Ok, so this is more of a going back to basics thing for me, I've been trying to re-learn how to do a lot of stuff since I made the switch to Paint Tool SAI. I really want to do cell style shading, but I want it to come out at the highest quality possible. SAI feels totally different than Photoshop, but I'm finding the line tool to be really handy when it behaves as expected. Though it doesn't seem to like to do perfect curves.


As for the subject here. Earth ponies are never shown in the royal guard, so I figure they would probably be the tanks of the military. Take the biggest breed, have them train to the absolute limits of strength and endurance. Then dress them up in the heaviest armor possible.

The armor shown here weighs as much, if not more than a unicorn guard in full plate, by it's self, never mind with the giant inside it. I'd put these guys being tall enough the tops of their ears come to the princess's chin.

The idea is, they are literally a living tank, they can just push their way through anything in their path, and they don't carry any weapons, because they are the weapon.