite. Also, a WIP because I'm afraid to ruin the sketch.

Don't be. I mean you can always draw another one, or use a light table (or a window/TV/whatever MacGyverism you manage to pull) to sketch out the things that work from the old pic.

Forgive me if that irked anyone

Well the only thing that irked me was that über tiny font *squints like hell*

Anyway, start with Loomis: http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=152626 You can find couple of them as re-published books and other free from Google.
Here's some good advice: http://conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=26636
And start drawing more from real life. Start with simple objects that you have in your room, go out and draw things you see there, ask family and friends to pose for you, and if nothing else search good photos to use a ref, here's one good site: http://artsyposes.com/ Attend a life drawing class if possible, and read them Loomis books.

EDIT: Also starting a sketchbook thread and following others is recommended: http://conceptart.org/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=41

[arenhaus]

Sketches are supposed to be cheap and expendable. So don't get too attached; develop an attitude of "I can always do another one". As you gain more confidence in your skill, what counts a lucky stroke in sketch now, that you cannot repeat and are afraid to ruin, will become routine. So work on gaining this level of confidence where you know why a given line fits or does not fit, and how to make the line that fits intentionally.

The rest was said by TinyBird. Start with learning the basics like perspective and structural drawing. You cannot draw a good human figure before you can draw a good box.