We all have our loves and talents and we all only have so much time in the day to do these things. Graphite sketches, Ink and Oil painting are things that I did growing up and loved which is what led me to being a designer. I miss doing these but I am pretty sure my skills have atrophied from non use. I will have to find some pics of my Oil paintings. I sold and gave away many and in some cases never thought to take a photo first.
When I was about 11 my mom had a full set of Time Life books on the masters of art. I would look through these every day and study Degas, Brugel, Rubens, Sargent, Delacroix, Michelagelo and Rembrandt among many others. Rubens, Delacroix and Michelangelo were my favorites and I would try to draw their famous works. I used to stay up till 2 or 3 in the morning working on a sketch in my teens and loved it.
My later work such as the horses I sketched on plate finish Bristol board which has a polished surface. It brings out a light in the piece such as in the eyes but of course that comes with a dark side in that you can't ever make a mistake. Any eraser used on the paper brings up the tooth in the paper and any graphite put down after that will show the repair. You have one shot at it.