• Newbie Artist Training Grounds: Day 15


    I had to break my rules regarding sketch-style images in this space for today. Hopefully you'll understand why after the page break. Right now, let's talk about art! Myth ponies, story ponies, classic ponies, all the ponies of the rainbow. 164 in all! Come in, sit down, and learn a lot about antiquity! And some more recent things because you guys just love looking for ways out of what I ask for. It's part of why I love you, after all. You know what's disappointing, though? In all of the hullabaloo, not a single one of you gave me an image of Fluttershy as Yggdrasil. I lobbed this one underhand to you. For shame. Shame!

    Moving right along, let's go ahead and link the submission guidelines, same as always. And just like always, talk to me at phoe@equestriadaily.com if something goes wrong. It's hard finding new ways to say this every night. Almost as hard as coming up with interesting themes.

    The Theme of the Day

    Draw a pony standing in the wind. I think with all the action we've been doing lately, it might be nice to return to something a little more simple and serene. And deceptively difficult, from what I've been told by all the ponies I've spoken to who live in the world of art. I apologize for requiring so many scenery pieces. I know it's hard work but keep at it! You're all improving so much!

    Once upon a time, in a magical land called Equestria, there were two ponies who were very much in love. Bon Bon spent her days baking, or picking wildflowers, sharing both each night with the mint colored unicorn called Lyra, whose lyre was said to play the most beautiful music in all of Equestria. Ponies came from all over to Ponyville to hear her songs, entranced by the love entwined within every note, every pluck of the string. But it was only one pony who heard her true masterpieces - under the moon each night at midnight, the pair would sit and look up at the stars, and Lyra would play. They say that these notes were so awesome that to hear but a chord was to touch the heartstrings of creation. And they were all for Bon Bon. Only for Bon Bon.

    But it could never last. One day out gathering flowers to decorate a very special plate of candies with, Bon Bon was beset upon by a jealous stallion who sought to seduce her. He chased her for hours across the countryside, matching gallop for gallop, wearing the frightened mare down. It seemed that he would have her any moment, but when he made his move she backed away, falling into a pit filled with a viper. The frightened serpent lashed out against her leg - the poison took her before he ever could. Much to everypony's surprise, when Lyra found out she had not a single tear to shed. "I will save her," she said, "For Bon Bon, I will go through Hell. I will give up everything I am."

    The Underworld was filled with perils, but the unicorn bard never flinched. She crossed the river Styx, stared down the three headed hound. At last she stood before Persepony, Queen of the Dead. "Give her back," said Lyra, "Return my Bon Bon to me." And Lyra pulled free her instrument and played a song, one that had been meant only for Bon Bon. The Queen was moved to tears - an event that had not happened before or since. With a nod of her head, she relented. Lyra was allowed to lead Bon Bon out to the surface, if she would trust the word of the Queen and never look behind her until they had returned home. Lyra consented. "Of course. Anything for my Bon Bon."

    And Lyra was true to her word... until she saw the entrance to the surface. Her heart ached with longing. Her head turned of its own accord. She just had to see! "...Lyra?" Bon Bon's face was a mixture of sadness and terror as the shadows wrapped around her form and pulled her back in. The tears that fell from Lyra's eyes in that moment never ceased for one day or one moment. She played her music... played Bon Bon's music, wandered lost and listless across the land. The passionate notes brought many suitors seeking her hoof, but she would have none of it. Months turned to years, and never once did her crying or her playing cease.

    There came a day when her suitors had had enough. They cornered the unicorn, demanded she choose somepony. Demanded she love them. But she could not. Enraged, they assaulted her with everything they could find. But their rocks and sticks fell short, refusing to strike the player of such transcendent music. Furious, the set upon her themselves, striking with head and hoof, opening cuts all across her body. With one powerful buck, a deafening crack filled the air. The music had stopped - Lyra's horn had shattered into dust. Everypony stared at the mangled mess of a mare they had created, shaking their heads in disgust and scattering. What good was she now? Lyra winced, but bore the pain. "I... will give up... everything..."

    "For me?" Bon Bon's voice floated over the grass into Lyra's ears. Lyra closed her eyes, and swore she could feel the other mare's breath against her neck. She smiled, and drifted away in the night air. Her gift was gone forever, but she could not remember a time she had been so happy...




    1) By Ethrx



    2) By Voyageris (Shawn)



    3) By Mellowbloom (This is not the tenth Fluttershy in Wonderland reference.)



    4) By ChaosDrop (This is beautiful, but also if you think about it incredibly sad.)



    5) By Tabs



    6) By Lucky Charm



    7) By blindferret



    8) By Thanqol



    9) By VeoBandit (Luna Red Riding Hood!)



    10) By Easteu (Ouroboros Magnet)



    11) By Quint-t-W



    12) By dirty pie (I suppose classic movies count too)



    13) By Emerald Dust



    14) By FoxOfWar



    15) By Sherlock Hooves



    16) By blasthemis (I knew him, Horatio. A snack of infinite zest...)



    17) By Cybie



    18) By Atlur (Don't worry guys, I got this!)



    19) By Mister Bristle (Fun fact:: it was actually an urn. Also, the thing left inside the box was knowledge of exactly how and when everypony would die.)



    20) By Heidds (Pyramus and Thisbe as filtered through Romeo and Juliet as filtered through The Lion King II as filtered through My Little Pony)



    21) By Pwny_Pokes



    22) By Fisher (Medicine is now 20% cooler.)



    23) By The Recliner



    24) By Invidlord (Raridusa was slain by Derpeus, who could see where to strike because she was incapable of meeting the monster's gaze.)



    25) By Smock (In the comments for this one was a fanfic the artist wrote. He shipped Dash and Pinkie. I giggled.)



    26) By NikaScott



    27) By reaverson



    28) By Philith (I did not think of this.)



    29) By Philith (...Or this.)



    30) By vertlizardgirl (Some Native American tales for you.)



    31) By Alleen



    32) By RaspleZS



    33) By DB (This just about killed me.)



    34) By Doctor Whoof Fanatic



    35) By PenguinPlayer (Wait, Muramasa isn't a famous myth? Since when? Artist, you're crazy.)



    36) By Saphin



    37) By Kitty Tail (Eat. Your. Heart. Out. Trixie.)



    38) By Vissia



    39) By Alipes (Hahahahahaaaa... oh goodness.)



    40) By Dragon Rage (This poem is 123 years old? I didn't know that!)



    41) By Mere Jump (I love it.)



    42) By GonzaHerMeg (I've been sitting here for ten minutes trying to come up with a pun for Mordred, but got creeped out by the idea of Dash having a daughter.)



    43) By Spiritofthwwolf



    44) By Circuit Mane



    45) By Doc Steedly (Myth confirmed!)



    46) By Farvei



    47) By Jimbo1023



    48) By EssAeEm (Wish by wish, putting it together)



    49) By Mockingbird (Fluttershy is a magnificent Persepony.)



    50) By Erthilo



    51) By Moabite (Ooh, Celtic ponies!)



    52) By Taco Bandit



    53) By LadyLegos



    54) By PinkamenaPie (I'm... just gonna... hey look a Life of Brian reference!)



    55) By Poker Face + Flare The Wolf



    56) By Kitsune



    57) By FLASKGARG



    58) By rich-tea



    59) By Partition (Check it out! Eskimo myth!)



    60) By DI-FL



    61) By The Obsessor (Whether tis nobler to suffer the constant brushing and horn rot, or simply to have it removed...)



    62) By Nullh



    63) By Lacrox



    64) By LifeSequenceBreak (Hrm... Siegshy? Flutterwulf? Not sure which story this is.)



    65) By Gear X. Machina



    66) By Ori



    67) By Lunar Apologist (Gordian knot solved in ten second flat.)



    68) By Chris (Not a good night for Trixie, is it?)



    69) By Latverian_Ponyfan_2993



    70) By unholyhen (By Celestia's beard!)



    71) By PastelPony



    72) By Ego (...I have no words.)



    73) By Kyouhen (My... my heart...)



    74) By Tabs



    75) By Hawkeye92



    76) By Blu



    77) By Lancer5317 (If Celly is the king, who is Gweniviere? And did Twilight sleep with her?)



    78) By Bananizen



    79) By Relias



    80) By Kaiserin



    81) By Neoridgeback



    82) By Vanner



    83) By DCPIP (Derp Quixote!)



    84) By Kooldude



    85) By fetchbeer (At least she hasn't forgotten how to call a chicken.)



    86) By Starlight Bolt



    87) By Amehdaus (I'm sorry this is so tiny. I can't do anything about it...)



    88) By Facelessguru



    89) By toonboy92484 (Rarity later changes her mind when Blueblood shows up to rescue her.)



    90) By Mr.Paulsen (All ponies are equal. That's it. You were expecting another sentence?)



    91) By Frith (Pinkie as The Laughing Buddha.)



    92) By Doombah



    93) By Scootaleo



    94) By badzerg



    95) By badzerg



    96) By Eliwood10



    97) By The Flying Tomato



    98) By Dangereaux (Eeyup.)



    99) By Fox E: (Pushing the boundaries of the theme to its limits, its... Selpnir? Sort of?)



    100) By Afentis



    101) By Lulubell (Dashie looks like she's mad at me. What did I do?)



    102) By Infinity (This is a beautiful representation of Classical style pottery work. Love it to pieces.)



    103) By Condor (And I'm not writing one!)



    104) By kits



    105) By Solomos



    106) By Kits



    107) By Erica C



    108) By ShoeboxWarrior (Turns out that love isn't blind. Just Derpy.)




    109) By Kt Kat (Absolutely gorgeous.)



    110) By Prismatic Pretzel



    111) By Haafiz



    112) By Buddy Vox (Ooh, nice. Jonathan Swift...)



    113) By Goggle Sparks (This is a Thai myth about a tree that grows fruit in the shape of females. Fluttershy, you got your wish!)



    114) By Ambrose (Don't worry, she's got snacks in there.)



    115) By Natry



    116) By Leaf Growth



    117) By Crowfall



    118) By Kuroi Tsubasa Tenshi



    119) By Djrk16



    120) By PVRyohei



    121) By Immersa



    122) By Uncle Leo



    123) By A Terrible Person



    124) By Zephire (I prefer Fluttermis to Artishy.)



    125) By MasterofRoku



    126) By TopoCruz (Some Guatemalan folklore here! I'm learning a lot today!)



    127) By Windfall



    128) By Rydel



    129) By Chromadancer



    130) By Damian Foxx



    131) By Randomjack



    132) By Liska (Not a good day for Rarity, either. Hahaha!)



    133) By Moof



    134) By Shockwave



    135) By TapeDiggity (And now, some Dante's Inferno.)



    136) By Da Chi



    137) By Rachel (Wow, just look at those colors...)



    138) By MHPayne



    139) By Phantom G



    140) By Starlite



    141) By StarStep



    142) By Zach (I will fiiiiiiind my way. I can go the distaaaaance)



    143) By Drilltooth



    144) By Wolferahm



    145) By Tenchi Outsuno



    146) By Virga Rainboom (Sea ponies!)



    147) By Albert



    148) By Jiyrath (Rariphus? Sisyty? These are hard.)



    149) By Xiagu



    150) By Thattagen (Another artist requesting a color job here!)



    151) By Kelz



    152) By Entropy



    153) By nuclearsuplexattack


    154) By Eeful


    155) By Sashley



    155) By Muffinsforever



    156) By Syggie



    157) By djTeka



    158) By Magnet



    159) By Avnas Ishtaroth



    160) By DJ RBDash



    161) By Spurs



    162) By Periphery



    163) By Heireau/HarrowTPrower/Ineedtostickwithoneusername



    164) By Nido

    112 comments:

    1. #126

      OMG I got captioned! :D

      Great stuff, everypony.

      #142 - Love the Hercules crossover there.

      ReplyDelete
    2. Lol these look cool.

      Hope my link didn't break, cause it duplicated.

      Forget serene wind, I'm gonna have a typhoon of pure awesome.

      ReplyDelete
    3. Oh man the link broke, http://www.deviantart.com/download/212495926/pop_rocks_and_soda_by_muffinsforever-d3iiiwm.jpg

      It was duplicated and I wanted to remove it, but I forgot which one it was D:

      ReplyDelete
    4. #9 today!

      I love all the Medusa Rarity! haha don't worry dear, snakes are in this season!

      #62 is my favorite, it made me shit myself out of fear.

      ReplyDelete
    5. Bawwwwwwww That story made me cry manly tears.
      TT^TT

      #158 today.

      I must work harder! Xo

      ReplyDelete
    6. FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU

      Just realized I forgot to color Lily's lily and give RD and Lyra cutie marks in my haste to get this one done.

      Celstiadammit, I am just full of fail today >:(

      ReplyDelete
    7. Link to #87 bigger http://amehdaus.deviantart.com/#/d3ii0v4

      ReplyDelete
    8. I read that story above the pictures and cried...
      Why would you make me cry? T_T

      ReplyDelete
    9. @ Magnet And do your best todayyyyyyyyyyy~
      -strum-
      Winterwrapup,winterwrapupletsfinishourdhoslhads

      ReplyDelete
    10. 104....used an old luna pic but recolored as celestia? what blasphamy is this!?!

      ReplyDelete
    11. finally read the story, I bawed so hard I hate sad pony stories, but as a sadistic little mare I can't stop myself from reading them. I'm going to go baw alone now.

      ReplyDelete
    12. L'Orfeo! YES!

      10 may be my favorite, I'm still laughing.

      ReplyDelete
    13. #163 heres
      Oh awesomes, the site thing posts instantly.
      Seems to have got colour issues though 'cause I forgot to check. :x

      ReplyDelete
    14. @Heireau

      It's actually not instant. I just work really fast. =D

      ReplyDelete
    15. 161 Here. I'm pretty happy with how this came out.

      I'm sorry for the late submission Phoe. Thanks for including me.

      ReplyDelete
    16. @ Phoe Omai. Then I congratulate you for your amazing speed. ¦D

      ReplyDelete
    17. #98 Tell me what would happen if Big Mac Shrugged?

      ReplyDelete
    18. sigh I made the text too, small... thats what i get for insisting on hand drawing the text, aka with a mouse. lol

      Stupid drawpad.

      ReplyDelete
    19. #84 Kooldude here. Big Macintosh is Paul Bunyan in case you couldn't tell. Eeyup!

      ReplyDelete
    20. Dizzy! Where's slendermane?

      ReplyDelete
    21. Today, there is no favourites list, because pretty much all of these are awesome. Seriously, props.

      Mine's the #99th luftsubmission today, and is awful. =D I only had about an hour to work on it over the entire day, half of which was spent trying to draw a realistic versions of the spaceships you see there; went with the N64 look instead since it was taking too long.

      Kind of an obscure reference joke too, but hey.

      ReplyDelete
    22. 94 and 95 was hard to chose between.
      But its sad how some of these don't get finished
      in time. =(

      ReplyDelete
    23. This comment has been removed by the author.

      ReplyDelete
    24. #125 reporting in.

      I didn't expect any Bible refernces. One of my ideas for this theme was to draw Twlight parting the Red Sea. But I decided not to and have Odysseus pie crossing Styx.

      Great job, everyone.

      It's a good thing that the next theme is easy. I might have time to draw something.

      ReplyDelete
    25. @Torvan
      @VeoBandit

      I'm sorry, I wasn't out to make anypony sad. It's just, when that picture I used for today's lead popped up, I was very struck by it and the next thing I knew, there was a story. I think it's a happy ending, though. I just wanted to let my feelings out...

      ReplyDelete
    26. @Lunar Apologist Aww... I liked it, and you can't even tell my CM is missing. It's really great

      ReplyDelete
    27. "Oh, Lyra, why did you look back! So close..." *Sobs softly cuddling up with Twilight Sparkle*

      ReplyDelete
    28. That story at the start actually made me misty-eyed.

      On topic, the art tonight is top notch! I'm surprised I got as many of the references as I did, and I even learned some new ones.

      ReplyDelete
    29. #150 reporting in! It wasn't a straight up color request, though. Just sayin', if you like it, you can color it!

      Romulus and Remus = Celestia and Luna. Luna jumps over Canterlot's wall, and gets...banished to the moon. I uh...hope you guys are familiar with that legend. I had trouble drawing Luna. Stupid perspective. I think her hind legs should be longer?

      Lovin' the entries today. Somehow, I knew exactly what the featured one was (though I forgot the name) before I even read the accompanying story. I watched that opera in a class some time ago!

      Wow, plenty of Medusa ponies. Kinda scary...
      And Trojan ponies/bronies. Cool!
      I kinda expected Mythbusters, and King Arthur, and Greek stuff. I really loved the more exotic legends, too!

      ReplyDelete
    30. #160

      This is what you get when eye'm sleepy but, some of these are just beautiful, especially the myths eye never knew about~

      ReplyDelete
    31. #32 checking in.

      It was "fun" pausing on episode one to get the Pony-glyphs. (And then choose semi-random ones.)
      I say it says 'Anubis', spelled:
      [m]OON-U[nicorn]-BO[lt]-SH[oe]

      ReplyDelete
    32. @Phoe

      It was a very nice story, I like how it was told like one of the simple fairy stories we grow up on.

      the ending was very sweet, in a sad way.

      It good for you to let your feelings out. If you don't then you might explode and it would rain Phoe bits down on us. Which would be icky.

      and then Sethisto and cereal would plunge the blog into eternal darkness with their all out war.

      So I would be happy to read any lovely sad story you write to prevent that!

      ReplyDelete
    33. Oh my gosh. That story, Phoe. Now I remember! I didn't understand the picture at first but the story jogged my memory.

      I'm vague on details but I do remember some parts of that story. Only read the story once way back at my younger age but surprisingly it's still lodge in my head. And that's saying something.

      I must read the original. Someone be so kind and give me the name of it?

      ReplyDelete
    34. #142 here. I gotta admit, it was a last-minute rush job, thanks to work, unexpectedly long hang-out sessions with friends IRL, etc. Plus I'd never actually drawn the Hercules character before, so that was a pain too.

      Anyway, great stuff here, tho I wish someone had done Trollestia as an actual troll, by a bridge.

      ReplyDelete
    35. 131 checking in...

      Wow, these are amazing as usual guys.

      This was my first attempt drawing ponies, and I had alot of fun with this theme. I'm definitely going to keep with it and try and improve.

      Drawing's always been a borderline skill of mine - I've never quite had the push i need to actually get good at it. Guess that's another positive change thanks to MLP and you guys.

      Sincerely, trying to figure out how to draw a mane blowing in the wind :P

      ReplyDelete
    36. ok, number 79 wins on the giggle front.

      I splorfled coffee.

      ReplyDelete
    37. I would normally TL; DR this. But it's pictures....

      I guess I have no choice but to observe them all...

      or

      I COULD JUST RUN!!! *RUNS AWAY*

      ReplyDelete
    38. That story was magnificent.

      ReplyDelete
    39. wow 72...I haven't laughed that hard in a long time, to it's creator, Thank you

      ReplyDelete
    40. DCPIP

      I love you beyond your imagination now that you have created that WONDERFUL piece! <3

      ReplyDelete
    41. I sincerely hope somepony gives me the original story name of Phoe's based story while I'm gone. Cannot stay up late this time.

      ReplyDelete
    42. @Duskfly

      It's the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. You can find the specific version I was referencing in Ovid's Metamorphoses.

      ReplyDelete
    43. #114 checking in. Many fine drawings and clever ideas! #60 is so compelling, spooky.

      ReplyDelete
    44. wooo that's a lot of mythology... and I know every reference I love all the raridusa's, anubiponies and plenty of red riding ponies.

      Lots of greek mythos.

      Are a Hippocamp and a Sea pony the same thing? G1 sea ponies were literally overgrown sea horses, 146 is a hippocampus, but they are both sea ponies despite looking different.

      ReplyDelete
    45. @Phoe

      Oh no no, I'm so sorry to make you think I was any sort of mad or depressed. It just caught me rather off guard. If you were inspired to write that by a picture in a short amount of time. ~and to make it have such an impact, well that's just all colors of impressive. Great work not only on your story but all that you do for this site and this great community! (also I wish I wasn't a coward or a fool and come up with a name to publish my stuff under.) Again, I'm sorry to make you feel bad.

      ReplyDelete
    46. Wow amazing! Many great artists here.

      Also 81 by Neoridgeback I salute you. Way better than mine. Glad somepony did it :3

      I just know I'm going to butcher today's theme. I'll give it my best! Good luck Bronies!

      ReplyDelete
    47. 17 reporting in, still don't know if i like it or not.

      my jaw it the floor at 62, freaking amazing work =D

      ReplyDelete
    48. #14 here. Way too many Egyptian references in my head + Freedom Call's song "Pharao" on repeat + wanting to draw Zecora + couple of hours of marker abuse = Zecora's great-great-(great)^12-aunt Queen Clopatra.

      A lot of interesting mythos here. I approve.

      For tomorrow I won't draw Zecora. Promise!

      ReplyDelete
    49. Stupid Greek mythology and Japanese technology kept me from getting mine done and scanned. I still gots idears for three more, too. Confound these royal duties which keep me from drawing three hours or more a day... I swear upon my sister's horn, they shall see night!

      ReplyDelete
    50. #162 here. Now that I see my picture in shrunken size, it's suddenly very noticeable that I didn't make the Earth's horizon round enough over Africa...and it bugs the crap out of me.

      ReplyDelete
    51. Fluttermis it is then :P

      I really need to settle on one way of doing these. I think every single one I've done has been in a different style or used a different method. And I change my mind half-way through things, which is how #124 went from a simple flat coloured Fluttershy to what it is now.

      So much extra work having to go back and redo things.

      Anyway, some awesome entries tonight. Though I'm so tired most of 'em are going over my head or not sinking in. I'll have to pop by again in the morning and look over them to better appreciate all the work people have done.

      Great work, everypony :)

      ReplyDelete
    52. #13 this time. There's way more variety here than I'd have expected... most of these I never would have been able to think of. Great work, everypony!

      ReplyDelete
    53. #33 killed me too...

      Shame I couldn't join this one, but a lot of the art here is way better than anything I could come up with...

      ReplyDelete
    54. #77 Blast it, Phoe! How did I see that coming?

      ReplyDelete
    55. #38 here just wanted to say i would have added the phoenix in the pic as well but i had some issues with free time :/

      ReplyDelete
    56. Cthulu pony made my day

      ReplyDelete
    57. #113 here

      I would like to thank Phoe and Firth for encouraging me to draw this. I couldn't have done it otherwise if it were you two telling me I could do this XD

      ReplyDelete
    58. oops acidently pushed send before i could write anything.

      I really shouldn't
      have started drawing this at midnight (local time)i wasn't done until the sun was up (4 am). so some things like the coloring is a bit rushed as i wanted to go to sleep.

      Norse god Thor fishing and catches the midgardserpent.

      anyway lots of fine entries today.I really laughed at #79. well done everypony.

      ReplyDelete
    59. #139 reporting in.

      Would've liked adding color to mine, but oh well I don't get too much free time with my drawings.

      Also looks like most people here seemed to out-do or at the least was as good as mine.

      As always great job everypony. Also liked the hercules and RD drawing in particular.

      ReplyDelete
    60. #34 Here, a bit sad that it looks like nopony got my reference yet, but I had fun drawing it anyway.

      Great job as usual, everypony...*sniffles at story*

      ReplyDelete
    61. Latverian_Ponyfan_2993June 10, 2011 at 4:40 AM

      #69 - A Kelpie (Celtic Mythology). Male, to tempt the 6.

      ReplyDelete
    62. This entire post is a history lesson.

      ReplyDelete
    63. 3 Here, looks like my guess was more than a little off :3

      ReplyDelete
    64. I thought about doing a lotus-eaters joke with the spa twins for this theme, but couldn't decide if that was amusing or just a lame play on words. Not sure if it would have been a better choice than what I ended up doing. I just kinda liked the idea of Equestria being the true identity of Atlantis, even if it wasn't trying to be funny.

      ReplyDelete
    65. @Anonymous

      104 here.

      I ran out of time to do completely original Celestia. Also, it isn't a recolor, it's the pose that came up for 'angry celestia' as a search term =/.

      Geh. This one took way longer then I should have let it.

      ReplyDelete
    66. #48 checking in. I was really tired and busy yesterday, so please excuse if my drawing looks just a little wonkier than normal. I'm actually a little surprised I had the time and energy to finish it at all.

      Favorites for this one were 3, 24, 116, and 156 (Kinda surprised in retrospect that it took until 156 to get a Trojan Horse reference, but worth the wait). Great job, everypony!

      ReplyDelete
    67. 138) By MHPayne
      Thee MHPayne? as in arthur of the Blood Jaguar?
      I wondered if he was a brony but was to nervous to ask! I hope that is him that would be so awesome. (the Blood Jaguar is my all time favorite book of all time!)

      ReplyDelete
    68. 73 here!

      I... I got a story? o_O Wasn't expecting that. A sad story too. T_T

      Lots of awesome art today. Especially 102 and 62.

      ReplyDelete
    69. Oh my goodness. This was absolutely my FAVORITE theme. I love all the myths! Half of the submissions are sitting on my computer now and I restrained myself. Congrats everyone!

      74: I totally wanted to draw Hades with his helm but I'm glad I didn't, yours was better. :D

      36 33 30 24 14 10 39 43 51 62 74 102 109 my absolute favorites. Maybe. There were too many!

      ReplyDelete
    70. 50- but the piper kills the mice! Fluttershy would never do that!
      80- holy crap she fits Anubis really well...

      ReplyDelete
    71. #88 here... i knew other people would do medusa ponies but im a little sad to know so many of us did it (that i couldn't think of something obscure) oh well it came out well and im still jelly of some of those raridusas not to mention the cover art today

      ReplyDelete
    72. #45 here before work

      #162 CURSE YOU CELESTIA!!!


      AHAHA i loved alot of these, GREAT JOB ALL!!
      These were really imaginative . . . some i actually had to look up.
      I was lol'ing, thinking i was the only mythbuster pic . . . then i seen the jamie-pony. I face-hooved saying to myself, awww not the only one. Tho really, i expected to see more mythbusters . . . im sorta glad i didnt. cause alot of these were just too good.

      I really love drawing these . . . but it would be better if i wasnt so gosh dang slow doin it. That took me almost 4 hours including brainstorming . . . minus 45 min to eat and watch Bridle Gossip and Boast Busters. ( i loved that freakin lulliby thats played in the wind by Twilight ) so all in all that took almost 5 hours to draw ( two seperate pics layered together, both drawn large on 9-11 pieces of paper )

      Oh and , yay i got captioned!!

      ReplyDelete
    73. I want to show these pics to my Latin teacher so bad...

      ReplyDelete
    74. 37. I didn't expect to see Io in the list. I always say Discworld needs more ponies.

      ReplyDelete
    75. My Favs:11, 17, 33, 48.

      ReplyDelete
    76. I continue to admire the artists that submit sequential art, which always need more time and effort. I'm particularly fond of 39 and 72.

      ReplyDelete
    77. 108 here (yay! I got captioned)

      These are amazing! Phoe is amazing! Thank you so much for updating my entry-I promise to remember in the future! >_<;;;;

      I almost died laughing at #29 and then again at #70 (also fanTAStic likeness #142). I love the wide variety of myths and cultures used here; some I'd never even heard of and was inspired to go and look up.
      The story of Eurydice is one of my favorite myths and I was so excited to see the picture at the top so naturally I couldn't help but read the story. I bawled ;_;

      ReplyDelete
    78. 39- Absolutely love the vindictive Rarity telling the Narcissus story. 'grats on a nice color job too!
      71- I love seeing Twilight being so badass!
      137 is absolutely gorgeous, looks like it was lifted straight from a book of ponytales.
      142- I adore Spike in this crossover. Its perfect!

      109 today could barely finish the sketch, I was so exhausted! Might still ink it and post it in my gallery, I liked it a lot, and looks like I'm not the only one. :)

      ReplyDelete
    79. Thanks for the love for Cthulhu pony, folks :)
      All great stuff again. I liked 9 and 83 (Derping at windmills!) especially.
      A quick thanks to Da Chi, Spiritofthwwolf, Amehdaus and Shockwave (and anyone else I've forgotten!) for keeping me company on DA and Twitter theese long ponypencilling nights :O

      ReplyDelete
    80. Really really nice submission. Probably my first time taking my time looking through them.

      ReplyDelete
    81. #40 here. Only realized about six or seven hours after submitting it that I could have drawn a baseball in there to make it more obvious that she's striking out. And then face looks so offmodel now... argh.

      Ah well. Draw a pony standing in the wind, huh?

      ReplyDelete
    82. 112 today. Like I told Phoe, mine isn't obvious AT ALL.

      It's from Part IV of Gulliver's Travels. Twilight is a Houyhnhnm and Spike is Gulliver. I used an old illustration from the story for reference.

      ~Buddy Vox

      ReplyDelete
    83. Oh darn, I forgot to submit mine... ah well, I really wasn't too happy with it...

      I was trying to draw pinkie pie as a Greek trireme, but it kind of fell flat when it came to drawing on the finer details... I don't know why, but nothing I did quite fitted...

      I kinda wish I did Fluttershy as Yggdrasil instead..

      I love 102), that was amazingly done.

      ReplyDelete
    84. Gah! I missed Eris at 53! (Sadly 30 too late)
      Hail Eris!
      All hail Discordia!
      Five tons of flax!
      Well played LadyLegos :D

      ReplyDelete
    85. 107 here. I finished coloring mine; if anyone wants to see it, it's here: http://imageshack.us/f/151/medusaponycolored.png/

      I really liked 142, but everypony did a great job with their drawings.

      ReplyDelete
    86. Only *ONE* Sleipnir? What the hell, guys!

      ReplyDelete
    87. #79 here~ I'm glad you guys liked it! I felt a little bad for breaking theme but it was just too good an idea not to do.

      That ponified myth really tugged at me, Phoe. It makes me want to start writing more, too, in addition to all this drawing I've been doing. I need to read all your stuff, really.

      And you guys, this set of pictures is really above and beyond--so many really crazy, really unique ideas, and a lot that I'm sure was very difficult to draw. You should all be very proud of yourselves.

      Now, for today's... It'll be hard to think up a "funny/unique" idea for this, or maybe part of my mind is ready to just do something more "pretty and serene". It sounds like something that'll be very relaxing to draw. Good luck, everypony~

      ReplyDelete
    88. #26 here - does it mean something? Maybe only this that i liv in Poland... Ok, whatever.
      It's a Little Red Riding Hood. Thought about drawing "Janosik" as a pony but I don't think anyone knows that old Polish/Slovac tale ^^. Still working on my style D:. It isn't the best *sigh*.

      I totally adore 74. Amazing!

      ReplyDelete
    89. @Doc Steedly
      #118 here. You're not alone, I really need to work on my speed as well. I spent about as long doing mine and 3/4 of that time was spent being picky with Rainbow Dash. I was originally thinking of trying to come up with something for each of the main cast to maybe try to push myself to speed draw, but that didn't work out at all and I only got Dash and Fluttershy done.

      I'm also surprised I'm the only one (I think, I'm pretty sure I didn't see any others) to do Achilles. Fun fact about that: I based my costume design off of the Troy movie version and as I was drawing, it struck me that Dash makes a pretty good Brad Pitt replacement. Make of that what you will. >.>

      ReplyDelete
    90. 82 here. In case you didn't know, that's the Derpy as Gilgamesh. Can't get much older than that.

      I do need to work on consistency. Maybe I'll switch back to vectors.

      ReplyDelete
    91. #162 - That would be hilarious if a member of the band "Periphery" like Misha, Spencer, or Matt was a brony. That is what just came to mind after seeing the name "Periphery". Good job by the way all of you.

      ReplyDelete
    92. Man. Wanted to do this one too, but I couldn't come up with an idea that seemed interesting.. which I realise now after the fact kinda subverts the point of it being practice.

      Loved the Atlas reference3 in 98. Loved 72, but it also confused me.

      ReplyDelete
    93. #10 here. I feel like I cheated a bit since Steven (to me atleast) is much easier to draw than ponies. But without time to do anything else, it turned out ok it seems.

      Definitely my favorite day so far. Beautiful but incredibly sad story, lots and lots of amazing pictures, hallarius comments from Phoe (seriously "A snack of infinite zest..." - thats perfect). Can it get any better?

      ReplyDelete
    94. (Fun fact:: it was actually an urn. Also, the thing left inside the box was knowledge of exactly how and when everypony would die.)

      Huh? I thought it was Hope who stayed inside Pandora's Pithos (Also not a box, but very similar to an urn) as she would never desert humanity...

      Maybe it depends on the what era the myth came from.

      ReplyDelete
    95. 5 and 74.

      49: Yay, Persepony! I was too lazy to draw her in mine. XD

      ReplyDelete
    96. For those wondering about #72, it's a meme.
      http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/then-who-was-phone

      ReplyDelete
    97. I passed out, right after submitting mine. Now that I see so many others did Little Red Riding Hood, I almost regret not going with my original plan of Hansel and Gretel.
      Now to continue racking my brain for ideas for this theme.

      ReplyDelete
    98. #137 here. Lots of really lovely entries today! Had almost no time to draw, so my submission was super late and rushed. Does anyone know the official cut-off time is for submissions, by the way? I assumed it was midnight, but apparently not..

      Also, I awoke from a troubled sleep and realized the Fluttershy is a PEGASUS pony. *facepalm* Next submission will have wings!

      The Flutterpied Piper and the Forbidden Applejack were my favorites, but there's too many other nice ones to list in this batch!

      ReplyDelete
    99. @Rachel

      The official cutoff time for submissions is either when I pass out and can't update anymore, or when somepony submits an image for the next night's theme. In either case it's usually around an hour after midnight (or 4 AM here). I hate rejecting submissions, so I bend the rules. A lot. >.>

      ReplyDelete
    100. @Phoe
      Hi, Great and Powerful Princess Phoe! I liked your story, but went to bed kind of sad. Fortunately thoughts of a happy Twilight Sparkle got me to sleep! ;) Thanks for your amazing efforts at keeping this going. I am especially impressed that you REALLY do update it right at midnight!

      I was wondering if there is any sort of discussion board for critiques of our art here. It is all very good to be practicing our artwork, but I think it would be very helpful if we could discuss our art and maybe try to figure out what made one pony's work so impressive for the day's theme. Of course some are obviously professional quality artists in here, so maybe they might be able to point out why the subtle curve in Twilight's nose doesn't look right, but they contort her into a wild "take" and it looks perfect. Also it would be interesting to have stories about the creative process.

      I think it would be nice to have our comments somewhere other than here as once the day is over it appears no pony goes back to previous days to comment or read the comments we made before.

      Of course with the schedule we are holding it might be very difficult to get around to constructive comments. I don't know. Part of my personal hell of this is that I really don't have time to analyze what went right or wrong with my art as I have the same story as Doc Steedly about barely having time after work to watch some FiM to get properly motivated, decide what I want to draw, and then do it.

      I do admit that all the artwork is improving, though. Maybe the meat-grinder is actually a good thing for creativity. *shrugs*

      Thanks.
      Oh, #146 Today, and consecrated with a Phoe caption!

      ReplyDelete
    101. 60 here...

      I'm actually quite surprised mine didn't get censored.

      ReplyDelete
    102. @Anonymous Your drawing is very stylized and not overly graphic. That is probably why you are not in the "saucy" category.

      I like the shading under Pinkie's hair, and her barely visible left eye, but I can't make out whose head she is carrying.

      ReplyDelete
    103. #18 today. Didn't have time to do much, so just a quick and simple picture. Funnily, it took me longer to write out the text than it did to draw Lyra. Go figure.

      Virga Rainboom makes a good point. It would probably be helpful if there were a better way for people to ask for critiques on their work or ask others how they achieved certain things in their submissions. Not sure what the best idea would be to make that happen, though.

      ReplyDelete
    104. Also: could we start a running tally to be posted each entry?

      With over a hundred drawings every day, and 15 days behind us, I think it would be cool to start adding a running total to each Artist's Training Grounds post.

      Here's a start.

      Up to todays blog post, there have been 3,098 entries submitted.

      ReplyDelete
    105. @ismbof

      There's a band called Periphery? I just chose it because I usually lurk around the edges everywhere and don't say much. That and because if I ever made an OC pony, that would be her name. She'd be the ultimate background pony, so much so that she'd never be more than partially onscreen. If you even notice her at all, that is.

      ReplyDelete
    106. Did anyone actually draw Dash as Iris, who's the goddess of friggin rainbows?!

      Although I wasn't looking closely so I might of missed something.

      ReplyDelete
    107. @Fox E: I give you brony points for going with the Sleipnir class Command Ship (based on the Cyclone Battlecruiser). Gotta watch out for those Matari ships…fast little buggers that pack a wallop.

      Of course, something like half the ships in Eve have some sort of mythological significance to their names.

      ReplyDelete