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Published: 2011-09-19 07:24:56 +0000 UTC; Views: 3189; Favourites: 142; Downloads: 14
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Description
This pony was my half of a personal swap with the immensely-talented Popgirl. If I had any html skills at all, I would link you to her gallery! Pop kindly provided the victim to be painted and requested a nebula pony (I didn't intend for that to become 'a thing' I do, but I won't argue). From there I was given full artistic freedom.Naturally, I tried to make this as hard for myself as humanly possible. That's just how I work.
Cygnus is truly a labor of love. I try to make every pony better than the last and, in this case, that involved restarting a couple of times, a bit of frustration, and nearly the entire second season of the original Star Trek. While I'm never really pleased with what I make--such is life--I do think she shows some improvement on my part. Her new owner likes her and Cygnus was well-received at the Arena, so all is well.
The main nebula was based on part of a picture of a formation in the Cygnus--Swan--constellation. I chose it for Pop because of its oranges and pinks (most nebulae show up red and blue in Hubble photos due to, I would think, red shift; I'm not an astronomer or cosmologist, however, so don't quote me on that). The other nebula is called the Flaming Star. It's not quite so dramatic and colorful, but I liked the geometry of it when I saw its picture.
Cygnus was painted in acrylics and a touch of glow-in-the-dark paint and sealed with Mod Podge. It's difficult to tell but her eyes are dark blues and reds with a touch of orange. She was rehaired in a completely insane number of colors from Dollyhair. To the best of my knowledge, I used Blizzard, Starlight, Black Magick, After Midnight, Bubblegum, Sunlight, Sour Grapes, and... orange of some kind. The swirly outlines were painted primarily with a needle and a small brush. The "secret" to the starry bits is layers. Layers upon layers. Thin layers, thick layers, layers in all colors. The paint work isn't perfectly smooth thanks to all of the layers, but I like a little texture.
This pony was a challenge, but a rewarding one. I hope my babble didn't scare you off and thank you so much for looking!
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Comments: 38
Charly-chan [2012-02-06 18:21:08 +0000 UTC]
Omg, she is gorgeous!! O3O
Am I still on you commission list? QnQ
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
DarlingV In reply to Epona80 [2011-10-24 04:43:49 +0000 UTC]
Thank you so much! She's the latest space pony I've done, so I really hope that the experience and practice makes her better than the others!
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Epona80 In reply to DarlingV [2011-10-24 07:59:17 +0000 UTC]
I think you should put me on you waiting list..... I want one just like this xxxx
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to Epona80 [2011-10-30 02:05:02 +0000 UTC]
I'm so awful with lists! Some day, though, I'll catch up with commissions. I'd like to make everyone who wants one a pony eventually.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
wylf [2011-10-08 21:35:39 +0000 UTC]
I've already said it elsewhere but this pony is absolutely astounding!!!! Lucky Pop!! Very nice job, loverly!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to wylf [2011-10-17 21:08:33 +0000 UTC]
Thank you so much! (I just NOW figured out that comments can go on for more than one page. I'm so very clever!)
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SaharaPorter [2011-09-27 04:54:23 +0000 UTC]
that is incredible. oAo👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to SaharaPorter [2011-10-17 21:08:59 +0000 UTC]
Thank you so much! I'm very glad that the effort paid off.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
pop-girl [2011-09-26 04:51:20 +0000 UTC]
She is absolutely amazing, stunning, gorgeous and just plain perfect!
I love her more than I am capable of expressing and am so touched and grateful that you went through so much drama to make her for me.
I have so much more I could say about your talent and how wonderful you are as a person but I don't want to completely embarrass you. Just know how much I've enjoyed getting to know you better over the past several months.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to pop-girl [2011-09-27 02:15:33 +0000 UTC]
It wasn't much more drama than usual, I promise! Most of the time, though, the problems come from me leaving supplies or WIPs out on the table and having the cats take off with them... or cats walking through paint trays or trying to get tangled up in dollyhair.
Thank you for... everything, basically. The custom trades, the encouragement, the rehairing tool (I don't know how I lived without it!), and--and this is the most important--for being the kindest custom board overlord ever.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Hindsightis2020 [2011-09-23 19:07:34 +0000 UTC]
You never cease to amaze!
This is one stunning custom!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to Hindsightis2020 [2011-09-24 13:27:07 +0000 UTC]
Thank you, Hindsight! (Someday I would like to make another pony for you. I look at the first one and just cringe!)
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
Hindsightis2020 In reply to DarlingV [2011-09-26 18:19:49 +0000 UTC]
I love my 1st Hindsight custom, she is still one of my faves.
*HUGS*
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DarlingV In reply to Hindsightis2020 [2011-09-27 02:08:22 +0000 UTC]
That was your first one? I had absolutely no idea!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to savvyfarrier [2011-09-22 13:24:34 +0000 UTC]
You're going to have a nebula pony someday. I would really love to do a trade with you in the future, if you'd be willing to do something like that!
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
Darkangel8835 [2011-09-20 01:52:03 +0000 UTC]
I LOVE IT!!!!!! If it was for sale i would buy it!!!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to Darkangel8835 [2011-09-22 13:23:17 +0000 UTC]
Thank you! I'm glad you like her so much.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
DarlingV In reply to TickledPinkOpossum [2011-09-19 22:55:11 +0000 UTC]
I'm truly grateful to hear that from a pony artist of your caliber!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
TickledPinkOpossum In reply to DarlingV [2011-09-20 04:24:14 +0000 UTC]
Awhhhh you make me blush! *flail* stoppiiiiit!
we need to do a trade sometime. yesss.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to TickledPinkOpossum [2011-09-22 13:22:40 +0000 UTC]
Absolutely! I'll shoot you a message when I'm in a more trade-friendly place.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
TickledPinkOpossum In reply to DarlingV [2011-09-22 15:53:49 +0000 UTC]
Yay! It'll be a bit for me too, I'm swamped D:
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
SomersetRaven [2011-09-19 14:43:04 +0000 UTC]
I love your Nebula ponies, they're stunning and Cygnus is no exception
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
padawanclaramel [2011-09-19 09:43:59 +0000 UTC]
Woah, absolutely stunning!!! LMK if you're ever free again to do a swap!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to padawanclaramel [2011-09-19 22:53:34 +0000 UTC]
Thank you, and I certainly will! Time and money make swaps difficult now, but I would absolutely love to do one in the future.
👍: 0 ⏩: 0
DarlingV In reply to CrimsonArk [2011-09-19 07:38:05 +0000 UTC]
Thank you so much for saying so! The universe is a beautiful place.
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CrimsonArk In reply to DarlingV [2011-09-19 07:42:19 +0000 UTC]
You're very welcome. And it truly is. It's so hard to capture that beauty, let alone with a camera, so I congratulate you for capturing it elsewhere!
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
DarlingV In reply to CrimsonArk [2011-09-19 22:52:53 +0000 UTC]
You have no idea how flattered I am to hear that! Painting always feels like a poor imitation of the real thing.
👍: 0 ⏩: 1
CrimsonArk In reply to DarlingV [2011-09-20 16:06:41 +0000 UTC]
I'm glad to help! I wouldn't have said it if I didn't see it as true.
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