Finding Your Place Now Has Cover Art! · 3:15am Mar 2nd, 2021
Howdy, folks! First and foremost, as always, Adorable Applejack:
High-Definition Appul
Now then...
Yeah, Finding Your Place now has custom cover art!
Eight years later!
So, you may be asking yourself why would I pay for cover art to be made of a story that finished eight years ago. What was i thinking? Am I crazy?!
Ya. Duh.
However, the real reason is something I think I have mentioned before. I know that Under A Luminous Sky is my "big story," in that it was my first story and the one that first got people to notice me, but in all honesty? Finding Your Place is the story I'm most proud of, and what I feel is my best story. This was me when I was on my first initial "roll" of writing, back when I could bang out over a thousand words a day easy. Hell, a lot of the writing for FYP was done at work, when I would duck into my Drill Sergeant office for a few minutes and jot down a few hundred words on my phone.
More than that, however, Finding Your Place was me writing my favorite things about the show. It had comedy, drama, some action, good character moments, and a heartwarming conclusion. I got to dive into my head canon on a lot of issues: how magic worked for not just ponies, but also dragons and Diamond Dogs, why Cadance was an alicorn, Celestia's true role in the cosmic sense, and my take on what future versions of Twilight and Spike may look like, who they would be and what their goals and desires would be.
But by far my favorite thing about writing it was showing how all the "Sparkle Siblings," plus Cadance and Celestia, interacted with each other. Diving into Spike and Shining's relationship as adults, the true nature of Celestia's relationship with Spike, and how Spike and Cadance got along, and of course the biggest unknown back then, what would it look like if Twilight and Spike went their separate ways. How would Spike react to learning that he has to strike out on his own for the first time in his life? How would Twilight deal with the fact her little brother, who has been by her side for nearly twenty years and who she has relied on so many times to keep herself balanced, is finally leaving the nest to, well... find his place?
That's why I love the show, man. I enjoy it because of cute poners and the occasional giggle as I have said, but those quiet little character moments where we see how they really feel—Big Mac confessing to Apple Bloom that he feels he has been sidelined by Applejack, Rainbow Dash accepting her role as Scootaloo's surrogate big sister—or even the bigger ones, like Spike putting everything on the line to stand up for Thorax. Those are what made me fall in love, and remain that way a decade later. That's why I still rewatch an episode every now and then. And doing my best to recreate those moments were a joy to write.
Also, I got to introduce something I had never seen up to that point, and even not since I think: a Diamond Dog who wasn't an uncouth bandit or drooling idiot. Fido came about because I wanted to sort of challenge what everyone, including the show sadly, thinks of them. My only real regret is that I didn't dive deeper into his culture. I mean, I had them do that thing that was common in colonial India, where rich or affluent families would send their kids to England for school. I sort of hinted at their country being poor and underdeveloped like India as well.
I also did something else I had never seen: shipped a pony with a Diamond Dog. To this day, I've never seen that outside of clopfics, I don't think. Man, Pilot was berating me non-stop as I pushed it harder and harder. as I recall, the last notes he left on the final chapter was snarking about how he was puking so hard from the pointless shipping. git rekt, nerd. 
So yeah, I've wanted to get some cover art made, but I never pulled the trigger because it was such an old story. However, over the past few months I've been trying real hard to cement a plot for a sequel. I have a good idea what I want to happen for the most part, but some areas just ain't jiving, ya dig? PM me if'n ya want to help brainstorm. 
Even still, it then became an issue of cost. The idea I had in my head had all the principle characters, and with there being so many, a simple sketch my cost me an arm and a leg. Honestly ti would have ended there... until I saw that Chub-Wub took commissions. You remember him, right? The guy who makes literal perfection?
When I learned that one of my favorite artists took commissions, I jumped at the chance. I was trying to come up with what I wanted him to draw... and then I saw his prices. I mean... just look at that! I was genuinely shocked that a person that talented had such fair prices! This mean that instead of a mere sketch, I could get a fully shaded pic containing all of my characters, and a background, at a price that wouldn't break the bank. I dropped him a line, he accepted, and after several rounds of tweaking the sketch...
I mean, look at it. Just... just look at it! Doesn't Jeckel just look like the most excitable puppy of a pony you're ever seen? Doesn't Heckel look like he's just so fucking done with his brother's shit? Doesn't Fido just look dapper as fuck in that tweed suit?! Look at how Shining is giving the big brother stink eye at Fido for getting just a bit too chummy with his baby sister, and how Cadance is trying to soothe and distract him with nuzzles. Look at how Celestia is so bemused at this earth pony Private ranting at her about God knows what like she isn't a sovereign of the land. And look at Spike smiling warmly at this eclectic group of crazy ponies that he calls his family.
Like I said... perfection.
Please please PLEASE go show Chub-Wub/DoodleMark some love on DeviantArt. Dude is such a talented artist, very patient, and willing to accept multiple edits to ensure you're happy. If you want/need some high-quality art made at stupid fair prices, I cannot recommend enough.
Never forget that I fucking love you all. Til next time stay safe, stay free, and stay metal! Jake The Army Guy out!
That's beautiful. *sniff*
Great stuff!
I think it's mostly the size but Fido is more like a black void from which I can pull no detail from. Aside from that, an awesome image!
5464776
Yeah... someone pointed that out to me, and now it's the only thing I can see. I DID notice it early on, but I trusted Chub to be able to pull it off. By the time I noticed, it was too late. I just hope it doesn't ruin it.
5464786
Eh it's not a deal breaker, it's just one of those things that the eye is gonna be drawn to. I'm sure if you mention it to the artist they wouldn't mind softening his color up a bit.
5464792
Yeah, I thought of that last night. I'll ask.
5464776
Eeyup, Chub did an edit for me!
i.imgur.com/wePLlT1.jpg
Much more gooder!!
5465223
Oh Dayumn! That is an insane improvement over the first version! Very, very nice!