It may be tangential to your point, but something else about the "you're so talented" comment that rubs the wrong way is that it ignores the reality that you've worked hard to get to that level of skill, and for someone to reduce it to a binary "you can do this and I can't" can feel a little insulting. But it's also worth noting that praise from the "you're so talented" types is probably not the recognition or criticism you're looking for, since they are not familiar enough with the art form to appreciate the work you've put in.

Enjoyed reading your post, makes me want to spend some time with my sketchbook :) thanks for sharing!

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You're quite spot on as to what I was trying to put into words with the "talent" comments. But indeed, I'll need to put those comments to one side, since I can seek constructive comments and opinions from my friends who are much more familiar with the techniques and principles at work. I suppose I can't recognise the nuances and discipline people put into crocheting or dog agility training, leaving me at a loss for constructive comments to make when they tell about their progress, creating much the same experience back. We all want to be nice and encouraging to one another, in the end.