February 2015 Speed Paints

[Pheasant]

[Cross-posted on MLPTP.]
These aren't exactly MLP, but as they still feature ponies I thought I'd show them off.

PonyIsland had a week-long speedpaint contest, in which contestants had a specific timeframe to draw and submit artwork relating to a given theme. I didn't make it through all five rounds due to other commitments, but I did complete the first three. They feature Canary (Fairy Pony), Maika (Kirin) and Grace (Reindeer) respectively.
Done in Photoshop Elements 6. I know they're full of flaws, so I'm not looking for critique this time. =)
(Time taken: 7 hours out of 24.)
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(Time taken: 2 1/2 out of 14.)
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(Time taken: 1 and 1/2 hours. The round began at around 4:30 in the morning for me, and by the time I was done with the livestock, that was all the time I had left.)
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Mom has been pestering me to refine and complete the last one, so it may see improvement in the eventual future.

[HelloGoodbye]

Those are really pretty!  I like your style a lot.  Great work!

[hathorcat]

Those are lovely! The second one is so pretty and eye catching.

[Griffin]

Speed paints are great! Both as an exercise and a form of relaxed painting. Sometimes it's best to forget detail and accuracy and focus on conveying atmospheres, feelings or concepts. And you did very well! The pony in the first one is lovely, very graceful and sits perfectly in the delicate atmosphere. The second one has a great composition, I like how the landscape is given so much space yet the diagonally placed path draws the eye to the character. I'm also attracted to the greyscale which seems to give the scenery an air of quietness, the kind you would find in a wintery forest. And last but not least, the third one has some great movement! The perspective and proportions may be a little off but that doesn't matter in a sketchy painting like this, you can really feel the tension! Again the composition works very well, you make great use of diagonal lines in your drawings and that gives them a wonderful, dynamic feel. Great job!

[PrincessStarlily]

Griffin's comments say it all! I love your style, Sundown. Each drawing has such a definitive voice, and they're all so elegant! You're certainly a lot more experienced at Photoshop than I am. Any tips for a newbie?

I used to be interested in PI, but when I learned I had to pay to keep an account going I kind of gave up on it. Other things in life come first, unfortunately.

[Pheasant]

Thank you all for your comments. ♥  I've been meaning to respond, but as my family and I have been unexpectedly busy I just didn't have the time.

@ Griffin:
That means a lot to me, thank you! Digital artwork isn't my strong point, so I've been making an effort to change that and it appears I'm making progress.

@ PrincessStarlily:
The only tip I can give is to keep practicing - practice makes perfect. As cliche as it sounds, it's true. Push yourself to and beyond your artistic limits; the great thing with artwork is that you can never fail, only improve.
I played PI for nearly six years, but quit about a week ago due to my own poor time management. Between school and work, it was becoming quite a distraction. I hope to return at some point after I've matured a bit more, but time will tell.