Playing with alternate styles again. Thoughts/Preference?

[SFyr 1,982]

So, lately I've been thinking more and more on changing up my style or experimenting with other ways I can do things. I'm hoping to get some solid improvement out of looking around, and maybe changing things up.

 

In the spirit of that, I opened photoshop and tried some free spirited sketching, kinda just having fun with it (and it was a lot of fun!). And I got a few distinct paths going from the last hour or so's playing around.

 

Style A:

 

 

 

Style B:

 

 

 

Style C:

 

 

 

Style D:

 

 

 

Style A is my attempt at something a little angular with a more edgy or dark feel, while keeping the cutesy proportions. Style B is my first attempt at something mixing MLP and more realistic anatomy. It's one of my favorites despite my need to really work on some the details (the face really doesn't sit right with me, for one). It's one of those things that just takes a lot of polish, and this is new territory for me. Style C is a bit of a modification of my current style (mainly), mostly trying for a thinner/furrier appearance. Style D is, well, a joke. 

 

 

Edit -- Style E:

 

 

Edited August 30, 2015 by SFyr

[Kiri 7,289]

Wow, great job here!!! I love the way you did faces in A and my favorite is B! ^^

 

Glamorous pone is glamorous.

[Radiobolt 186]

I personally love C the most. 2 is too realistic for my tastes

[SFyr 1,982]

@, thanks so much!! Maybe one day I'll be able to balance cute and realistic half as well as you can, haha.  Fun style to attempt though.

 

@@Radiobolt, thanks! I'm actually rather fond of C after looking it over more, haha.

 

 

 

 

Also, got another style of sorts, gonna update original post real quick, haha.

[Tao 7,776]

B and C or a mix of both would work well.

[Radiobolt 186]

Omfg I love E but the legs bother me.

I love the fluffiness and muzzle

[SFyr 1,982]

@@Tao, I think they could be interesting mixed, haha. Suppose it'd be a matter of dialing back the attempt at being a little more realistic I suppose. Thanks for the input! 

 

@@Radiobolt, thanks so much, haha. I honestly really like E, but I'll admit, doing the legs like that kinda goes against my instincts.

[Tao 7,776]

Yah no prob!   You do this art thing pretty good! 

[Kiri 7,289]

Pfft, I'm still trying to figure that out! Lol. And thanks!

 

 

 

Now E is really awesome, I like how you added fluff and made the body sleek. But I do agree about the legs, maybe if they were just a tad shorter? Very nice concept, I love it. I think..I think I just switched favorites.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Quartz Aegis

[Lightning Roller 158]

I really like A, C, and E. they all look unique and fantastic, and a mash-up of the three would be interesting as they all have some nice details that would complement each other :3

Edited August 30, 2015 by Lightning Roller

[SFyr 1,982]

@, well you're doing quite well.  And yeah, I'm kinda liking that one quite a bit now...   Seems like a good mix between pretty and fuzzy.

--Shortening the legs just a touch might be a good call. Hm.

 

 

 

 

_{^{D is my favorite to draw though, sadly.}}

@@Lightning Roller, heheh, that'd be an interesting mix, but it might yield something pretty cool. Thanks so much! 

[LordSwinton 759]

D is my favorite and B is my least favourite. Love them all though, so cute. A feels too 'sharp' I don't know how to describe it. C is too fluffy (still adorable) E feels kinda meh

[Odyssey 5,716]

A is my favourite. To me, it is the most perfect of the styles as it's the most easy to recognise. When you look at that style, you first think "Oh hey, it's SFyr's art!" Stuff like that makes your art more appealing and original. The other styles are nice, but they do feel overdone. Although I do like the eye shape of style C.

[Bluenavyangel 366]

Amazing artwork as always!    

I really liked style B and E!  

[Xeltor23 704]

I like the third style the most, but the others are good too.

Edited August 30, 2015 by Xeltor

[SFyr 1,982]

@@Swinton, thanks for the feedback.  And yeah, A is a good bit sharp or angular, haha.   

 

@@Odyssey, that actually makes a good bit of sense, haha. And, I'll agree that A is probably one of the most distinctive options here. Thanks so much! 

 

@@Bluenavyangel and @Xeltor, thank you both so much~ 

 

 

I'm kinda seeing that people's preference is pretty huge.  Debating just playing around with all of 'em.

[Hazy Skies 1,010]

I love the look of this one from "D"
 

It's soooooooo cute ⁿ-ⁿ  I love it

 

"D" might not be a style too fitting for adult ponies, but definitely for the younger fillies and stuff

 

Other than "D" i really like "A".. but I just don't like the ears of it so much.. idk.. they need to be a little sharper or something..

Edited August 30, 2015 by AURAequine

[Nervous Stitch 813]

It's abysmally great to see you experiment with different styles. 

 

I think A stands out very nicely, but I think the line thickness contributes to that. It's obviously more gaunt and dark, and the corresponding thickness and certainty with which your line-art is placed really pulls out the atmosphere you're aiming for.

 

Perhaps in the other styles, B and E particularly, the thickness and brashness of your lines don't really mesh well with the delicacy of the overall image. In B, the mane and tail are lined so delicately that the body looks so bold and brash. You know I fawn over all the art you make, so I hope some what of a critique isn't bad   After all, you know what I draw like. 

 

I enjoy them all. You've progressed very nicely in the art of drawing ponies. We need to get you started on another project, haha. If I recall correctly, there was a comic...

[SFyr 1,982]

@, thanks so much, haha. Despite D being a bit of a joke, honestly they are a bit cute, I'll admit.  :grin2: More fun to draw that way. And yeah, you might have a point on A, haha.

 

@@Nervous Stitch, thanks for the indepth feedback~♥  I think you definitely raise a good point about the line thickness. These were kinda just haphazardly thrown together in my current working habits, which sadly is pretty bold/messy. I think if I expanded on a few (B and E especially), I'd try to slow down and keep to the more delicate line work.  As you basically said, it'd serve them much better.

...And yeah, haha. There once was a bat pony comic WIP, but I think I may drop that in the "to possibly continue later on" bin. 

[Nervous Stitch 813]

@@SFyr, I'd love to see that line work   If anything, I think that would change your style more so, if that makes sense. It would be unique if you never really fell into one solid style. You're a fantastic artist, can't articulate how nice it is to see you grow.

 

A "possibly continue later on" bin, eh? I have one of those too! It sits right by my desk and has a plastic bag from some random store in it. 

[SFyr 1,982]

@@Nervous Stitch, oh, changing up the line art style would be huge in itself, haha. I'm just looking for anatomy that'd be different enough on its own, and from there figuring out what is the best compliment.  And you're totally right that that would be a thinner/more detailed line art style in some of those cases.

 

Heheh, doesn't a few of your own character plushies sit in that same bin too?  :grin2: