Hey folks! I got even dirtier this time to find the best shots I could of all the amazing backgrounds that showed up in "Castle Sweet Castle"! The backgrounds can sometimes be overlooked because we have such awesome characters front and center, but this episode really blew me away with the details and variety. So come under the cut and geek out with me over the amazing shots!
[Now with credit! Yay PaulloDEC]
This comparison is incredible and I wish I knew who to credit. I can't believe the difference between Seasons one and five. It almost looks like it's from a completely different show. Which do you guys prefer? Do you like the more flash looking one, or the more almost painterly style?
The amount of facets on the various gems here kinda blows my mind. I love the coloured crystals in the chandeliers too. I wonder how long before some of the amazing crafters in the fandom will start making lamps like this.
Long shots like this always blow me away, I just love the perspective.The soft pastel green from the windows really fits too. To me, it really helps give a more organic and tree-like feel to all the sharp crystal bits. It helps bridge the gap a bit more between the treebrary and the crystal castle.
This is another shot I really like. I love the tree shapes over the pillars and windows. It seems to be a recurring theme in the castle and really stands out to me. I'm also really impressed by how the columns start very rough and raw at the bottom and then change to very carved and polished.
I can never get enough of inside Dash's house. I love the shield (Maybe a family crest?), and the awesome statue. I'd love to imagine it's maybe an idealized Wonderbolt statue that she keeps to remind her of her goals.
I also really adore the small touches like the swirling design on the floor and the wind designs on the door. Little touches are why I love this show.
I never realized but Dash's home actually changes over time. It's sometimes small, but every time we've seen it, it's actually different. I love the idea that because it's a cloud house, she really does keep re-sculpting and playing with the look. I find it interesting too that her rainbow pool seems to have softened its colour somewhat.
This is just another great shot to me, though I just noticed Dash's mane seems oddly bereft of its yellow stripe. My real focus was on the framing on the castle and all the small details in the houses. From the lines of straw on the closest roof to the two different window styles, the background artists never fail to amaze me.
This ones a two-fer. One, I love seeing the spa. The ponies in the back of the bath always make me smile when I see them. Two, look at Bulk. Admire his outfit and his lovely headband...
Notice anything missing? Yeah, he's so energetic he throws off his headband. I also have to admit to loving the gem design over the door. I hope those walls aren't expensive to replace.
The stairs in the background are neat too. I wonder if the Spa Twins live above the shop.
This is here just because I adore the shading detail in the bow on the curtain. But if you look, the window also has that really cool tree motif. I like the contrast between the shading in the bow and the lack of shading on the flowers.
We finally get to see the inside of "Quill's and Sofas". And it does not fail to impress. I notice a lot of beds though and not many quills or sofas. I really like how it seems to have both beds but also mirrors and sheets. I also can't get over the arches at the top of the walls. The swirl detail on the floor is a really nice touch too.
This is such a tragic shot, but I love the small details. The shading on the roofs and chimney. The little bit of the balcony that's left. How the tree has actually pulled up the soil on the right side.
This is another amazing bit of shading, though it bugs me slightly. The focus is all on the castle and everything else is left alone. To me, it doesn't blend as nicely since it means all the foreground stuff just kind of looks more unpolished. The castle does look incredible, but I would've liked to see a bit more on everything.
The inside castle shots just feel blowing my mind. I love the large stained glass pane with the tree and heart motif. but I also love how the doors have gems set above them and the back wall has a beautiful mural of a tree on one side and the waterfall and mountain on the other.
This is just a gorgeous all around shot. I was torn between showing the top half of the castle or the bottom half, but the waterfall is what really makes the shot for me so it won out.
The detail that's in the bark of the roots just looks so beautiful. I really love the hard lines of it compared to the really soft edges on the gems that are glowing so brightly the edges get fuzzy.
While I may not be as fru-fru as Rarity usually is, I can still appreciate her work. The centerpiece really is stunning and I love the pony-style chairs.
So, one of the incredible people we need to thank for these incredible backgrounds is apparently a gentleman by the name of Phil Caesar. All hail the king of backgrounds!
Abigail Bailing is also responsible as well as the countless rocking folks at Top Draw Animation.
Anyways guys, hope you enjoyed that. If you did, maybe I'll see about doing them more. Either backgrounds, or maybe some silly animations. (Did anyone else notice the party cannon would muss Pinkie's hair?)
Hope you enjoyed it.
