There are classes you can take for this. For example, I haven't done it myself, but there is an Udemy class for 2D art.

You should start from the basics my friend :)

Art Fundamentals: Foundations of Painting and Drawing Course | Udemy

This particular Lecturer may advance you from 0 to >= 0 ...

No promises though ;)

I personally decided to learn pixel art first and almost instantly decided it was my style due to the fact that you dont need to develop your drawing hand through pencil/paper interaction. With pixel art, mouse and keyboard rule, combined with a good understanding of shape and form... 

Good luck with your art journey!

-If you just jump in pants of other creator and learn his style, you will lose your. So only after you draw a few thousands of pictures you are actually in state to analyze other humans arts to see differences. Now, according to your first post it`s practically unknown for us what you really want, without example is hard to say anything. If you are in fear that someone will steal your idea, you are totally right, it is possible. Also most important thing, you have to form your own base of textures, to do that just draw one simple line, than draw other 100 in row, copy that over original and scroll to left and do so until you are happy with result. Make 1 hundred for start, and combine them by using transparency. That`s your starting texture base for your drawings.
I think you have to draw at least 3 years just to be amateur rank. But any object combined with proper texture pack, and effect like bevel and shadow will drop you to your own knees, with words ..is it really my work.
There is also a danger here, that after that you don`t want to share miracles with others and keeps all your works under heavy encryption. Yes, Hmmm ..

Maybe 3 years is not neccessary. It can be faster. You should pick a motive (the thing(s) that you like to draw) and test various drawing techniques to see what you have the most talent for already (small pixel-art, comic/cartoon, pencil drawings, brush painting, computer drawing with mouse, etc.) That's just a start, but a good fundament because you have then fun (the motive you wanna paint) and basic talent.

And don't give up! :)

Edit: And Commander mentioned it would be useful to know your aim and situation. Do you have computer games in mind? Do you have drawing experience? Are you young? That'S important because young people learn faster! (Uhmm, don't tell your age nontheless....)

Greetings

Peter

Can someone point me towards resources a beginner at 2D art can leverage?

No. There's a lot of resources out there. No one could point you to the one specific to your needs. You have to try some for yourself, see what works for you and what doesn't. (I like Marc Brunet's channel on YouTube, but should every one learn from him? Probably not... although for drawing VN it wouldn't be a bad idea I guess...)

Maybe come back when you've tried some, so you can explain what you liked / dind't liked from such resources, and we can try to guide you towards more fitting resources. Otherwise, it's just asking for a massive name dropping that you'll have a hard time to filter.

I do have a visual style in mind but no technical skills to materialize them. Premade and paid assets won't exactly work for this project due to the visual style I have in mind being a little unconventional.

If you're not an established artist already, I'll suggest you to drop any style-specific expectation. This is not granted that you will be able to draw what you have in mind. First drawings will be extremely far from your expectations, and it may break your motivation, as well as putting the game you want to create on a hiatus.

Maybe with time your mind will adapt to your own abilities, but for the years I have been drawing, I still have almost no idea how a drawing will come out before I finish it...

Don(t take my comment wrong, I don't want to discourage you from getting into 2D arts, but doing so in order to fit a very specific game idea that you cannot find any available artist being able to pull off will set you on the wrong track IMO.

I'd suggest you get into drawing 2D art for fun, maybe share some here or on a social network. While you might develop your VN with the aid of established artists, so it'll be one less potential blocker to a project of this envergure.

Maybe you might even use your own drawings to communicate your ideas to contracted artists at some point, but that's the maximum I'd suggest you to hope for at the moment. (Again, I'm just trying to avoid you getting frustrated)

Best of luck,
raaaahman