• Newbie Artist Training Grounds: Day 20


    The Way to a Stallion's Heart edition. Love is in the air, everypony. Even if you're not a fan of shipping there is so much love to be had? And if that's really the case you are surely asking why. Well I'll tell you. We've hit 20 days! 20 days of you drawing ponies based on the whims of my fancy, 20 days of me staying up obscenely late to share the fruits of your labors. 20 days of me never quite lasting long enough to get that one last image up and causing a rift in the heart of a pony that I will never be able to heal, oh though I will try. And maybe not every theme is as strong as the ones that came before it, but I think we're having fun. I can tell, because tonight after nearly 2/3 of a month of doing this, I received 178 lovey dovey cutesy wutesy little ponies. That brings the grand tally up to 3,907. Do you know who I love? Lyra You. Well... maybe both.

    And then we do that part where I link you to the submission guidelines. And then I tell you (you'll never guess) to send problems and questions to [email protected] where I can handle them to the best of my ability. And then we move on to...

    The Theme of the Day

    Draw a pony laughing. We're keeping with the running theme this week of very very simple concepts with a huge amount of depth involved in interpreting and expressing that concept. Who is this pony and why is she laughing? Is it mirthful laughter? Derisive? Sarcastic? Hollow? What caused it? Keep these things in mind and you'll be able to produce another plethora of creative and unique submissions, and not 200 Pinkie Pies. As a special opportunity for bonus points - did you know that Sethisto is a pony trapped in a cube? I've been talking to our Grand Overlord, and he wants out. Release him into the world, if you dare. Have fun!


    The past couple of nights I've been talking to a pony who's been expressing some frustrations about the difficulty of getting a lot of critique and feedback on his drawings. What I said to him seemed to help, so I've decided it's a good idea to share my thoughts on the subject publicly. That is, I understand that Blogger is not very well suited to carrying on extended conversations and that the sheer number of entries makes it difficult for anypony to focus reliably on a single one. Even knowing that, however, it is my firm belief that a large portion of the reward factor for this event is in getting to see your work showcased every night on the blog in exactly the same way it would be in a Drawfriend event. There is something special about getting to be right here that I don't think could be replicated if I moved all of this off site. That's why I was hesitant to move to an alternate photo site back when it became apparent I couldn't handle doing all of this by hoof, and it's why I'm hesitant to change things up now.

    But while feedback is a very important part of an artist's growth, and while improving at art is definitely something we're here to do, it's not the only point of this. I'm sure that many of you think a way that I often catch myself thinking when I read something or look at something, "Wow, that's better than I could ever do." "If I can't be the best, I don't want to try." "It has to be perfect, or it can't see the light of day." I do this all the time. But I'm not giving you time to think these things. By setting you against the grind of constant submissions, we are building good creative habits - coming up with an idea, executing it, and allowing it to be flawed each and every day. So that when we get to the very end of everything, you will have all this momentum built up and will be able to continue producing content as you please even without me coming to you every night with a prompt. You're going to improve (and you have. A lot), but it's not going to happen every single day. If there's an aspect of your art that you know doesn't feel right and you just can't figure out what the hay is up, I encourage you to take your submissions and show them off everywhere you can think of that you feel comfortable doing. Seek out commentary in a slower paced environment and consider that advice as it applies to future prompts. But for right now? For what we're doing? Just know that you don't need to get it perfect right on your first try. Art is a constantly spiraling staircase upward to improvement. But in order to climb it, we need to start walking. This is why we're here. When things start to feel frustrating, just remember that. I promise you'll feel better.




    1) By Chrysanthemum Blossom (I'm sorry. This is realy cute, but... that cutie mark is what again?)



    2) By Moogie



    3) By Moogie



    4) By Nimble Haste



    5) By ChaosDrop (Ah sure do love pears.)



    6) By Jimbo1023



    7) By Giny The Whoof (I understand how you feel, Octavia. I miss my bass, too.)



    8) By engel-angelica



    9) By Skyline (I do believe this is the most unique medium I've gotten a piece in so far.)



    10) By Prismatic Pretzel (I have come to expect many things. This is not one of them. I... I can't stop blushing.)
    Linked for high amounts of... I can't believe I'm writing this... Phoe sauce.



    11) By Thanqol



    12) By ASGallardo (BluebloodxMirror is my OTP.)



    13) By Rai-dash



    14) By LifeSequenceBreak (Love is cruel. Also muffin.)



    15) By D4SHTH3R4INBOW



    16) By Ego (Ego, you continue to rule. <3)



    17) By Rina D.



    18) By Sherlock Hooves (Although I approve of LyraxBon Bon, that will not stop me or my unhealthy obsession with one half of that pair.)



    19) By Colaz



    20) By Skyline (Brushie is filling Leonardo DiCaprio's role as Jack Dawson. So beautiful.)



    21) By Saphin



    22) By FoxOfWar (Based on the story... you know what? I think you can figure it out.)



    23) By Carla (NarbeVoguel) (My, Octavia is... forward.)



    24) By Kitty Tail (Did you ever pass love notes when you were a foal? I didn't.)



    25) By Horizon Bound



    26) By Smock (Super duper ultra mega cute.)



    27) By 731 (I prefer escalators.)



    28) By Tarynsgate



    29) By Easteu (Aaaand there's that song stuck in my head.)



    30) By Supersheep64 (There has been no end to the giggling this has caused. Oh Rarity...)



    31) By NikaScott



    32) By Nicole G. (FlutterMac sure is popular. Not really my thing, though.)



    33) By Alipes



    34) By Chromadancer



    35) By SiuiS



    36) By emeralddarkness



    37) By Partition (I've never considered this before, but now that I see it, this is definitely how I imagine the Elements of Harmony working. Everypony hug Luna!)



    38) By Emerald Dust (I think any plan that relies on somepony being heartbroken needs work. Back to the drawing board, Celly! After game night.)



    39) By loz



    40) By Syggie



    41) By TensaiOni (WahaHAAha!)



    42) By Nero



    43) By DB (This picture came with a small shipping story. It was cute.)



    44) By Mere Jump (Rainbooms are the most romantic gesture.)



    45) By Mr.Paulsen



    46) By cartoonlion (Little fillyshy and her parents. D'aww!)



    47) By EssAeEm



    48) By Natry



    49) By Diakaern



    50) By Taco Bandit



    51) By ProjectFreeism (Woah, this is too hot for tv.)



    52) By Amehdaus



    53) By Nido Media (What is this I don't even)



    54) By The Recliner



    55) By Nullh (I should think it would be hard to emulate Flash on bristol. Very well done!)



    56) By GonzaHerMeg (I love the look on Dashie's face back there.)



    57) By Doctor Whoof Fanatic



    58) By Tibberly (They really are an adorable couple.)



    59) By EssAeEm



    60) By DJ Rainbow Dash (The artist cals it unfinished. I call it beautifully stylized.)



    61) By Spiritofthwwolf (Pony in love. Hardy har.)



    62) By Rachel



    63) By typomouse



    64) By Mockingbird (Based on a true story. Your relationship sounds so romantic!)



    65) By CapnChryssalid



    66) By kits (Evidently it's a VERY POPULAR story.)



    67) By rich-tea



    68) By Starlight Bolt



    69) By Gear X. Machina (This is really sweet, but my heart breaks to look at it.)



    70) By Jdan-S



    71) By purpletrauma



    72) By Gear X. Machina (...Bacon and eggs?)



    73) By Ori (So much love!)



    74) By Chris



    75) By Chris



    76) By ecmc1093



    77) By Bananizen



    78) By fetchbeer (Hey guys! Hey guys! Look! Shipping! Get it? =D)



    79) By Zach



    80) By A.Q. Nichols (What a crack pairing.)



    81) By DI-FL (This accompanies a mini story about their devotion to their daughter putting a strain on their relationship and forcing a temporary separation. Context helps make this much sweeter.)



    82) By Atlur (Who does Fluttershy love? Must be you.)



    83) By Rraden



    84) By Afentis



    85) By PrismaPencil (So much FlutterMac!)



    86) By PenguinPlayer



    87) By Dragon Rage



    88) By The Obsessor



    89) By Sorekey (Damn it, Braeburn! You have no right to be that sexy! No right!)



    90) By Doc Steedly




    91) By Lancer5317 (A pony... in... love. Arg my brain.)



    92) By Frith (I hate you for getting the sea ponies song stuck in my head.)



    93) By Tenchi Outsuno



    94) By Crimson Risk



    95) By Luna (Ok, I have to agree. Sweetie Belle x Popcorn forever.)



    96) By Valfar



    97) By SiuiS (Little Midnight and Princess Mommy. If you understand what I'm talking about I love you.)



    98) By The Flying Tomato (The Book O' Books is a best seller. Squeee!)



    99) By Infinity



    100) By kibihascrashed



    101) By Tanman



    102) By Dangereaux (Welcome to the world of shipping, sir!)



    103) By PrismaPencil (This is unfairly cute.)



    104) By toonboy92484



    105) By Pony Stark



    106) By Squidbombed



    107) By Daishizen (I would seriously pay almost any amount of money for a Lyra plushie.)



    108) By Goggle Sparks



    109) By Rydel (Your comment implies I didn't explicitly state that Storge wasn't a totally valid alternative to Eros for tonight. Also, cuuuute!)



    110) By RaspleZS



    111) By Scootaleo



    112) By Argembarger (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Love,_Saskatchewan There. Now you get it, too.)



    113) By Riokenn



    114) By AlterForm (... Well then.)



    115) By Sapphire



    116) By Starlite



    117) By Relias (...Huh. How have I never thought of this before?)



    118) By Periphery



    119) By Djrk16



    120) By Buddy Vox



    121) By Prismatic Pretzel



    122) By Fickle



    123) By Jake(AKA Hefewy)



    124) By Kt Kat (Always drawn together, never written. It's RainbowFire!)



    125) By Lunar Apologist (There are not enough things you can say about how adorable this is.)



    126) By Kephra



    127) By Invidlord



    128) By TopoCruz



    129) By Da Chi



    130) By TapeDiggity



    131) By Philith



    132) By badzerg



    133) By Immersa (Lyra's shocking, scandalous secret passion. I am speechless. It's like I don't even know her anymore.)



    134) By Xiagu (It's not a shipping event unless Luna winds up with an abacus.)



    135) By Albert



    136) By Neoridgeback (I agree with Twilight.)



    137) By Spurs (And then Boast Busters became about revenge.)



    138) By Dashalicious



    139) By Falgaia (From Yari's Synch!



    140) By Pcjoyce (Any time a theme causes a Butters0tchSundae reference, I am a happy pony.)



    141) By CoconutPilot



    142) By Panda_Instinct



    143) By A Terrible Person (The artist is unsure if Lyra here is dreamily thinking about me, or Bon Bon. I'm pretty sure I know which.)



    144) By Colin



    145) By Shockwave



    146) By Kelz



    147) By Entropy



    148) By MasterofRoku



    149) By VeoBandit



    150) By Passer Palmatum (This right here is pretty much exactly why the sheves of conveinence stores are lined with trashy romance novels.)



    151) By Ivan



    152) By PVRyohei (It's a certain somepony's dream come true!)



    153) By Kooldude



    154) By BronyQuest (brb, cleaning cranberry juice off my monitor. o.o)



    155) By Fox E: (I am almost certainly going to wind up dreaming about this thanks to you.)



    156) By Kuroi Tsubasa Tenshi



    157) By Mistal



    158) By nuclearsuplexattack



    159) By 8ftmetalhead (D'aww at the note.)



    160) By Leaf Growth



    161) By rabidcow147



    162) By 8ftmetalhead


    163) By Bubblegum


    164) By DJ RBDash


    165) By StarSongPony



    166) By Jena-su



    167) By Mint156



    168) By Virga Rainboom



    169) By djTeka



    170) By Uncle Leo



    171) By Magnet



    172) By Randomjack



    173) By Liska



    174) By Eeful



    175) By Milk



    176) By ShoeboxWarrior



    177) By Thattagen



    178) By Circuit Mane

    112 comments:

    1. And then I knew what I was going to draw for both themes...

      MWUH HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA

      also if you know what the world shall taste my eggs is, it will be like that... (Don't steal it >.< [actually this will spawn epicness, so I'm sorta ok with it])

      ReplyDelete
    2. I apologize for being too much of a coward to put a pencil on paper.

      ReplyDelete
    3. Fff, curse you procrastination~!

      ReplyDelete
    4. #154 signing in! I'm quite pleased with how it turned out.

      Oh, and sorry about your monitor, Phoe. That's my bad. (I'm not actually sorry.)

      ReplyDelete
    5. I like these simple themes. I don't have to think too hard about the subject matter so I can get right to the drawing part! I'll leave being more creative to when I can draw ponies better.

      ReplyDelete
    6. @Phoe

      Sure.

      I've said that to myself every day for the last 20 days.

      ReplyDelete
    7. Omigosh omigosh omigosh I got a comment! SQUEEE

      -Tibberly #58

      ReplyDelete
    8. @MuffinsforeverThe world will taste my eggs? If this is what I think it is, you sir, may possible win an internet or two.

      ReplyDelete
    9. 122 is sad and would make an interesting fic, and I support more spark fan art as it is my new favorite fic of all time, and iv read a lot of fics in my time.

      ReplyDelete
    10. I feel kind of honored to have my piece as the main title drawing. Thank you so much, Phoe!

      ReplyDelete
    11. My waifu...
      With my best friend...

      Notsureifimokaywiththis.png

      ReplyDelete
    12. Great words Phoe! Also again I like to thank you for this event. This helps me keep at it and improve my skills. Which I notice has been getting better.

      I gotta say I'm lovin this theme. So many cute and awwww moments. Its either I want to weep or just go dawwwww. Great job Bronies! I would love to comment on each of them but I don't have enough time or space to. But I do look and each individual one. Keep up the great work! Stay Strong!

      Also number 50 today! Yay! I thought I sent my in late...also yes their is a grammar error in there. A friend told me about it after I submitted it ^^;

      ReplyDelete
    13. 109 here.

      @Phoe - I pointed that out since some people on Ponibooru thought they were kissing.

      ReplyDelete
    14. I'm late! I'm late! Please add mine, Phoe!

      ReplyDelete
    15. >79 Lol thats what I call a blind date I love it!

      140. Pcjoyce here, I should of spent more time on mine, ah well.

      ReplyDelete
    16. #171 Today.

      #16 is my fave. LyraBon so cute! X3

      ReplyDelete
    17. #25 Here.... wow didn't realize my water was multicolored. Meh, 2nd time evah on photoshop, so I'm happy. Pony on the bag pipes! Whatchya think he's playing?

      ReplyDelete
    18. Good stuff again! Not as shippy as I thought it was going to be.

      Cheers for the comment Phoe. I know my submission missives are a bit dry, but it's usually late and brain.. stop.. blegh.. sleep |o

      ReplyDelete
    19. 10 was my favorite, followed closely by 38. 88 was also a good one, and I rather liked 129 and 131 too. Overall I liked all of these.

      I can't help but wish I'd seen at least one kismesis though.

      ReplyDelete
    20. @Thattagen

      I have used my amazing pony princess powers to save the day. You may commence worship, if you like.

      ReplyDelete
    21. #110 here.

      I'll everypony what I told Phoe:
      Hipster Kitty says 'Twilight Sparkle Rapidash' is too mainstream. That's why I put a shiny Ponyta in a Love Ball.
      (Drawing a Ponyta in FiM style was quite fun in itself, too!)

      ReplyDelete
    22. 37 stopping in to high-five 91 for greatness. 40 also, because Madame LaFlour is mai waifu.

      ReplyDelete
    23. Very encouraging words there my good friend Phoe. I have to admit my submissions take a long time do to procrastination, interuptions, and me wanting them to be perfect, but I might stop worrying about that a little bit now.

      -Your faithful student, Uncle Leo

      P.S. I think I'll be using Fluttershy Dastardly again for today's.

      ReplyDelete
    24. 137 reporting in. Well, I may have reused the image from day 3, but it gave me an excuse to fix it up and vector it finally.

      ReplyDelete
    25. 31. Had problems with coloring...

      ReplyDelete
    26. @Phoe Long live Phoe, the blogprincess!

      #177 today. I don't really have any experience in physical relationships (*cough*), so I took the alternate approach. It took all I had not to draw myself as the webcam pony. But alas, he's Twi's friend from the academy in--oh whoops, he's an earth pony...Nevermind, he's just a random internet colt.

      But a confession is a confession. One of my confessions went just like this. It was so awkward.

      Now to go back and brace myself for maximum cheese.

      ReplyDelete
    27. @Phoe /grovels. Thank you. So. Much. I'll be good now I promise. ;_;

      Favorites tonight! 6, 26, 38 (I thought I would make it through but you got me right at the end there), 40, 46, 166, 173. I love that I just sat here saying d'awwww over and over again. Everypony made me smile. Ahhh l'amour!

      ReplyDelete
    28. Number 173 really got a chuckle out of me, nicely done.

      ReplyDelete
    29. I drew something for this, but my internet wasn't working. Oh well, I guess I can draw a pony laughing today.

      I thought #99 was really cute.

      ReplyDelete
    30. #125 reporting in! Thanks for the comment, Phoe - they do make a cute couple, don't they? :)

      So much adorable this time around! There were some really cute ones (#166 and #26 spring to mind) and a few that were really creative takes on the theme (like #91). Awesome work, everypony!

      ReplyDelete
    31. #139 reporting in to say I forgot to close parenthesis. Silly filly I am indeed.

      ReplyDelete
    32. They're all great. So much love flying around.

      Why I hesitate to write is because there's soooo much to comment to. I mean 150+ drawings a day I wish I can comment them all but that will take forever.

      Also, thanks for the description of encouragement, Phoe. I've skipped the past 18 days of submissions. Mostly because on what theme was in place. Another thing why I'm hesitant. But even though I haven't been submitting to the 'Training Grounds' in a long time, I did manage to create 1 image that has gotten into the queue of Drawfriend Stuff. That's a step into the right direction, I guess.

      Anyways, long story short. I thank you for hosting this wonderful idea. It has motivated me to do something I would have never thought of doing.

      ReplyDelete
    33. #149 today!finals are over so i have more time for this!

      ReplyDelete
    34. 172 here. Thanks for adding mine at 1:01 :)

      You know, that message at the start was exactly what I needed to hear. It's been a bit discouraging to not get much feedback on these, but when I look at it that way it feels alot more worth doing.

      Also, the whole 'its okay for them to be flawed' thing really hits me tonight - I was desperately wanting to do some neat candlelight stuff tonight but just barely had time to colour it in, period. And now that I get past that regret, I realize it still worked out pretty nice.

      Great submissions as usual guys. I don't know if it's possible to process this much d'aww!

      ReplyDelete
    35. @114 (alterform)

      Ship(RainbowDash, AppleJack);

      Am I doing it right?

      ReplyDelete
    36. 9
      I want that decal for my lambo on Forza three.

      And confound you bronies that drive me to Luna.
      And me for enjoying it.

      ReplyDelete
    37. 43. If RD, why have Lyra cutie mark and no wings, if Lyra, why have no horn?

      140. I'm pretty sure I've read every BSS story and I don't know which one that pics referencing.

      ReplyDelete
    38. #102 and #103- Thank you for contributing to my ever-expanding Appledash collection. ;D

      ReplyDelete
    39. There is even more d'aww here than with the filly day~

      also #60 here.

      ReplyDelete
    40. #22 here. After reading said story, I felt like I couldn't draw anything before I got that out of my system.

      Also, this page contains indeed more d'aww than the filly day. Which is quite something. A lot of really lovely pics.

      So, tomorrow is a laughing matter? We shall see what the bovels of our collective brony minds dig for that. Something interesting, no doubt. Now, to start hunting for an idea...

      ReplyDelete
    41. #122 here.

      I've always liked the idea of an evil/corrupt Celestia. Therefore, I thought my idea was.. er.. fitting.

      I love all the love tonight! Makes me giddy with a warm fuzziness.

      ReplyDelete
    42. # 38 this time. I'm really happy I got some comments on my submission; I worked pretty hard on it, and it took me a long time.

      All of these entries are awesome, as usual, and I'd just like to say a few things:
      #69: I absolutely agree with that. You can't live in the moon for a thousand years without growing dependent on it in some way, at least.
      #117 is just a really good idea. I never would have been able to think of that, but now it seems so obvious; those two go together very well.
      #122: That's amazing. It reminds me of classic tragedies, and this particular style fits it very well. I'm usually not a fan of the darker stuff when it comes to Ponies, but I'd love to see more like that.

      I already have an idea for today's theme; I'll try to make it a really obscure reference. Let's see if anyone will get it.

      ReplyDelete
    43. #164

      And on that day, Pinkie Pie grew 3 sizes bigger, both in body and heart, cause you see, she has now finally found the one attendee to her party of love~

      ReplyDelete
    44. I can't open #38 either, it just shows a thumbnail

      #26 here, I'm glad it turned out so cute ^^

      My favourites for today are 14, 46, 51, 54 (that starfish is too funny), 78 (I giggled), 89 and 125

      Oh, Soarin really does love his pie, doesn't he?

      ReplyDelete
    45. Phoe: The best kind of dreams!

      #155 today, inspired by the "dreaming pony" submission from Kits. Originally I was gonna do the colourful–pony–outlines–on–black–background thing since I like using that style with Phoe–related art, but the pencil version came out much better than I expected it to, so I submitted it instead.

      Also that's supposed to be Phoe licking Lyra's muzzle, not randomly sticking her tongue out or anything. Couldn't figure out a good way to represent that, perspective is still new to me. Still, very happy with how well it came out.

      Anyway, enjoyed #20, #38 (which works for me, dunno what's up with you guys), #54, #68, #78, #117, #122 and #134 today!
      #10: Would've been hilarious had I made the #9 slot. =P
      #130: I love the framed photo look of this.
      @BronyQuest's #154: Watchin' the show for the plot, man.

      ReplyDelete
    46. Chrysanthemum BlossomJune 15, 2011 at 3:11 AM

      #1 Here. Yes Phoe, it is indeed a marijuana leaf. To me, it symbolizes for my pony that it is great at growing plants. Such as flowers (hence the name, "Chrysanthemum Blossom"), trees, herbs (heh heh), etc. If any of you however would like to view my other art-work, you can find it here: chrysanthemumblossom.deviantart.com

      ReplyDelete
    47. Yes! there is an Applejack/Sorien pic up there, favorite pairing ever since reading a fanfic a bit earlier.

      ReplyDelete
    48. Sethisto VS Snoopthisto
      "RAP ACROSS THE UNIVERSE"

      Starring Phoe as Phoe
      The Great and Powerful Trixie as the Great and Powerful Trixie
      A gyrobowl as Cereal Velocity
      and Jim Carry as Snoopthisto


      SIMPLY A RARITY-TIER IDEA I'M HAVING

      ReplyDelete
    49. #47/ 59 checking in. Oops. I submitted the first one and then decided to make some (admittedly minor) changes to it, so I resubmitted it thinking it would replace the earlier one. Looks like it slipped through anyway. Sorry about that.

      Phoe, if you want to take #47 so that it's no longer a duplicate of #59, feel free to, and I'll do my best to avoid such situations from here on out.

      Anyway, some of my favorites this go around were #14, 55, 79, 88, 91, 130, 166, and 173. Keep up the good work, everypony!

      ReplyDelete
    50. MINES UP THERE =DDDDDDD #15
      to bad noone said anything about it.
      -D4SHTH3R4INB0W

      ReplyDelete
    51. #38 here again. Apparently some people have trouble viewing my submission; I have no idea why that is, I reckon it's some sort of problem with postimage.

      I reuploaded the picture on imageshack, so if you'd like to see it, here's the link:
      http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/35/operationtwilovesparkle.jpg/

      I really hope that works.

      ReplyDelete
    52. #76 here.
      My favourite has to be Ego's; honestly the best LyraXBonbon pic I've seen.

      ReplyDelete
    53. #66 checking in.

      @Fox E:
      I am tickled somepony actually remembers my art! Thanks a ton man! And it looks great.
      You got a DA or something I can follow?

      @BronyQuest, it turned out great! I may have to try this 'sexy drawing; thing at some point

      I'm late for work, so I'll drop in again tonight (They firewall off have these image hosts =/) for more comments

      ReplyDelete
    54. #71 here.

      First attempt ever at inking.. still looks sloppy, and showcases the images' flaws more, but I think I did okay. That just makes it a bit easier to improve. Think I may start doing that from here on out. Improvement!

      Lots of good entries, but I admit I was expecting much more Lyra/Bon-bon stuff.

      ReplyDelete
    55. #57 signing in! I was really lazy yesterday, so I just finally go around to finishing an old piece! Sorry, and don't worry, I'll draw ponies for today's theme!

      I have to say, #177 is a personal favorite for me, since that's practically how my current relationship began! Kudos to the artist! Great job everypony, at that!

      ReplyDelete
    56. @Phoe

      I'd just like to say that, due specifically to these training ground events, I know I've improved a lot. I understand the frustration of not having anypony comment on your art. I felt that way about my mythology entry.

      @Everypony
      Anyway, if you'd like to get people LOOKING at your art more, get a Deviant Art account and submit to some of the MLP groups (listed below). I didn't have almost any real feedback until I started doing this. I can't speak for the DA community as a whole, but the MLP groups seem to work.

      I'd also urge others to comment on pieces you like, even just a list of numbers that you lol'd or dawwww'd on. I can't tell you how awesome it is to have somepony say they liked your work. And stuff like @Fox E's (#155) made my week.

      #Friendship-Is-Magic
      #MLPFriendshipIsMagic
      #Pinkieism
      #Press-X-To-Dash
      #RainbowPie-fans

      I'm sure there are more. These are the ones I submit to.

      ReplyDelete
    57. #12 Narcissism anyone? lol.
      #26 Awww... so cute!
      #30 I love the expressions.
      #46 LOVE!
      #56 I agree.
      #62 I love the glow of the background.
      #73 I like :).
      #85 Beautiful shading!
      #166 Wow!

      ReplyDelete
    58. #111 here, I was looking through my old Training Ground drawings for Bluegrass references, and I was surprised at just how much there was. This event really does have me drawing a lot.

      I have no idea what I'm going to do tonight.

      ReplyDelete
    59. Awww, wish I had more time for this yesterday(is 124) One of those things where I had too many ideas and couldn't nail down one. It would have been so much better in color!

      @38 thanks for the re-link, I couldn't see it either! Love it :D

      Also, not enough Flutterjack(Appleshy?) ;D

      ReplyDelete
    60. 51 here. This may have been the most saucy of the Training Ground days yet.
      So much plot.

      ReplyDelete
    61. #150 here. Lots of cuteness today. Only two other Twilight×Books pictures though?!

      10. Haha Phoe you earned it.
      There's a problem with 38, it links to the thumbnail image.
      The surrealism in 52 is fascinating.
      59 is 47.
      It's always interesting to see a different art style like 73 82 106 163.
      78 They say the Captain is married to her ship.
      91 haha never thought of that interpretation.
      93 Nice body language
      122 wow, good storytelling with few visual details.
      166 awwwww

      And I guess I ought to read Spark.

      ReplyDelete
    62. mine is #13. I wish I did a shipping pic of fluttershy and RD but whatever. Kinda freaky that #14 is derpy's muffin being eaten by pinkie ._. I mean what are the odds?

      ReplyDelete
    63. I couldn't make one in time for this one either xP

      Glad to see so many FlutterDashers here.

      BEST PAIRING EVER, IMO!

      ReplyDelete
    64. #9 oh God, i love this one!
      #41 who doesn't love that? lol
      #52 woah! nice!
      #54 man, cracks me up everytime!
      #117 why have i never thought of that before, too!

      ReplyDelete
    65. does no one love the dee jay D'=
      -D4SHTH3R4INB0W

      ReplyDelete
    66. What's this? A Luna/Twilight fic that I managed to read? DO WANT

      #134 reporting! When I was drawing this I forgot, in order, her wings, her tail, her little armor necklace thing, Abacus, and Abacus' adorable little hat. Real life needs layers...

      @Robin I got a Phoe comment TOO! :D :D :D :D eeeeeeeeee~

      @Phoe I want amazing pony princess powers :c
      *worship*

      @Fox E: Thanks! I feel appreciated ^___^
      I like yours. Everpony looks so happy (especially Lyra. Lyra looks so happy that she might end up exploding twice)

      @Kits It's true, having people notice my art just makes me want to *inhaales* squeee~.

      Comment dump!
      38 - Thanks for the new link! D'aww. At least she found friends in Luna and Abacus!
      40 - yess! A thousand times yes! Er, I mean, OUI! ZAT IS CORRECT, MADAME!
      78 - woooooow, you.
      80 - don't be _ridiculous,_ it'll never work out between them
      83 - We love you back, Fluttershy! This reminds me of the Discovery Channel thing. "I love my bronies / I love the cutest things / I love the whole world / It's such a brilliant place / Boom De Ah Dah Boom De Ah Dah..."
      98 and 172 and kinda 150: I hoped someone would do this. Twilight/Book would be my OTP if I didn't like Twilight/Luna so much ^^
      114 - assert isAwesome;
      125 - I wanted to make some joke about Twilight only being there for the book. I wanted to. But it's too adorable... d'aww.
      129 - aawwww. That's sweet.
      137 - Yay! Filly Twilight! But also... sadface, for sad filly Trixie.
      170 - D: RUN LYRA RUN!
      173 - I love Pinkie's expression. She looks like she's extolling the virtues of having your face covered in pie.

      ReplyDelete
    67. ...a Luna/Twilight fanfic that I managed to MISS. To have NOT read. >_>
      <_<
      oh well. *reading fanfic gleefully*

      ReplyDelete
    68. 91 here, glad so many people got the joke! I really liked number 30, it was really well done and gave me a good laugh. Same for 56 and 68. Good job, everypony!

      ReplyDelete
    69. #12 here

      i love your Dee Jay, man(#15)
      imma gonna listen to some Dj tunes later.

      ReplyDelete
    70. #38
      :'(

      I'm tempted to write this into a fic at some point.

      ReplyDelete
    71. @Kits
      Yeah, 'sexy' drawings can be quite fun. Should try one once in a while. And I wish people would 'favourite' my submissions(silly jealousy), but I'm fine with people just seeing them, even if they don't like them!

      @Phoe
      This event has really helped me improve with my drawing. Hay, just looking at my dA account, you can see from my very first drawing, all the way up to my current one. I think you'd agree that I'm a bit better than I used to be!

      @Everypony else
      I've seen some *amazing* art during this event. I always take the time to look over every picture that's submitted, so even if others don't comment saying that they like your piece specifically, there's still people who are looking at and enjoying them!

      ReplyDelete
    72. #176 I knew someone would eventually do A Phantom of the Opera version of ponies! xD Pretty good, I like it.

      ReplyDelete
    73. If anyone is curious, my entry (#118) is now a full color vectorized version when you click on it.

      I sort of deviated slightly from the assigned theme for this one and drew Dash kicking heart-shaped clouds. What does it mean? I'm not entirely sure. But now it's colorful!

      ReplyDelete
    74. #108 here

      Keep up the good works, everypony. They're all good and the next set of submissions will get us to the grand total of 4k+ XD

      ReplyDelete
    75. yay someone likes my pic ='D
      -D4SHTH3R4INB0W

      ReplyDelete
    76. 120!

      I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one who supports the one TRUE ship of SoarinXPie (besides PinkieXMegatron)!

      ReplyDelete
    77. @Periphery
      It looks absolutely lush, especially in vector format!

      ReplyDelete
    78. I was surprised at all the Soarin/Pie drawings! All of the drawings were so sweet! Good job everyone!

      10
      16
      21
      31 I think you drew this wrong, that's not Rose. ;)
      37
      56
      74 awww
      88 twi needs a hug
      122 It all makes sense now... thats evil!
      167 So well drawn and adorable
      177 I love this one!

      ReplyDelete
    79. #125
      Celestia: Twilight!! How could you I thought we had something special! And with my sister of all Ponies!
      Twilight: Nooo Celly please it's not what you think; I was just helping Luna with her....er..... Taxes!
      Luna: Twilight stop, there is no need to lie Celestia needs to know about us.
      Twilight: Your right. :(
      Celestia: How long have you been doing this behind my back?
      Luna: Since my return, sister.
      Celestia: (at Luna) STUT UP YOU WHORE YOU ARE NO LONGER MY SISTER! *slaps Luna across the face* (at Twilight) So when I came over to visit and you said you where sick...you were..?
      Twilight: Yes I was with Luna.
      Celestia: *crying* I see we have two choices here, you either break up and Twilight comes back with me, or you can both continue your affair on the moon.
      Luna: *nears Celestia and starts biting her er and stroking her horn* Or there is a third choice sister, you join us in one of the greatest wild nights you can ever imagine.

      ReplyDelete
    80. i find your lack of companion cube very disturbing...5/5

      ReplyDelete
    81. #82 here. Fluttershy loves you all. Actually, it's pretty funny the way mine and 83 are next to each other, especially combined with Phoe's comment. <3

      My absolute favorite this time around is 88. Little nerdy Twilight in love! That was basically me in high school.

      My thoughts on some that stood out to me:
      14. Clever, cute, and a little bit sad. Poor Derpy.
      23. Most adorable Octavia ever
      30. Awesome expressions
      35. That is one happy pony
      38. That was depressing, right up until the end, which made me smile :)
      43. The scenery here is great
      46. Such a happy family!
      70. Simple but effective <3
      79. Derpy got all prettied up :D
      91. This wins for best interpretation of the theme :D
      93. Love the style here, simply adorable
      115. Happy Twilight is the best Twilight
      127. Applejack's expression in the back makes this one
      130. Great concept and execution
      149. Interesting pairing. Very cute picture
      166. They both look so happy :D
      167. Hah, oh Scootaloo, stop teasing her
      171. Yeah engineer pony! (I have a degree in chemical engineering, so I appreciate a good invention)
      177. This too reminds me of my high school years. So cute.

      Twilight x books and Derpy x muffins are my favorite pairings, glad to see them represented (yay for being passionate about things!)

      Good job to everypony! It's nice to see all these happy ponies spreading the love! :D

      And yeah, reiterating what has been said by many, don't be discouraged if you feel like nobody cares about your art. It's something that every artist feels, regardless of skill. If you enjoy drawing then it has to be its own reward. There will be hits and misses, but every so often you'll put something down on paper (or computer, or whatever) and it will be just what you wanted it to be, which is a great feeling and makes it all worth it. And everypony here is definitely improving and stretching their boundaries, which will only lead to greater things. So hang in there :D

      ReplyDelete
    82. Nate here. Love the pictures, as always! But I was wondering, was anypony else having trouble viewing number 38? For some reason when I open it it's just a small square... Anyway, keep up the great work everyone. If I find the time, I'll be sure to do some too ^_^

      ReplyDelete
    83. @Anonymous

      >> 43. If RD, why have Lyra cutie mark and no wings, if Lyra, why have no horn?


      GAAAAH, I left out the horn! It was in the initial sketch. Crud...

      DB

      ReplyDelete
    84. @krypqe

      A fanfic? That sounds... promising. I'd definitely read it.

      Also, I am totally blown away by all the comments I got this time around. Thank you so much, all of you!

      ReplyDelete
    85. Nate here again. I shoulda gone through all the comments first (after scouring the interwebs for twenty minutes looking for #38 somewhere XD ). Now I see the link Emerald posted XD Thanke! And daww, I just read it XD

      ReplyDelete
    86. @Anonymous


      Horn has been added. Hopefully Phoe will forgive me...

      http://i56.tinypic.com/2m4py7l.png

      ReplyDelete
    87. Hi, Ponies! #168 today.
      @Phoe Thanks for posting the encouragement and advice. You certainly understand the creative process and are "spot on" about the flaws! (at least in my work) I find it very helpful and uplifting. You are right that it is fun to have our art posted here in our little Training Ground's Paddock with our fellow bronies. *Pony hugs for you and any pony that wants 'em!*

      Ahh, the love...
      Mine is incomplete, but our despot, uh mentor, The Great and Powerful (Blog)Princess Phoe demands her tribute...ON TIME! *bows and scrapes with forelock dragging* I am not at all happy with RD's expression in my attempt at loving ponies, but Fluttershy is looking softly receptive.

      Favs & Mumblings!
      They are all fun. Great work. These are the ones that caught my fancy:
      #6 Twi loves Duke! I love Duke! We have so much in common!
      #8 Luna REALLY loves her star! I guess you ship with whatever happens along when you're stuck on the moon.
      #16 Obligtory Ego praise. Lyra!
      #18 Phoe is a stalker o/~ Phoe is a stalker o/~
      #19 Cute and I like.
      #26 well, just dawww...
      #28 Me! I do.
      #30 Cutey Dashie.
      #43 Cute, and what's the story??
      #49 Gleeful Twi in the dark with her little lantern and bookies.
      #54 Fluttersy = cute. Starfish = Creeps me out. But well done.
      #56 Oh, Dashie, you're too good for him. Care to go out for a chomp 'o grass with me?
      #60 I really like where this is going! Don't destroy it with too much detail as you finish it up. Maybe just hints at facial features. It is almost complete now.
      #79 Yahrrr indeed!
      #75, 88, 89, 103 cute & good!, 125 Twi, how could you!, 148, 150 you take care of her!, 155.
      154 Oh, Twilight Sparkle! And I thought I was the special one in your heart.
      #163 LOVE Derpy here!
      #166 I really wish I was Spike right there.
      #173 Very well done, shy and a pie in the face.
      #177 I know I love you!

      Thanks all. *Laughs manically all the way to the drawing pad*

      ReplyDelete
    88. @Phoe
      Oh, and #10, just because Phoe seems to be enjoying herself so much.

      What kind/style etc. pony is the cubically inclined Sethisto?

      ReplyDelete
    89. @BronyQuest

      Oh, believe me, I have favorited your stuff. I often forget that I can fav individual items in addition to following ponies on DA. Then I do a massive amount of them.

      I moved all of my first sketches into a folder called "art" (quotes included). Maybe I should assemble everything into a timeline gallery?

      Hmm. Maybe we could, after Phoe ends this event, make a #artist-training DA group? Sounds like it might be fun!

      ReplyDelete
    90. @Andrew
      @Anonymous
      @Mockingbird
      @Virga Rainboom

      Thanks.


      @Fox E:

      It would have been quite the hilarious coincidence if you had happened to be in slot 9.

      ReplyDelete
    91. #126 here. I was hoping to do a whole comic, but that's what I get for starting at 11pm. He's supposedly offering to share his pie with Spitfire, and not actually in love WITH the pie. The other frames would have made that more clear ^.^;

      I burst out laughing when I saw #79
      #89 is adorable!

      I'm just sad I didn't find this training camp before day 18!

      ReplyDelete
    92. @Emerald

      I'm not promising anything, (My hooves are full, as it is...)
      But I just liked the idea that much, enough to give it a proper thought.

      Keep up the awesome art!
      You, and everypony!

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

      ReplyDelete
    94. Just finished tonights entry. 2 comics in a row; I must be a glutton for punishment. Trying to get my artist name to display -_-

      ReplyDelete
    95. #92 today. And infecting Phoe with an earworm is a lovely bonus!

      As a gage of the popularity of any image I submit, what I would like is for the thumbnail to link to the gallery page my image is on, not to the image itself. That way Flickr could tell me how many views (clicks to view image at Flickr) each image gets. To make this work, we would have to submit two links, one to the image (address ends in .jpg) just like we've been doing for weeks now, and we would have to submit a second link (probably ending in .html) that would link the thumbnail to our target gallery page for that image only.

      Thus, even if you don't get any comments, you can compare the hits you get on each image to see what attracts the most attention. 8^)

      I should be sketching ponies laughing... Instead, listing what I liked the most:
      52 by Amehdaus of (Scootaloo?) kissing the sky, or a sky-nymph, or just a dream.
      61 by Spiritofthwwolf (I like puns, this has Trixie nestled comfortably in the O of the word love)
      78 by fetchbeer (sailor pony loves her ship, or at least the figurehead)
      79 by Zach (Derpy's romantic dinner with a real horse)
      87 by Dragon Rage (Black velvet and that little girl smile, black velvet and that slow southern style. A new religion that'll keep you on your knees. Black velvet, if you please!)
      130 by TapeDiggity (really cute couple 'picture' of the Cakes, 'signed' by Pinkie Pie. Love the orange background)
      134 By Xiagu (OK, I have to ask, what's with Luna and the abacus? I think this is not the first abacus/Luna image)
      166 by Jena-su (Damn that's cute: Spike leaping into Twilight's arms)

      ReplyDelete
    96. #72 I love bacon and eggs too.

      (DEM COMMENTS!)

      ReplyDelete
    97. 16. This makes me d'awww. Someday, somehow, this ship must become canon.
      26. MUH TEEF!
      37. Haha, that's exactly how I wrote it working in Poisoned Sugar! Magical psychic group hug.
      38. Okay, wait... pardon my french, but how the fuck did something that started out that creepy end up that sweet?!
      66. Yeah, I'm apparently the only person in the universe that didn't like Spark.
      72. Oddly, not the first bacon-and-eggs themed pony. IKR? [link]

      ReplyDelete
    98. #53 That was just epic. ^^
      #114 There's no check to make sure that the Ship object the Rainbow Dash object is contructed with isn't null. Who does she make out with if her shipPartner is null and how can it be hot? Also, the Ship class extends Pony. Why doesn't the Rainbow Dash class do that?

      ReplyDelete
    99. @Kits Thanks, it was just too funny a thing not to pull inspiration from. =P Been waiting for a chance to do so, really. Makes me giggle every time I see it.

      My DA hasn't been used in, uh... ... Years. I actually sorta forgot it existed since I only ever used it to get into mature stuff for the longest time. I'll clean it up a bit and start using it again, gives me a place to showcase over two weeks' worth of pony.

      Didn't originally occur to me (obv) but DA / FA / etc. is a good way to get more comments on your work.

      But yes, agreeing with the whole "leave comments" thing. One guy I know put it like "views and +favs are like getting money for christmas, but seeing '50C' on one of your pics is like getting fifty brand new presents."

      Even if you are unsure or embarrassed, I've submitted stuff like this and this. You don't even have to submit, you can just scrawl something on paper then toss it if you like.

      @Xiagu Luna-Abacus is always relave— wait, can you do that? D= Can you explode TWICE? (<3)

      @Periphery That's awesome. I really need to learn to do this, all I do right now is clean up the eraser smudges and scanner muckups in Paint.NET.

      @Prismatic Pretzel If only it didn't take me two geological ages to complete one pic...

      ReplyDelete
    100. @frith Even though you probably won't read this...
      Thanks for commenting on meeee~ :D

      Luna's abacus is from the fanfic Progress, which is pretty great. It also references some other fanon we've made up for Luna, like her ability to hear when ponies wish on a star from Constellations.

      Also, I approve of your name. It's nearly nearly ni-inlé now though... I should start drawing today's submission. >_>

      I will probably repost this tomorrow so that you actually have a chance of reading it.

      ReplyDelete
    101. @Fox E: Whoa, mildly creepy timing there! Lyra might if Phoe and Bonbon try hard enough.....

      LunaXAbacus is the pencil sketch that I am most proud of so far. My making-things-scan-well skills are improving too :D

      Ever since I saw the fic The Night Fluttershy Exploded (which I still haven't actually read) I have had the irresistible urge to make terrible explode jokes.

      ReplyDelete
    102. #90 here
      I dont have long to comment

      #154 OMC i about choked on the pizza i was eating, normally out of personal respect for the show and my fav characters i would not look at stuff like that. But i came across this . . . *clears throat* suggestive pic... It is well done, my fav mare .... but really *uhh scrolls away . . . Not how i would like have had visualized her >.>

      #173 made me LOL hard!!

      WOW such fun pics to look at. I really dont like how fluttershy turned out in my pic . . . i may redo her. Its bugging the hay outta me and i dont want her too look like that. My pic isnt all wubby dubby like all the others, ( i think ) mine seemed to be the only "unwanted love pic" which was "ok" if i read the days topic correctly. OMC freakin fluttershy is bugging the hay out of me. . . depending on the topic tomorrow im going to fix her. GRAH!!

      Tho on a side note, the pic i drew for todays only took me about 30 minutes, thats only a FRACTION of the time it would normally take me to do a pic, normally about 4-5+ hours. But to be honest, im totally not happy with it. obvious reason will be stated when the pic is posted.

      GREAT JOB EVERYPONY!!!

      ReplyDelete
    103. @Xiagu Creepy timing, or awesome timing?

      My scanning skills suck apparently, I finished my drawing hours ago and have been cleaning it up digitally ever since...still nowhere near done, definitely not gonna finish in time.

      Ridiculous that removing the scanner's defects takes as much time as drawing the thing in the first place.

      "The Night Fluttershy Exploded": hahaha oh my god i need to read that

      ReplyDelete
    104. @Fox E: Maybe both.

      Sorry to hear about your scanner woes. I guess I'm lucky! Either my standards for scanner defects are way lower than yours or my scanner is just awesome. I haven't been cleaning up mine at all.

      I found that making the lines as dark as possible before scanning minimizes the extra crap the scanner picks up. My earlier scans look a lot worse than the latest ones. :D

      ReplyDelete
    105. @Xiagu

      Have a little faith! Although I am bleary eyed with the lateness of the hour, I check back to see if my questions were answered. 8^) The 'find string in page' in the edit menu helps too.

      You are going to drive me to reading fanfic! I think the sleeping cap on the abacus is a wink at Applejacks apple tree in Over a Barrel. ^_^

      It is fu inlé and the full moon is deep orange in colour. A frith is also a clearing and a trap for fish. And it sounds a bit like my name, if you haff a lithp and you aren't good at hard consonants.

      ReplyDelete
    106. @frith Whoa, unexpected return comment! :D

      If I drive you to read awesome adorable amazing alliterative Luna fanfiction, that that is a good thing. (Why does Luna have so many 6-star fanfics? Because she's awesome. That's why.)

      Actually, Abacus' sleeping cap is something mentioned in Progress. ``She got it a little hat and its own little bed, and I saw her tucking it in with a bedtime story.'' :D

      I will guess... that your name is... Chris? >__> <__<

      ReplyDelete
    107. I hate my new scanner, i draw on papaer thats 9x11, and my new freakin scanner is 8.5x10 so my pics are always cropped at the edges . . . then i get the shadows, easy to see on the edges of my pic (#90) I cant complain too much, my scanner does a beautiful job . . . specialy at 600 dpi rez. My pics scan huge, over 9000 wide sometimes . . . it varies . . i dont know why tho. ANYWHO, check yer scanbed glass for dust and fingerprints. I pop my scantop frequently and clean both sides with alcohol wipes . . . i got a new scanner now ( all in one unit, smaller bed ugh ) only because my old scanner was scanning with odd yellow lines. My old scanner was huge tho, almost 15x12 scanbed. Good luck with it. Some scanning artifacts may also be a dirty sensor. Use a soft bristle paint brush to clean the scan sensor, normally a long black/clear plastic thingy that moves inside the middle of the scanner housing.

      ReplyDelete
    108. Everyone in the PCA is lesbian too. XD

      ReplyDelete