Autumn Ink

I'm on the fringes of the fandom, but I'm a casual fan. I've been aware of the fandom and I've been in and out of it since the mid-1990s. It's way different from how it was back then. There were all kinds of artists with varying styles, nearly everyone was in the tech industry, and hardly anyone got offended when the media ran with a senationalist BS story. Nowadays, nearly everyone has the same art style, a lot of artists are trying to make a living off cheap commissions and adoptables, and a lot of furries feel that they have to "come out of the furry closet" and find "furry-friendly landlords and employers." Having an interest in anthropomorphic animals shouldn't be a crisis or an orientation. At least I don't think it has to be. I don't find a lot of fursonas original these days. It seems that hardly anybody experiments with the species they have. It's all furry or scaly eye candy with absolutely no traces of animal traits or quirks. You might as well just draw humans. (But the 1990s furry fandom wasn't too original in this regard, either; there were tons of foxes all over the place. Now it's wolves and huskies.) And if you're wondering why it's become known for a lot of "gay stuff": the furry fandom has always been open to LGBT issues. Well, back in the 90s and early 2000s, it was more LGB; this was before transgender, asexual, and intersex issues came to the forefront of society and pop culture. (To illustrate further, having a flamboyant, lisping gay man in a TV series was considered daring and progressive.) Same-sex issues were becoming a fierce battleground, and a lot of gays, lesbians, and bisexuals found comfort and support in the furry fandom. It was probably one of the few safe places in the world where they could speak freely and be themselves. It's been interesting to watch the furry fandom change the way it has, but time will tell if I keep hanging out in the fringes. There's a lot of drama, especially among the younger ones who think the world is out to make it illegal to be a furry. While it's more sane in the greymuzzle groups (furries who are 30+ years old), I keep seeing younger ones trying to join them. (And spare me the "you should be inclusive" argument; people in certain age groups deserve to have their own spaces. Not everything needs to include or cater to teens and twentysomethings.)

I'm a retail survivor who unknowingly helped kickstart the Great Resignation when I escaped my last job. I'm currently unemployed and making some dosh with digital materials. It's not terrible, but it's not steady. Guessing people's tastes is hit or miss, especially with the ever-changing, fadish nature of the internet. I'm currently looking into learning grant writing and starting a freelance business or my own non-profit.

@-Buttercup- Thanks! I probably should have gone easy on the freckles--maybe designed them like more like Applejack's--but I still like them. @Rosy Moonlight Of course she likes pumpkin pie. What pony in their right mind wouldn't like the simplest but most treasured of desserts?

@They call me Loyalty Thank you! A popular saying that I like is "art is never finished, only abandoned." Sometimes you just have to be satisfied with what you've already made and be happy that you did make something.

One of my OCs, Soft Whisper, enjoying a sunny, breezy afternoon. I couldn't get the flowers and pollen exactly the way I wanted them, but it was better to accept what I'd managed to make than spend an eternity fussing with effects.

I posted a status update and had to do the edit-copy-paste bit again. What exactly is causing that?

I have an online presence outside of MLP where I use another name to sign various artwork. I'm trying to decide if I should separate my MLP work from my regular work. It's not a matter of hiding my interest in MLP, but I am building a portfolio in the hopes of gaining commissions and professional work. I'm also trying to decide which name to use for signing my MLP work: ponysona name or my regular name? How do other MLP artists approach this?

When I was on earlier, both the status updates I posted only showed blank entries. They could be edited, though. I'm also not getting notifications.

@-Buttercup- Thanks! Admittedly it's based on a, well, base. Once I develop my own MLP style, I plan on changing it.

@Pathfinder of Ash Thanks so much, and I love your avatar!

Nope, I haven't yet. I do want to check it out after I've caught up a bit with G4. I've seen a lot of... interesting discussions about it, particularly with fans who were twisting themselves into knots over it. I guess some folks just get really attached to one incarnation.

When I was growin' up, we liked our G1 just fine! And we had to cross barren fields and hills to get to our toy stores! But in all seriousness, G1 was kind of revolutionary for us kids who wanted girls to be involved in adventures. A lot of cartoons back in those days had female characters mostly in roles like damsel in distress, den mother, or caretaker, and very little to no character development. There's a place in my heart for it, but in regards to storytelling, G4 definitely tops it. May the fandom last forever like the Star Wars and Star Trek fandoms. Also, Rarity-eee! I remember My Little Pony Tales! Well, kind of. The memory isn't quite what it used to be, but a few YouTube videos could jog it. I'll have to do a search later. I may not be as enamored with the cartoons, but I do love the designs and colors of G1 toys. I remember being so happy to get Firefly along with the Rescue from Midnight Castle VHS.

Hello, everypony! After years of denying it, I thought it was time to give in and indulge my inner pony. I grew up with the original G1 toys and cartoons in the 80s, kind of liked the G2 incarnation, didn't bother with G3. When G4 came around, I was interested but not to the point where I wanted to join the fandom. (Didn't stop me from watching a few episodes and posting a few pony pics in forums, though.) Now I think it's time to stop denying it and dive back in. I don't care if the fandom isn't buzzing like it was back at FiM's peak. It's time to admit that I do like these candy-colored ponies, that I'm enthralled with the worldbuilding, and that I want to study the art and contribute something to the fandom. I'm a pegasister and I'm happy to finally accept it!