Sneyd

Sneyd was a famous artist who at some point wrote a unknown book that Spike would study when preparing to make a painting for Rarity on her birthday.

Behind the scenes
Sneyd appeared on "Cover A" of the 28th issue of the Friendship is Magic comicbook series by IDW Publishing, along with Newton, Leyendecker and Wrightson. He is most likely named after the real-life cartoonist, Doug Sneyd, a comic artist for Playboy Magazine.