Discussion and Question About Ponysonas

Glistening Rainlight

Glittering in the Water
MLPTP Supporter
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So first of all, the main question: I've noticed over the years that some of you pick one pony to represent you, and that pony stays exactly the same over actual decades. How do you do that? Every persona I've ever made has eventually been phased out and "replaced" to some extent, as I myself change, to me that sameness seems kinda magical. What kind of mindset do you guys have about your personas, or even about yourselves or experiences in your lives, that lets you keep the same design for all this time?

I eagerly await anything you can tell me about that, senpais. ouo

Otherwise, I actually just want to know about your personas in general too! Do they have defined personality traits, or do you go more "They just are me," with them? What are they like? What do they like?
 
(whoops accidently posted without actually finishing lol)
mine started out pretty boring tbh. it was literally just me as a pony with some ideal features. I had brown hair, so my pony had brown hair. I could draw, so the cutie mark was for drawing.
awkward_flyer_remake_by_raichuino_d59brjc-fullview.jpg

She did go through some changes here and there, but the base stayed the same, but it was a pony that was supposed to be ME, so why shouldn't it look like me?
vector_practice_by_raichuino_d69623p-fullview.png

Then after a long time of being away from ponies and failed redesigns, I wanted to focus on WHY I love ponies so much, and put them into a character and not have any limits. I looked at other peoples ponies and saw how unique they were and realized that you don't have to be literal when it comes to a character that represents you. I kept some features from my old sona, but made one that I could truly connect with. Even if they're not the most cannon looking! They are me and I see myself and who I want to be in them!
prisma_heart_ref_by_tackytails_de2hzoo-pre.png
 
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(whoops accidently posted without actually finishing lol)
mine started out pretty boring tbh. it was literally just me as a pony with some ideal features. I had brown hair, so my pony had brown hair. I could draw, so the cutie mark was for drawing.
awkward_flyer_remake_by_raichuino_d59brjc-fullview.jpg

She did go through some changes here and there, but the base stayed the same, but it was a pony that was supposed to be ME, so why shouldn't it look like me?
vector_practice_by_raichuino_d69623p-fullview.png

Then after a long time of being away from ponies and failed redesigns, I wanted to focus on WHY I love ponies so much, and put them into a character and not have any limits. I looked at other peoples ponies and saw how unique they were and realized that you don't have to be literal when it comes to a character that represents you. I kept some features from my old sona, but made one that I could truly connect with. Even if they're not the most cannon looking! They are me and I see myself and who I want to be in them!
prisma_heart_ref_by_tackytails_de2hzoo-pre.png
I love your story!


As for me, I used to pretend that I was a pony. Running around on all four, neighing, incorporating myself in my stories, and generally driving my mom up the wall. When I got back into collecting I definitely knew my ponysona. Her Name is shadow whispers, dark purple unipeg (I’m not fond of some of the terminology that g4 came up with), with large feathered wings, hair even darker purple, silver(could be tinsel or not), and black, extra long, curly or partial up-do, my symbol is a silver storm cloud outlined in black with wind beneath it. Beyond that, I’ve always given artist free rein on interpretation of style. Shadow Whispers has a back story and fully developed personality with sense of self, I just haven’t shared it with many. Most who know me probably can guess anyway. She’s in my avatar (artwork by the fabulous mustbejewel) with what used to be my daughter’s ponysona. Now she refers to that pony as a representation of our little family.
 
@Tak we must be long lost relatives; my mother always yelled at me for putting holes in the knees of my pants. :p

As far as 'sonas go; it totally depends on the person. Some have updated/revamped as time went on & lives changed. Others have had the same one for a long time, myself included.

I'm just lazy, that's why pony Tsuki is pretty much the same as I started drawing her back in high school.
 
So, when it comes to my pony, she dosent reflect me at all lol. She’s not a representation of myself. But honestly, I just doodled her one day and fell absolutely in love with her ever since. She hasn’t gone though a design chance, but rather a style change. When I first drew her she was in the generic g4 style, but then I drew her up in just my style ya know?
She has a VERY creative name.. Po-Nay. Lol I know, it is not creative at all, but it embraces her so well. Oh and it’s Po” for short.
But she’s just a pony full of sass who does not have a cutie mark/symbol. This is the only think she actually does have in common with me. She dosent know what she wants to be in life her, hence why she is a blank flank :)
 
@PrismaHeart I had a similar evolution with my ponysona! When I was younger mine was very literal, it had my brown hair and my glasses and no fantastical features, and then I changed it up later.

I'm a different person now than I was when I made that old 'sona. So last year or so I redesigned mine to be the one you see in my sig, and embraced the magical elements of MLP for the redesign. However, this design isn't concrete either. I decided just recently to start making them a Twinkle Eye, because I love that line. I've also been considering swapping some colors around. So I guess my 'sona is still changing!

In the end it's a pony version of me, but it's a fun, pastel, creative representation of myself. Maybe in-universe they have some kind of magical affinity for the arts :)
 
Oh, this gained some attention while I was away! I've loved reading all of these, though! And it is kinda nice to know that so many of you have had your own journeys with pony persona designs too.

As for me, I used to pretend that I was a pony. Running around on all four, neighing, incorporating myself in my stories, and generally driving my mom up the wall. When I got back into collecting I definitely knew my ponysona. Her Name is shadow whispers, dark purple unipeg (I’m not fond of some of the terminology that g4 came up with), with large feathered wings, hair even darker purple, silver(could be tinsel or not), and black, extra long, curly or partial up-do, my symbol is a silver storm cloud outlined in black with wind beneath it. Beyond that, I’ve always given artist free rein on interpretation of style. Shadow Whispers has a back story and fully developed personality with sense of self, I just haven’t shared it with many. Most who know me probably can guess anyway. She’s in my avatar (artwork by the fabulous mustbejewel) with what used to be my daughter’s ponysona. Now she refers to that pony as a representation of our little family.
This is soooo cute!

I guess I could throw mine in here too once I get the chance. :CJ:
 
Mine end up actually being incredibly personal. For the most part my personas have always tended to represent emotional states I was in at the time, the things I was going through and how I was dealing with it, I guess because I've always kind of defined myself by them. My earliest attempts of course I'd say are probably exceptions to this.

First up I'd say is Starlight Savannah, who is highly inspired by Star Catcher. I consider her to be my first persona these days, because I remember her being based on my daydreaming at the time, but I think at the time I didn't know yet what personas were.
z1dxQUc.jpg


As soon as I did learn about personas I created Snowbee, but likewise she didn't last long. I made her but she didn't really seem to fit. Honestly I'm not even sure where the idea came from, I think I had just come up with a random name I liked and gave her symbols that fit it, so none of it really had any meaning apart from being pretty.
cXqoLtv.jpg


I think I just played around with different coloring sheets for a while, trying to figure out a design, but none of them even stuck well enough to be given names. I kinda had an "emo phase" in the middle of that too, but I'd prefer to kinda just skip over that part.

Next then would be Canvas, who was very much a "reset", a "blank slate" mixed with being an artist, and represents the start of my life as I know it now. She is kind of the start of my "reincarnating persona" idea, where my different personas are all actually just one pony being reincarnated, with each new version still holding the old one's memories.
VNLTwUO.png


After Canvas is Lantern Light, who I created after I started learning more about myself and the things I cared about. She actually glowed in the dark, and was representative of "a light in the dark", a guide and a support for those who needed one.
KHkW2rq.png


And then my latest one, Daylight Glisten, who to be honest became a thing once I realized that what I'd chosen for myself was not sustainable, that I needed to take care of myself and not just take care of others.
L6CdBUU.png


And to be honest I feel like another persona still is on the horizon. Like each different persona represents exploring and expressing different parts of myself, so when I move on to something new my persona changes too. My personas end up being pretty specific because of that, which I think is why they don't last for more than a few years even if I still really like them. They end up marking off phases of my life rather than being simply me, I definitely find merit in that but it's also kinda frustrating.
 
I remember playing "ponies" with my friends in elementary school! And I was always surprised that I was the only one who chose Gusty's colors and wanted to be an alicorn!! Most people were choosing realistic pony colors and pretty simple personalities. MLP gives me an ache in my heart like nothing else (except maybe the Last Unicorn) like...as a kid...I was pretty sure I was going to die if I didn't own the ones I loved the most. My collection has moved with me all my adult life and it wasn't until my husband accidentally unleashed my inner collector crazy that I got to really let it out. He gave me over 25 ponies one year for Christmas and he thought it would end there! Hahaha Anyway, he encouraged me to design my current Ponysona and make her "real"

PLUS it made sense to do my own at last. I've always done customs for friends where I decided the colors and cutie marks based off what I know about them...and it's super fun to have an "identity" all your own!
 
Me personally, I don't have a ponysona that is me. I am thinking about making one. But as of right now, my ponysonas are from stories I've created years ago.
I was really inspired by FlyingPony on Deviantart growing up, so all of my ponysonas have backstories while still being in the same pony universe in my head.
In terms of colors & designs, I'm thinking about updating them since I've gotten better at digital illustration in the past 10 years. So, maybe I'm going to upgrade their looks or make them feel more refreshed, but I won't be changing their mane colors/origin story.

Haha I love talking about this stuff, it's so niche and I'm glad other people kinda do the same thing :flutter2:
 
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