'Lo Erana, When I saw the title of this I cracked my knuckles, but the work's been done for me.Erana said:*sighs*
First off, including how long something took can make you feel better, but its just overcompensation.
Second, draw them in your own way.
Third: get good art supplies.
Ask yourself why you feel the need to do this. And then use this understanding to figure out how
Other people should be a resource to you in art, not the ones to decide how you feel about something.
Also, go look up the Fuck Yeah Art Newbie Owl. Read them all, and if you're doing anything he does, chances are it would be a good idea to stop.
With assistance from Erana's suggestions:
1. Time is good to keep track of if you know you'll be doing more of a similar project in the future to better pace yourself. Mostly commercial artists use this, but it can be an interesting stat.
2. Style takes years to harness, but this is right. Don't be a sheep. Take that pony and make it look how you want it to. It's one thing to mimic an image perfectly but we have copy machines for that. It's another to make it you own by capturing the subject in your style ... how you want others to see it.
3. If you ever want to look back at how you've grown as an artist you'll want to keep everything you do (you'll mostly laugh at yourself, I do). Get sketchpads and pencils ... I'm a 4B kinda guy right now. Gives a good solid line and doesn't get used up too quickly. Get good in black and white before you get to coloring. Experiment with whatever you're going to use before you put it on your original ... consider copies.
Take critiques lightly and eventually you'll know when someone is just throwing out info they think is correct. You'll start to filter out the BS and understand the message. As an artist you can gain some thick skin or end up leaving it as a hobby. Or do crafts ... but crafters are the sewer-dwellers of the art scene.
Have fun, explore, draw hands, and keep a journal.
That is the best I can suggest.
OP: No, but you'll get better