you own the money, you control the witness.

[enamoured]

Let me gripe about the whole icon-making business and so on.

So, I've been doing it since... February? March-ish? And I think I've made some serious improvements. And I don't take it seriously the way some do, 'cause it's just for fun and I like messing around with Photoshop and seeing what I can do with some dumb luck and junk. I don't even freak if people don't credit or whatever. I mean, no big deal, right?

There's those "good" (good is somewhat subjective, though) icon communities, like good_losticons or takenote_icons and so on, where you have to apply for posting access and other people tell you what is and isn't okay with your icons. Back in like, April or so, I got to takenote_icons. And so far, that's the only one of the "elite" communities I've gotten access to.

In my first try here, they say my contrast is too bright and that I should try more "subdued colors"—which everyone and their mother's second cousin does if they post at places like that. Which is cool, but... I like brightness, damn you! [g] In try numero dos, my text is too big (well geez, I'm sorry I don't like using the microscopic fonts that can't frigging be read--I'm guilty of doing that on a few of mine, but on every single icon? It gets old really fast) and I overuse effects. Whee. Oh, and I just got turned down from good_fanicons, too.

I'm not all "woe is me" or plotting to hack into anyone's journal and delete it anything over it, but crikey, what am I doing wrong? I over sharpen, over contrast, don't use enough color, use too much color, can't place text right, don't use "interesting" cropping, the text is too big... PEOPLE! Look, I'm glad you like making your super-artsy fartsy 100x100 (or smaller) boxes 'cause I like doing it too. But FOR GOD'S SAKE, we aren't creating the friggin' Mona Lisa here! Can't a sista get a break? I don't suck by a long shot! C'mon, give me a friggin' chance! Crikey. [absently wonders what would be said about my latest batch.]

In other news: Hee, Best Week Ever gets its news from JJB.

Saw Fast Times at Ridgemont High this morning. I borrowed it--and Troy--from Tiffany. Whee. '80s teen movie and Brad Pitt. Well, not in that order, but... yeah.

Comments

[wickedwest.livejournal.com]

I think your icons are really good.
Don't know what those people are talking about. God forbid if you can actually read the text. :)

[therisingmoon.livejournal.com]

jeez, people put too much thought into icons.

and Best Week Ever taking news and pics from JJB? that's funnay.

[supersyncspaz7.livejournal.com]

as soon as I saw the credit line, I was all, "...huh?"

[kituralb.livejournal.com]

*shrugs* Man, they always say the same things, and only allow the people that they like, that they're friends with, in the community. It's really crappy.

Believe me, I applied at good_vmicons, I think it was. And they didn't accept me because my colors were too light and washed out and my text wasn't very good. Thing is, I went through and looked at other peoples' applications, and my icons were no better or worse than theirs. It's just crazy.

Part of me wants the validation of belonging to one of those damn communities, but then today, someone commented on my creativity journal, and she said that she loved my icons. It makes me realize that that's really the validation I was looking for. That someone likes what I do. :-)

[luxlis.livejournal.com]

Well... you should seriously ignore these people. It seems like a lot of fan icons that I see around are very homogenous... people keep copying other people who have copied other people, etc. I would say that the brightness of your icons and the size of the text is part of you icon making style. And who are they to piss all over that?

And also you are absolutely correct about the obnoxiousness of tiny writing on icons... what is the point if you can't read it?

[waderapspoorly.livejournal.com]

I think your icons are good, and you don't need some community of copycat elitists to tell you that.

And the JJB is more powerful than the CIA.

[cattikins.livejournal.com]

Man, some people take icon-making WAY seriously. For the record, I think your icons are beautiful - better than anything I could do.

[precioustears.livejournal.com]

One of my biggest pet peeves about LJ icons: print that I can't read. GRR! It just makes me want to scream, "OMGWTF WHAT THE HELL DOES THAT SAY ON THERE?!?!?!"

I absolutely love your icons. :D

[brittanygrace.livejournal.com]

I think those people are stupid. You're icons are wonderful! Start your own damn icon community!!

P.S. I can't make and icon to save my life. *turns green*

[kpuchon.livejournal.com]

As a fellow fan of bright icons, I think your colors were great on the first batch of icons. And I liked the text on your second batch, so those people are doing some serious nit-picking. Eh, fuck 'em.