Cool New Art Toys!

I have discovered a new medium of artwork that opens up my possibilities beyond my imagination.
I have been working with graphite (pencil) for several years now, and I have enjoyed it, achieving better realism with practice, but a few days ago, I decided to try a picture in color.
I felt like doing something different, I guess, and I had some old oil pastels in my art cabinet that I had
played around with a few years back. I began a picture of a horse (of course ; D), and was happy with it, but didn't have much luck with making it look real - it felt kind-of like a cartoon, even though it was technically pretty good.
I looked again with despair at the work of my favorite artist - Lesley Harrison. She works in pastels, and her horses look like photographs. I have a small collection of her calendars, which I have dissassembled and hung on my walls - those of you who have seen my walls know - her work is stunning. ; D
Here is her website: http://www.harrison-keller.com/
I have wished for years that I could create artwork like hers!

You see, she has a blog - which I follow, and in it she mentioned the types of pastels she uses.
I went to my favorite store (Hobby Lobby ; D) and found them.
They were not, as I had thought, oil pastels, but were in fact soft pastels.
There is a huge difference- oil pastels are kind of globby and greasy - they will blend, but they leave little crumbs and are bulky. You cannot get much detail, and I love details.
Soft pastels are almost like a chalk, but a chalk so soft and smooth it works like paint.
The detail you can achieve with them is unbelievable - I can now draw individual eyelashes. Individual highlights on eyelashes. Infinitesimal hairs. I am ecstatic!
So - I have posted some of my work.
What do you think?

Yeah, I know this isn't a very profound post, but I am totally tickled with how much
fun these are and had to tell somebody! ; D

Okay - so before, with oil pastels . . . grainy texture, not much detail . . .

Now after! See the difference?

Love the way this one turned out!

See the hairs? The eyelashes?

Sorry, I am having too much fun!

I got the reference photo for this one from a photography book, so I cannot

technically call this my own,

even though I have taken some artistic license with it.

I was thrilled with how it turned out!

I will probably be posting some more as I get more time with my new toys. = )

Thank you for so patiently bearing with my rambling! ; D