Equestria Daily

These guys have been entertaining and heart-attacking us with ponies for years now. If you have looked at any of the "Pony Simulator" series, you know exactly who they are. You've probably run into a ton of their works in our general comic posts.

Lets get down to it then! Time to interview and spotlight. Get it down below!

Q:) How did you both stumble on My Little Pony?

Shed.mov. The mov series from Hotdiggeymon was what first piqued our curiosity. One of us suggested to watch the actual show, while the other was still reluctant to do so. Eventually we watched the first two episodes, and though sceptical at the beginning, we became addicted within days. Especially the first year was like a trip. We felt nostalgia for the beginning after just 6 months.

Q:) For the people that might not be aware, are you both artist? Or do you split the tasks between artist and writer for the comics?

We write the comics together. The thing is, one of us studied Illustration, the other Computer Science, so 90% of the drawings are made by one of us.

Q:) Do you guys do this professionally? Or is this a side thing to another career or job?

It's pretty basic. We chat, putting one idea into the script after another in a tandem style. Once done, a sketch is made in Photoshop, and following that the lineart and coloring. To draw we use a Intuos Wacom tablet. We work purely digital.

As mentioned, one of us studies Computer Science, and that will also be his career. To the other one it would be great doing this professionally, but it's not an easy thing to do. It's necessary to earn enough per month to stay above water. He's trying that right now.

Q: ) Who are your favorite ponies? And if it's different, who are your favorite ponies to draw?

Fluttershy, for one of us at least. The other one doesn't have a specific favourite. The most fun to draw is Luna, since that alicorn princess design is in a way easier than the others, and the fact that Luna is smaller than Celestia adds to it.

Q:) What kind of challenges do you usually run into when drawing a character or subject for the first time? Has there ever been an image concept that completely stumped you?

The artist speaking: To be honest, there was never a drawing that really troubled me. Of course there are things which are harder to draw, but I always strife to be able to draw anything I want to draw, so I usually welcome the challenge.

Q:) The “Simulator” series is one of the most diabetes inducing brony baits in the the fandom. Who came up with it and where did you get the idea?

We don't really remember who of us came up with it. The origin of the idea is the simple thought: What is it the bronies desire most? Interacting with the ponies. Huggle n' snuggle them. We expected it to be well recieved, since the concept was, in a way, already successfully used: My little Dashie. It's the ultimate brony wish-fullfilment story. The ponies gave birth to a concept we like to call: "Cutness Porn". It's like porn, just with cuteness instead of sex.

Q:) Socks, sweaters, silly hats, swimwear, full body armor, ponies have worn it all. What are your favorite accessory to see or draw ponies in?
Sweaters which are too big. It's just so adorable.

Q:) What do you like most about Friendship is Magic?

That it is so nice and positive. It's a feel good show, but still with irony. Tough the factor that makes this work is the fact that we care SO MUCH about these characters. We lament when we think about the unused possiblites this show has.

Q:) Do you have any tips for newbie artists looking to improve?

I guess I'll start with the most basic truth: practice makes perfect. That's just how it is, and there is no way around it. Second comes that you should seek the ability to draw 3Dimensional. Do not satsify youreself with the same ever repeating standart perspectives. Control the space you draw.
And third, don't work for free. It's okay to do so for family and friends, but don't get tricked into something in hopes of additional exposure or fame. It usually ends with you recieving no credit, and people tend to value things less if they get it for free. Those people don't necessarily have evil intentions. They just don't know the work and time that drawing costs.

Q:) Why do you think My little Pony Generation 4 has been so successful? What keeps you here involved in the community?

To us it is actually quite simple why it was so successful: Because there is nothing like it. This show jumped into a niche where was truly nothing: Cute stuff for boys. We would like to note here, that in general boys like cute stuff, as it is something natural, but "cute" is something attributed to children and soft things, basically things that one would consider "weak" and men instinctively fear weakness. MLP managed to break through, giving guys a place where it is okay to give into cuteness. With MLP reaching that point, it lost all competition. Anime also works with a lot of cute imagery, but it doesn't embrace it like MLP. Not to mention the sexualization that these Animes have. In the end you can say that MLP is SO cute, that even men can't resist it and there is nothing else with that ability so far. For men, MLP has a "Cuteness Monopoly". What we should also mention is that though girls usually have no problem with cute stuff, to them too the brony fandom is a place to fully embrace it.

What keeps us in the community is the addiction. To us, MLP is one of the big things, like Star Wars or Pokemon. There hasn't been a single day since the start (Summer 2012) in which we didn't think at least once about MLP. But the people in this community are an even bigger reason to stay.

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Pony Race Wallpaper by doubleWbrothers