I have mentioned before that verdant deer will be a semi-open species; it's not exactly a unique idea, to dump flowers on animals and making it a species etc etc. So I want to officially make a post about it. They were originally created just to be an easy outlet so I could turn off my brain and just enjoy creating new silhouettes and painting flowers in beautiful arrangements. It's cathartic, and it's a much needed break from my other work. In the end, I'd rather share that sort of feeling moreso than the final designs. I want other people to feel as relaxed as I do when I get the time to work on them, and I want people to just have fun coming up with plant combinations that speak to them. 
About Verdant Deer: 
Verdant deer are born with and from stories. Just as floral arrangements have meanings, so, too, does each deer. The plants that grow on it's back bear the stories for anyone to see. However, due to the whole 'no thumbs' bit, they generally develop grooming 'partners' with whom they trust to touch and cultivate their flora. These partners can be anything from other Verdeer, to other woodland creatures, to completely original feral designs, to humanoid characters. HAVE AT YE. 

The deer themselves are rather vain creatures, carefully and artfully arranging the flora on their backs into beautiful shapes and silhouettes. They sometimes include other non-growth objects in their arrangements, collecting shiny objects (such as candles, skulls, crystals, etc) like magpies. 

At present, the only known verdeer gravitate towards natural palettes.

Verdant deer are not nearly as intelligent as humans; they're about as smart as a dog. Trainable, but it won't be reading your newspapers to you when you eat breakfast. 

The rules for the species are pretty simple: 
 Stick to natural colors on the body, though they can be in any pattern or design you'd like.
 Antlers/horns of any sort are greatly encouraged; that's why I chose deer as a flower vehicle in the first place!
 Flower arrangements may include tiny objects, but for now, veer away from mystical/magical objects.
 Please stick to 1 flower species; please do not add wings/scales/bioluminescence; please do not add hair; you can unlock most of these with Awesomeness Points
 The deer themselves are NOT magical, and no part of their body will be elemental/supernatural elements. Consider them already elemental: earth elementals. ;D If you're not sure if something is allowed, PLEASE ASK ME! <3

Interested in making some Verdant Deer? 
Anyone can make a verdant deer - FOR ABSOLUTELY FREE! But as with most things that are too good to be true, this one has a small, teeny, weeny little caveat: you cannot keep the deer for yourself. You must gift it to someone else. 

 You must gift this deer to someone else.
 You may gift multiple deer (and reuse a base, if you'd like to make one) to a maximum of 4 deer.
 Please only create original work; this means originally bases and lines made specifically for this event. 
 You may gift trade with a friend (ie someone makes you one, you make one back for them), but please adhere to the spirit of the event, and don't make one specifically to trade for it back (ie keeping your own design). I mean. I can't stop you. But it'll make me a little sad. Maybe.
 Please post the deer to DA, and link back to this event journal, so hopefully more people will see and feel inspired to make a surprise for a friend! And then post the link to your deviation on the ENTRIES comment (link here) so I know to add your deer to the masterlist!
 VERDEER CREATED DURING AND FOR THIS EVENT CANNOT BE RESOLD FOR MONEY. They may only be GIFTED or TRADED. 
 Gifting Event ends on Aug. 5th.

Awesomeness Points
Are points for awesome people who do awesome things! To claim your points, please post in this journal entry with proof (a link to your advertisement/the base you want to share (I will edit it into a separate section in this journal entry)! Each of the following will earn you +1 Awesomeness Point: 
 If you advertise this event (max: 3, given different advertisement methods; please link them back to me in this journal!)
 Creating and gifting a Verdeer to another person (max: 4, 1 per deer you create) 
 Sharing a deer base you've made specifically for this event (actually this will get you +5/4/3/0 awesomeness points, such that the first base you make earns you 5 points, and the second earns you an additional 4, etc. After three bases, you cannot earn more points, but you're welcome to share your bases anyway, if you'd like to!)
 Referring someone to this event! This will only count if they, in turn, gift someone else a Verdeer. They must credit you in their submission in order for you to get the AP. (unlimited)


Redeeming your Awesomeness Points
AP can be redeemed at any time, even before you gift a deer to someone else. However, you WILL NOT receive updated artwork from me for any changes you make to a Verdeer you own unless you redeem the rebase. However, you are free to add them to your own deer yourself.

 7 pts + $20: A rebase of a Verdeer you own on a unique base that will only be available during this event; you will be able to request some simple trait changes, or potentially changing around the silhouette of your flower arrangement.
 5 pts: Keep a Verdeer you created yourself, instead of gifting it to someone else. 
 5 pts: Unlock ONE unique trait for a Verdeer you own from this list: wings, bioluminescence, mystical object, hair. (You may redeem multiple traits for a single design)
 3 pts: Unlock ONE unique trait for a Verdeer you are making to gift to someone else: wings, bioluminescence, mystical object, hair. (You may redeem multiple traits for a single design)
 2 pts: Unlock an extra flower species to add to a Verdeer you own
 1 pt: Unlock an extra flower species to a Verdeer you are making to gift to someone else
 1 pt - Get a sweet sweet llama emoticon comment from me. *they are not my llamas, they are these ones:   

1. Jadedphoenix couple speedpaint
   
2. KariKurai - 2 character cards (one, two)
3. Erebun - comments.deviantart.com/62/894…
   
4. Sacchim (notes)
   
5. Crowlets Collab (waiting on lines)
   
6. EtherealSoulDreamer - Eden speedpaint/storybook, sketchpage