Your thoughts on the MLP-EP character designs?

[Fluffle_Puff 5]

I do like them, think they're cute, but I hate the legs >-<

I know they're mean't to be unique, but they have no ankles and they're always wearing socks or shoes knee-high, otherwise it'd look really strange o.o

 

Just my opinion, but I think the faces are cute :3 don't think the skin should be tinted though, if they want them to look human like...

 

Plus, spike is a weird looking dog, but he's cute :3

Saying again though, no hate, my opinion...

 

What do you think?

[Gearbox10mm 794]

I think the faces were done OK but I have seen fan made depictions that i liked better. I did particularly like EG Trixie's overall design. Derpy also looked espesially cute as a human.

 

I understand why they had all of the mane 6 wear skirts but I feel that it was very out of character for RD and AJ. I've never known a farm girl that did not wear jeans and boots but they did give RD bike shorts so at least that's something.

Edited January 20, 2015 by Gearbox10mm

[James A Williams 199]

I really don't mind the Equestria Girls designs. They look really cute, especially because of the animation in the movies. My favourite EG designs are Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Sunset Shimmer, Vinyl Scratch, Octavia, Derpy, Adagio and Sonata.

Edited January 21, 2015 by James A Williams

[supernova141 45]

I really don't mind the Equestrian Girls designs. They look really cute, especially because of the animation in the movies. My favourite EG designs are Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Sunset Shimmer, Vinyl Scratch, Octavia, Derpy, Adagio and Sonata.

 

 

Don't forget Scootaloo! Maybe it's her outfit, but she looks really good in this movie!

 

[James A Williams 199]

Don't forget Scootaloo! Maybe it's her outfit, but she looks really good in this movie!

 

Yeah. She must think skirts make her look undignified.

[Odyssey 5,716]

The designs aren't great, in all honesty. There's little variety when it comes to aesthetics. Part of what made the pony designs really great is how the both the mane and tail come in different shapes, sizes and colours. Even if one were to take off the mane of one pony, you can still identify it from its tail. The EqG designs unfortunately don't show that, and as a result the average viewer might have to guess by their hairstyle.

 

However, whenever I watch the movies, I get caught up by the plot and the characterisation that over the time I get more and more used to the designs.

[VitalSpark 1,830]

I think they're lovely. Twilight Sparkle, Pinkie Pie, Sunset Shimmer, and the Dazzlings in particular.

 

 

 

 

I also love young Rarity. 

 

 

 

 

And I really love, love, LOVE the wonderbolt ear/tail combos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though it would have been hilarious if they'd made Principal Celestia tower over all the other characters like Princess Celestia does.

Edited January 21, 2015 by Vital Spark

[Disk Spinner 51]

Yes! The legs really bother me...

[Leonard Smix 421]

Welll... i dont like them whatsoever, and i feel awful watching them, thus, another reason i hate EQG

[PROJECT: Simon 3,954]

Looks cool and it looks awesome. No problem with it, I like it. 

[Dark Qiviut 22,393]

I don't like them because, objectively, they're not very good. One of the biggest reasons why the pony designs are so successful is how carefully thought-out they are. Even if you don't see their color, you can identify the pony just by the style of their manes and tails in a silhouette.

 

Take a look at the ponies:

 

 

You don't need any other visual cues.

 

Equestria Girls's designs are much weaker: Take out the hair, and the designs look nigh identical. If you have to rely on one thing to separate what are blatant copycat designs, then you have bad character design.

[Ashen Pathfinder 16,161]

I'll admit that when the first teaser images began to show up I thought they were outright ugly.

 

Now-a-days, with my softened view on EqG, and the improved animation from RR, I can say that I really do like the human designs. I mean Rarity still looks fabulous, Dash still looks, awesome, and Sunset is gorgeous; period.

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

At first i thought they were hideous, but when the movie came out i didnt think they were all that bad, although they could use a bit more meat on their bones.

and they improved some hairstyles since the first movie, like derpy's, and also improved the expressions. Not a total fan on some of their heels/boots, but they rock the style and make it work.

I don't like them because, objectively, they're not very good. One of the biggest reasons why the pony designs are so successful is how carefully thought-out they are. Even if you don't see their color, you can identify the pony just by the style of their manes and tails in a silhouette.

 

Take a look at the ponies:

 

 

You don't need any other visual cues.

 

Equestria Girls's designs are much weaker: Take out the hair, and the designs look nigh identical. If you have to rely on one thing to separate what are blatant copycat designs, then you have bad character design.

if you take the manes off the ponies and make them silhouettes you wont be able to tell them apart either. Sure there are horns and wings, but theres no telling if its RD or fluttershy, if you see what i mean.

if you leave the humans hair on and make them silhouettes, like the ponies, they are identifiable.

[Dark Qiviut 22,393]

 

 

if you take the manes off the ponies and make them silhouettes you wont be able to tell them apart either.

Nope. Even when you remove the manes, you still have the tails to identify them. If you get rid of the tails instead, the manes identify the characters. The ponies are designed very simple, and each character's simple color palettes make them even more distinct.

 

The human characters are much more different. You have to add the hair to make them identifiable, but what about the rest of the design? The face, chest, arms, legs, clothes? They're very interchangeable, and you need to add much more to separate them.

[ponylaces 1,870]

Some of the characters have pretty good looking designs (especially Scootaloo, but that's probably me being a biased fan ;P). The long legs bother me though, and they're way too skinny. Makes me think they're anorexic, which they're obviously not.

 

Don't forget Scootaloo! Maybe it's her outfit, but she looks really good in this movie!

 

holy crap yes

[Alleviate 342]

The Dazzlings and Shims were very appealingly done as humans, though I just prefer ponies, so while I liked them, I didn't like them as much as I could have, if that makes sense. Though the Dazzlings could look quite odd as ponies..

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

Nope. Even when you remove the manes, you still have the tails to identify them. If you get rid of the tails instead, the manes identify the characters. The ponies are designed very simple, and each character's simple color palettes make them even more distinct.

 

The human characters are much more different. You have to add the hair to make them identifiable, but what about the rest of the design? The face, chest, arms, legs, clothes? They're very interchangeable, and you need to add much more to separate them.

 

What I meant by manes was their hair in general.

Ponies are identified by their colors, manes (and tail =3), eyes, and horns/wings. I'd even go as far to say that there's less diversity in ponies, you don't have to design clothes for every single one of them, you use clothes as a reason that the human designs are inferior in design but I think it makes them better, clothes give the wearer their own unique style. While ponies do wear clothes, it's not all the time, and they do have well designed hair as well for their own style, but the humans have the same hairstyle as their pony counterpart. The MLP designs in general are super simple. Stallions and Mares have the same exact base for every single one of them, and so do the humans. There are a slight few humans that have a different build, as I can only remember around three, excluding snips and snails and the diamond dogs.

[ShadOBabe 18,997]

Just my opinion, but I think the faces are cute :3 don't think the skin should be tinted though, if they want them to look human like...

I agree, but I think they did that to avoid crap like, "Why is so-and-so white?" or "Why is so-and-so black?"

[Dark Qiviut 22,393]

I'd even go as far to say that there's less diversity in ponies, you don't have to design clothes for every single one of them,

Actually, that's what makes the ponies' designs all that much better. When you have such a strong base that you don't need to add much to create a character, you have a very solid foundation. The base is very simple, so all you need to create a character is just the mane and tail. Others like eyes, cutie mark design, clothes (if applicable), and color accentuate; they're bonuses.

 

you use clothes as a reason that the human designs are inferior in design but I think it makes them better, clothes give the wearer their own unique style.

No, it wouldn't. The big problem with each of the human designs (along with the clothes) is how similar/generic they are — not simple. If you take out all the color and little details and leave the clothes as blank shapes, then they're too similar. Subtract the one thing that individualizes them (the hair), and you got generic character design. The only way those clothes can feel like something they'd wear is by coloring them and slapping them on a specific character. With the exception of the hat, any of the clothes can match with any of the characters. There's little truly unique about them.

 

A good character design is a lot like a logo. The best logos can be identifiable when they're as simple as possible without losing the visual cues and being pure black. You can identify the ponies because their base is so simple yet so thought-out, you merely need a few cues to distinguish them. Color palette or eyes (shape and/or iris color) are enough. But the silhouette is the most distinctive. Equestria Girls's generic designs rely on a really complete design outside the silhouette to create the character.

Edited January 22, 2015 by Old King Q

[NotoriousSMALL 1,984]

Actually, that's what makes the ponies' designs all that much better. When you have such a strong base that you don't need to add much to create a character, you have a very solid foundation. The base is very simple, so all you need to create a character is just the mane and tail. Others like eyes, cutie mark design, clothes (if applicable), and color accentuate; they're bonuses.

 

No, it wouldn't. The big problem with each of the human designs (along with the clothes) is how similar/generic they are — not simple. If you take out all the color and little details and leave the clothes as blank shapes, then they're too similar. Subtract the one thing that individualizes them (the hair), and you got generic character design. The only way those clothes can feel like something they'd wear is by coloring them and slapping them on a specific character. With the exception of the hat, any of the clothes can match with any of the characters. There's little truly unique about them.

 

A good character design is a lot like a logo. The best logos can be identifiable when they're as simple as possible without losing the visual cues and being pure black. You can identify the ponies because their base is so simple yet so thought-out, you merely need a few cues to distinguish them. Color palette or eyes (shape and/or iris color) are enough. But the silhouette is the most distinctive. Equestria Girls's generic designs rely on a really complete design outside the silhouette to create the character.

You say the clothes are similar and generic, and while there is an over abundance of skirts, there's still an exceptional amount of variety in their clothes, have you taken time to look at the background characters?  Clothes and silhouettes aren't much of a problem,you can still see things such as long sleeves, whether they have shorts, skirts, or pants, you could also potentially see hoods and collars, etc.

Also if you leave only ponies with hair, it's also a generic character design, I don't really see what you're getting at since your argument can be used both ways. If it's a silhouette, you arent going to see the pony's cutiemark. And while you can identify a pony by their tail and mane, you can do the same with a human. You gotta be legally blind if you can't make out silhouettes of cartoon characters. Also, a lot of background ponies share the exact same mane style, this is especially bad with males. (Lyra, Colgate, Amethyst Star)

 

Just a reminder, I'm not saying the human designs are anything incredible.

[Megas 27,618]

I was like "ehhhh" at first but then I was like "it's aight"

[Radiance64 7,053]

They look like new generation 'Doug' characters, what with the coat colors still being their skin colors and all... I don't really mind them. That said I could live without them as well, I mean they're fine but it's not like they ever needed to be made... just sayin'.

[Emerald Star 513]

At first I didn't like the designs, but they eventually grew on me. Now they're fine, I think they are cute, but still prefer ponies.

[MasterPieces 31]

Equestria Girls chacracters design is just very colorfull with that clothing, characters are normal, i think...

[Dark Qiviut 22,393]

Also if you leave only ponies with hair, it's also a generic character design,

Wrong. In fact, the characters' hair is so distinct, you can recognize them simply by the shape. Rainbow Dash's bushy bangs and tail, Applejack's hat along with her bowed up tail and mane, Twilight's flat cut, and Rarity's curls offer plenty of personality in them already.

 

 

 

If it's a silhouette, you arent going to see the pony's cutiemark.

Just like a blackened logo, the removal of the cutie mark is part of the point. One great purpose of creating a variety of characters is to create the silhouette. The outline gives the characters very distinct identities. Even if you don't see the cutie mark, you know exactly who the Mane Six are just by the shapes and color palettes. Even though the pony rigs are identical (to cut down time and focus on the animation), the rigs are simple and so well-designed that only the hair's needed to differentiate the characters. Stuff like the cutie mark and eye shape are ancillary.

 

In Equestria Girls, the hair is their biggest trademark, but you shouldn't rely on just the hair to recognize who they are because the other parts of the body should tell you exactly who they are. The hair on the humans are arguably ancillary: The rest of the bodies should give the humans their own distinct personalities beyond just the colors. Rainbow Dash's, Twilight's, Sunset's, and Applejack's skirts are very samey, along with Pinkie's and Rarity's. Only Fluttershy's has any true difference, but they're too subtle. The same for the very subtle differences in their shirts.

 

Observe the character design from Team Fortress 2:

 

 

They're humans, too. But they have such an obvious variety, you can immediately recognize them just by the silhouette.

 

The classic designs for the Sonic characters go through the same process. You can recognize Sonic by his ears, round head and belly, and spines; Tails with his boxy head, belly, two tails, and large ears; Knuckles with his head, muzzle, dreadlocks, chest, knuckles, and shoes.

 

It's possible to recognize EQG's Mane Six and many of the background characters without relying on the hair, but the response isn't immediate because they all blend in too much and are too indistinct. (Aria and Adagio show that DHX/Hasbro are getting somewhat better in there, but that ain't good enough when Sonata looks too close like Sunset from the neck down.) With the ponies, you can immediately recognize who they are just by their beautifully simple puppets and outlines.