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It's 1:30 in the afternoon and I'm still only in black sweatpants and a bra. It's one of those "screw the world" days

This is pretty, I like her color scheme!

In that case, I think you're well on your way to doing so!

Actually yeah, even super representational (realistic, accurate) paintings/drawings are abstractions. Even if you've got a model or something infront of you and you're trrying to copy it exactly, using all the fancy methods of measurements to get all the proportions, angles, etc. correct...it's still abstraction. Because none of the lines you put down actually exist, you have to make them up and imagine that it stands for a shift in plane/an edge. Even hyperrealistic paintings are abstractions because, at the very core, they are trying to pass off a two-dimensional surface for something that it's not. Sorry for jumping in and pulling this off-topic! I totally see the Van Gogh-iness to your painting, too

High school was...alright for me. I didn't necessarily get picked on or bullied (to my face, at least) but I was awkward and shy and full of anxiety, so I only had a very small group of friends, who we're rarely ever in my classes. I think most of my isolation was self inflicted, though. My classmates were generally nice and polite. Some were assholes, yeah, but I never had any problems with any of them. But I was just so full of anxiety that I couldn't really make many friends - I was scared to approach acquaintances in class or something cause I knew (or believed) that they had better, more interesting people to talk to, and that I was completely dispensable. I hated that feeling, so much, of being dispensable, but that's what I believed I was...That made it hard to get close to anyone, which in turn made people think I wasn't interested in being friends with them, but in reality I wanted that so bad but I was just too scared...yeah, vicious cycle. I feel awkward and comfortable just thinking about high school, lol. That was definitely the worst thing about high school, but I'm able to take a step back now and realize that all that was self-inflicted. I can't blame any of my classmates for how I was basically ignored for all those years, because that was pretty much all on me. Despite that awkwardness, I left high school with a really small but super solid group of friends, and we all make a point to hang out together as much as humanely possible whenever we're all in town. Sure, there are more friends I made in high school that I really haven't seen or spoken to since, but that's fine. People just kinda drift apart, it's just the way of things sometimes The classes were, as a whole...fine. My stupid brain could not grasp any sciences and I struggled with math, but I really enjoyed English, history, Spanish and obviously art. I even took AP classes for all those. Some teachers were totally disinterested in teaching, yeah, but there were a couple that were life changers. Particularly a husband/wife duo I had senior year - he taught AP Gov, she taught AP Lit. And they both pushed us so hard, but it was incredible how much I learned from them - and not just about government or Literature. High school is also where I really started digging deep into my interest in art, and where i made the decision that that's what I would pursue with my life. That was a tough decision, because I know that that's a super risky choice, and I was very much aware of the starving artist stereotype...but I had some great art teachers that encouraged me and helped me decide it was worth it. I actually really miss having more textbook-y, liberal arts classes...probably the one thing I really miss from high school. College is great, and here I don't have to struggle through sciences or math, but it's an art school. There aren't any liberal arts classes that don't revolve around art. Shoot, I like art, but I do want to learn about the rest of the world too, once in awhile I was so studious and well-read in high school, and I feel like I've just dropped all that since coming to art school. Oh, another thing I miss about high school...classes were only an hour each. Sure, that hour seems to drag on when that's all you have, but heck. Now, most of my classes are 6 hours each. I would kill to have one hour lectures back, haha. But yeah, I would definitely not say the high school years were the best years of my life. College is so much more awesome High school was definitely better than middle school, which was even more awkward than high school (which doesn't even sound possible, but...that was where my "emo" phase fell, haha.) But I found the improvements really started happening once I stopped blaming the people around me for my problem and acknowledged that I created them myself. That's what's made college so much better.

This is awesome, I'm totally digging the mood! I love how you handled the blues on the roof, and how the building's slightly askew.

It's totally fine to take a break from drawing, sometimes artists just fall in a rut. I've actually noticed that when this happens, more often than not it's not the skill level that's changed, but actually the artist's "eye". Maybe your ability to analyze your art and see the flaws in it got sharper, and you didn't even notice it. There is nothing at all wrong with stepping away for a while - if drawing is something that you do for fun as a hobby, then it shouldn't be giving you so much stress. You'll probably come back to it a few months or whatever from now, and find that you are not only as good as you used to be, but maybe even a little better Just take a deep breath, give yourself some space and time, and it will come back to you.

Bumping this back to post what was like, my fifth attempt at coloring this on the computer...And I still don't like it I can be satisfied with Anna, but for some reason I can't figure out how to shade Elsa without looking...weird. But I have brought this back to the *actual* drawing board - redrawing the two on the same sheet, but instead of having the final be done digitally this time, I'll just shade it in graphite like I used to. Maybe falling back to my old techniques will make me feel more competent, haha. This time I've decided to listen to reason and give Elsa a horn I just really like the look of that crazy, wild, flowy forelock without a big, straight horn sticking out the base of it. But it doesn't make sense for her to be an earth pony...I just didn't wanna let that one go :'D So here's that. No idea why it's sideways!

Awesome job, it's a great portrait You've developed a pretty strong command of graphite!

With a good friend of mine at 8 Trying to contain my badminton prowess at 14 And showing off my trick-or-treat loot...at 20

After several failed coloring attempts (I don't know why this one's kicking my ass so much) I've given up and just combined the two into one image. I'm still determined to color it, though... Haha, if only there was a version where they are ponies :'D I got the Anna doll sitting on my desk, and one thing I noticed on her outfit is that the tulip is printed several times on it. The flower makes me think of spring/sunshine, which I feel is very Anna - how she craves love from others, like how a flower craves nourishment from the sun. My boyfriend also said that the tulip was actually considered super valuable in that part of the world at that time, but I'm not sure how true that is so don't put much stock in that. Generally though, I saw the tulip on her dress and thought it was fitting enough I did consider making Elsa a unicorn, but for some reason I just like the dramatic look of her bangs too much and I feel like a horn right at the base of it would take away from the drama. Mostly though, I wanted them to be the same type of pony. It totally makes sense for her to be a unicorn (heck, I was even considering alicorn) but I just went with simple earth pony cause I liked the way it looked I actually didn't think about her being just a pegasus, either! It would kinda make sense for her to be any of the ones I didn't make her, haha.

I already drew them as people, so now I figure the next stage of my obsession is to ponify them... Anna and Elsa as ponies I may color them later. I initially didn't like making a new topic for every piece I do...but now I figure I do these infrequently enough for each drawing to have its own space

Taking a break from a super intense charcoal drawing, lol.

I worked at a small Toys' r Us inside a miserable underground mall/train station one holiday season, and if there wasn't anything for me to do the would have me play with a remote control car or something near the front of the store to draw people in. So many people thought I was there to babysit their little monsters. Spoiled little brats broke too many cars! I look younger than I am too, so I would also get people asking me if I was old enough to work there. It's like...nooo, I am not...and I completely lied about it when I applied for this job..but I will candidly tell you, oh random customer, that I am indeed too young to be working here!

I'd say so, Stormwing. You kinda look like you could be a mysteriously handsome love interest from an old black and white film. Don't ask me why, haha.

Plenty of good looking bronies in here!

Drew the pic I forgot to clean the background up though.

Awesome, I think I'll get into thus too! I hadn't drawn ponies since the summer so it's great to have an excuse to get some practice in.

I have two jade bracelets on my left wrist that I can't take off (they can go on, but can't come off - the thumb bones make sure of that!) and if I want them not to jingle and clank together I wear a glove, tucking it underneath the top bracelet. I lose my glove often. So sometimes I walk around with my hand in a sock. I only thought to post this because I am currently typing with my hand in a sock.

Oh, wow. If people want to use the pony creator, I say let them - more power to them. It's a tool that's easily accessible for everyone, and I see no problem with people that have no interest in drawing using it because they want a picture of their OC. Some people honestly don't want to draw, or really don't think they can, and that is fine. Drawing is not for everyone. I say this as someone who is majoring in art, with my focus on drawing and painting. It is not for everyone. Sometimes people just want to see their character in any visual form, and aren't interested in learning how to create a piece of art. There is nothing wrong with that! The pony creator is a tool that accomplishes just that - it creates a visual representation of a pony that the user can customize close to their heart's content.

I'm a new Christian. I wasn't raised with any sort of religion or spirituality, it just wasn't a part of my life. I realize it's something I've always been missing.

It'd be cool if this started back up again, it sounds like a really neat idea.