Welcome to Gaia! ::

What I mean is, like when your drawing your pictures do you use shapes or just draw flat out? Um, do use action lines or not? Do you draw traditionally or use computer aids like a mouse or tablet?

Here goes:

sketch out several versions of the idea

Take three best, get photo reference for them with model and props

narrow down best composition and finish with chosen medium.

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3.14.

Not really. I did draw on an instruction sheet for a project when I was bored.

Me drawing...
To start off, I'm not very good. I'm okay for my age, but not particularly spectacular.
sweatdrop So me drawing, is... kind of spontanious.
Sometimes I get the urge to just up and draw something but I have no clue what I want to do. If I'm stuck, I'll use shapes and lines to help me out, but my best peices were rather quick, spur of the moment and no real sketching or lines/shapes.
My favorite medium is the computer. heart Wacom Tablet heart
Mostly because I can mess up all I want, and hit the delete button or the undo button. Real life isn't that easy. sweatdrop

it depends on what i'm drawing
for chibi style things i use shapes, first i actually just try to get a pose out of it by roughly sketching something out without details or face or anything, and then i start fresh choosing which pose i want to use

for things like portraits of other people, full body and such i try to draw the frame of the person first, lightly. get the motion and lengths and all that anatomy stuff right before adding on to it little by little

this is all on paper with pencil

I do a mix and match of things depending on my mood and level of inspiration.

I generally use photo reference, either stock photos or images I take myself. I don't use shapes, I find that it either comes out blocky or round when I try. I just draw it "flat out" as you say, I guess. And I tend to stick to traditional media, pencil and colored pencil are prefered. :]