I am aware this is uncolored and perhaps not the best contest entry in the world, but this was (in my opinion) the best representation of how my art has grown in a year.
Plus I just did a coloring comparison of a year and I don't really have any other examples to use that I like.
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From a scale of 1-10, how have you improved in quality/skill? Why?
I'm going to say 1 is no improvement and 10 is, like... so much improvement I do not seem to be the same person.
I'd say perhaps a seven, or maybe seven point five. My knowledge of anatomy has skyrocketed (still nowhere near perfect) so I could make the pose seem more real and the body less skinny and crazy-impossible. Branching off of anatomy, proportions are more accurate. I know that certain body parts can't be seen in certain angles, I know that certain facial features go in specific spots apart from each other... Noses aren't tiny little specks like anime, and eyes aren't super shiny kawaii desu. I tried to move away from super extreme animu style to a more realistic style of my own.

How has your understanding of art techniques and such developed?
I've started to use guidelines much, much more than I did a year ago. Before I never had an idea of what I was going to draw or how proportions would line up. I still don't always have a set idea of what will happen when I take a pencil to paper, but I do use guidelines to get an ideal shape first.
I do use different poses and such to practice anatomy, and I try for the occasional mix up of perspective--at least way more than I did a year ago.
I'd go into colors and the like, but this is a pencil sketch and I don't feel like I need to cover that now. (If I should I'll do it in the comments...? /useless)

What have you learned?
Nobody's perfect, but some people are hella close. And I'm not one of them. And I'm okay with that. I know that everyone has their own style and though my own style may be ever influenced and changing, there is an underlying "me" in my art.
Or that's what I hope because otherwise I feel like a loser. lol
I've learned that seeing other people's art can make me insanely envious, and that there is always something to be learning.

What inspired you to improve?
Seeing all the BA art out there! There are so many styles that I'd love to take little snippets of and turn it into my style. Which has never happened... I've usually just liked something, tried to do something similar to it, and then it's morphed into a weirdo thing that is then "mine."
Plus when I compared my art to others, I'd feel so... underrated. Like my art was beneath that. I aspired to hopefully be as good as them--to get complements on my art! I think a lot of what I'm looking for is for people to respect my art and maybe envy a little because it'd boost my low ego but no jk don't fffff.
(Also see the little bit about TegakiE below.)

Any tips for those wishing to improve themselves?
Whoever said, "Practice makes perfect," was both an idiot and a smart person. There is no "perfect" and if you practice wrong, then you're never going to get what you want. But experimenting is the way to go. You see a style you like? Try it out! Take little pieces of styles and mix it together--try to make something "you". I don't know if I really have a "me" style yet, but I hope to get there someday.
But really, doodle whenever you can. I have a TegakiE account which is probably where so much of my practicing has been this past year. If I didn't have that account I might not have been so inspired to continue. Interacting with all the different artists there and seeing their art really opened my eyes.
And get around, yo. See everything that's out there! Try some anatomy books or websites. Inspiration comes from all kinds of crazy places--just in January of this year I went to Universal Studios on a band trip and saw some giant drawings on the new roller coaster. That style was just so cool that I couldn't wait to try some more realistic art myself.
And also, put your art out there. Ask for opinions. Okay, I don't do this all of the time because sometimes I'm afraid of what'll happen, haha. But I also see what critiques other people get and try to apply it to myself.
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LOL
This is making me feel like I'm 'holier-than-thou' or something. I am not. I am fifteen. I have a long ways to go. But I like art, it's fun to do. It may not be something I'll turn into a career my mom would shank me, but it'll be a secret hobby. ; )

Whoohoo contest entry. One of the few I've ever done and actually remembered to do! Which is because as I was about to submit this a few days ago I saw Jewel had submitted this challenge. She is psychic.

Drawing on the left done last summer on July 4th. This year, the left, was done on August 1st. Same pose on purpose, just to test my improvement.

And now for my seducing segment...(?!)
Want to register your number in my PokeNav?
You must be a Charmander because you're getting me hot.
Do you have a Ditto in your pocket because I can see myself in your pants.
THE END.

Also dedicating it to jeweloflife even if I don't have to because I love this contest idea. : )