First Attempt EVER - Could Use An Honest Opinion

[. eris . 1,661]

Hello hello hello! 

 

Its your friendly neighborhood stalker once more, and this time she had drawn ORIGINAL ART. Wow! Isn't that completely terrifying? Doesn't that just make you want to run away and hide, or perhaps take shelter in a specially created basement that shields your eyes against bad art?

 

Well, too bad! You're gonna sit down and tell me if I'm crap or not!

 

In all seriousness, this was drawn with no tutorials, no references, just a lot of ball-joints and remembering how they looked from the show. With that in mind, I would really like to know whether these sketches are any good. I hope to keep drawing (its scientifically proven that if you do something 10,000 times, you'll become an expert at it), so expect to see more of these. 

 

With that said: ponies.

 

[Harmonic Revelations 8,837]

Good work, the lines are a bit rough and uneven but the proportions are almost perfect! Good job overall, if you practice with smoother, thinner lines, you'll be perfect.

[iLegovideo 152]

Well, if anything, it means my first attempt is crap. Good work, though! Try getting proportions correct. You know it will look right when you see it.

[Geminii 71]

When I first saw these, I thought you had watched the same tutorial I did. Nice work! You're going to be great at drawing ponies!

[. eris . 1,661]

@Harmonic Revelations, thanks! The proportions I'm not sure about entirely, although I keep hearing, "Ponies are so easily to draw! They're all circles!" And I drawing them going, Bull...lookit all these straight lines I'm having trouble with! Dx 

 

@iLegovideo, I'm sure that isn't true. ^^ And I'm basically going by the length of 1 head x 3 = height, but my main problem is how everything connects - ears, neck, joints, etc. X___X

 

@Geminii, LOL! I probably should look at some tutorials. The only things I know are from what people chatter about on deviantart. ^^ Do you have any to recommend?

[Geminii 71]

 

_{https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=302KXlpagA0}

 

This is the tutorial I found this morning. Made a few attempts, each showing improvement over the last. Going to look up more through the creative resources forum.

[Thrashy 2,800]

*reading post* Oh, come now, Earlie, I'm sure it doesn't look like total shit. After all, you seem to have a good eye fo--

 

*sees pic*

 

...

 

 

 

 

...I kid, of course. For your first attempt EVER, you've actually got the feel for the proportions down pretty solidly. At this point my only advice would be to make the head a little rounder and perhaps even a bit larger (the forehead should protrude a bit further than it does here). The muzzle should probably be a bit more "perky" as well...if that makes any sense.

 

Overall, good work, Miss. If this is indeed your first EVER dive into the world of drawing ponies, then I have high hopes for you.

[Nightmare Night 151]

I think you did a wonderful job for a first attempt. its much better than anything I could ever achieve. keep up the good work

[LittleRawr 679]

It's pretty good for your first attempt, my first try was far worse xD

 

Look up tutorials on pony anatomy, so that you can get a feel of how to draw them, not awkwardly. You can also try using references. If you keep on drawing, you won't have need for them soon enough. :3

[HeartFeltPuma23 180]

It looks good for a first attempt,the proportions are good and the style looks similar to the one used in the show,overall is REALLY good,especially the whale XD 

[. eris . 1,661]

HOMYGOSH, I am indelibly and incredibly and disproportionately proud of my next attempt. Its not perfect by any means, but thanks to tutorials and studying more pony shapes, I have something I'm proud to call a pony, and a pony drawn by me, no less! This is Earl Grey, my sort-of ponysona:

 

 

And here she is, digitally colored:

 

Edited August 29, 2013 by Miss Earl Grey

[Thrashy 2,800]

…And lo, the second attempt is even more outstanding. Though the digital lineart does look a bit messy. Not that I claim to be some kind of master authority on the subject, but I'm about to cover true-to-the-show vectoring in a video tutorial I'm planning to share with y'alls this weekend. Be sure to give it a looksee, won't ya?

[Zygen 6,066]

Your first attempt? And it's this well done?

 

I'd say you did a awesome job for your first attempts, makes my first attempt look like a snake drew it.

 

The lines are a bit thick, but overall very well proportioned sketches. Good job keep it up!

[GhostPony750 959]

Wow, that's great!

It usually takes me hours to do a drawing, because I can't stop doing mistakes, but I end up with something good lol.

 

You are probably doing this better and faster than me. "Going back to my guitar"

[. eris . 1,661]

Thanks everyone for weighing in on my artwork, its inspired me to keep drawing! ^^ I'm working on a Spitfire portrait at the moment, and so far I'm liking how its looking. xD

 

, I will most definitely check that out. And if you use something other than GIMP or Paint Tool Sai, I will cry. Because I don't have a tablet and GIMP can't manipulate pen pressure, so its incredibly hard for me to get the pointy liney bits like in the show. 

[FruitRiver 355]

Actually its 10,000,00 HOURS. But you can still be an expert at anything ;D

(Although some people are faster learners, so I don't know if I believe this or not.)

Very good for a first try! Much better then my first try. The first ones are a little off looking, but Earl Grey looks great! You are improving a lot.

[Thrashy 2,800]

, I will most definitely check that out. And if you use something other than GIMP or Paint Tool Sai, I will cry. Because I don't have a tablet and GIMP can't manipulate pen pressure, so its incredibly hard for me to get the pointy liney bits like in the show. 

 

Then your tears shall be spared, my friend; I use GIMP for pretty much everything, and it's the program I'm planning on covering in the tutorial. There are tricks I use to emulating those pointy liney, timey wimey bits, and they shall be divulged - just for you.

 

...Well, alright, not just for you. It was Thunderchild who first inquired on my process and inspired me to make a tutorial in the first place, but regardless, the vid shall be shared forum-wide for anypony and everypony who actually wants to try my back-assward techniques. XD

[PeachiePaws 36]

I wish my first sketches looked like that! My first ones (shudder) were all sorts of skewed. I know everyone just says practice, but it really is legit advice. I actually fill one or more sketchbook pages a day, just drawing poses or faces. It really REALLY helps, and you see your specific style start to take form. 

 

Keep up the great work! 

[. eris . 1,661]

Then your tears shall be spared, my friend; I use GIMP for pretty much everything, and it's the program I'm planning on covering in the tutorial. There are tricks I use to emulating those pointy liney, timey wimey bits, and they shall be divulged - just for you.

 

...Well, alright, not just for you. It was Thunderchild who first inquired on my process and inspired me to make a tutorial in the first place, but regardless, the vid shall be shared forum-wide for anypony and everypony who actually wants to try my back-assward techniques. XD

 

Yesssssssssssss~ You're a saviorrrrr...

 

Honestly, I don't know how many tutorials I've had to reject because none of them use GIMP. *sob* And I keep hearing of this Thunderchild creature - I really should pester strike up a conversation one of these days. 

 

I'm sure your techniques aren't bass-ackwards. ^^

 

see wat i did im so funny cus u play bass and i dont swear much hur hur hurrrr

[galaxysquid 2,122]

That is pretty great. Just needs some smoother lines. 

 

By the way, I love your whale. It made me crack up haha. 

 

Also, nice cutie mark.

[. eris . 1,661]

 

This particular pose was requested by @Batbrony. ^^ I hope to ink and color her later, that is if my GIMP program cooperates. >___< 

 

I'm actually really pleased with how this came out - its my first time using a reference. I basically looked at the picture really hard and the mimcked the curves of her left leg, and then everything pretty much followed that.

 

I think her right leg is broken though...

[. eris . 1,661]

HOT DAMN look how much I've improved!! SOOO PROUD OF MYSELF!! Now give me some critique so I know what to fix.

 

I know his mane/hair/whatever is still rough, but I finished this at eleven o'clock at night, so sue me. Plus I haven't figured out how to steady my hand on a touch pad yet.

 

 

 

 

The BASE, now, is what I'm really proud of, because the strokes are all smoooooooth (mostly) and anyway, his eyes look decent! And not horribly maimed!

 

Edited September 3, 2013 by Miss Earl Grey

[FruitRiver 355]

Wow! Man, whhaaatttttt????
I've been drawing for years. Ugh, how do you improve this fast? xD

 

It looks great. Theres little pieces where there is no color, but the lines are mostly smooth and his eyes look awesome.

[Thrashy 2,800]

Looks pretty damn good, Earl - no foolin'. To be perfectly honest with ya, I doubt you're even going to need my tutorial at this rate.

[King 5,626]

Very well done for a first time sketch :3

Proportions are correct, which is good to see :3

Not to mention your whale is VERY lifelike xD

 

In all seriousness, keep up the practice and im sure you will be drawing some epic ponies :3