I've recently come across this set of drawings of the Mane 6 right here.

Here's are three examples that get to my point:

Now, according to my artistic sister, that particular imagining of what unicorns look like is actually not unheard of.

The show's minimal art style and near-universal use of a single body type leaves room for intuiting these kinds of differences. Not just on an aesthetic level, either. In developing a story of mine, I've made it sort of a mission to use as many Alternative Character Interpretations as possible, because why not? I'm not talking Earth-shattering, Alternate Universe changes either. Perhaps I could use some guidance here, though. What are some strange angles you've thought of, or developed a canon character from?

This method requires some discretion. One way I've thought of developing Fluttershy, for example, was that she was moody and unruly teenager (mostly passive-aggressive) who liked heavy metal and occult stuff (or whatever teenagers do these days). She tried her best to fit in, pretending to be someone else, and her act made her feel more secure. But then, as she befriended the rest of the Mane 6, she felt more comfortable being honest since they accepted her 'weak and helpless' self. What other roads are there to take?

EDIT: By 'reinterpret' I'm talking about the character's back stories and motivations that haven't been covered in canon, not a way to change them entirely.

What do you mean by alternative? Straight up new ways to display the characters, or interesting ideas as two how the characters got the way they are displayed in canon?

There is a story (The Powers of Harmony) where FlutterS is a albatross-based pegasus, with large wings. She's not as agile, but excels at long distance gliding. RD on the other hand, is more like traditional pegasi, but also very good at speed and decent at agility. I think it was also mentioned that Scoots was going to end up like a hummingbird with very good agility.

As you should know, there are also night-pegasi, known as bat-ponies, thestrals, among others.

interestingly, I've never heard of much alternate unicorns, though there are different usage styles, such as precision vs. power. Earth ponies are just large, that's pretty much it. There was a different teleportation technique I've heard, which instead of brute force like Twilight, Rarity learns to shift positions somehow (It's a Dangerous Business...)

1219112 Rainbow Dash's favorite drinking buddy before the M6 was Vinyl

1219112

First of all you the way you described the alternate Fluttershy has a word. It's called a poser.

Secondly, I have once had an idea of developing Rainbow Dash as sort of the jackass from high school that would pants you in the middle of English class while you read your report on Robert Englund aloud and then later would sneak into the boys bathroom and pull your pants up just as you started to release your stream. Then you would have to walk around all day with your jeans chafing and your socks sticky.

1219136

I don't mean to completely derail the characters, so it's more about how they got to be who they were, and all the nuances that entails. Ideally, this covers aspects of their personality that can't be discussed in the actual show (not just the romantic, cloppy bits either).

1219140 Yeah, when I do think about it, almost no one has ever tried to reinvent unicorns, in appearance or ability. That's a big opportunity, people!

1219142 I actually have a headcanon where Vinyl was an albino hillbilly named Dirty Scratch (being all white, dirt is noticeable) from a family of egg farmers in Mustangia (like Ms. Peachbottom). She became BFF's with Pinkie, and the two went on to be country music stars. After that, Vinyl changed her name and look and became a DJ.

1219143 Poser isn't very eloquent. Also, Dash is defeated by suspenders.

1219165

Well I really have no other way to describe it(I do but it's just too early in the morning for me to think), but If you want something else to try and describe her than I think goth could fit and trust me I know what a real goth is and that is as close a description as I can get.

Rarity's dad always wanted a boy and had her signed up for a hoofball (manehatten that is, not that pansy trottingham kind) club until she was 14, only later she found out that she rather wanted to be a lady.

1219183

(manehatten that is, not that pansy trottingham kind)

1219112
You know, I'm curious, where did you get those pictures from? Link from author. please?

1219236

I linked it in first sentence.

I've recently come across this set of drawings of the Mane 6 right here.

They don't have a deviantART, from the looks of it.

I've always liked to think that Applejack's side comment about 'fancy mathematics' in regards to Big Macintosh is true. Big Macintosh is really a super-genius with multiple degrees in various sciences and maths.

The reason why Twilight never had friends before Ponyville wasn't just because she didn't feel she needed them, but due to a case of caste-shaming and flagrant opportunism. Twilight's mother wa a rather gifted unicorn but fell in love the head Librarian of the Canterlot Library who was simply a commoner. When they found out she was pregnant, she told her highbred family who threw them both out for shame. Disinherited and disowned by her family, an honourary Uncle and princess Cadance's father, who also served as Celestia's chamberlain took them in (hence Shining's belt from his favourite uncle). Twilight had always loved accompanying her father to the Library and became well known there (hence the Royal Guard who seemed so familiar with her that he unlocked the Starswirl wing for her). She was in most cases snubbed or ignored by the highbred ponies, but she was delightfully ignorantly happy despite the frequent snobbery. When she became Celestia's protege, other ponies would try to befriend her only to attempt to take her place or to meet and attached to Celestia. Cadance travels to far off Egypt for further magical training with the Great Sphynx and Shining Armour, who battles through both highbred dismissal and commoner envy, gets excepted into Hoofington Officer Academy on the merits of his efficacy which was recognized by Proudwing, the Captain of the Guard.