Let's talk graphics!
I love discussing graphics, and I had an awesome (lengthy) thread going on with maiisaki about the quirks and frustrations of making them, but you know, it's not as fun with just the two of us! We're all curious people, and I'm sure many of us would like to know what goes on in the brain of someone who can make a gorgeous 100x100 pixel icon, or can make a 164852x76844 pixel wallpaper still look amazing, etc. I know I'd like to know!
What would also be great is if avid icon users (and makers!) could offer their opinions on what type of icons they like. Anything goes! Talk about how you wish there were more animated icons, or more text icons! Or how you absolutely fail at adding text to anything and wish others would just teach you their text-fu. ...oops, that's me.
Just to get some starter ideas:
Icon Lovers
..and the list goes on. Feel free to just pick one topic to ramble (rant?) about or start off on your own. Of course any of these questions could apply to wallpapers or any other type of graphics out there! Please do join in on thread discussions as well! I'm hoping this will be a great opportunity for all of us to interact in some way! :)
What would also be great is if avid icon users (and makers!) could offer their opinions on what type of icons they like. Anything goes! Talk about how you wish there were more animated icons, or more text icons! Or how you absolutely fail at adding text to anything and wish others would just teach you their text-fu. ...oops, that's me.
Just to get some starter ideas:
Icon Lovers
- Textures: Get in the way? Or a nice effect if done nicely?
- Image: Is it the image that sells the icon to you, or how the icon is made? Do you wish there'd be more icons made out of scans or screencaps?
- Text: Let the icon-makers add the caption for you! Or let the image speak for itself!
- Coloring: Maybe there's that certain coloring style you like. Perhaps vibrant, full of color, or maybe the less-saturated, vintage color interests you?
- Animated GIFs: The world needs more of them?
- Variations: Fan of them? Ever wished that one icon with that one picture would have been better b&w, or cropped differently? Gimme the options!?
- Cropping: Do you challenge yourself to unique cropping?
- Coloring: Is there that one coloring style that you find yourself overusing? Or maybe you like it so much and others do too, so you rely on it?
- Tutorials: Do you continue to peruse through tutorials, hoping to improve or vary in styles? Or have you stopped and have developed your own? Maybe you've never used one!
- Biases: Could your icon journal be a tribute to your favorite member or pairing?
- Canvas Size: Are you more comfortable working with wallpapers because of the larger canvas, rather than being restricted to a 100x100px icon? Or is it the reverse, do you find making icons easier?
- Animated GIFs: Incredibly tedious to make? But the great self-satisfaction you get afterward! Stupid 40kb limit!
- Program: Photoshop seems to be the common choice, but maybe you use Paint Shop Pro, GIMP, or MS Paint? Which version are you currently using?
- Icon-ing in General: Is it part of a routine for you? How long do you spend? Instead of viewing scans for the pure eye-candy, do you find yourself thinking about how that particular scan would make an excellent icon?
..and the list goes on. Feel free to just pick one topic to ramble (rant?) about or start off on your own. Of course any of these questions could apply to wallpapers or any other type of graphics out there! Please do join in on thread discussions as well! I'm hoping this will be a great opportunity for all of us to interact in some way! :)