Well, that's normal, don't worry. Most artists at the beginning of their art path draw amazing stuff when looking at a reference, but draw like a 3-years-old child when trying to draw from imagination. ... But then they build something called a “visual library” and practice drawing in a different way.

Do artists paint from imagination?

Many great artists have perfected the art of painting life. Meanwhile, painting from imagination is greatly dependent on memory. It means creating something from scratch, based on what you visualize in your mind. Additionally, painting from imagination would require the artist to have very sharp observational skills.

Is Drawing from Imagination good?

Drawing from imagination seems to be a higher skill than simply re-creating reality. After all, this is a real creation—you're bringing to life something no one's ever seen before! All these amazing creatures and fantastic stories in your mind are only waiting for you to set them free.