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general media Why do content creators/fans tend to limit themselves to MLP?


TigerGeekGuy

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A topic inspired by a recent EQD post. Apologies if this is in the wrong part of the forum, I tried.

 

During my time in the fandom, I've seen and heard of multiple fandom content creators stopping work on MLP content, even in the midst of big projects. Many of these creators have stated that creating MLP content has held them back from their artistic pursuits and/or they no longer like the fandom or show. Some artists may create nothing but MLP content for a period and then completely drop it, causing fans to wonder why and the artist may suffer backlash for it.

 

So my question is why do some artists limit themselves to only MLP content for a long time, to the point they feel that it is restricting them? Do they feel obligated to create fanart? Do they wish to maintain their reputation and fanbase? I'm not an artist, so I apologize in advance if I may seem ignorant of such things.

 

The same with fans, some fans will only ever pay attention to MLP and nothing else, to the the point that if MLP content is lacking they will feel lost. Why just MLP? Expand your tastes and interests, that way you do not suffer from "burnout."

 

Finally, my last point of discussion is how can we increase awareness of this? I know a lot of the pressure artists feel is from fans themselves, pushing them to create more and more content causing them to ultimately dislike the fandom for it. How can we decrease the chances of this occurring? So many artists just come and go, it's sad to see them leave.

Edited by TigerGeekGuy
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For me I started out when Sonic Sat AM started. I ran a fanfiction site before we had automation. I read and posted all stories myself. 

 

As I became unhappy with the direction Ken Ponders was going when he tried to kill Sally I decided to move on. 

 

I moved to the Powerpuff girl universe and wrote a very good dark fiction called Mange (it was based on a throw away character buttercup played once) about the perils of growing up super heroes and losing a sibling. 

 

As Craig left the ppg fandom I wandered aimlessly for a time until one day I stumbled onto the season 2 finale by accident of mlp. I couldn't find the remote so I ended up watching and being fascinated 

 

I guess you can say that I stay in a fandom as long as I can do something I feel is meaningful. :) 

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im one that had dropped the furry art for MLP art. I drifted away from teh furry fandom anyway, wasnt happy in it anymore. But I keep drawing ponies because of many reasons.

 

The internet and brony fandom is still big, I get commissions in, people like my pony artwork more than when I upload furry stuff and theres just more money/business in doing this stuff for the conventions and youtube creators. 

 

But because of the MLP art, i started branching out what I draw. It's been a gateway into drawing geek fandom stuff. Its also calming and easier to draw. I do dabble in non mlp artwork still too but not on such a scale as I did before. 

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It just boils down to the simple fact that artists draw whatever they feel. Most people who draw MLP fanart do it out of a simple love of the show or the fandom. However, for those artists who want to go professional, being associated with fanart makes it hard for them to build up an audience for their original stuff because of that prior association. It would be like trying to get MLP fans to watch Littlest Pet Shop; some of them are going to come along, but others aren't going to go with them.

 

When a majority of fans follow an artist for a certain kind of fanart, they care less about the other stuff unless they're also fans of those other works. This goes double for original projects; unless there's a certain air of familiarity about it, watchers aren't really going to care. On top of that, creating original characters and original settings take a lot more effort at greater risk for potentially less reward. It's simply easier to do stuff with characters and worlds you already know.

 

Thus, some artists genuinely feel the love for MLP so much that they don't mind only doing MLP stuff, and others probably continue to do it because they're doing it mostly for the people and probably can't get that kind of attention anywhere else.

 

Character designer Brookes Eggleston makes a good video about "The Fan Art Trap", when good artists are either inextricably linked to fan art or feel the need to keep doing it against their own judgment.

 

  • Brohoof 2
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