Nightly Roundup #761

My good friend Cider recently completed this wonderful picture for his tumblr and I thought it was perfect for getting two underrepresented characters into the spotlight! So have some Gilda and Lightning Dust and make sure to click the pic and say hi to Cider as well. He's sort of getting started in the art scene and could use some feedback!

Anyhow, time for the news! Check it out after the break!

Ponies Around the World - Starting In a Few Weeks

It's that time of the year once again! Actually, these are pretty random on timing aren't they?  Regardless, ponies around the world is returning soon. If you have no clue what this is, each year we put out a challenge for all of you photographers (or people with access to cameras) out there to take a pony toy and snap a picture in front of a landmark.  If you would like some examples, have a few posts:

Ponies around the World 2011 Day 1
Ponies around the World 2012 Day 1 

This year, we will be following the same formula.

Once the Artist Training Grounds ends, there will be a small break before submissions open, and a good two weeks of gathering time.  Feel free to get your equipment ready or do some early homework now. A followup post will be dropped once everything officially begins.  Good luck!

Convention Compilation - September 7th

As is the norm for the pony world, we have lots of convention news even when they are slowing down the actual conventions for the year.  Have some headlines:

• Sac Brony Expo - Loads of Huge Announcements
• DrawnCon Chooses The Brony Thank You Fund as Their Charity Partner
• Baltimore Comic Con - IDW Pony Comic Guests

And full press releases below the break!

Hoofsounds Radio Mod for Chome

For all 42% of you currently browsing EQD on chrome, a new extention has been released.  The guys behind the Ponyhoof Facebook mod  decided to compile up a bunch of radio stations from around the fandom for your listening pleasure.  Pretty much every genre on the planet is included, along with a chat room option to connect and talk about what is currently playing in various brony hangouts around the community.  

Head on down below to break for the full press release.  Find the addon here,  and for Firefox users, it looks like it will be available in a few weeks for us. 

Story: On the Line (Update Part Complete!)

[Sad] [Adventure] [Random]

Author: Big Bob

Description: As a Royal Princess, it is Luna's responsibility to watch over the subjects in her kingdom. One of the ways she helps the common pony is to inhabit their nightmares, helping them to overcome their fears and anxieties in order to live stronger the next day. However, one night Luna steps into the dreams of a young filly and finds out that the pony is dying. With nopony else able to help the child, the Royal Princess realizes that she has no other choice but to help. Can Luna save the filly walking the line between life and death?

On the Line (New Part 11!)

Additional Tags: What do dreams tell us?

MLP Monopoly - Genius or Derp?

Apparently this is from the MLP Monopoly set, though I don't have any confirmation on it.  I have to wonder, is this a complete derp, or a stroke of genius?  I'll let you guys decide.

(No, I didn't just want an excuse to post my daily Trixie)

Story Updates - September 7th

I do love my steampunk ponies.

Get some story updates below!

Drawfriend Stuff - Apple Bloom Edition

It's Michelle Creber's birthday, and to celebrate the occasion, I've gathered up a bunch of the Apple Bloom art from over the years for a special edition Drawfriend, similar to the Zecora one on Zecora day.  I'm still deciding if I want to make this a regular thing, but for now, head on down below the break for loads of Apple Bloom!

[0] Source
Applebloom

Drawfriend Stuff #918

Gidadashrobotthingy.  I'm cool with this.  Hopefully you are too.

We have a shorter drawfriend today, but some good stuff in here.  Get it all below!

[1] Source
Robo Rainbow Feather

Comic: The Town 7 / In Case of Pinkie Emergency / You Know What they Say / A Journey's End

Two comic posts in a row? I blame the lack of time to do drawfriend on time. Expect that next. Until then, have More animal crossing, Pinkie Pie's secret to endless energy, Rainbow Dash and Applejack Banter, and the CMC Driving. Click for full.

Comic: Auto Correct / Nope, Couldn't Resist / Lyra's Fanfic

Ahh, auto correct. Source of endless amusement and misunderstandings! Sometimes I wonder if people would spell better without it, heh.

Time for comics! Click for full.

Livestream Saturdays

Hello once again everyone! Ready for some streams? Today we've got a great selection at hand with plenty to do and see. Check them all out after the break!

As always with this event, if you want to partake in the madness make sure to send an email to me at [email protected] with your name, the type of art you'll be doing, a gallery link (optional) a link to your livestream and a banner (also optional). Make sure that your stream follows our content guidelines as laid out under our submit tab and also make sure to that you can be ready to stream at our standard time of 4pm EST / 1pm PST on Saturday. Also, if you participated in this week's stream event please send me the art you made so I can include it in next week's Livestream Drawfriend.

Toys R' Us Getting Rid of 'Boys' and 'Girls' Labelling

Lets hit the fringe of ponyland up for a bit!  I'd say this is pretty relevant to the world of Equestria.

According to Toynews-online, there may be some pretty major changes on the horizon in the world of toys.  Thanks to the "Let Toys Be Toys" campaign group, Toys R' Us is joining a number of other retailers in axing the concept of labeling specific toys based on gender.  Signage around the stores will display both girls and boys playing with the same stuff.   Whether this means the end of the pink isle (which is looking very black and dark blue thanks to the newer pony stuff lately if you have visited a TRU store in the last few months) or not remains to be seen. 

I wonder if FiM had any part to play in this? I suppose retailers would notice a growing number of guys browing the colorful equine section.

Thanks to Rainbow Dash for the heads up!  Yep, that Rainbow Dash.  She just loves reading. 

(Update: Apparently this is specifically for the UK at the moment.)

Tumblr Spotlight - OC Edition: Just Ask Plumsweet! / Who Am I? / Ask Firenze / Ask Nephelle

Considering my tumblr folder is filled to bursting with all sorts of OC tumblrs I figured it might be time to finally dedicate a post to those who have patiently waited for a feature! While the idea of OC tumblrs might not catch the attention immediately like tumblrs based on canon characters, the benefit of creating a tumblr based around an OC is the near limitless freedom one has to shape the world you wish to portray. As such there are many clever and creative tumblrs based around concepts and silliness you'd never think possible in more canon centered tumblrs! So join me today as we dive into a small selection of what the pony OC tumblr world has to offer.

As always, if you have a tumblr you would like to share, whether it is your own or someone elses, please make sure to send it my way at [email protected] or my Twitter for review and filing. Mature themed ones (PG-13) are welcome as well!

Album compilation - September 6th

We have sort of a light album post today, but some of these have been around forever. If these keep trickling down enough I might just be able to run them solo soon here! Have a list:

MandoPony: Remastered - Mandopony
Equestrian Revolution III - Aviators
Desinenza - Lavender Harmony

And get all the information on each of these below the break. 

Everything Wrong With Bridle Gossip in 3 Minutes or Less

Bridle gossip! Such zebra, so joke, what a staggering poison. 

The next installment of the Cinemasins parody has been released by LittleshyFiM.  Get it below the break!

Untitled

Source!

Oh Luna, so silly~

Newbie Artist Training Grounds III - Day 23

I was expecting some Yu-Gi-Oh! references for the latest prompt and you guys did not disappoint! Hello again everyone! Calpain is here once again and for the final time for this year's ATG as our hostess Phoe returns tomorrow to finish up the last stretch of this amazing journey!

Our ponies tonight are much more active than our somber ponies from last night! We have another great batch of pics today comprised of 219 dueling or competing ponies which brings our total to 8220 pictures! But it's not over yet gang, let's finish out this next week with the same gusto we see in our competing ponies that you can see in our gallery here.

Speaking of galleries, the makeup gallery has finally closed, adding another 120 ponies of all kinds to our total, bringing us up to 8340 ponies in total! Awesome job gang on making up those pics! Check out the makeup gallery here.

Well folks, time for me to say farewell, but not before leaving you with the prompt for tonight! After playing hard, ponies have to work hard so tonight's prompt is: Draw a pony litigating / Draw a professional pony. Submit your entries here by 11:59 PM, Pacific time on Saturday, September 7 and if you have any questions please contact Phoe at [email protected].

It's been fun guys! Best of luck finishing up the ATG. I'm proud of you all for sticking with it and for all of you that at least gathered up the courage to try something new! Catch at the next ATG and elsewhere on the site. Calpain out!

  a