So back when I was 11 or 12, I got this brilliant image in my head of something I could paint. This was back when the MLP:FiM fandom was bursting at the seams with content, so I followed TONS of MLP artists on DeviantArt. I kept up with fan-comics, read reviews for each episode, checked Equestria Daily every single day, wasted days away watching fan-animations, had a lengthy playlist on YouTube of my favorite fan-made songs, etc. I was a huge fan, but because I was only 11 and had the drawing ability of a sentient turd, I couldn’t actually produce the vast amounts of fan-art that I wanted to. This didn’t stop me from drawing tons of ponies, obviously! They were just all wonky looking, even if I didn’t realize it at the time. But one thing I did realize, was that the vivid imagery I got in my head, the stuff I felt the most inspired to create, I simply could not get out. I just didn’t have the ability to. Whenever I tried, I would just get frustrated, and end up going to some big artist’s page to stare at their stuff with an intense longing. I wanted to be able to draw as good as these people, who had hundreds upon thousands of followers begging them for more. And rightly so, because their stuff was amazing! I still think a lot of those pieces are better than what I can currently do.
 
I’ve had a lot of drawing ideas over the years, but for some reason The Ultimate Mental Image was of Fluttershy in a very specific pose, in the clouds, with the sun shining brilliantly behind the clouds. Over the years I’ve forgotten most of the stuff that I once wanted to draw. But I always remembered the Fluttershy painting. Every year I would remember it, wonder if I could draw it yet, and then decide that I couldn’t. Largely because I knew that any attempts would result in me curling up on my bed and crying for a little while (yeah, I cry sometimes over my art, apparently it’s a problem) but also because the mental image was just so beautiful, that I didn’t want to actually create it until I could do it justice. For some reason this image just meant a lot to me. Who could say why, honestly. I don’t have a strong attachment to Fluttershy, she was never my favorite character. Pinkie Pie was actually my favorite for awhile, which is funny because I cannot stand here now. Let’s just say that “LOL SO RANDOM” humor gets real stale real quick.
 
Anyways, sentimental description aside; I realized the other day that I could finally put this thing to rest. So even though this isn’t exactly how 11 year old me pictured it, it’s close. Like, pretty close. Maybe I’ll try again seven more years from now.