Is it even possible to draw a better Somnambula?!
That's pretty much this dude's entire portfolio. Light262 has drawn more ponies that most of us could ever even possibly conceive with his work on the gigantic Timey Wimey comic project, and it definitely shows. Illustrating highly detailed page and page with only an increase in quality as each one came out. Needless to say, he has become an art god from all of that practice.
I'd say that more than counts for a spotlight. Head on down below for an interview just as detailed and extensive as his art, followed by a short gallery!
And as always, please leave a comment or two! The artist appreciate it!
The Interview
Q:) How did you stumble upon My Little Pony? What was your "origin" story if you will?
Oww, my discovery of My Little Pony was pretty strange. I asked myself about the series in winter 2013, while I was watching a Happy Tree Friend fan videos with crossovers with Rainbow Dash, Applebloom (named creepy bloom) and Pinkie Pie as Pinkamena.
Later, when I was zapping on a different TV channel, I arrived on the broadcast of the first Equestria Girls, which I thought it was fun. Then, I wanted to start searching on the internet to find the episodes of the show. Over time I watched all the episodes in a strike.
I was pretty confused between Equestria Girls and the first season, because Twilight had wings in EG, but not in the show. I finally understood at the end of season 3.
I was also very happy to learn that the series did not stop in season 3, because the final of this season gave a look really too "girly", for a series rather family, for the young child as well as the adults. Season 4 will remain my favorite.
Q:) What is the process you usually go through when drawing something new? What tools and programs do you use?
I conceive of my illustrations like a kind of music, where each color is a note that constitutes a colorful symphony. But as I don’t have the ability to make music, I found an alternative by drawing.
When it comes to processes, they are quite diverse. I usually try to find my inspiration on various supports, like music, anime, a small contemplative scenery in my garden under the sunlight crossing the leaves of the trees, or by browsing the various visual creations made in different subject, MLP and else.
I try in general to find a main feel to guide my drawing and I look for how to implement it by various visual technique. The idea of a drawing must carry an emotion that makes me want to give everything (with the current level that I have) to make the illustration as alive as possible, that will attract the eyes of people.
In terms of program, I come across the use of Paint Tool Sai with Photoshop, Illustrator, as well as After Effect and sometimes Autodesk 3dS Max.
Q:) What was the overall learning process you took to get so good at art over the years?
Drawing, always and again!
Being like a "vacuum cleaner" on Pinterest, Youtube, or Deviant Art, watching a huge amount of tutorials and references, regarding the visual rends, the constructions and the dynamics of reading an image, the choice colors and atmosphere that will transmit ... to allow me to learn and test each drawing, a specific technique, or to perfect a technique.
In itself, each drawing is a challenge to learn even more and try to share with the audience of innumerable thing and emotion.
Sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t, it's things that happen.
An artist in themself has never finished learning, I’d say. Even the greatest artist continues to learn every day in drawing.
Q:) Do you draw professionally? Or is this a side thing to another career or job?
I draw professionally indeed, I am a freelance artist, and I do not details much the fact that, in France (as in some other countries), to be an artist is a very rough way, where it isn’t considered as " a real job and it does not deserve professional recognition ".
I draw professionally, while trying to keep a close and good agreement with my fans and my customers.
Q: ) Who is your favorite pony and favorite princess? And if it's different, who is your favorite pony to draw?
Owww a question that is both simple and difficult in same time.
In terms of princess, Twilight Sparkle is my favorite, especially until season 5, in terms of her personality and accessibility with the public.
About to my favorite pony, eheh ... I should rather say my favorite ponies.
I put in the same place Sunset Shimmer, Starlight Glimmer and Twilight Sparkle among my favorites, and a small place for Sugar Belle, because she's adorable and her voice acting is Rebecca Soichet (Sunset Shimmer).
For me, Sunset and Starlight are characters that I love so much, because they made bad decisions, they regret, and they try to make a better world and a better life now by learning from their mistakes. Especially empathy, a very beautiful values in my opinion.
If we had to find an Element of Harmony for them, I'd say that empathy would be a good choice, or a good track of idea.
About Twilight, she's the character we saw growing during the seasons of the show, so a bond of affection is created with this character.
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?
In itself, for me, every drawing is almost like a challenge. Drawing a new character brings me to a small period of fear. To understand the character, to understand its anatomy, to succeed in putting itself in the role of the character to better transmit its emotions, the owner of the character will appreciate my interpretation of it, etc ...
The image concept of Twilight Tenderness for me remains a pretty important and emotionally strong image.
Beyond just showing an adorable and warm Twilight, I put a big part of me inside this illustration.
Somebody will remember my description where I quoted this dear Melodic Pony, having been a great source of emotional inspiration for this image. Expanding their music almost always gave me tears in my eyes, because of the beauty of their composition, the emptiness that this wonderful artist left, but also this mixture of nostalgia for the beginning of the series, the birth of Princess Twilight but also from a time that is slowly moving away.
As I am a very emotional person, I tried to bring these emotions and some wishes together in this Twilight illustration to share with everyone.
Here I would say that benevolence and comfort remain a major focus for this illustration, and it is something that I wish to all the people who follow me and know me.
Q:) Timey Wimey was one of those epic of the fandom’s comic endeavors with a whopping 115 pages of detailed, beautifully colored art. How did you manage to pull that off and how long did a page typically take to make?
This project, which was a close collaboration between Lum, who was the author / project manager, and me, the illustrator of the pages, was for us a form of large laboratory, in addition to sharing with the public our passion for MLP. We wanted to present a quality work and we considered this story as a professional project.
Lum taught himself at the same time, with several books, how to build a scenario, and I learned different artistic technique while trying to improve my artistic level.
The time taken by each page was very variable. It took for the first 30 pages, between 3 and 6 days to make a page. But later, the addition of shadow and light, the realization of new and often more and more comlexed decorations, as well as the research for particular expressiveness for the characters, asked between 1 week and a half, and 2 weeks . 3 full weeks for the Starswirl Library.
My goal for each page was to show the public the best quality I can offer. And the concern of details.
Q:) Socks, sweaters, silly hats, swimwear, full body armor, ponies have worn it all. What is your favorite accessory to draw ponies in?
I think my favorite accessory here is the scarves. Especially the one during Christmas / winter periods, to be wrapped in and make the character asset adorable.
Q:) What do you like most about Friendship is Magic? What keeps you drawing so many awesome ponies?
What I like the most about Frienship is Magic is this magical atmosphere, the colorful environment that differs from other series which are darker and darker, the simplicity of the intrigues (but keeping the efficiency) that do not need to be like Game Of Throne.
But Frienship is Magic has fallen in a way that makes him lose his magic, in my opinion, it's getting too close with reality now, and the magical aspect of the series until season 4-5 is much moreblurred. Cities like Manehattan, Las Pegasus, give an anachronistic sensations in this universe.
But in the end, the universe of Friendship is Magic is very relaxing and can break the gloom of our world and recall the values taught to children, but which the adult world tends to forget because of the difficulties of life.
A little love and feeling in this world of brute! ^^ huhu
Q:) Do you have any tips for newbie artists looking to improve?
Never stop drawing, don’t be afraid to use referencies to help you draw, credit your sources of inspiration as it is a research work. Spend time on your drawings and be curious of several things to grow up your artistic culture.
I also want to raise a point that sometimes sorrows me in young artists, it's the fear of not having their own style ...
Do not try to pick up your own style for fear. You will draw with fear and you will devalue yourself, and the drawing must not be done with these feelings, otherwise you make it a constraint.
Learn first and foremost to master the basics of drawing at your own pace, and try different existing style that you like.
Many famous mangaka in Japan, like Hiro Mashima, learned by copying the style of their mentors, and then developed their own unique style of drawings.
Mini-Gallery
[1] Source
Cristal Starlight Glimmer by Light by Light262
[2] Source
Neysa - NSFW Commission - by Light262 by Light262
[3] Source
NOLA KLOP MLP Cover - One small thing- by Light by Light262
[4] Source
Midnight-Sparkle for Halloween - by Light262 by Light262
[5] Source
Heroes EP - SORCERY- WALLPAPER by Light262 by Light262
[7] Source
Sunset and Adagio piano time COLOR - by Light by Light262
[8] Source
[COMISSION] Vaportrail reading time by Light262 by Light262
