so i'm in this online course that's all year, and every week you get an art lesson from a different teacher.
what I noticed is that some really create more realistic, elaborate portraits and recognizable things and some stay more abstract.
the reaction to that is mixed, it seems that some always draw/paint as realistic as they can, because they think that's better somehow. so the lessons where there is more abstract or less 3D or what have you art, get underappreciated.
I just followed (what I thought was) a very simple lesson and now I'm awed by the layers of watercolor and the calligraphy in it.