@darthsylar12
I’d hug you if I weren’t afraid of boops.

I’m just redoing the pose and body a bit, smooth out the details, but keep the same concept of the image, same angle. I don’t have plans on doing anything sexual with humans after this.
Judging by my search for pose refs on my redo, I’m not doing porn anytime soon.

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I was going to vent something else on my excursion for pose refs but I’ve done way too much already.

@Chopsticks
Personally this is hot enough. I just feel that anything further wouldn’t be the style that most enjoy from you. This is suggestive and suggestive is a good range but I think it’s better to skirt this line not cross it. So not make it hotter. It’s clearly popular but don’t want you to go beyond this. at least that’s my onion.

If you wish to push beyond this that is your choice. Either way will be a fan!

Feel free to call me out as wrong and stuff. I’m not very smart.

@Background Pony #9FC3
After chewing on BigBuggy’s comment yesterday I realized the coverage might be a big reason, but face/head/expression needing to make up for lack of body imagery makes tons of sense on top. Everything you say makes sense and would align with some of my theories.

Though really at this point, I’ve pretty much achieved everything I wanted as a brony, so it’s more about curiously poking the “algorithm” of people’s minds to understand the audience (and more about myself).

When my health allows I’ve been messing around with this for a re-upload.

@Chopsticks
It’s not easy to get that type of feedback unless an artist asks for it, because most people don’t want to come off rude or sound entitled. But at the same time, it’s only natural to get less engagement when an artist draws outside their niche. In this case it’s the lack of humor, and the combination of both EQG and tame but still visible suggestiveness. Which means that those that this image appeals to will be people who like the ship no matter what, or for the moment, as you said.
Different sites also have different audiences. Your auduence on Deviantart is similar to Derpibooru’s, but it isn’t the same. On this site people search by tags and get to see things from people they don’t follow, while on DA it’s seen exclusively by people who follow you. Even more so on FB.
On Derpi, since the site leans male (not the artists, the audience and those that fav/upvote), appeals to common male fantasies and tropes will get more popular. I’m sure you know this by now.
If you draw humans or EQG, for example, the appeal tends to be on their bodies. If the bodies are obscured or off camera, then the faces have to make up for it. It’s likely that this image would have scored higher had they been ponies instead (think Zipp on top of Pipp, kissing, while on a bed). But that applies to Derpi only. On DA your audience primarily follows you for humorous comics, whether Safe or saucy. The lack of humor will get mixed results unless you steadily build more of an audience who is more into shipping, among other things. But that will take time.
I don’t know if I’d call it a science, but it is usually a mix of popular tropes that can definitely be observed and executed.

That’s kinda hot.

This type of incest isn’t my thing, but I admire you trying something bold, Chopsticks.

@Background Pony #4373
Thanks; I actually have a number of profile references on the file; the ear initially looked very wrong with the bald head structure with way too much room from the back of head, so I moved the ear back. Must’ve been something else.
Pipp’s ear is actually in the exact same spot but I guess the volume of hair helps hide the fact, derp.

I’m not a fan of the EQG style, at least 90% of it. But after the ear comment and moving it I saw a few other issues. Will try to force myself to rework this and reupload. I wanted to this with AJ and Rarity as a test anyway.

@Chopsticks
Hey man, you do you. It’s healthy to occasionally push ourselves outside our comfort zones, but I’m pretty sure NOBODY here wants to see you make art that you are repulsed by, puts you into an uncomfortable state of mind, or makes you want to stop making Pone art altogether (I would be SUPER SAD!). I completely understand if you don’t go further toward the Dark Side™.

You were right: it IS hot. Trouble is, Zipp’s arm is obscuring the view, and their boobs could use more squish, if you follow. I think you’re on the right track, though! Keep at it, and I bet you’ll find your “comfy spot” on the safe ⇄ explicit spectrum. FWIW, “hot” absolutely does NOT always mean explicit. You already know that, but it might help to read someone else writing it out. :)

The proportions of the side view are off, Zipp’s ear is too far away. You should look at how profile views are done, maybe looking at the side view of Equestria girls characters should help. I do like the background though.

I do have a “final escalation” art idea in mind, but I’m trying to “get there” after drawing other stuff first. I don’t know if it would count as full explicit or not, I just can’t stand nudity, especially pony nudity.

It’s taken me years being a brony before I was ok with sex scenes that don’t show nudity or have certain sounds, and I finally stopped having a mental breakdown lasting hours after seeing sexual content I wasn’t prepared for. I can sometimes read fanfic sex scenes but I usually need to skip. Drawing sensual stuff is still really uncomfortable. PetalStorm has just given me that bit of inspiring “boost” that helps me deal with the guilt.

NGL, straight shota (not porn, just the subject) was also tempting but I’ve stayed away from drawing most of those ideas. Actually the only one I did I think was Starlight and Rumble without a cutie mark, I thought it was funny though.

Damn, can’t stop venting and ranting. I’m so lame.

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@Background Pony #9FC3
I’m under the assumption that going half-ass doesn’t cut it.

Either full sexiness [in detail] for the cloppers, or full innocent for that, meeting part-way gets mixed results, even though I try to inch my way to higher levels of depravity and test what works and what doesn’t.
And being sister incest that’s not a big age difference isn’t depraved enough for the real deep crowd, but for those who want “regular” adult content it doesn’t sit as well again maybe without the right detail.

I dunno, I actually thought [reasonably sized breasts] squishing each other was interestingly hot in this situation, and honestly I couldn’t find this pose anywhere so I should’ve taken that as a hint not really that desirable a moment in the stripping process.
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Just odd that certain, semi-sensual poses, angles, or even almost teasing ones that are otherwise Safe get very popular, equal to fully open willing sensual poses, but I guess in-between is unacceptable. Still trying to figure out what that in-between is without spending ungodly amounts of time drawing.

And without a fun/funny comic attached, it seems to lose out on situation points. So all I’m appealing to are those who enjoy the moment for what it is, and I’m sure I’ve got followers who would rather follow me for humor and innocent stuff but if that’s the case I wish they’d say something.

I want people to comment what they don’t like in a meaningful way so I can use the feedback, or at least just know. I’ll create a different art tag for just PetalStorm if need be and not post it on Facebook or DeviantArt.

And it’s probably not an exact science… likely not a science at all.

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Drawing art is not for me or my enjoyment necessarily. Sometimes it’s grueling and I hate the process even. Drawing art is for others, for people, a service of escapism in a way I feel I can do, with my own interpretation. Drawing rarely make me happy, but seeing others entertained through it (or disgusted/sad if it’s grim in that direction) does.
That’s what gives me life and what makes drawing/writing worthwhile.

I love the intimacy of this. 💕

@Chopsticks
I agree with the other comments about the score. There are also many reasons like the time of posting vs the intended audience being online at the time, etc. But in my opinion, the score is pretty good given this is different (humans, suggestive) from your usual stuff. Petalstorm will always get around 6-12 downvotes no matter who’s the artist, so I chalk that up to being the same people being salty that this ship keeps getting content.

@Chopsticks
If you wanna go hotter with these two, I’m all for it. 😈

Try not to worry about scores. They’re just like the points on Whose Line Is It Anyway?

@Chopsticks
Don’t worry about it. G5 has a stick up their collective butts about PetalStorm. Keep up the good stuff man

Obviously not hot enough, judging by the current score. Glad you guys liked it though.

Well that’s hot

This is so lovely! I love Zipp slowly removing Pipp’s shirt, super intimate! <3

You should do more. Lots more.

I like these types of secrets among sisters 👀