NEWCOMER! (Boy... I think you're getting sick of that intro, huh?)

[megaMasquerain]

Hey, welcome!

Learning from the forums is a very good idea - I would suggest taking a crack at a custom sprite in a style you're comfortable with (might be your own or that of a game/artist) and posting it in the spriting forum for critique. Just leave your ego at the door and be open to suggestions - people here know what they're doing (at least most of them do).

Good luck!