How do you learn and progress?

I don't know about you, but I see things in galleries all over the place and think"How on earth did they do that, or get that effect?" It is so frustrating sometimes, knowing in your minds eye what you want to acheive, but not knowing how to do it.... UUGGHH!!
Well I decided that I would look more closely at digital magazines, books and the galleries, and either ask the artistshow they do it, or sometimes in the text they tell you how to do it. It is surprising how much info you can pick up. I am trying one new thing as often as possible, a filter, technique, brush, action etc to vary my style and competance.


Calla
Credit: http://rustymermaid-stock.deviantart.com/art/calla-stock-118817593

An example is my last picture - Calla. I was looking at Somerset Digital Studio - it arrived today (yippeee!), and was immediately drawn to an image of a Calla Lily. I suddenly realized that it was by an old friend Barbara Moustava ( Rustymermaid) who I met on my old site Artarazzi Challenge. They were fabulous pics and included some impressive lighting. I thought that this was the actual photograph, but when I read about it, Barbara had used the Render Filter - lighting effects. I had never used this before, and have spent a couple of hours playing with this. Great fun. I then spent another hour just playing with other filters, and ended up with the image in the gallery. I am so pleased with it - it is totally unlike anything I have done before, so I feel that I am progressing......... ( It's unlike Barbara's art too).
How do you learn and progress? I would love to know..

Hugs

Vron xx