First shot at making poni (OC)

[Candle Glow 8]

This is my first time drawing anything pony related, and I guess the... 6th? time I've ever seriously tried drawing something. I want to work at getting better with drawing so any criticism/suggestions would really help.

 

 

 

I started out with a sketch:

 

 

And then I scanned it and started tracing it in Photoshop CS6 with the pen tool, reshaping the proportions as I went:

 

 

And finally colored it, no CM though got too lazy:

 

 

 

I've had very little experience with Photoshop before other than for simple picture editing, and I have a lot of questions. Was there an easier way to make this? Should I have used Illustrator too? Is he too tall?    Any tips would be appreciated.

[~ Indigo Windigo ~ 232]

Actually nice, you're good for a starter. But if you really want me to say what you need in the future or have to fix, well here it goes:

 

He is kinda too tall, his chin is just....weird, that ear looks like a bear/bunny, his body is kind of long, fat, the front hooves arent right, head is too long, the end of the mane and tail is wrong, the beginning of the tail is too big and even more

 

I didn't mean to hurt you, though this is kind of mean but I'm trying to help you improve your art. Not to make you sad or hurt your feelings. Alright, I hope this helps

Edited July 15, 2014 by FaceWham Pwned :3

[pinkiepartypie 779]

Pretty good, for a beginner, I suggest making the body smaller switch the hooves around, nose looks like g2, ear needs a better curve, either than that its great . Maybe you could look up colt bases.

[Candle Glow 8]

Actually nice, you're good for a starter. But if you really want me to say what you need in the future or have to fix, well here it goes:

 

He is kinda too tall, his chin is just....weird, that ear looks like a bear/bunny, his body is kind of long, fat, the front hooves arent right, head is too long, the end of the mane and tail is wrong, the beginning of the tail is too big and even more

 

I didn't mean to hurt you, though this is kind of mean but I'm trying to help you improve your art. Not to make you sad or hurt your feelings. Alright, I hope this helps

 

You're all good, this is exactly the kind of feedback that I need. I can't expect to be TEH BESTEST AND GREATEST ARTIST EVER on my first try yeah? XD I'm gonna try and redraw him on paper a few more times using your suggestions before I put it through PS again, probably post them here. I'm also still wondering if the way I went about going from paper to digital through PS was ludicrous or not.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Candle Glow

[Applejohn 108]

Wow that 's an amazing start, and btw welcome to the forums. i see you joined not long ago

 

The only things i would correct are the chin, which is a little big, and the ears, which are a little bit smaller than they would normally be. The legs are bit small as well but they look nice like this anyway you can make your own style as well if you want , that way no one will be able to say "hey, the legs are small" or "the eyes are supposed to go on the face, not in the legs!" Cause it'll be your very own style (don't put the eyes in the legs tho, it was just an example

[Courageous Thunder Dash 7,824]

Wow! That's amazing. 

 

The only complaint I have is that the chin looks funny. 

[Candle Glow 8]

Wow that 's an amazing start, and btw welcome to the forums. i see you joined not long ago

 

The only things i would correct are the chin, which is a little big, and the ears, which are a little bit smaller than they would normally be. The legs are bit small as well but they look nice like this anyway you can make your own style as well if you want , that way no one will be able to say "hey, the legs are small" or "the eyes are supposed to go on the face, not in the legs!" Cause it'll be your very own style (don't put the eyes in the legs tho, it was just an example

 

Now I have the strong urge to put the eyes on the legs.

Edited July 15, 2014 by Candle Glow

[Your Nightly Spectre 1,061]

I gotta say that I kind of like it, If you are trying to be show accurate then you need a smaller body[less space between front and back legs]. 

[SweetJeans88 408]

bravo! you did well for a start! 

first, i dont think hes too tall (for an adult male) hes your OC--he can be tall fat skinny whatever--were all different as folks too.  the chin? maybe a little too forward. it comes off as a little too strong.  

 

good job on the eyes and getting that nice tapering line along the upper lid area.

 

speaking of lines, use the "simulate pressure" option which is located when you right-click the path youre attempting to stroke in the paths panel....youll see "stroke path..." at the bottom of the menu that appears.  keep in mind it uses whatever brush setting youve go up at the moment--so play around with that.. its useful too for like stitching and dots etc...

probably shoulda used another line in the ear, instead of an oval--i think thats making it look bear-ish?

 

you can message me if you like, id be happy to give you some tips in photoshop--i only have cs5 though but it should be close!

[sunne 659]

It's pretty good for a start, but there are some things that do need work.

 

The first thing I noticed is proportioning. The head and ears are a bit too small for that neck, and the body is too long.

The next I noticed was the chin. I won't touch on that though, as nearly everyone else already has.

The "spikes' in his hair look unnatural and it hangs awkwardly. ...I don't really know how to explain this further without pictures, which I cannot use at the moment. I'll PM you about it sometime later.

You also need to work on the...

...

I'm sorry. I derped and forgot the term. Depth of field, I think it was.

Another that I don't know how to explain without pictures. Pictures that I would have to draw.

 

Hope this constructive criticism helps.

 

Anyhow, while there are things to be worked on, you are off to a good start.

And if you keep working at it, you gradually will get better and better. I know this firsthand.

I've got a couple of examples. Not to show off my art. I just felt like posting examples.

 

 

 

http://sta.sh/018tat3gyqmy

Same OC, made with the exact same program, a year and a month apart.

 

I've also gotten better with based work.

http://mintdrop-ponyartist.deviantart.com/art/Spark-Flame-DTA-entry-383888326

Above is how I used to draw on bases, a year ago.

http://mintdrop-ponyartist.deviantart.com/art/Custom-commission-for-MuiMuikitty24-458496456

And that ^ is how I currently draw on bases.

 

 

 

Edited July 18, 2014 by Mint Drop

[Ari Brooks 32]

Click only if you want to improve.

 

The red lines are done to be close to the show's style. Maybe a bigger head, I tend to draw them horse-like. So yes, you can have your own style, but it has to look nice. The face, the proportions of the body. Also, note one thing – the tail should be more curvy, you draw it like a wet tail.

 

My lines aren't perfect, so feel free to customize them a bit.

 

Hope it helps.

 

[Candle Glow 8]

I'm not really sure if I should be going for show accuracy or not, I kinda just did it one day. It'd probably be easier with all the references and examples though.

 

 

Click only if you want to improve.

The red lines are done to be close to the show's style. Maybe a bigger head, I tend to draw them horse-like. So yes, you can have your own style, but it has to look nice. The face, the proportions of the body. Also, note one thing – the tail should be more curvy, you draw it like a wet tail.

My lines aren't perfect, so feel free to customize them a bit.

Hope it helps.

 

bravo! you did well for a start! 

first, i dont think hes too tall (for an adult male) hes your OC--he can be tall fat skinny whatever--were all different as folks too.  the chin? maybe a little too forward. it comes off as a little too strong.  

 

good job on the eyes and getting that nice tapering line along the upper lid area.

 

speaking of lines, use the "simulate pressure" option which is located when you right-click the path youre attempting to stroke in the paths panel....youll see "stroke path..." at the bottom of the menu that appears.  keep in mind it uses whatever brush setting youve go up at the moment--so play around with that.. its useful too for like stitching and dots etc...

probably shoulda used another line in the ear, instead of an oval--i think thats making it look bear-ish?

 

you can message me if you like, id be happy to give you some tips in photoshop--i only have cs5 though but it should be close!

 

Thanks for the tips guys you've all be really helpful, and I'll definitely mess around with that simulate pressure option. Also idk if youb guys noticed but when I transitioned it from drawing to PS I ditched the... thingies on the hoofs, I'm not sure what they're called. Should I have done that?

Edited July 18, 2014 by Candle Glow

[SweetJeans88 408]

 

 

Should I have done that?

again, personal preference. if you wanted to keep em,  id space the fur lines out a bit though so they kinda resemble big macs.