I'm back :)

Glad you got that out. Nothing I'm going to say will be new to you I'm sure but:

1. Grading art is bullshit. Perhaps your teachers meant well, perhaps not. In any case though, how in the world can you grade any form of art when it's SUCH an individualistic form of expression?

2. Getting anything artistic trapped in your head sucks. After a long enough time, logic, past experiences, echos of whatever crap your teachers spewed, whatever, will start to creep in and diminish that original creative spark to a dull glow. One perhaps not strong enough to fully express what you originally saw in your head. That sucks. Get it out, as soon as possible.

3. Confidence. This is hard when it comes to art, whether it be writing, painting, etc. Creativity, I believe, has no need for confidence. It alone, by itself, just "sees" and wants to create outwardly. The only thing standing in the way then between what's in your imagination and the finished product, would be the tools and knowhow to bring it to life. Perhaps simply compete with yourself and take note of what areas, if any, you need to improve upon. Sharpen those tools as a means to transfer the imagery in your head to canvas until YOU KNOW you've improved. That way, when listening to criticism from the voices in your head or from whomever right now, you yourself can clearly SEE the difference in your work. The logical side of your brain will have no choice then but to take note as well and move on.