For the 20th anniversary of the Arena, we are bringing back the Custom Spotlight on a monthly basis! We want to showcase the talent and creativity of our custom community. Each month a new customizer will be chosen.
For our June Spotlight we have ChocolateStarfire!
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How did you get started customizing ponies?I started customizing ponies when I was in high school in the early 2000s—one of my art friends introduced me to using ponies as a canvas. (Thank you, Kelli!) I also happened across several websites in the early 2000s, including work by Aikarin and Lady Minty—their work inspired me to push my limits and customize ponies.
How long have you been customizing ponies?I’ve been making customs since 2005! I had a few years between—but in 2025 that means I’ve been making ponies for 20 years!!
Where do you get the ideas for your custom ponies? What inspires you?Favorite things and people, mostly! Movies, TV shows, people I love and care for, and the ideas of other people are often what inspire me the most.
Has your style or process changed from when you started?My first pony I made on my own, Remember When It Rained Josh, had dip dyed hair—it turned purple instead of black like I wanted!—and a fully repainted acrylic body with cloud symbols and the Josh Groban logo for a cutie mark. I didn’t do the best job in removing his head, and the paintwork was decent! Now, my custom ponies feature sculpted pieces—clothing, wings, horns, some are full-body repaints but most are partial repaints of the eyes/symbols, and I tend to fully rehair the ponies with nylon doll hair.
What's the hardest part of customizing?The hardest parts of customizing for me, besides determining the final concept before painting, are the eyes and rehairing. I find these processes to be very difficult and time consuming. The joints in my hands are a lot stiffer than they used to be and sometimes my hands shake when doing detail work.
What do you like most about customizing?I like painting the body and cutie marks/symbols. I also love the finished product. Seeing the whole pony literally come together is an experience that’s hard for me to explain besides euphoric, in a sense! 😊
Do you have a favorite custom you've made?visitors can't see pics , please
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Ghostbusters pony Spengs—named after Egon Spengler. He was my favorite character from the
Ghostbusters movies and the cartoon
The Real Ghostbusters.
What was your first custom? Do you still have it?visitors can't see pics , please
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loginMy first custom pony was Remember When It Rained Josh—a Josh Groban pony based on a song from the album
Closer.
What supply can't you live without?My hoard of acrylic paint—don’t leave me alone in Michael’s Arts and Craft Stores, that’s asking for trouble and even more paint to hoard lol!
Do you do other types of art?Yes! I write short stories—mostly fan fiction pieces centered around
Ghostbusters,
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and
Star Wars—and I self-published a dinosaur fantasy novel last year entitled
Iara’s Crossing. I also illustrate dinosaurs in a fanciful yet scientifically accurate way, and I love using Copic/alcohol ink markers. You can find all of my art on my website:
https://dinohunt9.wixsite.com/dianapomeroy/artwork What tips can you offer customizers just starting out?Be patient with yourself. It’s okay to take breaks or time away from customizing if you’re frustrated with a piece. Learn from others (on places like the MLP Arena and MLPTP!) and don’t be afraid to be inspired by folks who do “better” at customizing than you do. And keep going, if you enjoy making custom ponies—it’s a hobby that’s sustained me through many low points in my life/career. I look forward to seeing your creations! 😊
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