Round 18 - Challenge 05 - Results
ROUND 18 - CHALLENGE 05 - RESULTS
1ST PLACE [5 points]:
emiels with +7 votes.
2ND PLACE [4 points]:
adriftingsea with +5 votes (and more first place votes).
3RD PLACE [3 points]:
dixon with +5 votes.
BEST INTERPRETATION [2 points]:
&
adriftingsea & emiels with +3 votes.
MOD'S CHOICE [1 point]:
starkwars
[This icon really stood out in the voting table. The coloring has this ethereal quality to it due to the lightness of the color tones and just the actual lighting used/emphasized in the icon. The cropping is also very daring being so close up but also ever so slightly off center. It's an intriguing icon!]
TABLE KEY:
+++ = 1st Place Vote
++ = 2nd Place Vote
+ = 3rd Place Vote | Beginning of a new comment.
Note: Votes are not weighted in this round. Meaning a 1st, 2nd or 3rd vote will only give you 1 point when tallying the votes. [Tiebreaker procedure:]Except in the case of a tie - then the icon with the most 1st place votes will be given first. This is upheld in all cases unless 1) the amount of votes is equal in all cases (i.e. 3 first place, 2 second place, and 1 third place) or 2) breaking the tie would result in an icon with enough first place votes to place being knocked out of a placing spot (i.e a third place tie between two icons). In these cases, ties will stand as is in order to maintain a sense of fairness for all participants.
ICON VOTES
tinnnyPLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ this icon is really creative and has a bunch of potential! The blocking is really well done, and the typography is very interesting. However, the coloring seems uneven, with some of them being gold and the middle being a tan color, and one being green. Making 3 of the blocks tans, 3 green, etc, would balance this out and maintain visual interest
+ I like the idea behind this icon, but I think there are too many repeated blocks and it scatters focus a bit. Perhaps removing one or two and then coloring each remaining block a different color would add more cohesion. The text is also hard to read at times, and the consistent font type and size falls flat. Perhaps changing up the text sizes and fonts could make the words pop more.
+ This is a very cool composition, and making your icon complex was a good way of 'hiding' the lack of textures, brushes and whatnot. I think it's done really well, has a clear central point of focus and enough decorative elements to make the icon interesting. However, some aspects of the icon could be improved to make it even better. While the blocking was executed well, the way some of the blocks were flipped results in a slightly messy look, which clashes with the near arrangement of blocks. I'd suggest having only the central block facing the other way from the others to make it stand out without disrupting the composition. Same applies to the arrangement of the text - while the different directions were a good idea, the seemingly random arrangement does not complement the symmetrical blocking.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I really love the composition on the icon. You've used the duplicate effect to great use. I love the way you've placed the text as well. It's acts a nice decorative touch!
+ Nice use of blocking as well as text! I feel like you could add a bit more contrast to the icon (especially Tyrion himself in the center image) but it's still a nice composition overall.
jellybeansrawPLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ I love the idea of using more caps as a background to make up for the lack of textures! The lighting is also cool. Less contrast in the back and more contrasted and darker figures in the front gives the icon depth. For me, it looks oversharpened, though, creating artifacts around the smaller girls' heads and the hair of the ones in the background. I suggest reducing your sharpening layers - especially in the background, which would still look great tone-in-tone. When sharpening, you can mask the places where pixel artifacts are visible. Not all spots in an icon need the same amount of sharpening.
+ Great composition, I think this icon works perfectly well without any textures or other resources. However, while I love the sharpness and think it fits the images used, there are some areas where the sharpness resulted in jagged lines - especially around the heads of the ladies in front as well as their arms, and in the hair of the left background picture; softening those areas would make the icon look more polished. Also, the way the background of the left background picture suddenly cuts off looks rather awkward, and disturbs the composition, I'd suggest extracting the subject to match the white background of the right picture, or extending the background behind the right subject as well.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice blending between the images and the black and white coloring is nice and balanced
+ The composition on the icon is really cool and I love how you used b&w give the icon a extra punch as it were.
+ Love the composition and the contrast is on point!
+ Interesting composition, however the icon looks a bit busy/crowded. A different colouring or use of light could draw the eyes to specific parts of it, maybe if the front part wasn't black and white for instance.
adriftingseaPLACING VOTES
+++ Very cool use of text as a texture, and I love the bright colors in this. I would like to see a bit more depth/variation among the colors of her skin because right now she looks a little flat, but it's still a fantastic piece.
+++ I love the composition and coloring. Nice touch turning her hair violet and amazing text use.
+++ The composition on the icon is absolutely gorgeous. I think you did a great job of using the resources available to you. Great job on the colouring as well!
++ The coloring and composition achieved is amazing (even more when we know how hard the theme is.) The hair coloring, the choice of colors and the text is really brilliant.
+ I really like your way of coloring, resulting in such smooth skin tones. The light purple fits that perfectly. I love how the different text sizes draw the eye to the corners - like those little triangles in the opposite corners - and the circle texture draws it right back to the center. Really a well-balanced composition that doesn't get boring to look at.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ I think this icon does a great job of replicating your usual texture-heavy style with only the default resources. The composition is a bit on the simple side, but given what you had to work with, it's totally understandable, and actually works really well, with a clean and elegant result. The one thing I'd suggest changing would be the strands of hair on the subject's forehead - they're too thick and straight, which makes them look like heavy clumps, rather than wispy bangs. I recommend using a thinner brush, and painting multiple strands instead of a single thick one, it will make the hair look lighter and more natural.
+ I love how the composition turned out despite using only the defaults. Beautiful and creative!
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ I love the pastel coloring used here, especially the periwinkle. However, those wisps on her forehead look a little out of place. Also, while I appreciate using the text and shapes in your program to create textures, it looks like it's in an inbetween stage of being too empty for a fully textured look and being too cluttered for a clean look. I'd go more in one direction or another; either add more shapes and text, or remove one or two of your current elements and focus on one (using the circle shape to frame, just using text, etc.) for a more cohesive look.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
esgeeePLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ This icon has a really nice crop, and the idea of muted colors to work with it is great. I think the colors turned out a bit too muted, though - this icon could definitely use some more contrast to keep it from looking too muddy.
+ I like the crop of this icon. I just the coloring is a bit "flat", more contrast would have been better.
+ I love the crop of the icon. It is very pretty. I also like the colouring, but I feel like there could have been one or two adjustments that could have helped the colouring sing even better. I think in process of colouring, the icon got over-brightened ( which can happen if you use one too many Curves layers or really push the vibrant colouring). You can prevent this from happening by using layer masks as you go along building the colouring. Alternatively, you can also merge all the layers, paste it as a new layer and then set that layer to Multiply. You can then fiddle with the opacity as you like.
+ The crop is nice but the icon looks too smooth and flat, making it look a little unnatural. Going for a more natural, not oversmoothed, look would have worked a lot better, especially with such a close crop.
+ I like the idea to concentrate on crop and coloring when all other effects are forbidden. To my eye, the coloring makes her look a bit LQ. Her throat and chest and the area around her nose are a little color-splotchy on my screen, the brown and green clashing with her skin tone. You could either go for a softer look - standard Blur or Smart Blur just in a few areas could remove unwanted noise like that. Or you could use Selective Coloring to change the green into something more beige so it blends with her skin better and reduces the color noise that way.
+ The coloring is really amazing, the matte effect is really well executed but I think the crop is a little awkward. Moving the subject to a more centered position could've helped.
+ I really like your composition and use of text, as well as the colours you used. I do feel however that your subject's hair blends a bit too much with the background, giving the icon a flat look. Maybe giving it a darker shade of purple would do the job, and/or adding a few shades to her face so that it pops out more.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ cute crop and nice coloring, although the coloring seems to have made some areas (especially her neck) splotchy/grainy
+ I like the crop and emphasis on your subject's expression, I'm not sure about the colouring/effect used as she looks a bit flat, maybe a bit more contrast or a black & white gradient on soft screen could help her stand out more.
+ I like the coloring here, but I think it's a touch too dark, which makes the icon look a bit flat. Adding a gradient or light blobs would add highlights to offset the darkest parts of the coloring, and therefor give it more depth. Also, I could be totally wrong here since you didn't provide the original screencap, but it looks like parts of it were blurry (the hair in bottom left corner for example), and you sharpened them quite a bit, which resulted in jagged, pixelly areas. If that is the case, I'd suggest leaving them as they were - blurry areas are not always a bad thing, they can make the icon look truly unique - or going over them with the blur brush after sharpening to soften the effect.
emielsPLACING VOTES
+++ A wonderful and creative use of what photoshop has to offer! The coloring is bright and cute, and paired with the cap, the animated doodles are adorable
+++ Gorgeous coloring. The animation is so fun, and I love how you made it look so interesting without using any outside resources.
+++ Not only the animation on this icon is amazing but the coloring is also really pretty.
+++ Great animation, cut-out and colouring! It's quite impressive considering the theme.
++ I love your icon A LOT and you did a great job with the gif
++ I love the colouring on the icon and the special effects(?)! It makes for a very cute icon!
++ Beautifully animated, with all those hand-drawn shapes that must have taken ages to create. Such a fun icon! The only reason I didn't vote it to first place is that her skin looks orange on my screen, which clashes a bit with the primary colors of effects and background. Otherwise, it's perfect.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ I think that a lot of people forget that gifs are part of basic PS (I know that I did) and you did a great job with that so kudos on using the theme in a creative way.
+ This icon is really cute and creative; all the elements-the doodles, the coloring, and cap choice-work together perfectly
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ So creative! Very lovely coloring and animation.
alisea_dreamPLACING VOTES
++ This is a cool composition, but the whole thing looks a bit off-center because there is the middle part (mirror) and then the right side has a face which adds visual interest, while the left is mostly blank. The text does not quite make up for the emptiness because it's very spread out between the two lines. Maybe putting it closer, or scooting the blend so it's more half and half, would help.
+ The colouring on this icon is absolutely gorgeous. Muted and so lovely. I also really like the composition and the use of text! Both give the icon visual interest.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ I really like how complex your icon is but I felt that the gold of the mirror did not go well with the background and maybe a orange or gold background would be better.
+ I do like the composition overall, except for the line at the top which is slightly distracting (a lighter one like the one of the bottom might work better), and I'm afraid I can't make out the character (characters?) in the frame. Maybe with a closer crop for the inside of that frame?
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the blending of the caps is nice and the coloring works really well with the caps
+ I like that you used multiple images in your composition, but I can't really tell what the smaller image is showing me. Also, the second line of text falls over the mirror in a way that obstructs part of it and looks slightly awkward. I'd rearrange the text at a different angle or remove it altogether.
+ I love the combination of screencaps here - using the mirror was very clever, and I think it captures the spirit of the theme really well. However, there seem to be some extraction issues on the mirror - there's a thin darker border on the handle, and a lighter one on the left side of the round part. Also, the text is rather blurry - I'd suggest trying a different anti-aliasing mode, or duplicating the text layer to deal with this issue.
starkwarsPLACING VOTES
++ The crop is GORGEOUS. It's so delicate and the coloring is perfect for that crop.
+ Great close crop and the pale pinks and yellows are very pretty.
+ I really like the crop that you've chosen. I do think that having the crop just a bit higher to see more of her chin would be nice but I think that you've done a great job with the cap!
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ This is a wonderfully minimalist icon.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the crop on this is georgous and the soft pastel colors are nice
+ Lovely close crop, and I like how light this is. Very pretty!
+ What an absolutely lovely crop! The colouring is so pretty as well.
+ I like the lightness of this icon, although the crop seems a bit awkward to me because of the space on the right. Perhaps a closer crop cutting that off would work better, or going in the opposite direction with a slightly further crop.
+ The crop here is fantastic, extreme closeups are often tricky but this one is perfect. However, I think the quality of the screencap was not good enough for such a close crop, and as a result, the icon has a lot of pixelly areas, especially her eyelashes and the hair wisps over her mouth. A very slight application of Topaz could work here, if you have access to that, or making the coloring a bit darker to hide those issues.
setentpetPLACING VOTES
+ Gorgeous warm coloring, and the crop really gives it this sense of intimacy. Nice lighting as well.
+ This icon has an interesting crop and nice coloring. I think the lighting could use a bit of work - I would fudge the light bit on his neck, just because there's nothing going on there that's special, but my eye is still drawn to it.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the coloring on this icon is really nice and rich, although the crop seems a bit off since the subjects aren't centered
+ I love the crop! It's an unusual perspective of a warm, intimate moment. I also think the warm colouring was a great choice. It ties in nicely with the emotion being displayed.
+ The coloring is really beautiful! I love those warm colors and the crop is great!
+ Nice close crop, however the shadows hide parts of your subject's faces. I feel like you could play with the crop or colouring (using gradient maps for instance?) to improve it.
+ I think you picked a great screencap for this theme - the play of light on the subjects' faces makes the icon visually interesting so that it doesn't really need any textures or decorations. However, I'm not sure if the brown monochrome coloring was the best choice here - it's executed well and not a bad coloring at all, but it lacks depth and fails to take advantage of the interesting lighting provided by the screencap.
rocketgirl2PLACING VOTES
+++ I really like the minimalist style of this icon. The simple pattern is artfully arranged and makes it look much more complex than it is. The muted tones look great, too.
++ Great composition, and the cut-out is really well done as well! Love your use of shapes. And the colouring. Basically: it's a really nice icon
+ the composition of this icon is really nice; the coloring fits well and it's a nice example of what you can do with the basics
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ I love how clean and simple this icon looks. And more importantly, I love the elements that give this icon added visual interest, such as the pattern in the background and the block at the bottom. I also love the unusual colouring!
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ You did a great job with the crop of the character but the border on the bottom feels unnecessary and crowds the icon along with the dots in the background. I think the icon would've looked better without the border and just the dots so that it would not be as crowded.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Love the coloring here - muted icons are a rarity in sitcom fandoms, and and a funny screencap like this seems to call for a vibrant coloring, but the muted greens worked out really well for this icon. I'm not sure about the green border on the bottom though - it doesn't add much to the composition, while taking up space and cutting off some of the subjects' body. I think it would look better if a similar border was added on top, to balance the composition.
lady_kingsleyPLACING VOTES
++ the coloring on this icon is beautiful! The lighting is also absolutely fantastic, and the sharpening is well done, too
++ The lighting in this icon is simply stunning, you did a great job deepening the contrast of the original screencap without ruining the quality of the image. The coloring is very good too, I think it fits the lighting and the mood of the icon.
++ Love the use of the dramatic shadow and light and the red of her lips and shirt add a nice bit of color.
+ I really love your use of light and, especially, shadows here. The contrast between the two sides of the icon is perfect, and I also really like the deep reds of her clothes!
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I love the use of the light and shadow on the icon. It looks very pretty!
dixonPLACING VOTES
+++ WHOA, I love the details on the hair and the muted coloring! Nice job!
+++ Nice muted colors, the blue from his shirt is a nice pop of vibrancy, and his painted hair is really well done.
++ I love the crop and the yellow tones of the icon. The painted hair looks fantastic and draws the eye. It's a great detail to add in there.
+ Lovely use of painted hair here, thanks to the obscure crop, it becomes the main feature of the icon, and I think it works really well. Also, love the splash of vibrant blue to set off the muted yellows and greens!
+ The coloring here is really pretty, and the hair painting is WOW.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ Impressive colouring, it really shows that you can achieve a lot with even the most basic tools when you use them right!
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Wow, gorgeous contrast in his hair! The single blue offset in all that yellow looks really nice, too.
+ the coloring on this icon is really nice, and the painted hair is done really well
+ I love the crop on the icon. And the painted hair is a nice touch!
gribouillePLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ You managed to bring some nice colors out of this cap, but between her skin and the background, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by orange. I would dial down the vibrance layers just a little bit so she doesn't look quite so orangey. A great way to accent the oranges without going to far would be to grab the color of her dress and put that color in her background rather than the orange/brown there is now. It would contrast with the skin tones and make the icon really pop!
+ while the crop on this icon is wonderful, the coloring seems to have made the icon extra glowing around the edges so the icon doesn't seem sharp and appears diffused, Try using a high pass layer (filters > other > high pass) with the setting of about 2.0 set to soft light to help define the lines
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The colouring on the icon is very soft and pretty!
+ I love the coloring in this icon. The vibrant turquoise against her skin, so beautiful! The crop is great, too. Great work!
+ I think this icon has a really nice vibrant/glowy effect that gives it a rather dreamy feel that goes well with the screencap. The crop could be improved though - the way the subject is cut off at the forehead makes the icon look too small. Making the crop wider would add some space around hear head, and the icon would lose the cramped look. Also, while sharpening on most of the icon is spot on, some parts were sharpened too much, which resulted in a lighter border appearing around the edges - it's particularly visible on the subject's left cheek and the strap of her dress. A good way of avoiding that is duplicating the screencap layer before sharpening, and then erasing the offending bits.
ciuciuvaraworldPLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ I like the crop here, I just wish there wasn't this black border on the top, because it makes me more focusing on it than on the characters.
+ I love the choice of screencap and I like the subtle colouring. However I find the black bar on top to be very distracting, especially since the rest of the icon is so bright. I think extending the screencap all the way to the top would have been a good idea. The forest cover ahead would have given the icon the illusion of more depth.
+ The coloring is nice but the black at the top really takes away from the overall appearance, it's too harsh. It would have worked better without that distracting bit, leaving the part out and just playing around with the natural colors of the cap would have been nice.
+ Beautiful crop! But the top black part is dividing the icon and it looks kind of weird. I imagine that the screencap was cutted there so I think that maybe using a lighter color would've worked better.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the icon is very simple and the crop is lovely, but the black along the top doesn't seem to match the rest of the icon
+ This icon has a rather dreamy feel to it, thanks to the screencap choice and the coloring you used. However, the thick black bar looks really out of place and makes the icon look cramped despite the far crop and outdoors scene. If it was added because the screencap cuts off right above the subjects' heads, I'd recommend using the clone tool to extend it, rather than covering the edge with black. Alternately, the background could be removed altogether - screencaps like this are great for icons with a solid fake background.
+ I really like that wide crop and how it focuses on the subject, very dynamic. It's hard to tell without the original cap, but I'm not sure what the black shadow at the top brings to the icon, it's a bit distracting. Something closer to the cap's colours would be better.
applepips16PLACING VOTES
+++ I'm in love with the slightly out-of-focus glowiness of this icon; combined with the coloring, it gives the icon depth and an illusion of motion, like the character could move any time? I don't know if that even makes sense, or how else to explain it, but I just love this icon a lot.
+ I am SO in love with this coloring, halfway vibrant and halfway muted. I love that the crop is not centered, it looks really interesting.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the coloring on this icon is really nice and rich and the crop is just as lovely
+ Love the dreamy, wispy coloring in this icon. However, it' quite blurry and could use some sharpening. I also think the crop would look better if the subject was lowered so her hair isn't cut off.
+ Nice colours on her hair and dress! Her face looks a bit too yellow, selective colouring could help you with that. I also thin that you might add a bit more contrast to your subject, maybe play with curves or a black & white gradient map on soft screen to make the dark tones a bit darker.
Let me know if there are any issues!
Updated points spreadsheet here.
1ST PLACE [5 points]:
emiels with +7 votes.
2ND PLACE [4 points]:
adriftingsea with +5 votes (and more first place votes).
3RD PLACE [3 points]:
dixon with +5 votes.
BEST INTERPRETATION [2 points]:
&
adriftingsea & emiels with +3 votes.
MOD'S CHOICE [1 point]:
starkwars
[This icon really stood out in the voting table. The coloring has this ethereal quality to it due to the lightness of the color tones and just the actual lighting used/emphasized in the icon. The cropping is also very daring being so close up but also ever so slightly off center. It's an intriguing icon!]
TABLE KEY:
+++ = 1st Place Vote
++ = 2nd Place Vote
+ = 3rd Place Vote | Beginning of a new comment.
Note: Votes are not weighted in this round. Meaning a 1st, 2nd or 3rd vote will only give you 1 point when tallying the votes. [Tiebreaker procedure:]Except in the case of a tie - then the icon with the most 1st place votes will be given first. This is upheld in all cases unless 1) the amount of votes is equal in all cases (i.e. 3 first place, 2 second place, and 1 third place) or 2) breaking the tie would result in an icon with enough first place votes to place being knocked out of a placing spot (i.e a third place tie between two icons). In these cases, ties will stand as is in order to maintain a sense of fairness for all participants.
ICON VOTES
tinnnyPLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ this icon is really creative and has a bunch of potential! The blocking is really well done, and the typography is very interesting. However, the coloring seems uneven, with some of them being gold and the middle being a tan color, and one being green. Making 3 of the blocks tans, 3 green, etc, would balance this out and maintain visual interest
+ I like the idea behind this icon, but I think there are too many repeated blocks and it scatters focus a bit. Perhaps removing one or two and then coloring each remaining block a different color would add more cohesion. The text is also hard to read at times, and the consistent font type and size falls flat. Perhaps changing up the text sizes and fonts could make the words pop more.
+ This is a very cool composition, and making your icon complex was a good way of 'hiding' the lack of textures, brushes and whatnot. I think it's done really well, has a clear central point of focus and enough decorative elements to make the icon interesting. However, some aspects of the icon could be improved to make it even better. While the blocking was executed well, the way some of the blocks were flipped results in a slightly messy look, which clashes with the near arrangement of blocks. I'd suggest having only the central block facing the other way from the others to make it stand out without disrupting the composition. Same applies to the arrangement of the text - while the different directions were a good idea, the seemingly random arrangement does not complement the symmetrical blocking.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I really love the composition on the icon. You've used the duplicate effect to great use. I love the way you've placed the text as well. It's acts a nice decorative touch!
+ Nice use of blocking as well as text! I feel like you could add a bit more contrast to the icon (especially Tyrion himself in the center image) but it's still a nice composition overall.
jellybeansrawPLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ I love the idea of using more caps as a background to make up for the lack of textures! The lighting is also cool. Less contrast in the back and more contrasted and darker figures in the front gives the icon depth. For me, it looks oversharpened, though, creating artifacts around the smaller girls' heads and the hair of the ones in the background. I suggest reducing your sharpening layers - especially in the background, which would still look great tone-in-tone. When sharpening, you can mask the places where pixel artifacts are visible. Not all spots in an icon need the same amount of sharpening.
+ Great composition, I think this icon works perfectly well without any textures or other resources. However, while I love the sharpness and think it fits the images used, there are some areas where the sharpness resulted in jagged lines - especially around the heads of the ladies in front as well as their arms, and in the hair of the left background picture; softening those areas would make the icon look more polished. Also, the way the background of the left background picture suddenly cuts off looks rather awkward, and disturbs the composition, I'd suggest extracting the subject to match the white background of the right picture, or extending the background behind the right subject as well.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice blending between the images and the black and white coloring is nice and balanced
+ The composition on the icon is really cool and I love how you used b&w give the icon a extra punch as it were.
+ Love the composition and the contrast is on point!
+ Interesting composition, however the icon looks a bit busy/crowded. A different colouring or use of light could draw the eyes to specific parts of it, maybe if the front part wasn't black and white for instance.
adriftingseaPLACING VOTES
+++ Very cool use of text as a texture, and I love the bright colors in this. I would like to see a bit more depth/variation among the colors of her skin because right now she looks a little flat, but it's still a fantastic piece.
+++ I love the composition and coloring. Nice touch turning her hair violet and amazing text use.
+++ The composition on the icon is absolutely gorgeous. I think you did a great job of using the resources available to you. Great job on the colouring as well!
++ The coloring and composition achieved is amazing (even more when we know how hard the theme is.) The hair coloring, the choice of colors and the text is really brilliant.
+ I really like your way of coloring, resulting in such smooth skin tones. The light purple fits that perfectly. I love how the different text sizes draw the eye to the corners - like those little triangles in the opposite corners - and the circle texture draws it right back to the center. Really a well-balanced composition that doesn't get boring to look at.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ I think this icon does a great job of replicating your usual texture-heavy style with only the default resources. The composition is a bit on the simple side, but given what you had to work with, it's totally understandable, and actually works really well, with a clean and elegant result. The one thing I'd suggest changing would be the strands of hair on the subject's forehead - they're too thick and straight, which makes them look like heavy clumps, rather than wispy bangs. I recommend using a thinner brush, and painting multiple strands instead of a single thick one, it will make the hair look lighter and more natural.
+ I love how the composition turned out despite using only the defaults. Beautiful and creative!
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ I love the pastel coloring used here, especially the periwinkle. However, those wisps on her forehead look a little out of place. Also, while I appreciate using the text and shapes in your program to create textures, it looks like it's in an inbetween stage of being too empty for a fully textured look and being too cluttered for a clean look. I'd go more in one direction or another; either add more shapes and text, or remove one or two of your current elements and focus on one (using the circle shape to frame, just using text, etc.) for a more cohesive look.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
esgeeePLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ This icon has a really nice crop, and the idea of muted colors to work with it is great. I think the colors turned out a bit too muted, though - this icon could definitely use some more contrast to keep it from looking too muddy.
+ I like the crop of this icon. I just the coloring is a bit "flat", more contrast would have been better.
+ I love the crop of the icon. It is very pretty. I also like the colouring, but I feel like there could have been one or two adjustments that could have helped the colouring sing even better. I think in process of colouring, the icon got over-brightened ( which can happen if you use one too many Curves layers or really push the vibrant colouring). You can prevent this from happening by using layer masks as you go along building the colouring. Alternatively, you can also merge all the layers, paste it as a new layer and then set that layer to Multiply. You can then fiddle with the opacity as you like.
+ The crop is nice but the icon looks too smooth and flat, making it look a little unnatural. Going for a more natural, not oversmoothed, look would have worked a lot better, especially with such a close crop.
+ I like the idea to concentrate on crop and coloring when all other effects are forbidden. To my eye, the coloring makes her look a bit LQ. Her throat and chest and the area around her nose are a little color-splotchy on my screen, the brown and green clashing with her skin tone. You could either go for a softer look - standard Blur or Smart Blur just in a few areas could remove unwanted noise like that. Or you could use Selective Coloring to change the green into something more beige so it blends with her skin better and reduces the color noise that way.
+ The coloring is really amazing, the matte effect is really well executed but I think the crop is a little awkward. Moving the subject to a more centered position could've helped.
+ I really like your composition and use of text, as well as the colours you used. I do feel however that your subject's hair blends a bit too much with the background, giving the icon a flat look. Maybe giving it a darker shade of purple would do the job, and/or adding a few shades to her face so that it pops out more.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ cute crop and nice coloring, although the coloring seems to have made some areas (especially her neck) splotchy/grainy
+ I like the crop and emphasis on your subject's expression, I'm not sure about the colouring/effect used as she looks a bit flat, maybe a bit more contrast or a black & white gradient on soft screen could help her stand out more.
+ I like the coloring here, but I think it's a touch too dark, which makes the icon look a bit flat. Adding a gradient or light blobs would add highlights to offset the darkest parts of the coloring, and therefor give it more depth. Also, I could be totally wrong here since you didn't provide the original screencap, but it looks like parts of it were blurry (the hair in bottom left corner for example), and you sharpened them quite a bit, which resulted in jagged, pixelly areas. If that is the case, I'd suggest leaving them as they were - blurry areas are not always a bad thing, they can make the icon look truly unique - or going over them with the blur brush after sharpening to soften the effect.
emielsPLACING VOTES
+++ A wonderful and creative use of what photoshop has to offer! The coloring is bright and cute, and paired with the cap, the animated doodles are adorable
+++ Gorgeous coloring. The animation is so fun, and I love how you made it look so interesting without using any outside resources.
+++ Not only the animation on this icon is amazing but the coloring is also really pretty.
+++ Great animation, cut-out and colouring! It's quite impressive considering the theme.
++ I love your icon A LOT and you did a great job with the gif
++ I love the colouring on the icon and the special effects(?)! It makes for a very cute icon!
++ Beautifully animated, with all those hand-drawn shapes that must have taken ages to create. Such a fun icon! The only reason I didn't vote it to first place is that her skin looks orange on my screen, which clashes a bit with the primary colors of effects and background. Otherwise, it's perfect.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ I think that a lot of people forget that gifs are part of basic PS (I know that I did) and you did a great job with that so kudos on using the theme in a creative way.
+ This icon is really cute and creative; all the elements-the doodles, the coloring, and cap choice-work together perfectly
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ So creative! Very lovely coloring and animation.
alisea_dreamPLACING VOTES
++ This is a cool composition, but the whole thing looks a bit off-center because there is the middle part (mirror) and then the right side has a face which adds visual interest, while the left is mostly blank. The text does not quite make up for the emptiness because it's very spread out between the two lines. Maybe putting it closer, or scooting the blend so it's more half and half, would help.
+ The colouring on this icon is absolutely gorgeous. Muted and so lovely. I also really like the composition and the use of text! Both give the icon visual interest.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ I really like how complex your icon is but I felt that the gold of the mirror did not go well with the background and maybe a orange or gold background would be better.
+ I do like the composition overall, except for the line at the top which is slightly distracting (a lighter one like the one of the bottom might work better), and I'm afraid I can't make out the character (characters?) in the frame. Maybe with a closer crop for the inside of that frame?
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the blending of the caps is nice and the coloring works really well with the caps
+ I like that you used multiple images in your composition, but I can't really tell what the smaller image is showing me. Also, the second line of text falls over the mirror in a way that obstructs part of it and looks slightly awkward. I'd rearrange the text at a different angle or remove it altogether.
+ I love the combination of screencaps here - using the mirror was very clever, and I think it captures the spirit of the theme really well. However, there seem to be some extraction issues on the mirror - there's a thin darker border on the handle, and a lighter one on the left side of the round part. Also, the text is rather blurry - I'd suggest trying a different anti-aliasing mode, or duplicating the text layer to deal with this issue.
starkwarsPLACING VOTES
++ The crop is GORGEOUS. It's so delicate and the coloring is perfect for that crop.
+ Great close crop and the pale pinks and yellows are very pretty.
+ I really like the crop that you've chosen. I do think that having the crop just a bit higher to see more of her chin would be nice but I think that you've done a great job with the cap!
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ This is a wonderfully minimalist icon.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the crop on this is georgous and the soft pastel colors are nice
+ Lovely close crop, and I like how light this is. Very pretty!
+ What an absolutely lovely crop! The colouring is so pretty as well.
+ I like the lightness of this icon, although the crop seems a bit awkward to me because of the space on the right. Perhaps a closer crop cutting that off would work better, or going in the opposite direction with a slightly further crop.
+ The crop here is fantastic, extreme closeups are often tricky but this one is perfect. However, I think the quality of the screencap was not good enough for such a close crop, and as a result, the icon has a lot of pixelly areas, especially her eyelashes and the hair wisps over her mouth. A very slight application of Topaz could work here, if you have access to that, or making the coloring a bit darker to hide those issues.
setentpetPLACING VOTES
+ Gorgeous warm coloring, and the crop really gives it this sense of intimacy. Nice lighting as well.
+ This icon has an interesting crop and nice coloring. I think the lighting could use a bit of work - I would fudge the light bit on his neck, just because there's nothing going on there that's special, but my eye is still drawn to it.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the coloring on this icon is really nice and rich, although the crop seems a bit off since the subjects aren't centered
+ I love the crop! It's an unusual perspective of a warm, intimate moment. I also think the warm colouring was a great choice. It ties in nicely with the emotion being displayed.
+ The coloring is really beautiful! I love those warm colors and the crop is great!
+ Nice close crop, however the shadows hide parts of your subject's faces. I feel like you could play with the crop or colouring (using gradient maps for instance?) to improve it.
+ I think you picked a great screencap for this theme - the play of light on the subjects' faces makes the icon visually interesting so that it doesn't really need any textures or decorations. However, I'm not sure if the brown monochrome coloring was the best choice here - it's executed well and not a bad coloring at all, but it lacks depth and fails to take advantage of the interesting lighting provided by the screencap.
rocketgirl2PLACING VOTES
+++ I really like the minimalist style of this icon. The simple pattern is artfully arranged and makes it look much more complex than it is. The muted tones look great, too.
++ Great composition, and the cut-out is really well done as well! Love your use of shapes. And the colouring. Basically: it's a really nice icon
+ the composition of this icon is really nice; the coloring fits well and it's a nice example of what you can do with the basics
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ I love how clean and simple this icon looks. And more importantly, I love the elements that give this icon added visual interest, such as the pattern in the background and the block at the bottom. I also love the unusual colouring!
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ You did a great job with the crop of the character but the border on the bottom feels unnecessary and crowds the icon along with the dots in the background. I think the icon would've looked better without the border and just the dots so that it would not be as crowded.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Love the coloring here - muted icons are a rarity in sitcom fandoms, and and a funny screencap like this seems to call for a vibrant coloring, but the muted greens worked out really well for this icon. I'm not sure about the green border on the bottom though - it doesn't add much to the composition, while taking up space and cutting off some of the subjects' body. I think it would look better if a similar border was added on top, to balance the composition.
lady_kingsleyPLACING VOTES
++ the coloring on this icon is beautiful! The lighting is also absolutely fantastic, and the sharpening is well done, too
++ The lighting in this icon is simply stunning, you did a great job deepening the contrast of the original screencap without ruining the quality of the image. The coloring is very good too, I think it fits the lighting and the mood of the icon.
++ Love the use of the dramatic shadow and light and the red of her lips and shirt add a nice bit of color.
+ I really love your use of light and, especially, shadows here. The contrast between the two sides of the icon is perfect, and I also really like the deep reds of her clothes!
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I love the use of the light and shadow on the icon. It looks very pretty!
dixonPLACING VOTES
+++ WHOA, I love the details on the hair and the muted coloring! Nice job!
+++ Nice muted colors, the blue from his shirt is a nice pop of vibrancy, and his painted hair is really well done.
++ I love the crop and the yellow tones of the icon. The painted hair looks fantastic and draws the eye. It's a great detail to add in there.
+ Lovely use of painted hair here, thanks to the obscure crop, it becomes the main feature of the icon, and I think it works really well. Also, love the splash of vibrant blue to set off the muted yellows and greens!
+ The coloring here is really pretty, and the hair painting is WOW.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ Impressive colouring, it really shows that you can achieve a lot with even the most basic tools when you use them right!
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Wow, gorgeous contrast in his hair! The single blue offset in all that yellow looks really nice, too.
+ the coloring on this icon is really nice, and the painted hair is done really well
+ I love the crop on the icon. And the painted hair is a nice touch!
gribouillePLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ You managed to bring some nice colors out of this cap, but between her skin and the background, I'm feeling a little overwhelmed by orange. I would dial down the vibrance layers just a little bit so she doesn't look quite so orangey. A great way to accent the oranges without going to far would be to grab the color of her dress and put that color in her background rather than the orange/brown there is now. It would contrast with the skin tones and make the icon really pop!
+ while the crop on this icon is wonderful, the coloring seems to have made the icon extra glowing around the edges so the icon doesn't seem sharp and appears diffused, Try using a high pass layer (filters > other > high pass) with the setting of about 2.0 set to soft light to help define the lines
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The colouring on the icon is very soft and pretty!
+ I love the coloring in this icon. The vibrant turquoise against her skin, so beautiful! The crop is great, too. Great work!
+ I think this icon has a really nice vibrant/glowy effect that gives it a rather dreamy feel that goes well with the screencap. The crop could be improved though - the way the subject is cut off at the forehead makes the icon look too small. Making the crop wider would add some space around hear head, and the icon would lose the cramped look. Also, while sharpening on most of the icon is spot on, some parts were sharpened too much, which resulted in a lighter border appearing around the edges - it's particularly visible on the subject's left cheek and the strap of her dress. A good way of avoiding that is duplicating the screencap layer before sharpening, and then erasing the offending bits.
ciuciuvaraworldPLACING VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
+ I like the crop here, I just wish there wasn't this black border on the top, because it makes me more focusing on it than on the characters.
+ I love the choice of screencap and I like the subtle colouring. However I find the black bar on top to be very distracting, especially since the rest of the icon is so bright. I think extending the screencap all the way to the top would have been a good idea. The forest cover ahead would have given the icon the illusion of more depth.
+ The coloring is nice but the black at the top really takes away from the overall appearance, it's too harsh. It would have worked better without that distracting bit, leaving the part out and just playing around with the natural colors of the cap would have been nice.
+ Beautiful crop! But the top black part is dividing the icon and it looks kind of weird. I imagine that the screencap was cutted there so I think that maybe using a lighter color would've worked better.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the icon is very simple and the crop is lovely, but the black along the top doesn't seem to match the rest of the icon
+ This icon has a rather dreamy feel to it, thanks to the screencap choice and the coloring you used. However, the thick black bar looks really out of place and makes the icon look cramped despite the far crop and outdoors scene. If it was added because the screencap cuts off right above the subjects' heads, I'd recommend using the clone tool to extend it, rather than covering the edge with black. Alternately, the background could be removed altogether - screencaps like this are great for icons with a solid fake background.
+ I really like that wide crop and how it focuses on the subject, very dynamic. It's hard to tell without the original cap, but I'm not sure what the black shadow at the top brings to the icon, it's a bit distracting. Something closer to the cap's colours would be better.
applepips16PLACING VOTES
+++ I'm in love with the slightly out-of-focus glowiness of this icon; combined with the coloring, it gives the icon depth and an illusion of motion, like the character could move any time? I don't know if that even makes sense, or how else to explain it, but I just love this icon a lot.
+ I am SO in love with this coloring, halfway vibrant and halfway muted. I love that the crop is not centered, it looks really interesting.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ the coloring on this icon is really nice and rich and the crop is just as lovely
+ Love the dreamy, wispy coloring in this icon. However, it' quite blurry and could use some sharpening. I also think the crop would look better if the subject was lowered so her hair isn't cut off.
+ Nice colours on her hair and dress! Her face looks a bit too yellow, selective colouring could help you with that. I also thin that you might add a bit more contrast to your subject, maybe play with curves or a black & white gradient map on soft screen to make the dark tones a bit darker.
Let me know if there are any issues!
Updated points spreadsheet here.