Complete Guide on How to Make a MLP:FIM Original Character

[Shift 4,272]

How to Make a

MY LITTLE PONY: FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC

Original Character / Fan Character

That Doesn't Suck

WARNING: Due to the nature of this thread (I'm teaching people how to make pony OC's, that's pretty frustrating), there is some swearing. But it's nothing too vulgar, like, I don't drop and f-bombs.  Just, y'know. Be warned. PG-13 (or PG-12, I guess)

Due to the mass outbreak of 'can you pretty plz help with oc' threads, I've decided to make a thread dedicated on how to make an OC that doesn't suck.

Warning: This thread does give legit advice, but I wrote it in a style that is half informative, half me telling you guys my opinions on what to do in stuff that I would say in real life. Just... don't take offense to any opinion I say on this thread.

No, this is not affiliated in any way with the Complete Guide for Signatures. I'm just stealing their format. And thread title. Hahaha, i'm so evil. But you can go check that thread out if you're feeling up to it, just remember that Shift's threads are superior threads.

tl;dr; this thread is going to show you how to make the best damn oc ever


0. Table of Contents: USE F5 TO SEARCH FOR THAT SECTION!
a1. What is an 'OC' / 'Original Character'?
b1. How do I Make a Good OC?
c1. Everyone Has to Start Somewhere: Species

c2. List of Species

d1. Gender
e1. In the Grand Scheme of Things: Color Scheme (Awful Pun, Ain't It?)

e4. Mane

e5. Coat

e6. Eyes

e7. Other Body Markings

f1. Mane + Tail
g1. Cutie Mark
h1. Additional Features

h2. Accessories

h3. Itty-Bitty Details

i1. Rounding out Your Character: Personality + Backstory

i2. Personality

i3. Backstory

j1. Naming your Pony
k1. Using the Pony Creator
l1. Helpful Websites that you People Might want to Use, I Dunno

m1. FAQ

a1. What is an 'OC' / Original Character?

So, for some amazing reason, you have no idea what an OC is. Normally, I would ask if you lived under a rock, but i'm already doing my best to not call you guys 'morons' in the table of contents, so I think I can handle this.

Anyway, an 'OC' (Pronounced oh-see if you really want to know), or Original Character is a fan character created, designed, thought up, etc by the fans of something. For example, Sonichu (God, why did I mention that) is an OC of the Sonic fandom. Technically Pokemon fandom too, but this is for oc's, not crossovers. An example in the pony fandom is our good friend Snowdrop. Snowdrop will no longer be used as an example in this thread due to the fact that she is blind. Sorry, Snowdrop. Anyways, Snowdrop is a fan character for the pony fandom, completely 100% thought up by the fans of MLP.

Also, no you anons, Button Mash will not be used as an example OC.

He is a background pony that's been given more elaboration.

That is NOT an OC.

Now, you anons want to make an oc of your very own that will not join the pile of horrible OC's. Sure, why not.

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b1. How do I Make a Good OC?

That's what I made this thread for, stupid.

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c1. Everyone Has to Start Somewhere: Species

You have no idea how close I was to making a 'Everyone hates ____' joke.

Okay, first thing you gotta do is pick a species. Most people will say it's limited to Earth Pony, Unicorn, or Pegasus but that is so untrue it hurts. You have a #$%^load of other species you can pick. Those guys are just a few of the many species.

Below this spoiler is a list in which you can choose a species from.

c2. List of Species

 

• Earth Pony - Boring, dull earth ponies. They don't have any special powers (Unless you're Pinkie Pie) but they are strong, great with agriculture, and are more innovative. Easiest type of OC.
• Pegasus - Ah, the scourges of the sky, the pegasi. Hey, that rhymed! Pegasus OC's can control the weather, can fly, create tornadoes, etc. Now, when you are making a pegasus OC, just keep in mind that i'd say roughly 20% of Mary Sues, or characters that are absolutely perfect in every single damn way (Please, look at my #1 OC EVER for a perfect example of a Mary Sue), are pegasi. Now, there is a rule when making pegasus OC's that we're going to call the Pegasus Golden Rule. I'm going to put it in nice big bold letters so everypony knows; DO NOT MAKE YOUR PEGASUS OC FASTER THEN RAINBOW DASH / ABLE TO DO A SONIC RAINBOOM. Just don't. At the most, your OC can keep up with her, but Sonic Rainbooms are a no-no. There are very few good OC's that have broken this rule and are still great. If you want an example, the only one I can think of is Northern Lights from MLP: Genesis. You know, if you want to look at how to make good OC's that are kids of the Mane 6 or any canon character, look at MLP: Genesis characters.  Also, try to make your wings plain, no massive Celestia wings.
• Unicorns - Yay, unicorns! If you're making a unicorn I just want to say this, aka, the Golden Unicorn Rule; DO NOT MAKE YOUR UNICORN OC DO MAGIC BETTER THEN TWILIGHT SPARKLE. I have, again, seen few OC's that have broken this rule that are still good. I don't have any examples, too, so that must count for something. Your Unicorn's magic should be a few spells that have to do with your special talent. Remember, all Unicorns have the spells of levitation and illumination. Also, if your unicorn's special talent is magic, be careful; it could work but it is very overused and almost all of those are OP.
• Alicorns - God. Mary Sues EVERY-FREAKIN'-WHERE. If you make an alicorn OC, there is a very good chance it's a Mary Sue. There are a few amazing good alicorn OC's out there, but most of them are freakin' mary sues. If you have an alicorn OC please give a legit reason why it's an alicorn. Please make her able to have flaws. Please no rainbows. Please make her have a believable personality. If she's a princess, what the hell is she the princess of and if you say music god help me. Just please, don't do it. If you make an alicorn OC... god help you, man.

NOW FOR THE LESSER KNOWN SPECIES! THESE WON'T HAVE A DESCRIPTION, BUT I'LL SHOW YOU A PICTURE SINCE I'M LAZY.

• Changeling (Queen) (Warning: Mary Sue territory)
• Minotaur
• Griffon
• Draconequus (Warning: Mary Sue territory)
• Bat Pony
• Breezie
• Vampire
• Zebra
• Dragon (ess) (Teenage) (Baby)
• Hippogryph (Note: Fanmade)
• Donkey
• Mule
• Ahuzotil
• Diamond Dogs
• Sea Serpent
• Windigo
• Chimera
• Merpony / Seapony (Note: Half-Fanmade)
• Centuar (Warning: Mary Sue Territory)
• Goat

 

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d1. Gender

Unlike in species, everyone is right that you can only choose Male or Female OC's. You might be able to make a transgender OC if you try, but for the most part, you have Male and Female. For most cases, Females have rounded snouts, are leaner, and are a bit smaller. Males have a square snout, are a bit more muscular, and have longer legs / are bigger. There are so many exceptions though, these are just basic rules I like to follow.

...so just pick a motherbucking gender and now we'll continue. You shouldn't spend hours on this part.

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e1. In the Grand Scheme of Things: Color Scheme (Awful Pun, Ain't It?)

Hohohoho. I am so clever.

All OC's need a color scheme. If you don't have a color scheme, you don't have a damn OC. So that's why i'm here to help you with color scheming, since this is in my opinion the damn hardest part of the entire goddamn OC creation. There are websites you can use to get a good color scheme, if you want to use them. A color scheme is in other words the colors you use on your OC.

I just want to say this right now: AVOID USING BLACK AND RED TOGETHER, AND JUST BLACK IN GENERAL. Black in general is very hard, no, impossible to make do as a coat color (I tried), and outlining is a bitch when you're trying to do black hair, but unless you know how to make a good OC, do not use black.

Also, Black + Red = overused color palette / scheme. Don't do it. Trust me.

e2. Mane

Fun fact: You don't actually have to have a mane. You can make a bald OC. Because sometimes manes are too... manestream. HAHAHA!

Anyway, manes. Pick a nice color for your mane that isn't super bright. SERIOUSLY, NO SUPER BRIGHT OR BLACK MANES. Just don't. You can have a super bright yellow, but never use neon green. And don't use black manes. You could use one, but they're a bitch to outline. If you want to add stripes, don't add black stripes to a yellow mane or something. Maybe add moderate yellow stripes to a medium green mane. Yeah, that would work out.

Now, in doing the mane, you have your colors for your tail. Boom, two parts out of the way!

e3. Coat

Ahhh, the coat. Here is where so many people mess up.

I just want to say this now; IN MOST CASES, MAKING A SUPER DARK COAT OR A SUPER BRIGHT / NEON COAT DOESN'T WORK. Sometimes it does, but in nine times out of ten, it looks horrendous. Try picking something that's not too dark or bright that compliments your mane. For example, if you picked a nice purple mane, you might pick a pink coat color. Sometimes, picking different shades of the same color works out. Like, pick an aqua mane, and a slightly darker aqua coat. Just make sure it looks nice, kay?

If you're making a zebra, the coat is pure white. No exceptions.

e4. Eyes

Eyes should be the last part of your color scheming that you do. You can really make them any color EXCEPT BLACK... or red. Do not make black or red eyes. It's an unsaid rule. Unless red looks REALLY good with the color scheme, do not pick red. Vinyl Scratch is one of the few exceptions, because red actually looks pretty good on her. No, I am not going to mention the fact that her eyes are magenta.

Also, as I said, black never works on eyes. Never. Pick a pink or green or something. Just don't make super bright eyes, super dark eyes are perfectly fine as long as they aren't black.

e5. Other Body Markings

Now, if you're feeling up to it, you COULD add body markings to your OC. I mean, if your OC is a zebra, this is a given. Actually, did you know that if you are making a zebra, the stripes are NOT fully black? No! They're actually grey-ish white. So just get white, and make it a bit darker and voila! But dark enough so it's not confused for shading.

Anyway, if you are making body markings, don't go crazy. Maybe add a few scars here or there if your pony is a guard, but you know all of those crazy body markings the pony creator has? DO NOT USE THOSE, MINUS THE ZEBRA STRIPES IF YOU'RE DOING A ZEBRA. They're wayyy to over the top, and I have yet to see a good OC made with those patterns. You could use them to challenge yourself, I suppose, but I warned you. Just make sure that the colors don't clash with the coat / mane. And just as personal opinion; I do not use irregular body markings unless there is a VERY good reason. 'Birth defect' normally doesn't cut it. I mean, freckles are fine, but just... be careful, bro.

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f1. Mane + Tail

The Mane and Tail, the part of the OC where you REALLY let your creativity shine.

Okay, first off, i'm also putting this in nice big letters... DO NOT USE A CANON CHARACTER'S MANE. IT'S JUST LAZY. MAKE YOUR OWN, OR DON'T MAKE A MANE AT ALL! ...okay, yes, you can make a mane based off of a canon characters (Blackjack from Fallout Equestria: Project Horizons is a good example here) but don't make it line to line a character's mane style.

Also, the mane and the tails mane style should be matching. And they should fit the personality of your character. Have a brash athletic character? Don't give it a prissy, high-class mane, give it a rugged one! Make it fit your character's personality. Also, as I said, the tail should have the same style and color as the mane. And please don't make it rainbow or black + red. Please.

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g1. Cutie Mark

Cutie Marks! You love them, don't 'cha? Anywho, Cutie Marks are... well, they represent what your OC is good at. For example, one of my OC's I don't use anymore, Lock Pick, has a cutie mark of a $ sign that shows her talent of bargaining and haggling. You can honestly make your special talent just something your OC is very good at. The possibilities, are, like, endless! If you need ideas for a talent, just think of hobbies, things people are good at, etc.

Things you should watch out for:

• Special talent being magic. This is very hard to do.
• Special talent going fast. This is also very hard to do because you can make your OC faster than Rainbow Dash, and you DON'T want to do that.
• Special talent controlling a star or something. This is only for alicorns.
• Combat special talent. Just... you know. Easy to make OP.
• Dark magic special talent. Look above for reasoning

So... that's really it for cutie marks. Oh, and you have to have a symbol to represent it. Like a paper and quill for a writing cutie mark or a sword for a *gag* combat cutie mark. Just make it so it doesn't clash with your coat.

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h1. Additional Features

Now you want to add special little stuff like DJ-PON3 glasses (By the way, don't add DJ-PON3 glasses, way too cliché) so your OC can be a special little snowflake.

Okay, this shouldn't be too hard. Just make sure your things are not over the top. Also, try not to have any armor unless royal guard / *gag* princess.

h2. Accessories

Accessories! Yay! I'll be honest; I love using accessories. Oh god, Shift's being positive for once! But seriously, accessories are really fun to do. Just please, please, PLEASE don't use DJ-PON3's glasses. That's really the only accessory you can't use. However, if you want to use Octavia's bowtie, or The Doctor's bow tie, why not? Just please don't use DJ-PON3's glasses, or Applebloom's bow (Kind of her trademark feature). Other than those two, and Celestia, Luna, and Cadence's armor, and the Elements of Harmony, just go nuts. This is the one part of your OC that I approve of stealing from a canon character, like I 100% approve of you stealing Octavia's bow.

You can also give your OC a shirt, a hat, a bow that isn't AB's, etc. Honestly, the possibilities, are, like, endless! You could do pants if you think i'd look cool. Just, i'd say, 'round 1-2 accessories maximum. Unless your OC is in a formal gala dress or something that's not permanent. Also, as I said before, don't use armor / crowns unless your OC is a guard / princess.

h3. Itty-Bitty Details

Congrats. Most of your OC is done. Now we have time for the good stuff. You know, personality, backstory, that kinda thing.

But before we do that, when we end, you might think; 'But Shift, what about our OC'S height, weight, blood type...'.

Now, here's what I have to say to that.

THIS IS A CARTOON PONY.

TMI, MY FRIEND. TMI.

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i1. Rounding out Your Character: Personality + Backstory

Now, we are going to be giving your character a... gasp! Personality. Come on, you don't what them to be a souless meatsuit that just stands around with a 'durrr' look on their face, would you? Don't answer that.

After you finish your character's personality, we have the wide wide world of *shudder* Backstories. God help me.

i1. Personality

Now, what is a personality? Well... it's pretty much how your character acts. How they would react to certain situations, their likes and dislikes, etc. Come on, you should know what a personality is!
 
Okay, so first you should come up with a basic outline. Is your character sporty? Bookworm-y? Shy? Hyper? Mysterious? Sarcastic? Yes, you can base a character's personality off of others, but do not copy it word-for-word. Just a basic outline. Add some different likes and dislikes. And if you want to base your OC's personality off of your own, then go for it! You could add what your character fears, what your character gets excited by, who your character idolizes, that sorta thing. 
 
I'll be using a non-pony character, Madoka Kaname, as an example here. Madoka is sweet, kind, and optimistic. She'd do anything for a friend. Madoka really wants to be useful, to help her friends, but most of the time she can't do anything and believes that she is useless. It is very easy to gain Madoka's trust, and when you do, you can count on her defending you, no matter how little it helps.
 
See? Do it along those lines and if possible, add a bit more. It is always useful to add your OC's occupation / residence here, or the backstory if you think that's easier. Also, if your OC is afraid of something, it never hurts to give a reason or two why your OC is afraid of that thing. Also, please, do not make your OC in a romantic relationship with a canon. That isn't what this show is about; it's about friendship, not romance.
 
So, really, just think of some likes/dislikes, how your character reacts to conversations / ponies, and some basic character traits. Then, you should be up for the backstory.

i2. Backstory

Backstories, eh? Can't live without 'em. That's kind of true, actually.
 
Anywho, a backstory is a fancy way of saying history. What is your character's history? Where was he/she born? Who were your OC's parents? How was school (If your OC got any)? Stuff like that. Should be easy!
 
Okay. Now, here it comes...
 
PLEASE, FOR THE LOVE OF CELESTIA, CADENCE, LUNA, DISCORD, AND TIREK, DO NOT HAVE A 'MY PARENTS ARE DEAD' BACKSTORY UNLESS YOU REALLY, REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING. On that note, just avoid tragic backstories in general. Getting kicked out of the house when you're 18 is completely fine, though. Just a valid reason, please. Your backstory should have some faults, like your OC has crappy parents or got bullied, but make it realistic and not too over the top. And it can't be 100% tragic if you're doing a tragic backstory for whatever reason, maybe for a 'OW! THE EDGE!' character, add some happy moments, okay?
 
For example, Twilight Sparkle is the student of Celestia (On that note, do not make your OC an ex-student of Celestia, hell, even a student of Luna or Cadence. Perfectly fine to idolize them, though), and is very good with magic. She is a Canterlot aristocrat, and she has two loving parents and an older brother. However, her life wasn't perfect. She is very antisocial and doesn't know what it's like to make friends / have friends.
 
So yeah, that's pretty much it for a backstory. In my opinion, the more normal and believable a backstory, the better.

j1. Naming your Pony

What's in a name? For a pony, a whole lot. Names to ponies represent a whole lot. Names should be based off of physical appearance and/or the special talent. You can't just name your pony Steve, no matter how much you may want to.
 
Want some examples? Rainbow Dash is a good one. 'Rainbow' is her hair, obviously, and 'Dash' is the fact that she runs fast.
 
Another name, Lyra Heartstrings. It's a pun. You want to make a pun in your pony name? Go. For. It.
 
So if your OC is good with fashion, you may want to call her Dazzling Gleam. I normally take my pony names from Pokémon moves, items and abilities, so if you want some good name ideas check there.
 
Really, if you're having a tough time naming your OC, there is no shame in asking for help. Heck, even once or twice, I needed a bit of advice on if I had a good name.

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k1. Using the Pony Creator

The first thing you need to know is that the pony creator should not be used for a final product, but an outline.
 
Do not copy one of the pony creator's manes. It is lazy, overdone, and just overall looks... bad. Also, just a note, do not vector from the pony creator. Here are the main reasons why.
 
Please, do not use all of the pony creator's features. Most of the wings besides the plain ones and the butterfly ones for breezies aren't good. Most of the horns, besides the normal and sharp ones, are bad. A lot of the muzzles are bad, especially the fatter ones. Do not go to maximum height, weight, or buffness. Some manes you should just avoid using altogether, like the circular one with a gradient. Most of the ears are bad. A lot of the accessories are no good. Most of the face markings you shouldn't use. I'd avoid using almost all of the body patterns. A few pupils you should stray away from.
 
When posing, try to keep your oc in a pose that does not break physics. Okay? Okay.
 
That's it for the pony creator, but seriously, don't use it for a final product.

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l1. Helpful Websites that you People Might want to Use, I Dunno

If you're done with everything else, here are some websites that I mentioned, or that might be helpful on your OC-venture.

• Inkscape.org - This is if you want to vector your OC. It's a program that is built for vectoring. Might take a bit to get used to, and it's free.
• Pony Creator Full Version - The famous, or infamous pony creator. Should be used as a general outline for your OC.
• MLP Vector Club - A deviantart group that specializes in vectors. Can help you if you want to learn how to vector, and has a variety of OC's there if you want to be inspired.
• Pony Creator v.3 - A more modern version of the pony creator, this is pretty much the same thing as the first one with a few things added and a few things that aren't there anymore.
• Abobe Illustrator - Another program that can be used to vector. I don't have it, so I pretty much don't know a lot about it.
• MLP Bases - Pixel bases made by deviantart user SelenaEde if you want a more free-hand, non-vector version of how to draw an OC. Very, very diverse. I come here a lot for OC inspiration and creation.
• My-Little-OC-Pony - Another deviantart group made specifically for OC's. You can find some inspiration for your own OC here.
• Photobucket.com - If you made your OC image, you can use this site to upload stuff to the internet so you can share it with us.
• Bad OC Ponies - A tumblr account that features bad OC's. Perfect examples on what not to do when making your OC.

If any of you have more websites to add here, drop me a line.

 

 

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m1. FAQ

Q. I'm making my very first OC, what species should I choose?
A. I suggest starting with an earth pony, they're relatively easy to make.
 
Q. What should my OC's talent be?
A. Try to come up with an occupation and build something around that.
 
Q. I want my OC to be in love with Rainbow Dash, is that OK?
A. Um, no. Try to keep romance out of your character, especially when it's directed toward a canon character. However, yes, you can make your character dating or married, just no canon characters.
 
Q. How long did it take to make this thread?
A. I started in the December of 2013. You do the math.
 
Q. I made an alicorn OC, and i'm trying to make her as non-mary sueish as possible. Is that OK?
A. Honestly, i'll need to see your OC first before I make judgement. However, I do approve of certain alicorn OC's, i'm not prejudiced against them.
 
Q. My OC has black hair and red eyes, is that bad?
A. Well, if it looks good, then it's not bad at all!
 
Q. Um, my pegasus OC works in Ponyville and I made her boss Rainbow Dash, and she's friends with Rainbow. Is... that bad?
A. No, that is a very valid reason why your OC could be friends with a canon. She obviously needs to know RD; she's her boss! Relationships like that wiTH canons, even a small friendship, or maybe childhood friendship, is perfectly fine. Well, if it's within reason. Best friends is pushing it a bit too far, but just 'friends' is fine.

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Thread Edit History:

6/1/14 - Thread Made

Finally, this thread is done. Well, if you guys have any questions, comments, concerns, you can comment and i'll get back to you as quickly as possible. If you also need help with your OC, I can help too.

[Sugar Pea 2,682]

I really want to make a Breezie OC. :3

May I ask, is using a base a bad thing to do? I know you must credit that person, but would it be considered lazy in the eyes of other people?

[Naught Important 434]

Okay, here's my guide for making an OC

Okay, you ready for this?

Just fucking go for it. There are no rules to making an OC. Do it however you want, and it is then an Original Character. You don't need a rulebook.

 

[Shift 4,272]

I really want to make a Breezie OC. :3

 

May I ask, is using a base a bad thing to do? I know you must credit that person, but would it be considered lazy in the eyes of other people?

Not at all, using a base is fine :3

 

Also, to the guy above me, this thread is really just a basic outline on how to make an OC. I've been seeing a lot of bad OC's lately and I thought i'd make a guide to help people that need it. You don't need to use this guide if you want to.

[Nit Pick 247]

I personally hate seeing video game, wacom tablets or copyrighted symbols for cutie marks.  Also seeing the mechanized wings on a lot of OC characters.  Wacom tablets for a cutie mark on a ponysona is just as bad.  I love drawing but I don't think it's my special talent.  My ponysona Nit Pick's talent is his OCD that include cleanliness, neatness and organizational skills.  His cutie mark is a super simple vector in the shape of a technical drawing t-square.

[Shift 4,272]

@@Nit Pick, 

 

Yeah, those Cutie Marks aren't the best, but sometimes it does work. The mechanized wings sometimes work, but really, it's just if it looks good. And honestly your OC sounds awesome! ;3