Haha, you're awesome. And thanks!1) Although making a statement wasn't at all my intention, other than promoting humor, there is one that comes to mind, but it derives from a subconscious level. I created this for practice, studying the fundamentals of art -- values, perspective, form, and composition -- and I suppose I have an underlying desire to help expose the brony community to the application of these principles. I enjoy helping people improve in art, and I highly encourage artists to practice and experiment with techniques outside of their comfort zones. While I appreciate artists for whatever they produce, I feel they aren't tapping into their potential if they stagnate with one genre or style. So, the statement I'm making with this piece, although subtle, could be something along the lines of "fan art of a cartoon show can be more than just cartoons, so try to push yourselves!"2) Well, you'll have to ask * Whatsapokemon about the original concept. I was merely reproducing a running gag. I think whatsapokemon was responsible for commissioning artists with this subject in the first place. If you want my thoughts, I suppose you could consider the whole piece as analogous to the brony community. Both Rarity fighting a giant crab in an epic scenario and adult men watching MLP are rather ridiculous concepts to the common spectator, but if take time to examine the details, there are things to appreciate about what the art or community has to offer.7) My explanation for the techniques used and decisions made is that it was for practice. Everything, was intentional. The lighting, poses, and perspective were part of my attempt to deliver drama and excitement. The high contrast between dark and light makes the figures "pop out"; the tilted camera keeps the eye moving around the canvas; the crab having a higher elevation, and its figure standing taller than the horizon/background adds to how intimidating it looks, and Rarity's pose and body angle suggests a confrontation is imminent! (I'm doing my best to apply what I've learned from Feng Zhu's tutorials on illustration and design. He says it's always good to try to tell a story with your pictures. Go check out his free videos if you're interested!)8) The primary reason was for practice. It was an hour long study in applying the fundamentals of art. My secondary motive was to spread humor and promote a meme.