Created in Inkscape and Gimp. Both of these characters belong to me, Brallion.

Titles I considered for this piece include:
I can has mare, now?
… But the stallion it's attached to
Not all apples are forbidden fruit
This mare is intended for you

This piece is my way of expressing my desire for female companionship. I am officially keeping my eyes open for a potential Mrs. Brallion. It's been a recent realization of mine that I am incomplete. I've learned from a dear friend, just how important having a family can be to someone. *hugs D.B.*

There are things that I've felt injured over. I long to have someone who can be there and offer understanding in those things... her smile would make everything better. I'd be able to share my mistakes and insecurities. She would offer understanding, and not condemnation.

This is done in my 2D digital style. I've incorporated a few new techniques, and changed my stylization somewhat. I'm using extensive texturing, now. And I'm very pleased with the results. The GIMP project file got to be over 500MB in size! Notice the bandanna? That texture came from an actual scan of my actual bandanna. xD This is one of the most elaborate pictures I've done. I completed it in a very rapid amount of time, too. About 4 days, or so, non-stop. The male character on the left is me, Brallion. In addition to my attire is a disciple's cross that my best friend's wife gave to me. Another change is the way I'm drawing my hands. I'm afraid it does violate my design parameters somewhat, but I thought I'd try my hand at hoofnails. They come across as gross to some people. And if you feel that way about them, I say deal with it. 'Tis my expression. The mare in the picture is entirely my creation. She is © me. NO ONE is to draw her, except with my expressed permission. Even then, you won't likely have it. She is a very personal symbol to me. She represents the wife I would one day like to have. If this was done in traditional media you would find a tear stain on her.

Since this picture represents my desire for female companionship, and ultimately my desire to have a spouse. I considered giving the characters rings, showing that. I really wanted some element to show that they are “committed.” I couldn't decide how I wanted to do that. I think the facial expressions will have to speak for that. A friend of mine suggested rings, and I intended to draw rings initially, but at the same time, I wanted this to be an introduction- the stallion and the mare are new to each other, but they are enamored. Consider it a proposal; the mare accepts the stallion. They've already committed themselves to each other, platonically- they've caught each other's scent. If you were to follow the story, the next scene would be matrimony, then consummation. I left rings out of the picture for that reason. This picture is the attraction that draws a stallion and mare together. It is a beautiful thing; it is a wholesome thing. I used to be so fearful of real-life physical attraction, after all, lust is a sin. Right? There is nothing wrong with what this is that I express here with this piece. I believe that in my heart.

GOD said, "It's not good for the Man to be alone; I'll make him a helper, a companion." So GOD formed from the dirt of the ground all the animals of the field and all the birds of the air. He brought them to the Man to see what he would name them. Whatever the Man called each living creature, that was its name. The Man named the cattle, named the birds of the air, named the wild animals; but he didn't find a suitable companion. GOD put the Man into a deep sleep. As he slept he removed one of his ribs and replaced it with flesh. GOD then used the rib that he had taken from the Man to make Woman and presented her to the Man. The Man said, "Finally! Bone of my bone, flesh of my flesh! Name her Woman for she was made from Man." Therefore a man leaves his father and mother and embraces his wife. They become one flesh. Genesis 2:18-24 (The Message translation)

Promises I will make to my mare:
I will be gentle.
I will provide for you and I will protect you.
You will never be lonely.
I will give you warmth.
I will give you foals.
We will be two halves of a complete whole.
I will be yours.
Our minds, bodies and spirits will touch.
You will be my one and only mare.
I will always be there; neither circumstance nor death will separate us.

What I will ask from my mare:
Understanding. And nothing more.

This piece is best viewed, listening to  dolphinboy's “Spirit of the Stallion”
http://www.furaffinity.net/view/2707639

Have you ever made the realization that you were missing something or that you were looking in all the wrong places, and you don't understand how you didn't see it, before?

Her name is Apple and she is a paint.