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Published: 2019-07-21 17:51:48 +0000 UTC; Views: 155399; Favourites: 4065; Downloads: 0
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Description
these were originally gonna be part of a larger doodle dump on Vogue but i figure it's better as it's own post
1.) Meet Raduga. She's a griffon from mountain country (which I imagine is some birdy wordplay on "Russia"....Clutchia? Moscaw?) Pls don't be dissuaded by her habit of swallowing dead rodents and eating bones, equines have such delicate sensibilities, goodness. Is only natural, darlings!
Equestria has been undergoing a massive culture shift in recent decades. After the establishment of Twilight's University of Friendship, the kingdom has begun mingling with other nations, resulting in ponies traveling and settling down in faraway lands, and other creatures immigrating to Equestria, causing unprecedented growth in previously minority populations. In academic circles like Twilight's, there's even been a push for more inclusive language, ie: "everycreature" in lieu of "everypony". The reigning princesses are very proud of the growing success of their diversity initiative.
Of course, these changes haven't been met with universal acclaim. The show has given us many examples of pony xenophobia. Some ponies fear the population growth of griffons, hippogriffs, changelings, yaks, dragons, etc. Their cultures are foreign and different, and many ponies shrink away from that difference. These new citizens of Equestria are sometimes pushed into isolated little pockets, out of pony schools, away from pony jobs, and especially away from pony wealth.
Canterlot is the capital of Equestria, simultaneously the richest and most conservative city. Some of the rich elite obtained their wealth through innovation and noble intentions, but the truth is that trillions of golden bits were plundered from the exploited working class. Rather than part with a single coin, the Canterlot uppercrust have turned to political fear-mongering, encouraging xenophobic attitudes toward other species. Griffins are often stereotyped as cruel, disloyal, violent, and moneygrubbing- which is a very helpful idea to push when you'd rather not let griffons build businesses that could threaten your own.
Raduga seeks to challenge these attitudes and demand an end to non-pony discrimination.
2.) Vogue and Raduga, serving a night in jail for leading a peaceful protest.
Raduga is a good friend of Vogue. She'd grown up eagerly collecting pony fashion magazines and devouring book after book on fashion design. She finally managed to save up enough bits to move to Canterlot bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, dead-set on becoming one of the next top minds in fashion, a model. But every modelling agency she applied to always went cold after the first interview. Was it her broken Equuish? Raduga studied to improve it. It certainly couldn't have been her sleek, mud-dyed plumage- why, it was the envy of every griff back home!Β
It isn't until she overhears a photographer whispering to an agent- "ugly overgrown vulture"- that she begins to understand. There are no griffon beauty models in Equestria.
Raduga refuses to give up, eventually ending up at a modelling agency owned by one Lady Vogue. As expected, a few minutes into the interview, Vogue politely tries to explain that Raduga just isn't what the agency is looking for at this time. Frustrated, Raduga simply asks if it's because she's a griffon. Vogue tries to deflect, but Raduga presses the issue. Is it because she is not baby-faced little horsey? Because she have teeth, talon, beak? She is beautiful in her home country! As beautiful as any creature! And if she can appreciate beauty and art and talent of tiny horses, then why not can tiny horses appreciate Raduga?
Vogue gets defensive, a shouting match occurs, and she has the griffon escorted from the building. The nerve of that....that vulture! To suggest that Vogue couldn't look past someone's species? There's nothing discriminatory about it- ugly is ugly!
Vogue is so red-faced and angry she has to excuse herself from work for the rest of the day. The griffons words keep popping back into her mind, at unexpected moments. She brings it up to her best friend Zee, seeking comfort, but Zee points out "Actually, I always thought it was kinda funny......your agency doesn't have a single mule model." And slowly......Vogue realizes her agency doesn't have any griffon models. Or mules, or hippogriffs, or changelings, or dragons, or any creature. Just ponies......just thin, pretty, identical unicorns.
......Maybe something does need to change.
It takes time, but Raduga and Vogue end up forming a powerful, life-long friendship. Vogue and Raduga (and Zee) become prominent voices in Canterlot pushing for inclusion for all species. Though their efforts are mocked at at first, and their protests snuffed out, the aristocrats stop finding things so funny when Fancy Pants (and his spending power) is drawn into the girls' cause, as well as international supermodel Fleur de Lis, and popular musicians Sapphire Shores and Coloratura. Even Duke Blueblood seems supportive.....
Vogue uses her position to give the griffon a social leg up, and Raduga goes on to become the first griffon model in Canterlot, and the very first griffon fashion designer. Vogue's modelling agency is the first to open its doors to all creatures, and now boasts a colorful and gorgeous array of talented ladies from all around the world.
3.) Vogue's special talent is fashion photography (she apprenticed under Photo Finish), but she likes to dip a hoof into photojournalism on occasion. She can be a little shy about her passions, fortunately Raduga is the best burdy friend a pony could ask for.
~~~~~~~~~~
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Comments: 313
SilentArtist137 [2019-07-27 02:01:19 +0000 UTC]
You mentioned once that Rosemary dabbled in some modeling. Did she do it through Vogue's agency?
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CheesyRapperDude [2019-07-26 03:11:37 +0000 UTC]
I'd imagine Applejack wouldn't be happy with the immigrants, or any of the older generations of the Apple family. A lot of new businesses and animals could mean bad things for their farm and such.Β
And some of Vogue's models might not be happy either. Vogue is accepting hippogriffs, griffons, and any other non-unicorn/"ugly" creature into their modeling, and they might be jealous or think she's making the wrong decisions, putting bad labels over their name.
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HEARTSONGDROWNED In reply to ??? [2019-07-25 23:49:05 +0000 UTC]
I wish I could draw as well as you could...
But I know I never will. So I won't bother trying.
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Lopoddity In reply to HEARTSONGDROWNED [2019-07-26 00:21:11 +0000 UTC]
It's a shame to give up before you even try. The truth is, your first attempts are likely gonna be crummy. Nobody gets it on the first try. Every amazing artist you've ever seen began somewhere, and that somewhere might've been super shitty microsoft paint Sonic the Hedgehog OCs (like me).
But to quote Adventure Time, "Sucking at something is the first step at getting kinda good at something". Like, right now? I'm learning how to knit. Cuz I've always wanted to learn. And it is going horribly. My stitches are lumpy and uneven, I'm probably gonna drop a few, and the end result will be wonky as all hell. But it'll be mine! I made it, out of nothing but yarn and crushed dreams! I made it exist, and therefore it's special, even if only to me. And maybe my next attempt will be a little less wonky. And maybe someday, I'll be able to knit the Slytherin scarf of my goddamned dreams. You never achieve anything if you don't try, so why not go for it?
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HEARTSONGDROWNED In reply to Lopoddity [2019-07-26 00:27:38 +0000 UTC]
Well, I've been hoping, and trying, and wishing all my life. I've gone for it every single day. I've tried my hardest, and put my whole goddamn heart into what I do. But the only people who seem to care are 2-3 online friends. Not even my parents could bother anymore. All I am to them anymore is a 'spoiled rotten brat'. Even my sister considers me as such. So, yes. I have tried. I have since I was born. But no-one cares.
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Lopoddity In reply to HEARTSONGDROWNED [2019-07-26 00:58:48 +0000 UTC]
Are you practicing the fundamentals? Drawing from life? As with every skill, you need to learn the fundamentals before you can make good art. It doesn't come without effort, lots and lots and lots of effort. Years of practice. And that's not meant to be discouraging! If you practice, you'll improve every day. The key is just to keep at it. Other people may not notice your early work, maybe not for a while. But that's okay! They don't determine the value of your work. You gotta do this for you, and never give up. Wallowing in self-pity may feel good, but in the end, it gets you nowhere.
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HEARTSONGDROWNED In reply to Lopoddity [2019-07-26 01:23:52 +0000 UTC]
I have taken the fundamentals. Almost every art class available. But I don't bother anymore because I don't wish to be told what to draw/make.
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DragonetXime [2019-07-25 23:33:08 +0000 UTC]
I like this a lot, Roduga is such a good new character. Hope to see more of her!
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CastoroChiaro [2019-07-25 23:00:51 +0000 UTC]
I like that Vogue was not instantly sympathetic to Raduga's situation, and instead was initially very resistant to the idea she might be prejudiced in some way. It makes sense she wouldn't realize it, much as ponies like to think of themselves as being so good at friendship.
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DerpymuffinArtist [2019-07-25 22:24:28 +0000 UTC]
I love Raduga, I love her so much I can't verbalize how much I really like this!
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AntonymphSpikeyDog In reply to ??? [2019-07-25 17:03:01 +0000 UTC]
"ha-cah! i make joke!"
she is already my favorite character and i imagine her with a russian accent XDD
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TheGlows In reply to AntonymphSpikeyDog [2019-07-25 21:00:13 +0000 UTC]
Same, she's hilarious!!!
Ha-cha!!
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OldDiamond06mlp [2019-07-25 16:41:34 +0000 UTC]
Awesome character!!! Your stuff is so cool! How do you come up with such amazing characters?
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SaphiraDragonHert [2019-07-25 15:42:22 +0000 UTC]
OMG!!! This is awesome!!!!! I read the description and I am in love with Vogue and Raduga! I love seeing your work and stories improve. Everyday I look through your new submissions and am eager to read. Keep up the awesome work hun!!!
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JackieBloom [2019-07-25 15:37:03 +0000 UTC]
She's gorgeus! Love bearded vultures, and she's beautifully drawn ^^ Also, just noticed her dyed feathers have stained her wings, that's a fun detail
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ReddTheRedDragon In reply to ??? [2019-07-25 08:31:09 +0000 UTC]
as a fellow bearded vulture i love raduga's designΒ
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Keddwar [2019-07-25 04:18:02 +0000 UTC]
Raduga is the pinnacle of beauty and any fashion magazine that refuses to hire her is a coward.Β Β
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Alorxico In reply to ??? [2019-07-25 00:01:27 +0000 UTC]
Have we seen Vogue's cutie mark yet?Β I know we've seen Moondancer's.
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MissGrumpyPotato In reply to ??? [2019-07-24 23:37:46 +0000 UTC]
I love her eye/cheek feather things. Looks like birdie eyelinerΒ
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spiritlit In reply to MissGrumpyPotato [2019-07-25 08:34:23 +0000 UTC]
<< Oh, I'm sorry. Accidental reply. Deviantart on mobile is a terrible screwup when it comes to posting comments. >>
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spiritlit In reply to MissGrumpyPotato [2019-07-25 08:25:03 +0000 UTC]
<< wowowowow that second doodle. Never thought I'd see topics like this come up in a MLP Nextgen, but good to see someone doing them more interestingly than the show. Also just someone doing them at all. Pretty odd that theres no big changes in Equestria as a whole (no not just Ponyville ) when Princess Twilight is such a vital part of it, right? I still cringe at ''University of Friendship'' though..it just makes no sense. Like, what do they even read about? I can't imagine someone who pored tirelessly over the Mane 6s Friendship Journal, would actually be any more successful at making friends than Twilight at the start of the show. Infact it'd probably just make them even more nervous and jumpy thinking about every mistake you could make with your friend circle.Β
Or is it like..the University..that promotes friendship between ponies and other beings...? Just came up with that right now. It just, seems like a better meaning.
Raduga looks really cool. And kind of warm at the front. Silky cold and sleek at the back. Your art style just has that feeling to it, where you actually bring the descriptions of your characters to bright, bursting, life. Its still amazing to look at. The black feather and her winged eyespot give her a signature look plus clean the whole deisgn up quite nicely and tie into her passion for funeral fashion.Β
Also is she just really big compared to Vogue? In the second sketch, I thought Vogue was pretty tall from her anthro form, but here she actually just looks like about normal pony height.
Love their relationship. Raduga reminds me of an aunty there, what with that handwaving and lightheartedΒ 'it'll be okay darling!' pose. Especially the 'darling'. Adoring nicknames are a very important aunt feature, in my experience. Along with turning your ABSOLUTELY ADORABLE cheeks into a pile of mush no matter how old you are. Raduga's got some mean claws though, so I wonder if she'd ever do that to her pony friend.
edit: just realized Vogue now has TWO people to shamelessly monger her about her crush on Phoenix. hehehe >>
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TheBlackAlicorn [2019-07-24 21:02:47 +0000 UTC]
"Ha-Cha! I make joke!" <- this is officially my new favorite live/verse ever! XD
I love Raduga! She is so beautiful and sleek! I really cannot wait to see more of her!
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wigi-gum [2019-07-24 16:30:44 +0000 UTC]
I lOOVe this!! Oh my god. Rudy is adorable and I love the integration of nonpony species into equestrian implemented into and is a current event. Much like our own world.
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KhaleesiHarjo [2019-07-24 04:44:58 +0000 UTC]
Oh my! My sona is a Bearded Vulture Jaguar Hybrid!! I love this
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MysticNightVA [2019-07-24 03:08:45 +0000 UTC]
I really love this whole take on this picture, and I really adore Raduga too.Β I know she is a griffon, but I've never seen a tail like that before.Β It kind of reminds me a bit of a Jaguar, or maybe a Spotted Leapord.Β I also saw that you said she is from the mountain country too.Β Are there different types of Griffons and different looks too?Β If so, I'm super interested in possibly seeing how different they all look from eachother.Β But yes, defiantly love how this scene is taking place.
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ngoins123 In reply to MysticNightVA [2019-07-25 02:49:11 +0000 UTC]
Thx, I hope you like my art gallery
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MysticNightVA In reply to ngoins123 [2019-07-25 19:23:57 +0000 UTC]
Oh it's great! They are really nice!
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zukos-swig [2019-07-24 02:29:18 +0000 UTC]
Excellent cat-bird is excellent. I love how pissed both of them look in the jail picture, honestly the poses and everything else about it make me think of those once-in-a-lifetime shots certain photographers are able to capture during historically important political events (protests, marches, rallys etc..). No exact shot or photographer comes to mind, it just feels like this would be a famous photo in ponyland and beyond some 40 years later.
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franticsam [2019-07-23 18:07:10 +0000 UTC]
Love the new character. I used to work with a pair of turkey vultures that would vomit their rotten food when threatened. That would be a great protest.
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Rukki024 In reply to ??? [2019-07-23 17:07:42 +0000 UTC]
I love Raduga so much! I hope we'll see her more in the future
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TipsyBearTender [2019-07-23 16:27:48 +0000 UTC]
Slightly unrelated but what if Zee used 3D glasses and Saw that Moondancer and Vogue look a lot alike? Since their manes are really similar but with light blue and pinks. Sheβd see them with purple tones and be all confused between her mans meat and her best friend.Β
Or when she is withfoal and they do the gender reveal V and M put on bibs and βfightβ and who wins either pink or blue reveals the gender of the foal (a filly in this case)
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Nautilus18 [2019-07-23 12:10:55 +0000 UTC]
I know this is supposed to be a piece on fighting for everyone (creature) to have an equal opportunity to do what they love, but I just can't help but wonder how Vogue's glasses are staying on her muzzle. Is there like a suction cup in lieu of nose pads?
Also I noticed that Radula's (front half) design is based off the Bearded Vulture and was curious about variations of griffons. Could there be a griffon that has traits resembling a Harpy Eagle or Peregrine Falcon?
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Lopoddity In reply to Nautilus18 [2019-07-23 13:05:42 +0000 UTC]
Pony glasses clip on, like clip on earrings. The nose pads lightly clamp the snout to keep the glasses from flying off. Humans had a similar style of glasses called pince-nez (French for "pinch-nose"), which had no earpieces to hold them on the face. Some ponies attach a ribbon or cord to their glasses so they can be removed without getting lost.Β
Griffins can be any combination of any bird and cat, so yes.
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VividSpark In reply to Lopoddity [2019-07-25 14:40:34 +0000 UTC]
Β Do wingless griffons (I think they're called opinicuses?) exist here?
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McGoatPrx In reply to ??? [2019-07-22 15:32:57 +0000 UTC]
What a BEAUTIFUL and uniquely styled Griffin!!! Like holy cow that girl is GORGEOUS.
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Forest-Spirit-Art In reply to ??? [2019-07-22 15:24:55 +0000 UTC]
I LOVE Lammergeiers! I'm so happy to see them represented here
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HayStarlight [2019-07-22 13:37:34 +0000 UTC]
wow great!! now that we know what Vogue's special talent is, are we any closer to seeing her cutie mark?Β
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hanmerhack [2019-07-22 13:33:00 +0000 UTC]
I love that picture in the middle.Β Β
I don't know what happened, but Vogue looks like she is about to tear some mare a new one.Β
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tigreanpony [2019-07-22 12:49:46 +0000 UTC]
That was cute and very nicely done, great work.
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MainecoonLena [2019-07-22 12:39:51 +0000 UTC]
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HayStarlight In reply to MainecoonLena [2019-07-22 13:38:29 +0000 UTC]
Second- Nice!! How do you pronounce that?Β
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