Icon Dump: Let's Go To Work
Jul. 25th, 2014 10:48 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
clockwork_hart1YO, the winners for challenge 28 are up at ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
slayerstillness and guess who got a thing or two out of the dealings?
So these two Fred icons got best crop and mod's choice respectively, though looking at my draft icons I had a much better crop image I could have entered but hey ho, decisions are tough and hindsight is a filthy whore. I adore 02 though, because GAH, FRED, right? She's so small and so fragile here, she literally has nothing left - and you can see that horror, that forlornness all over her face - but there's that spark of resilience in her that just SHINES. This was my favourite.
(01-02)
The babes that didn't win:
(03-05)
03 is again, a favourite, because there's just so much contrast between Fred and Illyria, in their expressions, their presence. Where the images could mirror, instead they shadow - Fred, broken and hopeless is nothing but a shadow on Illyria, reborn and strong. I just like that one a lot - plus, experiments in layers came out pretty a-okay, so bonus points. 04 I still love, because I love this moment, I love Cordy's expression, her grace, but I think the lighting may have been too messy, too distracting? I don't know, something bothers me about it, but I still think it's a decent icon. 05 is where I'm like "what the fuck was I thinking???" The icon is just not what I wanted, I made far better ones. The way her hair's all up and her expression is kinda goofy - it ruins the moment. I couldn't get a screencap that actually worked for this scene so I settles and I don't like how it came out. The icon is too fuzzy and pulp-printed.
The forgotten:
(06-08)
(09-11)
The top three are my "I totally should have fucking entered, they look hella cool" ones. I was having a total blue kick, and I love the way it cuts through Illyria in 06 because it reminds me of the rain in "Not Fade Away", but also how there are streaks and fractures of Fred in her. 07, with Tiny!Fred in the corner is so simple and such a good screencap. She's alone, curled up in the dark, she's every little boy and girl waiting for the world to crumble down on top of them, but still shining brightly against the shadows. 08 is the crop I should have fucking entered. Look at it. Look at the corner of Angel's eye, the hesitation on Fred's face, the glistening of the blood dripping from her hand. There is nothing about this image that I don't love. Say it with me now: "MISTAKE!"
09-11 are the ones that I made and then kind of hated and never intended to do a damn thing with. I have a total thing for girly friendship, you guys surely know, so naturally I wanted Cordy and Fred. But I couldn't find a cap I liked enough, and the ones I ended up using I distorted to hell because like I said - I didn;t like them much. I don't know, they just look so bad. 09 was one I almost substituted 05 for, because I liked the image better for Cordy, all dirty and wrecked. But don't think I hadn't noticed a pattern. In all of the images I used, all of the ladies were in some kind of pain, hopeless. That didn't sit so well with me. So I picked the more "heroic" shot - and I still can't tell if that was the right call or not.
Anywho, you guys know the deal - feel free snag away, just remember the name. And discuss below.
slayerstillness and guess who got a thing or two out of the dealings?So these two Fred icons got best crop and mod's choice respectively, though looking at my draft icons I had a much better crop image I could have entered but hey ho, decisions are tough and hindsight is a filthy whore. I adore 02 though, because GAH, FRED, right? She's so small and so fragile here, she literally has nothing left - and you can see that horror, that forlornness all over her face - but there's that spark of resilience in her that just SHINES. This was my favourite.
(01-02)The babes that didn't win:
(03-05)03 is again, a favourite, because there's just so much contrast between Fred and Illyria, in their expressions, their presence. Where the images could mirror, instead they shadow - Fred, broken and hopeless is nothing but a shadow on Illyria, reborn and strong. I just like that one a lot - plus, experiments in layers came out pretty a-okay, so bonus points. 04 I still love, because I love this moment, I love Cordy's expression, her grace, but I think the lighting may have been too messy, too distracting? I don't know, something bothers me about it, but I still think it's a decent icon. 05 is where I'm like "what the fuck was I thinking???" The icon is just not what I wanted, I made far better ones. The way her hair's all up and her expression is kinda goofy - it ruins the moment. I couldn't get a screencap that actually worked for this scene so I settles and I don't like how it came out. The icon is too fuzzy and pulp-printed.
The forgotten:
(06-08) (09-11)The top three are my "I totally should have fucking entered, they look hella cool" ones. I was having a total blue kick, and I love the way it cuts through Illyria in 06 because it reminds me of the rain in "Not Fade Away", but also how there are streaks and fractures of Fred in her. 07, with Tiny!Fred in the corner is so simple and such a good screencap. She's alone, curled up in the dark, she's every little boy and girl waiting for the world to crumble down on top of them, but still shining brightly against the shadows. 08 is the crop I should have fucking entered. Look at it. Look at the corner of Angel's eye, the hesitation on Fred's face, the glistening of the blood dripping from her hand. There is nothing about this image that I don't love. Say it with me now: "MISTAKE!"
09-11 are the ones that I made and then kind of hated and never intended to do a damn thing with. I have a total thing for girly friendship, you guys surely know, so naturally I wanted Cordy and Fred. But I couldn't find a cap I liked enough, and the ones I ended up using I distorted to hell because like I said - I didn;t like them much. I don't know, they just look so bad. 09 was one I almost substituted 05 for, because I liked the image better for Cordy, all dirty and wrecked. But don't think I hadn't noticed a pattern. In all of the images I used, all of the ladies were in some kind of pain, hopeless. That didn't sit so well with me. So I picked the more "heroic" shot - and I still can't tell if that was the right call or not.
Anywho, you guys know the deal - feel free snag away, just remember the name. And discuss below.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2014-07-25 10:33 pm (UTC)Gabrielle
no subject
Date: 2014-07-25 10:44 pm (UTC)*squish*
no subject
Date: 2014-07-27 05:25 pm (UTC)Which says a lot about the beauty and emotional strength of the icon itself that I did NOT notice before now because I normally deduct points for misspelled words when there is text. (Unless it's clear that the misspelling is done for effect.)
no subject
Date: 2014-07-27 06:28 pm (UTC)Darn. Thanks for pointing it out. I feel so silly now.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-27 06:35 pm (UTC)(Those banners I made for round 2 of btvsats20in20? I finished one for iconsoleander - so I thought - and THEN noticed I'd misspelled her name. Ugh. That's why I sign work "RSD" and not my full screen name - less opportunities for misspelling!)
no subject
Date: 2014-07-26 03:47 am (UTC)Great minds and all that jazz - #3 was my first place choice (and #5 my Best Crop PIck, although #1 was a VERY worthy winner.) Super excited about these wins!
no subject
Date: 2014-07-25 11:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-27 07:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-26 04:19 am (UTC)I voted for 3 as my first place - you've made such strides with layers (collages are nice but they have limitations) that I want to know HOW you made such a thing. (no, really, I haven't managed layers in an icon yet.)
Technically it's one of the most sophisticated you've ever made, but it's so full of emotional content as well. An icon that covers both bases was an easy First place choice for me.
And I voted #5 best crop. I don't think it's a failure at all - I don't know the moment, only that it looks like Cordy's in the swirl of motion and you CAUGHT that. Capturing the feeling of motion in a still image is very hard. In an icon? I've only come across a couple that have ever done so, including this one. Thumbs up as far as I'm concerned.
I don't think I knew you submitted until after I voted? Then when you told me I suspected several were yours but I KNEW without a doubt that #2 was yours. To me it's just - you, completely. Like if it were possible to embody a person in a single image, that's it. It's Fred's resilience and fragility but your's as well, and your love for her.
I love Cordy's expression, her grace, but I think the lighting may have been too messy, too distracting?
I agree with this assessment.
Say it with me now: "MISTAKE!"
May I voice a dissenting view? GREAT crop, really, great coloring - but a touch too dark. I'm having to squint (even with brand new glasses) to really see what's going on. (#7 is extremely dark to me I can barely see Fred.) #6 OTOH is pretty damn awesome - but I'd love to see you go back to #8 if you feel like it. (And oh I know how that goes.) I think you'll do an even better version.
Same with 10 & 11 - I would love to see you do a Fred and Cordy 20in20 project (if you felt like it, I mean.) I can see where you're going with those and I look forward to you diving in again.
But don't think I hadn't noticed a pattern. In all of the images I used, all of the ladies were in some kind of pain, hopeless. That didn't sit so well with me.
I know what you mean!(I love doing fanart of Buffy but, I keep wondering, am I wallowing in her pain and suffering just a little too much?)
But 9 is also a really good icon, IMO. It's got the grunginess that I love, and her expression is just something else - probably my favorites of the (not) forgotten.
It's just been incredibly exciting watching you blossom as a writer and an artist this past year into someone who is beyond talented and straight into brilliant. I feel honored that we've come into each other's lives and I've gotten to watch from the sidelines.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-27 08:06 pm (UTC)3 is my favourite, totally and I would explain how I did it but it was mostly just an hour of trial and error-ing my way through blend modes and overlays. Even I'm not sure what I did. Oops.
May I voice a dissenting view? GREAT crop, really, great coloring - but a touch too dark. I'm having to squint (even with brand new glasses) to really see what's going on. (#7 is extremely dark to me I can barely see Fred.) #6 OTOH is pretty damn awesome - but I'd love to see you go back to #8 if you feel like it. (And oh I know how that goes.) I think you'll do an even better version.
The screencap was much darker, and I kinda LIKE that it's dark. Fred is supposed to be in shadow, out of focus, in the background, with nothing but her bloody hand creeping in to the foreground. I think maybe you'd have to know the scene better to get what's happening? Because we hardly know Dred here, she's basically a ghost - this is her reaching into focus through Angel. He's there in that cave to save her, but it's really her doing the saving. But tbh it's doubtful I'll go back to it. Once Ive played with soemthing I generally leave it alone. I don't visit back often.
I DO want to play with Cordy and Fred again. My biggest peeve with Ats is they have the two of them kina swept off in thier menfolk so much more than they let them interact. My favourtie moments in the series are the ensemble/family ones about how EVERYONE fits together, not just the Cordy/Angel and Fred/Wes/Gunn messes.
And I'm a sucker for some grunge.
It's just been incredibly exciting watching you blossom as a writer and an artist this past year into someone who is beyond talented and straight into brilliant. I feel honored that we've come into each other's lives and I've gotten to watch from the sidelines.
I love you and your beautiful soul. Thank you so much. I've adored every second of it too.
no subject
Date: 2014-07-29 12:51 am (UTC)I don't see it on your journal, sweetie so - BELATED CONGRATULATIONS, Miss Triple-Threat!
mostly just an hour of trial and error-ing my way through blend modes and overlays. Even I'm not sure what I did. Oops.
Are you me? *lol* Seriously though - I look forward to the day when I actually know what the hell I'm doing with this stuff instead of just stumbling around in the dark. And yet I enjoy that part of it too!
I think with the art stuff it produces some cool results (sometimes); with these awards banners, I honestly need to learn to be "quick and dirty".
I think maybe you'd have to know the scene better to get what's happening?
Perhaps. I vote on plenty of icons at otherworldlyric for fandoms I don't know at all. (Buffy is my only fandom and they don't include Orphan Black) My point was simply that the image is just a bit too dark for me. I like the composition, the colors, and crop. this is a thing with me, dating from when I was making Moulin Rouge icons and discovered that what looked perfect on my flat screen monitor was too dark to be seen properly on the old fashioned picture-tube monitors.
I don't visit back often.
Uh-huh. I've said that - famous last words. Like that image from Anne that I used in an otherworld lyric challenge and it looked ok and then went back to it for Slayerstillness once I started using ipiccy and felt I could do better (and won Most Creative.) There are certain images I'm always going to go back to as my skills and tools improve, that I'm going to want to explore in ways I couldn't before.
I DO want to play with Cordy and Fred again.
DO IT!
And grunge effects are fun, aren't they? I like taking "grunge" effects and using them to emphasize the elegance of an image, ironically.
I love you and your beautiful soul. Thank you so much. I've adored every second of it too.
Oh my gosh sweetie! *HUGS YOU TIGHT*
no subject
Date: 2014-07-27 08:07 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-26 07:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-27 08:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2014-07-28 01:03 am (UTC)I really love number 2 and how you captured the moment so perfectly. But also 3, because like you said, the contrast. The wonderful contrast.
And I actually really like 5, with her hair flying as she trains.
Really, I like them all. SO MUCH PRETTY! YOU DID AN AWESOME JOB!
no subject
Date: 2014-07-29 12:53 am (UTC)#5 was my choice for Best Crop
no subject
Date: 2014-07-29 11:02 pm (UTC)I'm so happy you liked these! There should be more Fred love and more Cordy everywhere and I'm happy to kick start that
no subject
Date: 2014-07-28 08:53 pm (UTC)I think you did swell work and I like that you share your thought process. :)
no subject
Date: 2014-07-29 11:03 pm (UTC)I'd never thought about talking about the how and the why of my icons before but something just prompted me to do it - I'm glad someone got something out of it.