Art education is a contentious topic, with many people holding very strong opinions which depend on who their favorite artists are, what kind of art they consider good or great, what they consider art to be, and their own knowledge of art history and art education in general.

For hundreds of years, artists were educated in the guild or apprenticeship system, which then transitioned to the French Academy system, and finally away from that to almost anything goes at the turn of the 20th Century when the Academy system was largely abandoned.

This history can be reviewed in a series of wonderful talks[1][2] by Micah Christiansen, whose own specialty as an art historian is in the training of artists in the 19th Century. I can't recommend his talks enough. Virtually all of his talks range from fascinating to spectacular.

The Academy system has been undergoing somewhat of a renaissance in recent decades, with the rising popularity of "ateliers", which teach students how to create representational art using traditional methods. If your goal is to make "realistic" representational art, then going through a good atelier program would be a reliable way to reach that goal.

Jeff Watts has given some informative talks[3] about learning with this method, and Jennifer Marie Keller has documented her own journey learning through an atelier system here: [4]. The most impressive and inspiring videos I've seen of the results that can be achieved by undertaking such an education has been "Jonathan Hardesty's 9 Year Journey From Novice to Master"[5]

Another resource I can heartily recommend is the WetCanvas forum[6], where there is endless amounts of information on art making of all sorts.

From the artists you name in your post, it sounds like you're mostly interested in making representational art, but for other readers who are interested in non-representational or abstract art, experimentation is key, and (though this is a controversial opinion) one does not necessarily need a foundation in drawing, composition, or color to create satisfying work -- though often such a foundation or at least some experience with creating traditional art could help with gaining confidence to experiment -- but the psychology behind art making, though critically important, is beyond the scope of this post.

I'd also encourage you to regularly go to museums, as they can be a great source of inspiration. Also see if you can personally get to know some artists in real life, as they can be inspiring and can help you find your own way. Taking some classes will also be very helpful, even if you don't go in to an atelier program.

There are lots of resources online, and lots of books on making art, but most tend to be unstructured and unless you're exceptionally disciplined and determined, it will be difficult to get far if you're completely on your own. Being part of some sort of artistic community can really help you stay motivated and take your art to the next level.

Good luck!

[1] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45fkkNdGKOw

[2] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQamD9UiNos

[3] - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KX0MrnzBJ8M

[4] - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuS3tkDFLe5PoeA7qpi6wzA/vid...

[5] - https://vimeo.com/29510470

[6] - http://www.wetcanvas.com/