MLP Issue 67 cover: Revenge of the 80's!

My cover for issue 67 of MLP:FIM from IDW Publishing! The story called for Rarity to see the return of old fashions (We never specifically call them 80's fashions so as not to make Rarity... well, as old as me, but anyway).

While I chose some specific outfits for the cover, not every pony is exactly any one particular entity. For me, these fashions were fairly easy... I was in high school when they were all popular! For Rarity I used Prince's "Purple Rain" outfit, Rainbow reflects the Aerobics craze with ONJ's "Physical" outfit, Applejack is cobbled together from various elements of the "Urban Cowboy" craze, Spike rocks MJ's "Thriller" outfit (although it honestly makes me think more of Beverly Hills Cop). For Pinkie there's no better choice than Cyndi Lauper's "She's So Unusual" album cover outfit/pose. Fluttershy embodies every fashion and hair style worn by the girls in my school... especially those twisted bead necklaces. For Twilight, I wanted to show some of the recent 80's nostalgia craze (That's what the fashion in the issue is all about, anyway!) and put her in Barb's clothing from Stranger Things, complete with Trapper Keeper. 

And anything 80's has to have big big feathered and layered hair, crispy with hairspray. And blue eye shadow everywhere.

Done with copic markers and india ink and paint on Strathmore bristol board at 11x17, with a digital background in photoshop.