Mod Post - Icon Progression of 2011 / Happy New Year!
Dear, Watchers!
As I promised, here it is: my icon progression post. I think my icons went through a lot of changes through the year, but please see that for yourself. I would genuinely love to read your thoughts about it, be it compliments or constructive criticism as to where I started and where I am now. Thank you in advance!
January:
My icons were bright, and quite colourful. I remember having a trial version of a Photoshop version where I tried Vibrance on the Harry Potter icon, but I ended up deleting it, because I was / still am in love with Photoshop CS.
[1-3]
[4-6]
February - June:
Those were the months where I got down about icons and graphics and kind of swifted away from livejournal in general, let's call it icon-vacation.
the first half of July:
The first icons after my long Hiatus I felt kind of alienated from Photoshop and the icon world, so I decided to go to a new direction. At first I tried to maintain the brighter colours as in it is show in the first row and experiment with crazy texture use, like it is visible on the Pride and Prejudice icon. After that still in the same month I became fond of using softer tones.
[7-9]
[10-12]
the second half of July:
The second half of July I felt me and my graphics were going through so many changes that it called for a new graphic community, a fresh start. This was the period that I opened my new baby satine_violet. I felt attached to the old community, but I decided to let go, because sometimes even if a change is hard, it is necessary and this was one of those changes. I kind of balanced my icons between black and white-ish and brighter colours, and I finally started to grasp the difference between bright and too bright. This was also the month when I started to be a bit bolder with texture use; let's call it a trial phase.
[13-15]
[16-18]
August:
One of the best months ever, iconing wise. I was productive and highly inspired. This was the month when I had the icon-battle with Saskia discreets and the icon-battle frenzy with Sari sarisafari! Thanks to these battles, my style(s) gone through so many changes that suddenly I felt like a completely different maker. I experimented ground-breaking changes in more complex styles, composition and also texture use and my colouring somehow got more refined. I also battled with text use and came out decent enough for a couple of icons. I pushed myself a lot this month, pushing my boundaries and limits and trying to think outside the box. I think it was fruitful and I have become a little bit of a better iconist. ♥
[19-21]
[22-24]
[25-27]
September:
The month where I participated in got20in20 and also to my genuine shock got accepted at 20inspirations, which was such a graceful opportunity and gift for my iconing Muse. I kept trying to set a style for myself, but it was still jumping around... (probably still is until this very day and on). I developed a fondness of the blocking style and did a lot of experimenting with texture use, trying to find something that I could call mine. I also experimented with composition and cropping a lot this month. And the first 20inspirations round that I could participate in "Epitome" gave the perfect ground for such discoveries. That community made me push myself once more, trying to expand my 'skills'.
[28-30]
[31-33]
[34-36]
October:
This month I balanced between more simple compositions to bolder ones. My main focus was that: composition and colouring. I also found my way back to making some stock icons and kind of left a Disney claim at inspired20in20 unfinished. Ooops. Also, one word: corn. This was the month when I got to know wildpages. (Additional information. xD I guess I am a bit random, yes.)
[37-39]
[40-42]
[43-45]
November:
I was still focusing mainly on composition and colouring and yet again my icons found their way into a softer direction. I also started to make more sepia/black and white-ish icons this month, and entered a lot of icontests.
[46-48]
[49-51]
[52-54]
[55-57]
December:
This month I tried to maintain the softness of my icons and still venture into new areas. It was an icon-busy period and I am shameful to say I still haven't finished parts of it, for example all the requests I have taken, so that will unfortunately have to swift into January 2012. Anyhow this month has everything from soft and dreamy to bold and complex; yay for diveristy. The only thing I kind of really left alone this time was text. Thy icons below are from my Merlin 20inspirations claim, our awesome Rory 20inspirations battle with Garance wildpages, and I was also a productive Secret Santa for the activities Vika fulminant8 at elitetardis and Rachel lemonpunch held around the Holidays.
[58-60]
[61-63]
[64-66]
[67-69]
[70-72]
Also as I posted all the icons I had remaining yesterday, I am going to start fresh in January, or maybe go on a bit of a hiatus, didn't decide that quite yet.
Well, I honestly thank all of you for being here supporting me through 2011 and I wish you all a happy new year.
I will probably whip up some textures into one mixed set tomorrow, doesn't really quite have the head right now, as I am quite sick, and post all the things I wanted to share, but couldn't or forgot in one set. I think it will be counted over 100 textures.
Take care of yourselves,
with love,
Lex
As I promised, here it is: my icon progression post. I think my icons went through a lot of changes through the year, but please see that for yourself. I would genuinely love to read your thoughts about it, be it compliments or constructive criticism as to where I started and where I am now. Thank you in advance!
January:
My icons were bright, and quite colourful. I remember having a trial version of a Photoshop version where I tried Vibrance on the Harry Potter icon, but I ended up deleting it, because I was / still am in love with Photoshop CS.
[1-3]
[4-6]
February - June:
Those were the months where I got down about icons and graphics and kind of swifted away from livejournal in general, let's call it icon-vacation.
the first half of July:
The first icons after my long Hiatus I felt kind of alienated from Photoshop and the icon world, so I decided to go to a new direction. At first I tried to maintain the brighter colours as in it is show in the first row and experiment with crazy texture use, like it is visible on the Pride and Prejudice icon. After that still in the same month I became fond of using softer tones.
[7-9]
[10-12]
the second half of July:
The second half of July I felt me and my graphics were going through so many changes that it called for a new graphic community, a fresh start. This was the period that I opened my new baby satine_violet. I felt attached to the old community, but I decided to let go, because sometimes even if a change is hard, it is necessary and this was one of those changes. I kind of balanced my icons between black and white-ish and brighter colours, and I finally started to grasp the difference between bright and too bright. This was also the month when I started to be a bit bolder with texture use; let's call it a trial phase.
[13-15]
[16-18]
August:
One of the best months ever, iconing wise. I was productive and highly inspired. This was the month when I had the icon-battle with Saskia discreets and the icon-battle frenzy with Sari sarisafari! Thanks to these battles, my style(s) gone through so many changes that suddenly I felt like a completely different maker. I experimented ground-breaking changes in more complex styles, composition and also texture use and my colouring somehow got more refined. I also battled with text use and came out decent enough for a couple of icons. I pushed myself a lot this month, pushing my boundaries and limits and trying to think outside the box. I think it was fruitful and I have become a little bit of a better iconist. ♥
[19-21]
[22-24]
[25-27]
September:
The month where I participated in got20in20 and also to my genuine shock got accepted at 20inspirations, which was such a graceful opportunity and gift for my iconing Muse. I kept trying to set a style for myself, but it was still jumping around... (probably still is until this very day and on). I developed a fondness of the blocking style and did a lot of experimenting with texture use, trying to find something that I could call mine. I also experimented with composition and cropping a lot this month. And the first 20inspirations round that I could participate in "Epitome" gave the perfect ground for such discoveries. That community made me push myself once more, trying to expand my 'skills'.
[28-30]
[31-33]
[34-36]
October:
This month I balanced between more simple compositions to bolder ones. My main focus was that: composition and colouring. I also found my way back to making some stock icons and kind of left a Disney claim at inspired20in20 unfinished. Ooops. Also, one word: corn. This was the month when I got to know wildpages. (Additional information. xD I guess I am a bit random, yes.)
[37-39]
[40-42]
[43-45]
November:
I was still focusing mainly on composition and colouring and yet again my icons found their way into a softer direction. I also started to make more sepia/black and white-ish icons this month, and entered a lot of icontests.
[46-48]
[49-51]
[52-54]
[55-57]
December:
This month I tried to maintain the softness of my icons and still venture into new areas. It was an icon-busy period and I am shameful to say I still haven't finished parts of it, for example all the requests I have taken, so that will unfortunately have to swift into January 2012. Anyhow this month has everything from soft and dreamy to bold and complex; yay for diveristy. The only thing I kind of really left alone this time was text. Thy icons below are from my Merlin 20inspirations claim, our awesome Rory 20inspirations battle with Garance wildpages, and I was also a productive Secret Santa for the activities Vika fulminant8 at elitetardis and Rachel lemonpunch held around the Holidays.
[58-60]
[61-63]
[64-66]
[67-69]
[70-72]
Also as I posted all the icons I had remaining yesterday, I am going to start fresh in January, or maybe go on a bit of a hiatus, didn't decide that quite yet.
Well, I honestly thank all of you for being here supporting me through 2011 and I wish you all a happy new year.
I will probably whip up some textures into one mixed set tomorrow, doesn't really quite have the head right now, as I am quite sick, and post all the things I wanted to share, but couldn't or forgot in one set. I think it will be counted over 100 textures.
Take care of yourselves,
with love,
Lex