He's right, Balls01. I know you want to be right here, but before you get all defensive just try it. Go on, you'll find it worthwhile. Art classes (For sketching and drawing) have helped loads in my pixel art, and it's really just as fun and actually finishing something is vastly more satisfying on paper (Or on canvas) than in pixels. I'm not trying to diss pixels, otherwise I'd be dead here. Just try what 32 suggested.
And being more creative with this would be good, since right now it's not interesting. Do something crazy, like use only default MSPaint colors, or make an animation where the kid turns super-evil and messes stuff up. If this is only kind of challenging, do something stupid insane and you'll learn far more than otherwise. Unless you don't want to learn.
Anyway, you have a lot of potential and I look forward to seeing more from you. Happy pixels!
Toodles!
Shrike
Aahh, shoot. You beat me to it. Well, yeah. Do something without using a refrence, and make it something hard, like trying to make a realistic human face. Those can be bitches to do. Graffiti isn't really interesting (AT least for me) or challenging, but you do your thing.