Hey! Hey you! Yes, you in the back! Do you want to draw some ponies? Then I've got some great news for you: you can! Here at Equestria Daily we've long subscribed to the belief that anybody, anywhere, can draw and draw well. And all you really have to do to get there is try! That's why every year we set up a little event to let everyone have fun and learn together. For the next 15 days we'll be bundling up for winter (apologies to all you southern hemisphere folks currently melting!) and scribbling out some ponies in all sorts of different shapes and sizes according to some fun little prompts I'll be laying out for you each day.
How's that sound? Because it sounds pretty great to me. We've trimmed the workload a bit this year - a lot of research was indicating we weren't keeping very many people through the entire 30 day grind - but in exchange you'll get to see us twice a year now! Hooray! Now, I see you sitting there, doubting yourself. I know all about the thoughts in your head. "I'm not good enough." "I don't have talent." And so on and so forth. But you know what? Skill isn't something we're born with, it's something we develop for ourselves. So if it's something you want? Go for it! You can do it! I promise, stick this through and you'll start seeing improvements. And from there, the sky is the limit.
So how does this work? Every night, I will give you a prompt, and you'll draw it and submit using our handy dandy EqD submitter. You'll officially have 24 hours, but don't worry if you're a teeny bit late, the doors stay open for a few hours longer to accommodate those of you with crazy schedules. You can draw anything you want so long as it conforms to the prompt in some way shape or form. Digital art, colored, black and white, doesn't matter. Heck, scribble something on a napkin and take a picture, it's all fine!
This year, I'm very proud to say that vendors the world over have come together in the spirit of giving to offer you incentives just for trying! Anybody who submits a drawing will be entered into a raffle to win some awesome prize packages. And all you have to do is try to draw some ponies! It couldn't be easier! Today, our prize comes from our friends at Toywiz, who are offering up a collection of pony flavored boardgames including Monopoly, Chutes and Ladders, and Life! Thanks so much to them for their generosity.
But me oh my! We've talked for so long and I haven't even given you a prompt! Silly me, let's fix that. Tonight, to get you all started on a nice and simple level, I'll have you: Draw a pony standing still/Draw a pony posing! Feel free to get creative with prompt interpretation! Make a pun, do something silly, go the extra mile if that's what makes you smile. Just make sure you submit it here by December 2 - 9 PM, Mountain Standard Time (GMT -6). We'll feature every entry in a gallery tomorrow. Get cracking!
As a final treat, for those of you who are feeling intimidated at the prospect of just jumping in head first without anything to guide them, the people at the ATG Alumni have a truly wonderful collection of guides for everything from shapes to eyes to wings. There's a lot of good stuff in here for people of all skill levels, so feel free to look and learn: Tutorial Page.
(Update: Submitter now open)
