Every time I start a new project, I end up not being able to control what I want to control. I can't apply the procedural textures the way I want to, I can't rotate the particles correctly, I can't make the topology flow how I want it to, etc. As a result, most of my time is spent on Discord asking for help, and I barely get anything done. Example: I tried to make a mountain. It looked like this:
I am not satisfied with the rock color. It's always either too gray or too blue. In the reference, I see a mix between multiple colors. However, trying to use a colorramp either blurs them together and makes a messy brown, or it make hard, rigid lines that have too much contrast.
I can't get anything to do what I want it to do. Every time I do anything other than follow a tutorial, the result is a failure. I don't mean the kind of failure that comes from a lack of experience; I mean the kind of failure that has me looking at reference images and having no clue how I am supposed to recreate it. Everything in the real world is more complex than "noise to filter between two materials and a bump map".
How can I solve this problem and start learning better?
Furthermore, that mountain took me several hours. Adding an object and a few nodes should take 15 minutes or so, right?
You definitely need to take a break if you can't go on. Try to do something else besides Blender like traditional drawing or digital painting. I'm sure these things will give you some ideas.
I think you are being a bit hard on yourself. Mastering blender takes years and even then there is still more to learn.
My advice would be to focus on what interests you to start with. For example, if you like hard surface modelling start with that. Watch tutorials on how to make something simple and how to texture it. Then have a go at doing it yourself. Then watch another tutorial making something else then have a go at that and so on. Whatever topic you like, start simple and move on from there. Go into it knowing it isn't going to be great but one day it will be. Your art may not be the best for now but it WILL get better and improve if you put in the time.
Also, in regards to your comment about time, no when you are learning, things take a long time. Im currently learning rigging after doing a course on here. What took the instructor 15 minutes took me hours and it still isn't right. You have to realise though there is years of experience and thousands of hours practice between us though!
You will get there! Don't give up!
Hey Will!
There is only one answer to this question!
Practise, practise, practise.
Your mountain looks good, but your issue with too blue or too grey, try playing with the color ramp interpolation and bringing the sliders closer. Its all about trial and error, until you stumble upon the result.
With practise and time the understanding of how to achieve the result you want will become easier.