This is my huge huge BIG full-of-love gift to my sister, .

For those of you who don't know, she is the Queen. And these are her horses.

From left to right:
The Warmblood mix, The Medicine Hat Horse, The Mustang (with a bit of Canadian Cutter in there FTW... because you KNOW he HAS to be Canadian in there SOMEWHERE!), and the Thoroughbred (who has some other blood in him, but too proud and confused to admit it).

About the image
I had the opportunity to go down and see my sister's place this past weekend. Barren walls (with the exception of 2 posters) were staring at me, and my sis has a slew of posters yet to hang. I had to know that I can contribute to her decor, especially since she has one big spot left unplanned.

About the tattoos
This is one of those things that happen by fluke, and that become a focal point and subject of the image. I originally wanted to give Amon [far right] alone a Tattoo- mainly becuase he faces away form the camera, so to add a bit of lure to his form. However, as it progressed, I remembered what I was taught about designing objects/personal items to best reflect the character by their POV. This means, to put myself in their shoes and really invest in the tattoo [in this case] as if they themselves spent months toiling over how it would look.

Scars Tattoo- the one he appears with in the manga. However, I am AWARE that I screwed up on it a bit. Most of the images of his tattoo are inconsistent. sometimes with the 3-tail contact point being exactly on the elbow, and sometimes the center-circle being on the elbow. Sometimes, the image appear exactly on his bicep, but in a close up form the manga, it only begins 2 inches above the elbow. I had to fudge it. I hope it still comes of believable though.

Urahara- His tattoo is the kanji for "nin" (of Ninja), but the final stroke make the tail of a black cat. A tribute to his beloved who is ninja- and can morph into a black cat.

Roy Mustang- I was trying to mimic the line quality and design of scar's tattoo as an example of the style in the manga, when I did Roy's. It's (obviously) a Hawk. For his beloved woman- Riza Hawkeye.

Amon- Oh Amon. Silly silly Amon. His tattoo started it all. The Robin red breast, in honor of his lovely lady- Robin. And of course, the 3 tail feathers of a phoenix- becuase Robin's talent to create fire at a whim (and the symbolism of the phoenix is reflected in that of Robin herself). It was as if my pencil was just drawing on it's on when I did that one- even the breast shape that came out as a heart. Perfect sentiment for the tattoo, and the design was based of a picture of a Robin, and old Italian archaic images (Robin is part Italian).

Other notes
I always told my friends- and one of my sister's friends (another Medicine) also said the same- to figure out which character is going to be my sister's favorite in a series- look for the horse. These are probably her 4 dearest ones. Each has a symbol and or philosophy that my sister lives by, or seeks out in other people.
It's funny, becuase when each appears on the TV screen, no matter what she is doing, she frantically Sushes EVERYONE to hear what he has to say (as if she hasn't heard it about 1000 times before).
Until this very day, she buries her head with a stupid grin into the random plush she holds every time Amon appears (or speaks for that matter)- and she blushes red and we ALL know what she is thinking about.
Every time scar appears, she look at him with glazed eyes and has a dreamy far off look to her as she is eating up every. Word. He. Says. (and might kick her feet when he makes a macho statement).
When Roy appears, she gets all huffy and gruffy- I seriously think she slips into "Riza" mode and can act out EXACTLY what Riza is going to say or do in retribution.
And when Urahra appears, in comes the Hebrew, and she begins with the look at him, look away, look at him again, and she giggles to herself about how intelligent he is, and how his tricks are so funny and cute, how he is a doctor and businessman and who could stand to say "no" to him?

And I sit there, watching it all- knowing that these are her horses. And one day she will get her own horse and he's probably going to be a bit of them all.

So, to my very best of everyone sister- know that you are getting a poster size of this to hang in your room. And you can sit and stare and blush red with your own thoughts all you want. Because you are the Queen, and these are your horses.