Brony Advice: Your Questions Answered #22, 23, 24!

#22) I'm having trouble sleeping. Do you have any advice for me?

<sub>Answer: I recommend giving quila111's OC Dream Cloud a call. Why? Because she's a puffy-haired sleep therapist, that's why! Also, y'know, because she has a really cute design and a nice, bright colour scheme. You can see how well-respected she is by the amount of fan-art there is of her, either via gift, commission or trade. I hear that she's a really kind and professional pony, as long as you catch her when she isn't sleeping on a cloud; if you catch her at a bad time then you'll have to wait a while, as I hear that she's a very deep sleeper.

But really, the OC is only half the package, because it's the creator of the pony, quila111 - Amanda - who has the expertise that you need. I've rarely met a friendlier person than her! She's one of those people who always seems to have a happy face on, and always tries to see the good in others. She's an optimistic influence and a positive presence, and I am sure that she, and her pony, would be able to see to your sleeping needs.

Of course, if this reply sounds biased, then it is, because it just so happens to be Amanda's birthday today, and this is a less-than-subtle attempt to piece together many years of loyal friendship into a few complimentary paragraphs disguised as a Brony Advice question. Saying 'happy birthday' on a good friend's DeviantArt page just doesn't seem like enough sometimes. As for Dream Cloud catering to your needs, I leave you with a response from a happy customer who turned to Dream Cloud when they needed help sleeping:

"Life was getting me down. I couldn't concentrate at work, the wife was getting on my back about the kids and I had my boss breathing down my neck like a ticked-off dragon demanding reports on his desk by Friday. I couldn't sleep at night worrying about all of my problems, and I knew that a good night's sleep was the perfect way to get ahead in life. That's when I turned to Dream Cloud! She provided me with a regimented sleep schedule; with prescription medicines tailored to my particular case; and, she sang me a lullaby every night that made me dream the fluffiest dreams imaginable! Thanks to Dream Cloud, I no longer have problems focusing at work! My wife has stopped bothering me about the kids! Also, my boss died and I replaced him!

Thanks, Dream Cloud!"

And happy birthday, Amanda!</sub>


#23) Why do vectors, images literally stolen from the show, and their respective comics, such as ones made by Veggie55 and Toxic-Mario, get so popular, and original drawings don't come anywhere close? Doesn't seem fair to me...

<sub>Answer: Now, hold your horses, partner. I'm pretty sure that both of the users you've mentioned there do original artwork. They're both talented artists, from what I've seen, and I have every reason to believe that they deserve the respect and adoration that they receive. I'm more familiar with Veggie's comics myself, but I believe that apart from the art being of a high quality, the stories are also well thought-out. It's a combination of good ideas and solid execution that makes these artists popular. As for Toxic-Mario, they don't even work with vectors as far as I've heard: they sketch them out first and then paint over them.

Vectors aren't necessarily 'images stolen from the show'. I know plenty of artists who make vectors, all of which are original and rely on artistic talent rather than bases and the like. Vectors are objects that retain their quality and proportions when resized. They are solid, and can be moved around in full, or grouped together with other objects. They are, therefore, perfect for pony art, as they're highly exploitable. Don't make the assumption that vectors = a lack of originality. It just so happens that a lot of vectors match the show style, which is usually intentional by the artist. Vectoring is more of a technique that can be used, often to great effect.

While there are vectors taken from the show – which is, essentially, tracing – the two artists you have mentioned don't do that to my knowledge. The thumbnail image at the top of this deviation that you see up there has been vectored, as have all of the 'Brony Advice' images so far. Therefore, vectors aren't always 'images literally stolen from the show'. Furthermore, I disagree that original drawings don't become as popular as vectors, or, at least, vectors as you see them (the ones traced from the show).

Thinking about some of the most popular artists in this fandom, I think that a good majority of them use alternative techniques to vectoring. As for the ones who do vector, you generally have to be pretty good at what you're doing to get popular; similarly, plenty of artists get popular by doing other forms of digital, and even traditional, art, and so I'm not sure if your point remains credible or if it gets lost somewhere in the internet ether. I know that a lot of show vectors are over-looked after the initial bunch of interesting poses and facial expressions have been vectored, and so, again, I don't quite see the enormous popularity of vectors at the detriment of other styles that you seemingly do.

People like show-accurate stuff, naturally. I like seeing show-accurate images myself. While other styles are awesome to look at, show-accurate images are familiar and easy to identify. It's a talent in itself to be able to vector from the show; it's another talent to vector unique poses and images. A lot of vectors are original, and so I'm not sure that your definition of 'original drawings' is especially fair. I conclude that I, personally, don't see a whole lot of show vectors getting popular – I see a lot more views on other images most of the time. I also see nothing wrong with artists such as those you listed getting popular – all good art should be embraced.</sub>


#24) What is your opinion on pony music that the fandom makes? I want to get my friends listening to it but they don't like it...

<sub>Answer: Currently, I'm employed as, among other things, a music journalist. Part of my job is to listen to multiple tracks/albums by a variety of artists every week, and then to write about/review what I hear. And so, naturally, I'm surrounded by a large variety of music every single day. As a result, I don't spend much of my time listening to the music of the fandom.

That said, I can comment on what little I have heard, although I admit that some of my responses may be generalising the creative output of the fandom. While some of the better-known pony musicians are definitely talented – Mandopony and AcousticBrony, for example – I have reason to believe that a lot of pony music is made using free programs and is of the electronic persuasion. And, while there's nothing wrong with electronic music, I'd rather listen to Four Tet or Pantha du Prince, for example, than the next rising star in the pony community.

I mean no disrespect to aspiring pony musicians, but outside of the pony community is an enormous amount of fantastic music. I'd rather stick on an album like Pet Sounds than listen to pony music, because a lot of pony music sounds inferior to music made outside of the fandom. This isn't surprising; signed musicians are professionals, many of whom are absolutely brilliant (and yes, I am aware that a handful of brony musicians are making progress into signed territory). You'd be a fool to think that the average brony musician would be able to compete with artists such as, just off the top of my head, Sufjan Stevens or Beck. It's just not going to happen. I'm indifferent to the fandom's music, therefore, because I'd rather listen to the wider world of music.

However, I have nothing against pony music, and people can listen to it if they like. I have a bit of a problem with people who do things such as making a random instrumental, saying that it's 'Rarity's Theme' and then charging for it. There's nothing stopping people from doing it, but even if you say that your song is inspired by the show, it comes across as if some people are just putting pony tags on music to get popular.

If you can make a name for yourself in the pony music world, go for it. It's not something that I have much of an interest in, as I've yet to hear anything from the pony fandom that has been as good as the music that I hear every other day from non-pony musicians. I wouldn't, therefore, encourage your friends to listen to pony music if they don't have any interest in it. Some people that I've encountered seem to have boxed themselves into a musical corner, only listening to pony music. There's a lot of stuff out there that has nothing to do with ponies that sounds, to me and many others, even better. I advise you to leave your friends alone; enjoy pony music if you want to, but don't force other people into liking it. Your friends most likely have their own musical interests, and they should keep it that way.</sub>