Spitfire

[Hey so prepare for a very long critique, because this artwork just deserves it that much.]

You never cease to amaze with your artwork, old sport. That I must stress before I begin. Everything I've ever seen by you [even the explicit stuff] is always brilliantly and tastefully drawn up. Very commendable and noteworthy work.

Anywho, about this drawing in particular...

I love love love her mane and tail. Such attention to detail! Every last strand of hair is paid attention to and drawn realistically, yet the lighting affects all of them at once. It's the perfect combination between scratchy and slick, if that makes sense. [I've seen lots of pieces where the hair is branching out all over the place, and lots where it's all basically one enormous strand, and I appreciate their attempts to make it look more (ahem) realistic, but it just doesn't cut it like this style does.]

One thing I would improve on a little is the wing pattern. The wing itself is nicely done, but the pattern makes it look a little bit less like feathers and a little bit more like a mosaic.

In addition to that, the shadowing on her seems a bit rushed. It gives Spitfire an almost godly look, which is good, but I don't think it's what we're looking for here; we want to make her look good, and like a hero, but I think you went about it the wrong way. The shadows around her just look a little rushed; not necessarily sloppy, but as if you had to meet a deadline or something and just threw them on there.

Be that as it may, the shadowing ON her body is magnificently done! I have nothing bad to say about it; it's accurate, it's not too feathered but not too hard on the edges, and most of all, it's ACCURATE and PAYS ATTENTION TO DETAIL. You're magnificent at attention to detail my friend, I have to give you that.

I love the necklace you threw around her. It's easily distinguishable as some sort of chain even in the low-res image [again, DAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL], and it opens the floodgates to people's imaginations to reason as to how she got it. Fanfictions can be created around that necklace. Fantastic additional touch.

I like how you made her outfit look like spandex around the hooves and legs, but unzipped around her neck, almost like a tight-fitting hoodie. That's exactly how I pictured their uniforms would look like. Great job on that.

As far as the raised hoof goes, I think it's a good idea, but it seems a bit shorter compared with the rest of her hooves. Nothing else to really say about that, and maybe it's just my own eyes lying to me.. It just looks a bit stubby is all.

Okay, last two tidbits [it's almost over! i hear you cry out]:
-I love the way you've done over her mouth and nose; it's in that same 3-dimensional looking fashion as Rarity's mouth and horn were done in; it just adds to the realisticity of the overall piece.
-I love the ATTENTION TO DETAIL you put into her eye. Eyes make the character more than anything else, and you've nailed this one. The color, and shadowing on that aforementioned color, is spectacularly done over, and you've even nailed the detail in the iris to the shape and distinction of the lighter and darker sides. Truly, truly excellently done. [Oh, and I love the lens flare you added to the eye; makes it that much more realistic.]

WELL! I think that's about everything I can say about this piece. It's beautiful, charming, detailed, and despite a few minor kinks, a regular masterpiece.

Fantastic job, old sport. Let me know when this gets featured on EqD. <img src="e.deviantart.net/emoticons/w/w…" width="15" height="15" alt="" title=" (Wink)"/>

~gifs