Round 13 - Challenge 03 - Results
ROUND 13 - CHALLENGE 03 - RESULTS
1ST PLACE [5 points]:
julie_izumi with +11 votes.
2ND PLACE [4 points]:
partitioning with +10 votes.
3RD PLACE [3 points]:
naginis with +9 votes.
BEST INTERPRETATION [2 points]:
julie_izumi with +4 votes.
MOD'S CHOICE [1 point]:
odd_one_around
[Had I been voting, this definitely would have gotten my 'best interpretation' vote because the vintage coloring + smoky textures are executed perfectly. It lends it an old school film noir style that is really rather cool to look at.]
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
madampresidentPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ This icon comes across as quite dark, maybe using a curves layer, or a brightness/contrast layer to brighten it up
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I think this could be a bit sharper but I love the warm tones of this icon. It suits the source material well.
+ The colouring of this icon is absolutely gorgeous, however, her faces look way too blurry in my monitor (actually, the background looks more sharpened to me) and that makes the icon look lower quality than it is, which is a shame, because otherwise is gorgeous.
margerydaw_s2POSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ I only recently started iconning non live-action media and so I know that it can sometimes be difficult to get the same effects as you would on live-action media. To me, that's what makes this icon so great. The lighting and texture use is incredible and I love the low contrast and overall softness of this icon.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The icon is a bit oversharpened and it could use some more contrast.
+ I like the coloring of this icon! However, it looks under contrasted and washout on my screen
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The blues are very pretty, but I think it's relying too much on a texture for its lighting - it's got one whole side that is washed out, which makes the focus of the icon difficult to see.
rua1412POSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The monochrome on this icon is a nice approach to the theme but I feel like the icon would benefit greatly from more colour. Breaking up the monochrome would add interest and depth to the icon, making it more eye-catching. This could also be achieved by playing with lighting and increasing the shadows/light to add depth. This guide to soft icons by tinebrella> and <a href=this guide to light textures by goreplz might prove useful.
+ I think you did a nice job with the cutout and blending of the subejct to the background (it doesn't dissapear but it's still part of it). However, the green tone on her face isn't very flattering. A more even colouring (without blobs of colour) and leaning on warmer colours would have helped this icon a lot in my opinion. I would also center the subject a bit more, to balance the focus of the icon.
+ The light textures used make Elena come off as too light and she kind of blends into the background. The light texture that wasn't erased off her hair give it a grainy/pixilated look and make it look a little LQ.
+ the green is distracting from the overall icon, icon is both blurry and over-sharpened. This could be made better by leaving out the green layer while also repositioning the lighting element.
+ I think the icon could use a little more contrast to make the character more distinguished from the background. Also, there is some pixelation going on in her hair that makes the icon lose quality.
+ I think the use of light is too strong washing out her features and making the cap look LQ, besides the green coloring on her skin isn't really flattering, I think that if you moved it to one side would be better.
+ The green in her hair is really unflattering and the tone of it doesn't suit the warmer tones of the desaturated parts of the image. There's also a line in the background and some noticeable color variations and blurring around her head as if a cap was extended and the top of her head added. This is a difficult thing to do so I appreciate the effort. The line in the background would be easily fixed with the use of the smudge tool or if necessary completely extracting the subject. (A good tutorial is here.)
+ I'm a fan of simple icons. Unfortunately, the coloring combined with the light texture don't seem favorable for the icon. Maybe combingin a natural coloring with the lights or making the icon b/w altogether would work better.
+ I like everything about this icon, the muted colouring and the negative space, except for the jagged edges. The use of the smudge/blur tool over the areas of her hair and near her right shoulder should get rid of those jagged edges. Or you could even blur the entire layer and mask away the jagged bits of the icon but they tend to distract from the overall feel of the icon.
+ I like the contrast and the shading used in this, but the coloring flattens her facial features into the background somewhat.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
iconsoleanderPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ Hermione's face in this icon is very undercontrasted. As a result her there's a lack of definition that makes her look like she's wearing a plastic mask. The lighting in the rest of the icon is really pretty and soft so, if I had to guess, I'd say there's a texture of colour blob over her face that's on too high opacity. If that's the case then maybe playing with the opacity of your layers will help bring back some facial definition.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
naginisPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I love the crop and the coloring of this. It maintains the vintage-y look without appearing colorless.
+++ The contrast and sharpening on this are perfect, but I'm really impressed with the composition - the grunge texture in the bottom right corner perfectly evens out the top left crop of her face.
+++ The coloring on this icon is GORGEOUS. I also love the grungy texture.
+++ You made such a great use of lighting in this icon! It's truly stunning.
+++ The light work here is gorgeous, but I'm particulary blown away by the texture use and the gorgeous muted tones.
++ I love the crop and the texture and coloring are evocative.
++ I love the contrast in the shadows on her face. The muted colors really complement the cap and the smoky texture is thick but it stays off the facial features so it's not distracting.
++ great composition, great lighting
+ I love the grungy texture and how it may highlight the character's state of mind.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Gorgeous icon! The lighting is super pretty and I love the use of grunge textures. It really sets the icon apart. To me, her skin looks a little sharp but that's on my monitor.
vaporPOSITIVE VOTES
+ I like the use of texture on this one and the softness it brings.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I like the simplicity of this icon a lot however the white textures are a little overwhelming and are clashing with the lighting over the subject. I think it would benefit the icon to lower the opacity in order to let the subject of the icon draw more of the viewers focus. Alternatively, the maker could try using large, soft round brushes on lowered opacity to add the smoky look to their icon. This would have the added benefit of letting the maker place the 'smokiness' exactly where they want it to be.
blackberrypiesPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ This is pale but I actually really like that about it. It's delicate and suits the subject well.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The coloring on this icon is very pretty, but I think just a bit more contrast would make it perfect. Also, I think the icon is a teeny bit oversharpened.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Lovely coloring and a beautiful crop.
+ So pretty! I like how the maker managed to produce such soft and subtle colour without resorting to the almost-monochrome effect that a lot of the other entries have. Everything is so beautifully crisp as well. Well done to the maker!
+ I love the crop here, it's fabulous, but with all the lighting directly on her face, I'm having a hard time seeing the subject.
kayablePOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Creative composition, it really stands out among the rest of the icons.
+ Love the composition of the icon and the soft colouring! Also, that is some pretty fantastic text!
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ I love the composition, the decorative accents give it a really nice touch. However, I think it's a little blurry and undercontrasted, making it hard to focus.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The composition on this icon is stellar! I love the out-of-the-box effect the maker has going on, the brush and text work is incredibly well executed and the lighting is super pretty! In all, this is a truly gorgeous icon!
+ This is nice but I think it would work better centered horizontally.
sesperiaPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The light use is a little too much and overwhelms Thor.
+ I like the center crop and how the maker kept the red of the coat. However, the light texture/light spots seems to overpower the subject of the icon and it looks a little blurry to me.
+ I like the softness of the icon but I think it got a little too soft? If the texture had been masked away around the subject and then the subject sharpened, it would have made for some really interesting contrast (re: sharp/soft). Right now the entire icon looks a little too blurry.
+ The pop of red coloring on this is gorgeous, but the lighting/texture usage overwhelms the subject a little bit. I think it would look more visually striking if his face and cape were in front of the texture instead of obscured by it.
+ the smoke elements are nice, but there is far too much/many of them. This much texture and/or filter makes the subject hard to see. This could be made better by editing out some of the lighting features and bumping up the overall coloring a little.
+ The shading obscures a lot of the image and I wanted to be able to see more detail at the top of the character's head.
+ I feel like this icon loses a lot of the detail with the smoky texture. I think it could have been better if the smoky part had been on the bottom and the face not have been obscured.
+ The texture work seems to overwhelm the subject of the icon, making it diffiuct to determine what the icon is of.
+ I really like the soft colours in this icon, however it's a little too blurry on my screen (and therefore it's hard to make out the subject)
+ The composition is cool, but the icon looks blurry. And the way the light texture covers his face makes it look too bright in that area.
+ I like the way this icon shows movement, however, probably because of this, it looks too blurry to me. I think the fact that there isn't much contrast between the background and the subject isn't helping. Maybe colouring Thor a bit stronger, and making the background more muted could help him stand out, while at the same time, sharpening his cape and the elements on top, while leaving the background on the blurry side, could keep the feeling of movement without washing the subject in it.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I find it a little difficult to tell what's happening in this icon. I had to look for a while to figure out what was happening and The Avengers/Thor is a fandom I'm familiar with. I think the reason for this is because the light textures cover Thor's face. Perhaps if the maker played around with the lighting, masking away the texture over Thor's face (and maybe experiment with adding shadows there instead) could go a long way towards improving the clarity of the icon.
+ The blurry quality of the background is overwhelming to the subject. Some sharpening of the subject or some other ways to highlight him would help.
odd_one_aroundPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ This icon is super, super pretty! The colours are so soft and subtle and the texture part of the challenge has been really well exceuted. I love how Lydia's lips are so vibrantly red, it makes for a great point of interest and the sharpening in this icon is also spot on. Really, really great job to the maker!
+++ great coloring, good contrast, excellent light
++ the vintage look really comes through on this icon with the brown coloring, pale face, and light use.
+ I like the muted coloring but the lipstick pops and provides a nice contrast.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ The pop of coloring on her lips is a great contrast to the smoky background, and really fits the vintage theme.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
xheartrockxPOSITIVE VOTES
++ I love the warm, muted yellow in this icon.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ On the whole, this icon is incredibly pretty. I love the softness and the subtle yellow tones. I could suggest that the maker be careful of sharpening because there's this dark line next to her hair on the left, a shadow maybe, that's quite pixelated on my monitor. Parts of her clothing look a bit over-topazed as well. If I'm honest though, those are relatively minor criticisms becuase this icon really is very pretty.
jokermaryPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Love the lighting and the colouring
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ I like the way the light is highlighted in the direction that he is facing.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I love the cool tones to this icon. The lighting on the top right ios quite strong and, to me, its taking focus away from Castiel so maybe the maker could try lowering the opacity of those texture layers? That being said, the rest of the icon has softness that very eye-catching
applepips16POSITIVE VOTES
+ Good use of smoky texture but not obscuring the face. I especially like how the use of the smoky texture is balanced with contrast on the face and hair.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The depth of colour on this icon is sublime! I love the lighting, the deep shadows are incredibly attractive. If there was one thing I would watch out for, it's keeping a blanace in the icon. Lydia's clothes and the lower ends of her hair are kind of lost in shadow on my monitor and that's creating a bit of negative space that's throwing off the the focus of the icon so it looks like too much is happening on the top and not enough on the bottom. That's could just be me nitpicking though. This really is a very attractive icon.
+ This is such a lovely icon, the colouring is amazing, and the shadows are gorgeous.
nyazaPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I love the crop and the text! The lighting in this is also used beautifully~
++ The cropping is really well done, and so is the lighting, but it's the combination of those that really makes this icon. The text is a nice complement!
++ Such an emotional crop, I like how the use of light on the upper right corner help bring the attention to his expression.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
scifishipperPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The coloring makes it hard to tell what's happening because it's too bright, burning the original cap and making it look too sharp on the edges. I also think that a crop where there would be more space on top of their heads would help to make it "breathe" a bit.
+ I don't mind low contrast icons but the area in the color at the bottom is off-putting and the subjects' feet are lost in it. I think eliminating the texture on the wall behind them (I think that's what it is?) would put a nice focus on the people.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
partitioningPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Great use of light and shadows. For a dark, center cropped icon the coloring really makes it feel vintage and lonely.
++ The simple composition and colouring work really well in this icon
++ The dramatic light and dark lightning works very well with the limited color palette, and focuses the eye directly on the subject, as well as creating a great sense of mood.
++ I like how this is almost b/w. The light texture works very well here. and I'm a fan of the simple center crop.
++ Although I'd personally would like this to have a little more contrast, it's just a very small detail in a very gorgeous icon. The soft light, the darkness, and the very subtle colouring give a gorgeous atmosphere to the icon.
+ Even though I think it could benefit from a bit more contrast, the cold and "emotionless" look of the icon really fits the screencap and probably how Will (at least I think that's him?) feels at the moment.
+ interesting crop, great lighting
+ I love the cool colors and the deep shadows. There's a feeling of loneliness that comes from the image and is heightened by the way you worjked with the cap.
+ This icon has such a lovely colouring, my only critique would be it looks a little too blurry (or topaz-y if you used it) on my screen
+ I like the simplicity of this icon. The texture use is just strong enough to be noticeable and I really like that the maker went for cool colours here instead of neutrals. The sharpening here is pretty spot on as well and the entire icon hass nice crisp feel around the edges.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
julie_izumiPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Such a lovely crop and I love the colouring. Despite it being muted and soft, the icon makes an impact.
+++ The cropping of this icon is really beautiful, it's really well considered and works well with the chosen cap. I like that the smoky texture over the forehead and eyes isn't so thick that it obscures the features.
+++ Beautiful cropping and misty shading.
++ I love how you've used the lighting and the sharpness of this icon is spot on
++ The crop on this icon is fantastic and I really like the way the texture part of the challenge was used to augment the lighting in this icon. The end result is incredibly eye-catching. The entire icon looks smooth and flawless.
++ The crop is perfect and the coloring is so soft and pretty.
+ Great crop, natural coloring and clarity.
+ I want to learn this coloring. Can I? I love the natural feel of this. And the crop works really well, too.
+ This is a very lovely crop (Moving her face to the left a bit more would have made it perfect, in my opinion). I love how the strand of hair is the focus, and the colouring and light work is very well done.
+ Love the crop and the texture work
+ Perfect sharpness on this, and the crop is counterintuitive and interesting, focusing on her hair and mouth instead of her eyes.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ great lighting, subject in focus, decent coloring
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
holidaylightsPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ I can't really tell what the picture is on this icon.
+ I honestly can't tell what is in the icon. It looks like a tree, but I'm not sure. Perhaps having less textures and a closer crop could help making it more recognizable.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ This is pretty. I have no idea what it is.
neversleepsPOSITIVE VOTES
++ The heavy contrast really works and adds great depth to the icon.
++ The colouring is lovely and clean and I love the far crop. Also, the sharpening is pretty much perfect!
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
tiptoetwirlPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I really like the contrast and the shadows on this icon! Great lighting work.
+ The balance between light and shadow in this icon is perfect. I love the coloring, especially how bright Emma's hair is.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The composition and cropping of this icon is very nice but the hair color looks so fake that it's distracting - especially in contrast with the really muted colors of the rest of the icon.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The crop is a bit awkward but this is really nicely colored.
+ That's a great coloring. Maybe Emma's face could use a touch of light but I love the crop.
+ Lovely icon overall, but the hair seems very bright instead of muted. Love the cap choice.
+ I think this is a very lovely icon, I love the colouring, and the shadow work. In my opinion, it's a bit too bright on the yellow (although, still not vibrant, I feel her hair could have been toned up a bit for a more muted feel) and I feel the light texture is a bit too subtle.
+ while I generally like the idea behind this icon, I think it might be better a bit less smudged in the background & with a bit more light on her face.
Updated Scoring Spreadsheet
1ST PLACE [5 points]:
julie_izumi with +11 votes.
2ND PLACE [4 points]:
partitioning with +10 votes.
3RD PLACE [3 points]:
naginis with +9 votes.
BEST INTERPRETATION [2 points]:
julie_izumi with +4 votes.
MOD'S CHOICE [1 point]:
odd_one_around
[Had I been voting, this definitely would have gotten my 'best interpretation' vote because the vintage coloring + smoky textures are executed perfectly. It lends it an old school film noir style that is really rather cool to look at.]
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
madampresidentPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ This icon comes across as quite dark, maybe using a curves layer, or a brightness/contrast layer to brighten it up
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I think this could be a bit sharper but I love the warm tones of this icon. It suits the source material well.
+ The colouring of this icon is absolutely gorgeous, however, her faces look way too blurry in my monitor (actually, the background looks more sharpened to me) and that makes the icon look lower quality than it is, which is a shame, because otherwise is gorgeous.
margerydaw_s2POSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ I only recently started iconning non live-action media and so I know that it can sometimes be difficult to get the same effects as you would on live-action media. To me, that's what makes this icon so great. The lighting and texture use is incredible and I love the low contrast and overall softness of this icon.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The icon is a bit oversharpened and it could use some more contrast.
+ I like the coloring of this icon! However, it looks under contrasted and washout on my screen
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The blues are very pretty, but I think it's relying too much on a texture for its lighting - it's got one whole side that is washed out, which makes the focus of the icon difficult to see.
rua1412POSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The monochrome on this icon is a nice approach to the theme but I feel like the icon would benefit greatly from more colour. Breaking up the monochrome would add interest and depth to the icon, making it more eye-catching. This could also be achieved by playing with lighting and increasing the shadows/light to add depth. This guide to soft icons by tinebrella> and <a href=this guide to light textures by goreplz might prove useful.
+ I think you did a nice job with the cutout and blending of the subejct to the background (it doesn't dissapear but it's still part of it). However, the green tone on her face isn't very flattering. A more even colouring (without blobs of colour) and leaning on warmer colours would have helped this icon a lot in my opinion. I would also center the subject a bit more, to balance the focus of the icon.
+ The light textures used make Elena come off as too light and she kind of blends into the background. The light texture that wasn't erased off her hair give it a grainy/pixilated look and make it look a little LQ.
+ the green is distracting from the overall icon, icon is both blurry and over-sharpened. This could be made better by leaving out the green layer while also repositioning the lighting element.
+ I think the icon could use a little more contrast to make the character more distinguished from the background. Also, there is some pixelation going on in her hair that makes the icon lose quality.
+ I think the use of light is too strong washing out her features and making the cap look LQ, besides the green coloring on her skin isn't really flattering, I think that if you moved it to one side would be better.
+ The green in her hair is really unflattering and the tone of it doesn't suit the warmer tones of the desaturated parts of the image. There's also a line in the background and some noticeable color variations and blurring around her head as if a cap was extended and the top of her head added. This is a difficult thing to do so I appreciate the effort. The line in the background would be easily fixed with the use of the smudge tool or if necessary completely extracting the subject. (A good tutorial is here.)
+ I'm a fan of simple icons. Unfortunately, the coloring combined with the light texture don't seem favorable for the icon. Maybe combingin a natural coloring with the lights or making the icon b/w altogether would work better.
+ I like everything about this icon, the muted colouring and the negative space, except for the jagged edges. The use of the smudge/blur tool over the areas of her hair and near her right shoulder should get rid of those jagged edges. Or you could even blur the entire layer and mask away the jagged bits of the icon but they tend to distract from the overall feel of the icon.
+ I like the contrast and the shading used in this, but the coloring flattens her facial features into the background somewhat.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
iconsoleanderPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ Hermione's face in this icon is very undercontrasted. As a result her there's a lack of definition that makes her look like she's wearing a plastic mask. The lighting in the rest of the icon is really pretty and soft so, if I had to guess, I'd say there's a texture of colour blob over her face that's on too high opacity. If that's the case then maybe playing with the opacity of your layers will help bring back some facial definition.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
naginisPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I love the crop and the coloring of this. It maintains the vintage-y look without appearing colorless.
+++ The contrast and sharpening on this are perfect, but I'm really impressed with the composition - the grunge texture in the bottom right corner perfectly evens out the top left crop of her face.
+++ The coloring on this icon is GORGEOUS. I also love the grungy texture.
+++ You made such a great use of lighting in this icon! It's truly stunning.
+++ The light work here is gorgeous, but I'm particulary blown away by the texture use and the gorgeous muted tones.
++ I love the crop and the texture and coloring are evocative.
++ I love the contrast in the shadows on her face. The muted colors really complement the cap and the smoky texture is thick but it stays off the facial features so it's not distracting.
++ great composition, great lighting
+ I love the grungy texture and how it may highlight the character's state of mind.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Gorgeous icon! The lighting is super pretty and I love the use of grunge textures. It really sets the icon apart. To me, her skin looks a little sharp but that's on my monitor.
vaporPOSITIVE VOTES
+ I like the use of texture on this one and the softness it brings.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I like the simplicity of this icon a lot however the white textures are a little overwhelming and are clashing with the lighting over the subject. I think it would benefit the icon to lower the opacity in order to let the subject of the icon draw more of the viewers focus. Alternatively, the maker could try using large, soft round brushes on lowered opacity to add the smoky look to their icon. This would have the added benefit of letting the maker place the 'smokiness' exactly where they want it to be.
blackberrypiesPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ This is pale but I actually really like that about it. It's delicate and suits the subject well.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The coloring on this icon is very pretty, but I think just a bit more contrast would make it perfect. Also, I think the icon is a teeny bit oversharpened.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Lovely coloring and a beautiful crop.
+ So pretty! I like how the maker managed to produce such soft and subtle colour without resorting to the almost-monochrome effect that a lot of the other entries have. Everything is so beautifully crisp as well. Well done to the maker!
+ I love the crop here, it's fabulous, but with all the lighting directly on her face, I'm having a hard time seeing the subject.
kayablePOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Creative composition, it really stands out among the rest of the icons.
+ Love the composition of the icon and the soft colouring! Also, that is some pretty fantastic text!
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ I love the composition, the decorative accents give it a really nice touch. However, I think it's a little blurry and undercontrasted, making it hard to focus.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The composition on this icon is stellar! I love the out-of-the-box effect the maker has going on, the brush and text work is incredibly well executed and the lighting is super pretty! In all, this is a truly gorgeous icon!
+ This is nice but I think it would work better centered horizontally.
sesperiaPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The light use is a little too much and overwhelms Thor.
+ I like the center crop and how the maker kept the red of the coat. However, the light texture/light spots seems to overpower the subject of the icon and it looks a little blurry to me.
+ I like the softness of the icon but I think it got a little too soft? If the texture had been masked away around the subject and then the subject sharpened, it would have made for some really interesting contrast (re: sharp/soft). Right now the entire icon looks a little too blurry.
+ The pop of red coloring on this is gorgeous, but the lighting/texture usage overwhelms the subject a little bit. I think it would look more visually striking if his face and cape were in front of the texture instead of obscured by it.
+ the smoke elements are nice, but there is far too much/many of them. This much texture and/or filter makes the subject hard to see. This could be made better by editing out some of the lighting features and bumping up the overall coloring a little.
+ The shading obscures a lot of the image and I wanted to be able to see more detail at the top of the character's head.
+ I feel like this icon loses a lot of the detail with the smoky texture. I think it could have been better if the smoky part had been on the bottom and the face not have been obscured.
+ The texture work seems to overwhelm the subject of the icon, making it diffiuct to determine what the icon is of.
+ I really like the soft colours in this icon, however it's a little too blurry on my screen (and therefore it's hard to make out the subject)
+ The composition is cool, but the icon looks blurry. And the way the light texture covers his face makes it look too bright in that area.
+ I like the way this icon shows movement, however, probably because of this, it looks too blurry to me. I think the fact that there isn't much contrast between the background and the subject isn't helping. Maybe colouring Thor a bit stronger, and making the background more muted could help him stand out, while at the same time, sharpening his cape and the elements on top, while leaving the background on the blurry side, could keep the feeling of movement without washing the subject in it.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I find it a little difficult to tell what's happening in this icon. I had to look for a while to figure out what was happening and The Avengers/Thor is a fandom I'm familiar with. I think the reason for this is because the light textures cover Thor's face. Perhaps if the maker played around with the lighting, masking away the texture over Thor's face (and maybe experiment with adding shadows there instead) could go a long way towards improving the clarity of the icon.
+ The blurry quality of the background is overwhelming to the subject. Some sharpening of the subject or some other ways to highlight him would help.
odd_one_aroundPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ This icon is super, super pretty! The colours are so soft and subtle and the texture part of the challenge has been really well exceuted. I love how Lydia's lips are so vibrantly red, it makes for a great point of interest and the sharpening in this icon is also spot on. Really, really great job to the maker!
+++ great coloring, good contrast, excellent light
++ the vintage look really comes through on this icon with the brown coloring, pale face, and light use.
+ I like the muted coloring but the lipstick pops and provides a nice contrast.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ The pop of coloring on her lips is a great contrast to the smoky background, and really fits the vintage theme.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
xheartrockxPOSITIVE VOTES
++ I love the warm, muted yellow in this icon.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ On the whole, this icon is incredibly pretty. I love the softness and the subtle yellow tones. I could suggest that the maker be careful of sharpening because there's this dark line next to her hair on the left, a shadow maybe, that's quite pixelated on my monitor. Parts of her clothing look a bit over-topazed as well. If I'm honest though, those are relatively minor criticisms becuase this icon really is very pretty.
jokermaryPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Love the lighting and the colouring
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ I like the way the light is highlighted in the direction that he is facing.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I love the cool tones to this icon. The lighting on the top right ios quite strong and, to me, its taking focus away from Castiel so maybe the maker could try lowering the opacity of those texture layers? That being said, the rest of the icon has softness that very eye-catching
applepips16POSITIVE VOTES
+ Good use of smoky texture but not obscuring the face. I especially like how the use of the smoky texture is balanced with contrast on the face and hair.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The depth of colour on this icon is sublime! I love the lighting, the deep shadows are incredibly attractive. If there was one thing I would watch out for, it's keeping a blanace in the icon. Lydia's clothes and the lower ends of her hair are kind of lost in shadow on my monitor and that's creating a bit of negative space that's throwing off the the focus of the icon so it looks like too much is happening on the top and not enough on the bottom. That's could just be me nitpicking though. This really is a very attractive icon.
+ This is such a lovely icon, the colouring is amazing, and the shadows are gorgeous.
nyazaPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I love the crop and the text! The lighting in this is also used beautifully~
++ The cropping is really well done, and so is the lighting, but it's the combination of those that really makes this icon. The text is a nice complement!
++ Such an emotional crop, I like how the use of light on the upper right corner help bring the attention to his expression.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
scifishipperPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The coloring makes it hard to tell what's happening because it's too bright, burning the original cap and making it look too sharp on the edges. I also think that a crop where there would be more space on top of their heads would help to make it "breathe" a bit.
+ I don't mind low contrast icons but the area in the color at the bottom is off-putting and the subjects' feet are lost in it. I think eliminating the texture on the wall behind them (I think that's what it is?) would put a nice focus on the people.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
partitioningPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Great use of light and shadows. For a dark, center cropped icon the coloring really makes it feel vintage and lonely.
++ The simple composition and colouring work really well in this icon
++ The dramatic light and dark lightning works very well with the limited color palette, and focuses the eye directly on the subject, as well as creating a great sense of mood.
++ I like how this is almost b/w. The light texture works very well here. and I'm a fan of the simple center crop.
++ Although I'd personally would like this to have a little more contrast, it's just a very small detail in a very gorgeous icon. The soft light, the darkness, and the very subtle colouring give a gorgeous atmosphere to the icon.
+ Even though I think it could benefit from a bit more contrast, the cold and "emotionless" look of the icon really fits the screencap and probably how Will (at least I think that's him?) feels at the moment.
+ interesting crop, great lighting
+ I love the cool colors and the deep shadows. There's a feeling of loneliness that comes from the image and is heightened by the way you worjked with the cap.
+ This icon has such a lovely colouring, my only critique would be it looks a little too blurry (or topaz-y if you used it) on my screen
+ I like the simplicity of this icon. The texture use is just strong enough to be noticeable and I really like that the maker went for cool colours here instead of neutrals. The sharpening here is pretty spot on as well and the entire icon hass nice crisp feel around the edges.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
julie_izumiPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Such a lovely crop and I love the colouring. Despite it being muted and soft, the icon makes an impact.
+++ The cropping of this icon is really beautiful, it's really well considered and works well with the chosen cap. I like that the smoky texture over the forehead and eyes isn't so thick that it obscures the features.
+++ Beautiful cropping and misty shading.
++ I love how you've used the lighting and the sharpness of this icon is spot on
++ The crop on this icon is fantastic and I really like the way the texture part of the challenge was used to augment the lighting in this icon. The end result is incredibly eye-catching. The entire icon looks smooth and flawless.
++ The crop is perfect and the coloring is so soft and pretty.
+ Great crop, natural coloring and clarity.
+ I want to learn this coloring. Can I? I love the natural feel of this. And the crop works really well, too.
+ This is a very lovely crop (Moving her face to the left a bit more would have made it perfect, in my opinion). I love how the strand of hair is the focus, and the colouring and light work is very well done.
+ Love the crop and the texture work
+ Perfect sharpness on this, and the crop is counterintuitive and interesting, focusing on her hair and mouth instead of her eyes.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ great lighting, subject in focus, decent coloring
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
holidaylightsPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ I can't really tell what the picture is on this icon.
+ I honestly can't tell what is in the icon. It looks like a tree, but I'm not sure. Perhaps having less textures and a closer crop could help making it more recognizable.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ This is pretty. I have no idea what it is.
neversleepsPOSITIVE VOTES
++ The heavy contrast really works and adds great depth to the icon.
++ The colouring is lovely and clean and I love the far crop. Also, the sharpening is pretty much perfect!
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason provided.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
None.
tiptoetwirlPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I really like the contrast and the shadows on this icon! Great lighting work.
+ The balance between light and shadow in this icon is perfect. I love the coloring, especially how bright Emma's hair is.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The composition and cropping of this icon is very nice but the hair color looks so fake that it's distracting - especially in contrast with the really muted colors of the rest of the icon.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The crop is a bit awkward but this is really nicely colored.
+ That's a great coloring. Maybe Emma's face could use a touch of light but I love the crop.
+ Lovely icon overall, but the hair seems very bright instead of muted. Love the cap choice.
+ I think this is a very lovely icon, I love the colouring, and the shadow work. In my opinion, it's a bit too bright on the yellow (although, still not vibrant, I feel her hair could have been toned up a bit for a more muted feel) and I feel the light texture is a bit too subtle.
+ while I generally like the idea behind this icon, I think it might be better a bit less smudged in the background & with a bit more light on her face.
Updated Scoring Spreadsheet