ways to get into improving my art skills for free??

i would say just watch a lot of videos on artists and how they draw. or look at a bunch of media n take inspiration from them.

if you want to go for a more cartoony style then you should take inspo from cartoons, animes, you've watched or are going to watch. if you want to go for a more realistic style then study pictures of people, like stock photos or models (you can find a lot of reference pics on pinterest). 

for me i just watched a SHITLOAD of shows, cartoons, movies, games, etc n took inspo from that LMAO i think referencing is a good way to develop your own style bc you can have something to look back on, but then change what you think will fit your art more. 

sorry if this was confusing or all over the place,, basically jus see how other artists draw, then shape how you want your drawing to look (whether that's more cartoony, realistic, semi realistic, etc)

just practice a shite ton.

 There are plently of resources online if you're looking to brush up on a particular skill (like, learning to draw normal looking hands or something), but above all, practical experience is the key to improvement. Draw when you aren't supposed to. Take the sketchbook out whenever you find the chance, fck work, do drawing. Eventually you'll begin to develop your own style, and eventually, you won't have to use references. (p.s - having not discovered your art style yet, you may find yourself feeling discouraged when you don't get the desired results, you know, when your piece doesn't look as much like the reference as you'd wanted. Remember, it takes time. That artist who you admire on pinterest (or whatever) has felt that exact way. We all have! Even those of us who've been doing it since we were born, the gifted, the Van Goghs, all have gone through something of a metamorphosis when it comes to art. That being said, you don't have to set yourself to a certain standard in regards to your creative work (that goes for all genres of art). Just have fun, don't let it become a chore.)