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Description

June 18, 2016 was the day I created Dala Vault. Now, after over 3 years, it was about damn time I updated the reference sheet! The cutie mark has been improved to better resemble actual gymnastic rings, and the jacket has gotten a final tweak that’ll remain more consistent compared to previous iterations. I also added a few labels to clarify things that tend to be missed. Just like before, the cutie mark is on a transparent background to make it easy to cut and paste. I also added a few of the color hues I use to shade and highlight to the color palette. Specifically for her eyes, but I also included a red that I airbrush onto her mane to keep it saturated after I’ve applied shading and light. It’s totally her shampoo!
So who is Dala? I figured I’d give that an update too.

Dala Vault is a gymnast by day and a party gal by night, the latter being a constant source of criticism from her parents. She’s flirty, devious and sometimes even manipulative if it helps her get her way. Even though she rarely has malicious intentions, she has ended up hurting others as a result. She’s always looking to be the coolest in the room and constantly grasps for validation by reaching to be at the top of the social ladder. Battling an underlying inferiority complex, she always pushes forward with a mantra of “Fake it ‘til you make it” even when it’d be wiser not to. But despite that side, if you get to know her well enough you’ll find that she’s a kind, generous mare, and is always willing to stick out a hoof to help a friend.
As a filly, she moved with her parents from Canterlot to Manehattan when her dad was transferred for work and has lived there since. While her parents prefer to keep their more posh Canterlot ways, Dala took the opposite approach. Originally, desperate to fit in, she developed an interest for casual fashion, which later blossomed into a true passion. However her inability to thread a needle has left her limited to shopping. After being pressured to get a job and rely less on her daddy, she also recently took on part time work at Hooters. ^: )
Dala’s true home, however, is the gymnastics hall. It’s part of her daily routine, for one, but it’s also where she’ll always fall back when she needs to get away from everything. She competes too, but her performance has suffered compared to expectations as a result of her off-the-mat issues. Between competitions, her family, her friends, and her image as a gal who can handle anything, she’s grown increasingly conflicted as to her life’s priorities.
Now for the usual questions! A lot of people ask me: “What are on her thighs??” Thigh bands. Here they’re used as a fashion choice and made of a tight but thicker material, however IRL, while fashionable, they are usually worn underneath clothing to prevent thigh chafing. You can also slip your phone in there.
Another one I get is “What does Dala Vault mean?“ “Dala” is a Swedish word for gently falling or sinking/decreasing, in this case best used for her gymnastic self about to gracefully stick a landing. “Vault” is just vaulting, like vaulting over an obstacle. Standard gymnastics stuff.
Dala also happens to be the same name as used for the traditional Swedish wooden or straw sculpture of a horse, originally from the province Dalarna. Thus, the name Dalahäst. It’s qt.
One last thing. When I draw Dala, I can't help myself but play around with outfits and stuff to the point where it just gets annoying to deal with all the alternative versions. For my own convenience I threw together another dress-up game but featuring Dala this time. And I did it alone, so forgive the mess! Anyway, if you like Dala, you may like this treat too.

Description

June 18, 2016 was the day I created Dala Vault. Now, after over 3 years, it was about damn time I updated the reference sheet! The cutie mark has been improved to better resemble actual gymnastic rings, and the jacket has gotten a final tweak that’ll remain more consistent compared to previous iterations. I also added a few labels to clarify things that tend to be missed. Just like before, the cutie mark is on a transparent background to make it easy to cut and paste. I also added a few of the color hues I use to shade and highlight to the color palette. Specifically for her eyes, but I also included a red that I airbrush onto her mane to keep it saturated after I’ve applied shading and light. It’s totally her shampoo!
So who is Dala? I figured I’d give that an update too.

Dala Vault is a gymnast by day and a party gal by night, the latter being a constant source of criticism from her parents. She’s flirty, devious and sometimes even manipulative if it helps her get her way. Even though she rarely has malicious intentions, she has ended up hurting others as a result. She’s always looking to be the coolest in the room and constantly grasps for validation by reaching to be at the top of the social ladder. Battling an underlying inferiority complex, she always pushes forward with a mantra of “Fake it ‘til you make it” even when it’d be wiser not to. But despite that side, if you get to know her well enough you’ll find that she’s a kind, generous mare, and is always willing to stick out a hoof to help a friend.
As a filly, she moved with her parents from Canterlot to Manehattan when her dad was transferred for work and has lived there since. While her parents prefer to keep their more posh Canterlot ways, Dala took the opposite approach. Originally, desperate to fit in, she developed an interest for casual fashion, which later blossomed into a true passion. However her inability to thread a needle has left her limited to shopping. After being pressured to get a job and rely less on her daddy, she also recently took on part time work at Hooters. ^: )
Dala’s true home, however, is the gymnastics hall. It’s part of her daily routine, for one, but it’s also where she’ll always fall back when she needs to get away from everything. She competes too, but her performance has suffered compared to expectations as a result of her off-the-mat issues. Between competitions, her family, her friends, and her image as a gal who can handle anything, she’s grown increasingly conflicted as to her life’s priorities.
Now for the usual questions! A lot of people ask me: “What are on her thighs??” Thigh bands. Here they’re used as a fashion choice and made of a tight but thicker material, however IRL, while fashionable, they are usually worn underneath clothing to prevent thigh chafing. You can also slip your phone in there.
Another one I get is “What does Dala Vault mean?“ “Dala” is a Swedish word for gently falling or sinking/decreasing, in this case best used for her gymnastic self about to gracefully stick a landing. “Vault” is just vaulting, like vaulting over an obstacle. Standard gymnastics stuff.
Dala also happens to be the same name as used for the traditional Swedish wooden or straw sculpture of a horse, originally from the province Dalarna. Thus, the name Dalahäst. It’s qt.
One last thing. When I draw Dala, I can't help myself but play around with outfits and stuff to the point where it just gets annoying to deal with all the alternative versions. For my own convenience I threw together another dress-up game but featuring Dala this time. And I did it alone, so forgive the mess! Anyway, if you like Dala, you may like this treat too.