Round 16 - Challenge 02 - Results
ROUND 16 - CHALLENGE 2 - RESULTS
1ST PLACE [5 points]:
C.S. Lewis with +11 votes.
2ND PLACE [4 points]:
Alexandra Brakcen with +9 votes.
3RD PLACE [3 points]:
&
Zelda Fitzgerald & Philip K. Dick with +6 votes.
BEST INTERPRETATION [2 points]:
Franz Kafka with +5 votes.
MOD'S CHOICE [1 point]:
Colleen Hoover
[The cropping this round has been killer so far, and this icon is absolutely no exception. It's such an intense and unique crop that brings us in incredibly close but at the same time blocks us out. It's an interesting way to express plot: what the audience is shown and what's under the surface. Also a shout out to the amazing coloring that emphasizes the blacks but still brings out the muted red blood tones as well!]
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
H.P. LovecraftPOSITIVE VOTES
+ The icon has a really unique cropping, it's borderline too cluttered looking, but it works, bringing the emotion out of the subjects.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ while this icon has many things going for it-the crop has such amazing impact-it feels like something is missing. The coloring is very flat, so maybe some more shadows or highlights would help to add some depth to the icon
+ I like the crop and the contrast between the characters' hair colors, separating them, cutting the icon in two halves. Unfortunately, it looks a little oversharpened to me. I cannot tell if those are tears in her eyes or pixels, and I would reduce the sharpness there a little.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I really like the crop in your icon, but I feel it's a bit one-note. A bit of lighting or using a different coloring technique to help your icon pop a bit more would help draw the eye in toward your icon.
+ I like the emotion shown on the blonde girl's face in the icon, but I don't know how it goes with the emotion of the other person there. There is a little bit too much going on in this icon to make it really work for me, because I feel like the blonde should be the focal part but she's kind of squished in half of the icon. If you had pulled your crop in to just focus on her face I think it would be a lot more cohesive an icon.
+ The crop here is very emotional and quite perfect for this theme, but the coloring doesn't have the same impact - the muted tones appear flat and nothing about them draws the eye to this icon. I think a move vibrant coloring with deeper shadows would work well to emphasize the weight of the emotions in this scene.
Zelda FitzgeraldPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ the composition and coloring is really eyecatching and very well executed!
+++ Gorgeous composition, everything just works so well together. Love the tiny text as well, you don't see that often these days.
++ The composition here is so good and the use of colour is just brilliant
++ I like the composition of this icon, its simplicity works with the screencap choices and typography. The top image is slightly too sharp, but I think it actually works with the slight graininess, so it's not a major issue.
+ The composition is amazing! The dark colors are really dramatic and classy, and I think the use of the light textures to frame it in was a great choice. It ties everything together perfectly.
+ Another great compositon, the yellows and b&w work really well together, the text placement is great, as is the placement of the two caps.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ Your icon really caught my eye because of the blend and the text work, and the caps you chose did a great job of conveying the theme.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ I love the concept behind your icon, but the top half especially is just overwhelmingly sharp on my monitor. All the white bits are incredibly pixelated and it's hard to see the expressions on their faces because of it. I would definitely use a blur brush and/or mask out your sharpen layers there so the icon doesn't look so LQ.
+ The composition is very nice and the black and white with the yellow works well. I think there should have been a little more light use though, especially on the top part because they almost blend into the background since their clothing is a little on the dark side. Perhaps a slight light gradient would have let me pop out a little more from the background.
+ I love the use of textures here, but everything looks a little bit oversharpened to me, especially the text. It's also slightly difficult to see the subject's faces - I think using the blur tool over that part of the icon definitely would have been helpful.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The composition with the two levels is really nice!
+ i like the composition in this, especially how the caps are framed at the side and the way text is used as decoration. the black and white + monochrome is a nice choice as well.
+ I like the tragedy in the caps you chose and the muted monochrome coloring. On my monitor, it looks a little dark, so the top font is hard to read, the thin lines swallowed up by the black.
Adrienne RichPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I love how the crop gives so much emotion to the whole icon, and it works so well with the earthy tones.
+ The muted tones work very well with this cap, and so does the crop. I also like how sharp her face looks, especially contrasted with the bit of background in the top right corner.
+ Excellent use of close cropping and muted coloring!
+ The unusual cropping choice and the muted coloring gave a powerful effect to the icon.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ The cropping and muted coloring are really neat on this icon.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The crop is interesting, but I think the icon lacks of focus. I'd recommend a more closer crop, with more focus on her face, where all the emotions are. A little play with shadows and lighting would also add an additional depth to the icon and make it more interesting.
+ The crop and color here are very nice, but I think the icon is a bit oversharpened. If you scaled the sharpening back and added a bit more contrast, this icon would be amazing.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice crop and simply coloring
+ Muted tones work well here, and I like the off-center crop, I think it does a great job of conveying the emotions of the scene. However, I think they way it cuts off in the middle of her lips looks slightly awkward, so moving the crop either up or down might have been a good idea.
+ I love the crop in your icon, and the muted colors really work well. I do feel that some portions, like the shadowed area of her face, appears to be a bit overly grainy.
+ I like the crop and the coloring, but the skin tone on the part of her face under her hand looks a little blotchy. Depending on what look you want to achieve, I would maybe try and smooth out her cheek, or go in the opposite direction and make the whole icon more grungy with a noise texture.
Franz KafkaPOSITIVE VOTES
+ The close crop is nice and the muted coloring works well with the theme.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ No reason given.
+ the crop intensifies the emotion of the cap, and the lighting/shadows adds to that
+ I think your choice to focus more on the hands than the face was a really interesting choice for the theme. I also love that you did so much work with the lighting and shadows and in such a subtle way.
+ The crop of this icon does a fantastic job of accentuating the emotions in the screencap, focusing on the character's hands rather than his face was a great choice.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ You have a wonderful cap but I think your icon could benefit from more contrast! Bright out some more brights and then let the darks really fade away into black.
+ I like everything about this icon, the contrast between light and dark, the sharpness, the crop and the even skin tone.
Charles BukowskiPOSITIVE VOTES
+ The crop and color here are stunning. I like how our attention is drawn to the far right of the icon to see where the action is.
+ The text is at that perfect transparency where it's still visible yet doesn't immediately force your attention which works really well with the icon. I think you made good use of the dark space that the silhouette takes up.
+ I love the colouring here and the subtle text!
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The coloring here is really nice, monochrome coloring fits the scene and the atmosphere in this icon. However, I think the shadows are too deep, especially on the girl's face - it's a dark blob, with no discernible features. In Photoshop, using the middle marker of Levels adjustment layer should allow you to bring out her facial features, if you're using a program that doesn't have Levels, white light blobs also should work. Also, while I like the text and the brush underline, I think it would look better if it was brighter and placed in the center of the icon - it would stand out more, and draw attention to this icon.
+ while the colors are nice, the crop is a little distracting; my eye is more drawn to the bright face than the typography. Perhaps having the text be a bright color would help balance the icon?
+ Because the image you used features both an unusual camera perspective and limited color palette, the addition of the typography makes it really difficult to figure out what's going on in the icon at first glance. I think less is more when you're dealing with a screencap that already has some unique and interesting features.
+ The text placement is very smart and the crop used is really interesting but i'd recommend putting a little bit more of light because overall is too dark, I can barely see what's going on.
+ I like the monochrome coloring and the text, including the font choice. It may be that it's just my monitor being too dark, but I cannot tell at all what is in the center of the icon. From the original cap, I can see that it's someone kissing the person on the right. I think it would be easier to recognize the silhouette if the texture under the "you" was either left out or used to emphasize the chin and throat of the person.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ + the way this is cropped and the text give it a very heavy atmosphere that fits the theme perfectly.
+ The text placement of your icon makes it really hard to tell what's going on, as does the texture/underline under the text. It covers up the fact that there's a second person in the icon, and all you can really see of her is the back of her hair and the back of her shoulder, so the meaning of the icon and the words doesn't really come through.
+ I wasn't really sure what was happening on this icon until I checked the cap, while the dark shadows look lovely the icon, still looks is a bit confusing, just a little more light would help fix this.
Philip K. DickPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I love the text and colouring of this icon!!!
++ The composition is so subtle and it compliments really well with the vibrant tones. The text is GORGEOUS, I love the colors you choose and the fonts work perfectly with the negative space and the rest of the icon.
++ Beautiful composition and text! The use of opposing colours (pink background/blue and green text) is a bold choice and one that works really well in this icon, it really makes the words pop.
+ It's a little hard to tell what's going on in your icon, but you did a wonderful job of coloring your caps, and blending them. The text pulls the whole thing together nicely.
+ Great composition here! The centered cutout of Chiyuki and Decim hugging, framed by the text, and the closeup on Decim's face in the bg is so balanced and lovely. I love the colors here too and the (?) inverted shadow of Chiyuki's legs is a nice touch too! I love the extra additions of white decorations in the bg too, like Decim's tears. (Voter carried comment over into the special category.)
+ fantastic composition! the typography and the overall coloring is really nice
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ "I want us to understand each other." That's really the crux of Death Parade's plot right there and you've portrayed it perfectly in the image of Chiyuki and Decim hugging, and Decim's tears. It's a mutual understanding and I think the amount of balance in this icon represents that as well. (Part two of voter's third place vote.)
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ Although I really like the bright colours, the top and bottom parts of the text are quite hard to read, due to the font and to the use of bright green. I'm also having trouble distinguishing the characters, their features are a bit grainy and hard to define, and I can't tell what's going on in the background either. I think you could fix it by sharpening the background and tweak the colours of your characters and/or their size and sharpness.
+ Although the icon has a great composition, the text is a bit hard to read, especially the first word of the third line. I'd recommend the use of a font, which is easier to read on small size. The differentt colors are also a good idea, but the word "to" seems to be different color than "understand", which is probably caused by the light texture on the left side. I'd recommend putting the text above the texture, so the colors will remain the same.
+ The icon is creative and the composition is nicely done but I think I would have had the background cap a bit smaller as you can't really get a good look at what it is with it so closely cropped and with the other cap and text there as well.
+ This icon would be so stunning if it wasn't for the overwhelming brightness of the middle cap. It just makes it look too sharp and LQ. Be careful with brightening when the icon has such high contrast. The color scheme and the text is gorgeous however.
+ The coloring done is impressive and so pretty. But until I watch the caps used I didn't really get what was iconed and what was going on there, maybe using only one screencap for the background would have made the whole thing works a little bit better for me. The central image is a bit too sharpen as opposed of the background in my opinion and that's a little bit distracting. But overall I see a nice and well done complex icon, full of ideas and work!
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Great Composition.
+ I love the composition, and use of typography! The vibrant colors are a great choice as well, especially when comparing the icon to the original image.
+ I like the text, it is small yet readable and conveys something meaningful. I cannot tell what the image is, though. Are those a woman's feet? Does one of them have wings? I like the background image all in red, but maybe something to contrast the figure in the middle would help set it off against the background and make it better recognizable.
Emily BrontëPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ There seems to be a little too much saturation in your icon, which is giving the face a really glowy appearance. The dark area behind her head on the right is also a little bit distracting compared to the brightness of the other elements.
+ I really like the coloring in this icon, it's bright and vibrant, but not eye-burning. Unfortunately, the effect is spoiled by the unnatural softness that makes the subject appear overly airbrushed and rather plastic-y. I might be wrong, I think Topaz Clean or surface blur were used here, and while these tools do wonders for LQ or grainy images, they often can make the image looks overly processed. I recommend duplicating the image layer before applying the filter, and then masking some parts of it or lowering its opacity in order to make their effect less obvious. Here, I'd suggest erasing the areas around her lips, nose, and hair, where the blurriness is most obvious.
+ I love the coloring you've done, but parts of the icon look a little washed out. I would either mask out some of your contrast layers or take a paint brush with a low opacity and paint over the bright parts of the icon to restore some color to the parts of her face that are too bright. I also think a little less blur would benefit this icon, as it looks LQ.
+ I really like the idea you had for this icon and the soft, painting-like effect it has! I think the flower you have on her face would stand out more if you had set it to screen instead of multiply though (invert the texture then set to screen + adjust colors as necessary). The background next to her hair on the right side is also a bit distracting and since the yellow of her hair already looks so paint-like, I think you could have painted in that bg to blend with the yellow edge of her hair.
+ I really like the vibrant colouring of this icon! However, it's just a tad too blurry on my monitor and the flower texture distracts from the icons a little?
+ The cropping and coloring on this icon are lovely but the floral texture over her face is really distracting.
+ The warm colors used in this icon are lovely, but I think it'd look better without the flower texture because it's a little distracting.
+ The coloring on this icon is really beautiful, but I think the sharpening is the main issue. The eyes and teeth need to be blurred a little, and the rest of her facial features need a bit more sharpening.
+ The texture doesn't really blend or fit in all that well. I think it would have been a lot better without the flowers on her face, or if the icon had a wider crop and they were in the background instead. Additionally, the coloring on her face looks a bit too vibrant - it looks great for her hair, but a black and white layer set to a lower opacity applied to her face would have definitely made it look better.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ good coloring and nice crop, though I feel like the flower texture would have fit better
+ I like the vibrant coloring and soft contrast. The texture seems a bit random to me. I think it may just look better without it, because I can't tell what it's supposed to emphasize.
Colleen HooverPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ The crop here is amazing, but my favorite part of this icon is the coloring - especially the contrast between deep black shadows and the muted highlights. I love the sharpness of the icon too.
+++ The close crop is beautifully executed, I really like how crispy it looks without being over sharpened.
++ I love the crop here and the muted coloring that still makes her hair and the blood stand out!
++ The coloring and crop here are absolutely gorgeous. I think the composition is spot-on as well because there's almost an exact divide of color between the bloody hand and the white hair.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ No reason given.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ I think this cap fits really well with the theme, as does the colouring (kind of grim with the grey tone and deepening of the reds). Though, I couldn't at first place what I was actually looking at, even though I'm familiar with the fandom. I might suggest a crop that's not as tight (even one ever so slightly more open) for this particular icon just to add a little clarity.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ It's a bit hard to see what's going on at first because the whole icon is so sharp and there is no part that stands out. I think you could make some areas a bit blurrier, or play with the light so that it's easier to focus on Carol's face instead of her hair for instance, or on the W. I think this is a great interpretation of the theme by the way, and you did quite well considering that the original screencap looks a bit grainy.
+ great crop and nice coloring, though some places seem sharper than others (i.e., her hand is more in focus that her eye/some of the hair)
+ I love all of the textural elements in the icon and the muted coloring, but I feel that for the image you're working with the crop is just slightly too close. It's hard to decide where the focal point of the icon is supposed to be, and what I'm looking at.
+ i love the cropping and simple, crisp colouring in this a lot.
+ I like the blood that pops out, and the hair being sharp and detailed. I have a feeling it would work better if we saw more of her face, though.
Sarah KayPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ It's crisp, and the colored subject stands out well against the black and white background image. The text is well readable and speaks to me on an emotional level, and it fits the chosen images.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ Nice use of black and white, and going for blocks works very well with this screencap. However, the text is very hard to read (especially the last word), mainly because of how light it is, a darker blue/green would probably work better, even if you have to make the subject's clothes darker as well so it goes together. Also, the top right block looks a bit odd and unflattering with the way his nose is obstructed, changing the crop slightly, moving the face to the right, would help a bit.
+ Overall the composition and blending is working for me. The only thing that bugs me is the text. I think it would have been better with a different font and maybe a different color
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ good composition and movement, though the text feels a little unecessary
+ Very interesting composition! The low angle of the foreground image, combined with the multiple screencaps in the background, really works for a 'flashback' look. The placement of the text seems rather random though - there's nothing in the opposite corner to balance it. Also, compared to the high contrast b&w background images, the front image looks rather flat, so I'd suggest upping the contrast of the front image to match the background.
+ I like the blend of caps you have going on and the black & white/color contrast in your icon. I do think the text placement could use a little work; "invincible" just seems like it should be a big thing because...invincible is an awesome feeling! Rather than having it cut off and making people figure out what it says, I would put it more front and center, and perhaps choose a font that really conveys that invincibility.
+ I have to say first of all that I really admire you for going big with the composition. I adore the blocked portions in the background. The black and white has been treated really nicely, and the lighting is amazing. However, I find the portions you've added over the top aren't as strong, for instance, image used in the foreground doesn't have the same depth of coloring that the background has. A few tweaks though, and you've got something pretty genius here
Douglas AdamsPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ While the composition overall is really good, the colors on the background are really washed out. It'd look better with a solid pink or 2 colors equally distributed, e.g. a gradient map. The text also looks a bit low quality due over sharpening.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ great composition! the colors work really well together and the typography is pretty great
+ I love the typography in your icon, but I find the swath of orange on the right to be a bit distracting. I think just blurring the snot out of it would do the trick for the lighting without it being so blob-ish.
+ I like the color scheme of this icon, very creative! The typography is great too, and I love how the color of the text makes it clear which character says/thinks what.
Miss ReadPOSITIVE VOTES
++ I love how bright and colourful this icon is, it catches the eye, especially with the yellow and red tones.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The sunny coloring fits the image well, and I like the fact that you decided to go with positive emotions, rather than negative. I think the icons is slightly too smooth though, especially they subject's face; a bit of graininess would make her look more natural.
+ good center crop and decent coloring; the icon could have gone towards too orange/yellow, but it's just right
+ It's nice to see something happy for this theme, and I do love the colors toward the right side of the icon, but the yellow coloring on the left feels a bit unbalanced. I think you've oversaturated the image a teensy bit, which is causing some of the black areas of the icon to turn greenish.
+ This captures her so well. Warm and soft and romantic and sunny. I just like this icon a lot.
Charles DickensPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Great crop and use of light, I love the emphasis put on her eyes and how sharp her features are.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The white light at the top washes out the subject and makes it look blurry. I suggest a dark color on soft light or a multiply layer.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice crop and good color use
+ I like the coloring and crop, but the icon feels just a bit blurry to me.
+ I really like the coloring here, dark and rich but also rather natural. However, the top half of the subject's face is washed out, I'd suggest lowering the opacity of the light texture/brush/gradient that was used here, or ever getting rid of it altogether, I think this icon would look great without the additional lighting.
+ I like what you're trying to do with the lighting, but I think it didn't quite hit because the whites wash out the color at the top while the darks make the color more intense at the bottom. I would add some tint to whatever you used for lighting (texture? gradient?) so the light part is a light skin tone that goes with the cap, then the color should be more consistent throughout.
+ this icon is a little blurry on my monitor but fiddling a little with the sharpening method of your choice should help. the top parts of her face seem a little washed out to me too, if you're using PS playing with levels can help bring depth back into the image. otherwise creating a new layer on soft light and going over the washed out parts with a black brush, then adjusting the opacity can help too.
+ I like her facial expression and the contrast. I think it looks a little blurry on my monitor, which could be easily improved by sharpening it a bit. Maybe it's caused by the white gradient in the corner, too, which takes away from the sharpness. It pulls the focus away from her face, too, making one of her eyes lighter than the other and leaving the lower half of her face in the shadow. Maybe you could try lightening her face instead of a corner of the icon, or use a black and white gradient map on soft light to bring out the natural highlights of her face that way.
Cornelia FunkePOSITIVE VOTES
+++ The composition is great, love the negative space and the text use.
+++ The blending and colouring are superb. The saturation is at that perfect level where neither the orange or green are overwhelming. I also like how it darkens at the bottom left corner, where you'd imagine the natural shadow sits - this aspect brings a level of realism to the background. And the text really ties it all together nicely - well positioned and unobtrusive to the icon's subject.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice typography and color work, though the icon does feel a little flat; perhaps for lighting or shadows on one end?
+ If I could have voted for Top 4 instead of Top 3, this icon would have received a vote for sure! The composition is simple, but effective, and you did a great job of removing the greenish tone from Aang's skin without getting rid of the green coloring entirely. The typography is great too, though I'd have picked a different font for 'can save the', since the one used here is rather hard to read at such small size.
+ I like this. It's sharp, the composition is good, the text is readable even though it is obscured. There is a sense of motion and speed that matches the text. If I had anything to suggest at all, it would be to set off the head against the very similarly colored text near it. Maybe a faint drop shadow or dark glow around the figure would make it pop out more.
Stephen KingPOSITIVE VOTES
+ The contrast on this icon is very neat. I like how his face stands out of the dark background.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice lighting and good center crop
+ the simplicity of this icon combined with the great lighting make this very eyecatching.
+ I love how it looks like Bowie is looking right at us in the cap, the centered cropping works really, really well. Great contrast also, it makes his face stand out a lot.
+ The lighting here is fantastic, and works beautifully with the centered crop and the simplicity of the icon. I think the bottom of the icon could be lighter though, to blending the background and the subject's clothes.
+ Some of the background elements behind the subject's head are just a little bit distracting, especially since the rest of the background is completely black. Either using some textures to mask those elements a bit more, or blacking them out would really help keep the focus on the subject.
Alexandra BrakcenPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ You did a wonderful job with a wonderful cap. I love the coloring, and the paint strokes on her hair really contrast well against the pink. The text works with the expression on her face and doesn't overpower the rest of the icon at all. Great job.
+++ I love the coloring here, how bright and glowing it looks, and how the blue of her hair still stands out despite al the shades of pink. The text adds a nice decorative touch too. Nice work!
+++ The work done on the coloring is simply amazing. The use of text and lights is also impressive.
++ The warm coloring is stunning. The icon looks almost painted which is really cool.
++ I really love the bright colors and composition of the text here. Wonderful job!
++ The coloring is very unique and the painted effect on her hair and face add the uniqueness of the icon.
++ The coloring is so rich and eyecatching, and the way you've kept the typography simple and streamlined makes it really pop.
+ I love how subtle is the text, and the lightning works so well with the pinkish tones.
+ I like the coloring, and how the pink light texture is echoed in the pink of her face. The separate strands of hair are brought out really well. The text looks soft, matching the overall soft look of the icon while not distracting from it.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ i love how this icon is framed and the text adds a really nice touch. the vibrancy of the colours is wonderful too.
+ I like the composition and the dreamy atmosphere you achieved here by using light textures and unnatural coloring. I think the text could be bigger and more prominent though - as it is, it's neither decorative, not a big part of the icon. I suggest experimenting with typography, different fonts, colors and sizes - the rest of the icon is fairly simple, so big fancy text wouldn't overload it. (a semi-related note: I googled the lyrics and I LOVE this song. THANK YOU.)
C.S. LewisPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ BEAUTIFUL coloring! So unique and gorgeous.
+++ I love the softness of the overall icon, through both the lighting and use of pastels. I think the crop does a brilliant job of capturing the emotion as well.
+++ The close crop is fantastic and the coloring/shadows and light use are really well done. Very good sharpening as well.
+++ I think the crop, sharpening, and lighting are completely perfect in this icon. The unnatural coloring adds to the distressed look on her face to create an icon full of complex emotion.
++ Great job of using cropping and lighting to highlight the emotions on her face.
++ amazing crop and coloring; shadow work can be tricky, and it was executed very nicely here, not too much and not too little
++ Great cropping, the contrast between shadows and lighting is georgeous and I really get the sense of emotional involvement.
++ The soft glow overall of the icon is really gorgeous. The muted gradient look really stands out.
++ With very little apparent effort, the icon brings out her state - she's in the hospital and crying, and the close crop brings the tragedy even closer to the viewer.
++ The coloring and cropping are working amazingly well together.
+ Great crop and coloring, combined with the soft light and slight blurriness of the icon, they create an interesting otherworldly atmosphere.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ Great composition, very emotional, especially with the close crop. It fits the theme very well.
+ I think the coloring and the crop work perfectly with the subject to create complex emotion in this icon.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ Super lovely crop. The lighting/shadow is spot on too. However, I feel like it could use a little more sharpening as it currently seems a little blurry on my screen.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ i adore the cropping and lighting in this and the monochrome colouring really adds to the ~atmosphere~.
Mary ShelleyPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The muted colouring in this icon is really great! It just needs a tad more contrast to make the icon pop!
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Lovely cropping and lighting.
+ nice crop and pretty coloring; it's muted yet contains the right amount of vibrancy, especially in her hair/cheeks/lips
+ I really like the crop, the crispness, and the muted palette. The darker coloring has a very mysterious feel to it, which I love.
+ I very much like the muted coloring and the immense depth. The hair is just really beautiful against her pale skin and against the complementary green behind it. Well chosen cap, good crop, all around great icon.
+ I like your crop on this a lot, but I think the coloring could benefit from a bit more contrast. Her red hair and the green background play off each other really well, but her face doesn't quite fit into this theme. I think if her skin has fewer blueish tones it would help the colors pop more and really make this piece stand out.
+ The crop here is fantastic, eyes-down crops can be tricky but you absolutely pulled it off. This would be one of my favorite icons from the post, if not for the tone of the subject's skin - compared to her hair and lips, it looks a bit too gray. I'd suggest adding some vibrancy only to her skin, to make it match the rest of the icon.
+ I really, really like the faceless crop, but the icon seems to lack a bit of contrast, the dark parts could be darker for instance, and some light blobs could help focusing on one part of the icon. I do find it very interesting that you went for a muted colouring with this cap, I think my instinct would have been to go with bold colours, so it's quite original and I definitely applaud it. It works great with Merida's hair, I just think a few tweaks in the use of light/contrast could make this icon stand out more.
Spreadsheet will not be linked until the end of the round.
1ST PLACE [5 points]:
C.S. Lewis with +11 votes.
2ND PLACE [4 points]:
Alexandra Brakcen with +9 votes.
3RD PLACE [3 points]:
&
Zelda Fitzgerald & Philip K. Dick with +6 votes.
BEST INTERPRETATION [2 points]:
Franz Kafka with +5 votes.
MOD'S CHOICE [1 point]:
Colleen Hoover
[The cropping this round has been killer so far, and this icon is absolutely no exception. It's such an intense and unique crop that brings us in incredibly close but at the same time blocks us out. It's an interesting way to express plot: what the audience is shown and what's under the surface. Also a shout out to the amazing coloring that emphasizes the blacks but still brings out the muted red blood tones as well!]
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
H.P. LovecraftPOSITIVE VOTES
+ The icon has a really unique cropping, it's borderline too cluttered looking, but it works, bringing the emotion out of the subjects.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ while this icon has many things going for it-the crop has such amazing impact-it feels like something is missing. The coloring is very flat, so maybe some more shadows or highlights would help to add some depth to the icon
+ I like the crop and the contrast between the characters' hair colors, separating them, cutting the icon in two halves. Unfortunately, it looks a little oversharpened to me. I cannot tell if those are tears in her eyes or pixels, and I would reduce the sharpness there a little.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ I really like the crop in your icon, but I feel it's a bit one-note. A bit of lighting or using a different coloring technique to help your icon pop a bit more would help draw the eye in toward your icon.
+ I like the emotion shown on the blonde girl's face in the icon, but I don't know how it goes with the emotion of the other person there. There is a little bit too much going on in this icon to make it really work for me, because I feel like the blonde should be the focal part but she's kind of squished in half of the icon. If you had pulled your crop in to just focus on her face I think it would be a lot more cohesive an icon.
+ The crop here is very emotional and quite perfect for this theme, but the coloring doesn't have the same impact - the muted tones appear flat and nothing about them draws the eye to this icon. I think a move vibrant coloring with deeper shadows would work well to emphasize the weight of the emotions in this scene.
Zelda FitzgeraldPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ the composition and coloring is really eyecatching and very well executed!
+++ Gorgeous composition, everything just works so well together. Love the tiny text as well, you don't see that often these days.
++ The composition here is so good and the use of colour is just brilliant
++ I like the composition of this icon, its simplicity works with the screencap choices and typography. The top image is slightly too sharp, but I think it actually works with the slight graininess, so it's not a major issue.
+ The composition is amazing! The dark colors are really dramatic and classy, and I think the use of the light textures to frame it in was a great choice. It ties everything together perfectly.
+ Another great compositon, the yellows and b&w work really well together, the text placement is great, as is the placement of the two caps.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ Your icon really caught my eye because of the blend and the text work, and the caps you chose did a great job of conveying the theme.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ I love the concept behind your icon, but the top half especially is just overwhelmingly sharp on my monitor. All the white bits are incredibly pixelated and it's hard to see the expressions on their faces because of it. I would definitely use a blur brush and/or mask out your sharpen layers there so the icon doesn't look so LQ.
+ The composition is very nice and the black and white with the yellow works well. I think there should have been a little more light use though, especially on the top part because they almost blend into the background since their clothing is a little on the dark side. Perhaps a slight light gradient would have let me pop out a little more from the background.
+ I love the use of textures here, but everything looks a little bit oversharpened to me, especially the text. It's also slightly difficult to see the subject's faces - I think using the blur tool over that part of the icon definitely would have been helpful.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The composition with the two levels is really nice!
+ i like the composition in this, especially how the caps are framed at the side and the way text is used as decoration. the black and white + monochrome is a nice choice as well.
+ I like the tragedy in the caps you chose and the muted monochrome coloring. On my monitor, it looks a little dark, so the top font is hard to read, the thin lines swallowed up by the black.
Adrienne RichPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I love how the crop gives so much emotion to the whole icon, and it works so well with the earthy tones.
+ The muted tones work very well with this cap, and so does the crop. I also like how sharp her face looks, especially contrasted with the bit of background in the top right corner.
+ Excellent use of close cropping and muted coloring!
+ The unusual cropping choice and the muted coloring gave a powerful effect to the icon.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ The cropping and muted coloring are really neat on this icon.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The crop is interesting, but I think the icon lacks of focus. I'd recommend a more closer crop, with more focus on her face, where all the emotions are. A little play with shadows and lighting would also add an additional depth to the icon and make it more interesting.
+ The crop and color here are very nice, but I think the icon is a bit oversharpened. If you scaled the sharpening back and added a bit more contrast, this icon would be amazing.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice crop and simply coloring
+ Muted tones work well here, and I like the off-center crop, I think it does a great job of conveying the emotions of the scene. However, I think they way it cuts off in the middle of her lips looks slightly awkward, so moving the crop either up or down might have been a good idea.
+ I love the crop in your icon, and the muted colors really work well. I do feel that some portions, like the shadowed area of her face, appears to be a bit overly grainy.
+ I like the crop and the coloring, but the skin tone on the part of her face under her hand looks a little blotchy. Depending on what look you want to achieve, I would maybe try and smooth out her cheek, or go in the opposite direction and make the whole icon more grungy with a noise texture.
Franz KafkaPOSITIVE VOTES
+ The close crop is nice and the muted coloring works well with the theme.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ No reason given.
+ the crop intensifies the emotion of the cap, and the lighting/shadows adds to that
+ I think your choice to focus more on the hands than the face was a really interesting choice for the theme. I also love that you did so much work with the lighting and shadows and in such a subtle way.
+ The crop of this icon does a fantastic job of accentuating the emotions in the screencap, focusing on the character's hands rather than his face was a great choice.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ You have a wonderful cap but I think your icon could benefit from more contrast! Bright out some more brights and then let the darks really fade away into black.
+ I like everything about this icon, the contrast between light and dark, the sharpness, the crop and the even skin tone.
Charles BukowskiPOSITIVE VOTES
+ The crop and color here are stunning. I like how our attention is drawn to the far right of the icon to see where the action is.
+ The text is at that perfect transparency where it's still visible yet doesn't immediately force your attention which works really well with the icon. I think you made good use of the dark space that the silhouette takes up.
+ I love the colouring here and the subtle text!
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The coloring here is really nice, monochrome coloring fits the scene and the atmosphere in this icon. However, I think the shadows are too deep, especially on the girl's face - it's a dark blob, with no discernible features. In Photoshop, using the middle marker of Levels adjustment layer should allow you to bring out her facial features, if you're using a program that doesn't have Levels, white light blobs also should work. Also, while I like the text and the brush underline, I think it would look better if it was brighter and placed in the center of the icon - it would stand out more, and draw attention to this icon.
+ while the colors are nice, the crop is a little distracting; my eye is more drawn to the bright face than the typography. Perhaps having the text be a bright color would help balance the icon?
+ Because the image you used features both an unusual camera perspective and limited color palette, the addition of the typography makes it really difficult to figure out what's going on in the icon at first glance. I think less is more when you're dealing with a screencap that already has some unique and interesting features.
+ The text placement is very smart and the crop used is really interesting but i'd recommend putting a little bit more of light because overall is too dark, I can barely see what's going on.
+ I like the monochrome coloring and the text, including the font choice. It may be that it's just my monitor being too dark, but I cannot tell at all what is in the center of the icon. From the original cap, I can see that it's someone kissing the person on the right. I think it would be easier to recognize the silhouette if the texture under the "you" was either left out or used to emphasize the chin and throat of the person.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ + the way this is cropped and the text give it a very heavy atmosphere that fits the theme perfectly.
+ The text placement of your icon makes it really hard to tell what's going on, as does the texture/underline under the text. It covers up the fact that there's a second person in the icon, and all you can really see of her is the back of her hair and the back of her shoulder, so the meaning of the icon and the words doesn't really come through.
+ I wasn't really sure what was happening on this icon until I checked the cap, while the dark shadows look lovely the icon, still looks is a bit confusing, just a little more light would help fix this.
Philip K. DickPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ I love the text and colouring of this icon!!!
++ The composition is so subtle and it compliments really well with the vibrant tones. The text is GORGEOUS, I love the colors you choose and the fonts work perfectly with the negative space and the rest of the icon.
++ Beautiful composition and text! The use of opposing colours (pink background/blue and green text) is a bold choice and one that works really well in this icon, it really makes the words pop.
+ It's a little hard to tell what's going on in your icon, but you did a wonderful job of coloring your caps, and blending them. The text pulls the whole thing together nicely.
+ Great composition here! The centered cutout of Chiyuki and Decim hugging, framed by the text, and the closeup on Decim's face in the bg is so balanced and lovely. I love the colors here too and the (?) inverted shadow of Chiyuki's legs is a nice touch too! I love the extra additions of white decorations in the bg too, like Decim's tears. (Voter carried comment over into the special category.)
+ fantastic composition! the typography and the overall coloring is really nice
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ "I want us to understand each other." That's really the crux of Death Parade's plot right there and you've portrayed it perfectly in the image of Chiyuki and Decim hugging, and Decim's tears. It's a mutual understanding and I think the amount of balance in this icon represents that as well. (Part two of voter's third place vote.)
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ Although I really like the bright colours, the top and bottom parts of the text are quite hard to read, due to the font and to the use of bright green. I'm also having trouble distinguishing the characters, their features are a bit grainy and hard to define, and I can't tell what's going on in the background either. I think you could fix it by sharpening the background and tweak the colours of your characters and/or their size and sharpness.
+ Although the icon has a great composition, the text is a bit hard to read, especially the first word of the third line. I'd recommend the use of a font, which is easier to read on small size. The differentt colors are also a good idea, but the word "to" seems to be different color than "understand", which is probably caused by the light texture on the left side. I'd recommend putting the text above the texture, so the colors will remain the same.
+ The icon is creative and the composition is nicely done but I think I would have had the background cap a bit smaller as you can't really get a good look at what it is with it so closely cropped and with the other cap and text there as well.
+ This icon would be so stunning if it wasn't for the overwhelming brightness of the middle cap. It just makes it look too sharp and LQ. Be careful with brightening when the icon has such high contrast. The color scheme and the text is gorgeous however.
+ The coloring done is impressive and so pretty. But until I watch the caps used I didn't really get what was iconed and what was going on there, maybe using only one screencap for the background would have made the whole thing works a little bit better for me. The central image is a bit too sharpen as opposed of the background in my opinion and that's a little bit distracting. But overall I see a nice and well done complex icon, full of ideas and work!
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Great Composition.
+ I love the composition, and use of typography! The vibrant colors are a great choice as well, especially when comparing the icon to the original image.
+ I like the text, it is small yet readable and conveys something meaningful. I cannot tell what the image is, though. Are those a woman's feet? Does one of them have wings? I like the background image all in red, but maybe something to contrast the figure in the middle would help set it off against the background and make it better recognizable.
Emily BrontëPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ There seems to be a little too much saturation in your icon, which is giving the face a really glowy appearance. The dark area behind her head on the right is also a little bit distracting compared to the brightness of the other elements.
+ I really like the coloring in this icon, it's bright and vibrant, but not eye-burning. Unfortunately, the effect is spoiled by the unnatural softness that makes the subject appear overly airbrushed and rather plastic-y. I might be wrong, I think Topaz Clean or surface blur were used here, and while these tools do wonders for LQ or grainy images, they often can make the image looks overly processed. I recommend duplicating the image layer before applying the filter, and then masking some parts of it or lowering its opacity in order to make their effect less obvious. Here, I'd suggest erasing the areas around her lips, nose, and hair, where the blurriness is most obvious.
+ I love the coloring you've done, but parts of the icon look a little washed out. I would either mask out some of your contrast layers or take a paint brush with a low opacity and paint over the bright parts of the icon to restore some color to the parts of her face that are too bright. I also think a little less blur would benefit this icon, as it looks LQ.
+ I really like the idea you had for this icon and the soft, painting-like effect it has! I think the flower you have on her face would stand out more if you had set it to screen instead of multiply though (invert the texture then set to screen + adjust colors as necessary). The background next to her hair on the right side is also a bit distracting and since the yellow of her hair already looks so paint-like, I think you could have painted in that bg to blend with the yellow edge of her hair.
+ I really like the vibrant colouring of this icon! However, it's just a tad too blurry on my monitor and the flower texture distracts from the icons a little?
+ The cropping and coloring on this icon are lovely but the floral texture over her face is really distracting.
+ The warm colors used in this icon are lovely, but I think it'd look better without the flower texture because it's a little distracting.
+ The coloring on this icon is really beautiful, but I think the sharpening is the main issue. The eyes and teeth need to be blurred a little, and the rest of her facial features need a bit more sharpening.
+ The texture doesn't really blend or fit in all that well. I think it would have been a lot better without the flowers on her face, or if the icon had a wider crop and they were in the background instead. Additionally, the coloring on her face looks a bit too vibrant - it looks great for her hair, but a black and white layer set to a lower opacity applied to her face would have definitely made it look better.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ good coloring and nice crop, though I feel like the flower texture would have fit better
+ I like the vibrant coloring and soft contrast. The texture seems a bit random to me. I think it may just look better without it, because I can't tell what it's supposed to emphasize.
Colleen HooverPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ The crop here is amazing, but my favorite part of this icon is the coloring - especially the contrast between deep black shadows and the muted highlights. I love the sharpness of the icon too.
+++ The close crop is beautifully executed, I really like how crispy it looks without being over sharpened.
++ I love the crop here and the muted coloring that still makes her hair and the blood stand out!
++ The coloring and crop here are absolutely gorgeous. I think the composition is spot-on as well because there's almost an exact divide of color between the bloody hand and the white hair.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ No reason given.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ I think this cap fits really well with the theme, as does the colouring (kind of grim with the grey tone and deepening of the reds). Though, I couldn't at first place what I was actually looking at, even though I'm familiar with the fandom. I might suggest a crop that's not as tight (even one ever so slightly more open) for this particular icon just to add a little clarity.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ It's a bit hard to see what's going on at first because the whole icon is so sharp and there is no part that stands out. I think you could make some areas a bit blurrier, or play with the light so that it's easier to focus on Carol's face instead of her hair for instance, or on the W. I think this is a great interpretation of the theme by the way, and you did quite well considering that the original screencap looks a bit grainy.
+ great crop and nice coloring, though some places seem sharper than others (i.e., her hand is more in focus that her eye/some of the hair)
+ I love all of the textural elements in the icon and the muted coloring, but I feel that for the image you're working with the crop is just slightly too close. It's hard to decide where the focal point of the icon is supposed to be, and what I'm looking at.
+ i love the cropping and simple, crisp colouring in this a lot.
+ I like the blood that pops out, and the hair being sharp and detailed. I have a feeling it would work better if we saw more of her face, though.
Sarah KayPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ It's crisp, and the colored subject stands out well against the black and white background image. The text is well readable and speaks to me on an emotional level, and it fits the chosen images.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ Nice use of black and white, and going for blocks works very well with this screencap. However, the text is very hard to read (especially the last word), mainly because of how light it is, a darker blue/green would probably work better, even if you have to make the subject's clothes darker as well so it goes together. Also, the top right block looks a bit odd and unflattering with the way his nose is obstructed, changing the crop slightly, moving the face to the right, would help a bit.
+ Overall the composition and blending is working for me. The only thing that bugs me is the text. I think it would have been better with a different font and maybe a different color
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ good composition and movement, though the text feels a little unecessary
+ Very interesting composition! The low angle of the foreground image, combined with the multiple screencaps in the background, really works for a 'flashback' look. The placement of the text seems rather random though - there's nothing in the opposite corner to balance it. Also, compared to the high contrast b&w background images, the front image looks rather flat, so I'd suggest upping the contrast of the front image to match the background.
+ I like the blend of caps you have going on and the black & white/color contrast in your icon. I do think the text placement could use a little work; "invincible" just seems like it should be a big thing because...invincible is an awesome feeling! Rather than having it cut off and making people figure out what it says, I would put it more front and center, and perhaps choose a font that really conveys that invincibility.
+ I have to say first of all that I really admire you for going big with the composition. I adore the blocked portions in the background. The black and white has been treated really nicely, and the lighting is amazing. However, I find the portions you've added over the top aren't as strong, for instance, image used in the foreground doesn't have the same depth of coloring that the background has. A few tweaks though, and you've got something pretty genius here
Douglas AdamsPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ While the composition overall is really good, the colors on the background are really washed out. It'd look better with a solid pink or 2 colors equally distributed, e.g. a gradient map. The text also looks a bit low quality due over sharpening.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ great composition! the colors work really well together and the typography is pretty great
+ I love the typography in your icon, but I find the swath of orange on the right to be a bit distracting. I think just blurring the snot out of it would do the trick for the lighting without it being so blob-ish.
+ I like the color scheme of this icon, very creative! The typography is great too, and I love how the color of the text makes it clear which character says/thinks what.
Miss ReadPOSITIVE VOTES
++ I love how bright and colourful this icon is, it catches the eye, especially with the yellow and red tones.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ The sunny coloring fits the image well, and I like the fact that you decided to go with positive emotions, rather than negative. I think the icons is slightly too smooth though, especially they subject's face; a bit of graininess would make her look more natural.
+ good center crop and decent coloring; the icon could have gone towards too orange/yellow, but it's just right
+ It's nice to see something happy for this theme, and I do love the colors toward the right side of the icon, but the yellow coloring on the left feels a bit unbalanced. I think you've oversaturated the image a teensy bit, which is causing some of the black areas of the icon to turn greenish.
+ This captures her so well. Warm and soft and romantic and sunny. I just like this icon a lot.
Charles DickensPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ Great crop and use of light, I love the emphasis put on her eyes and how sharp her features are.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The white light at the top washes out the subject and makes it look blurry. I suggest a dark color on soft light or a multiply layer.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice crop and good color use
+ I like the coloring and crop, but the icon feels just a bit blurry to me.
+ I really like the coloring here, dark and rich but also rather natural. However, the top half of the subject's face is washed out, I'd suggest lowering the opacity of the light texture/brush/gradient that was used here, or ever getting rid of it altogether, I think this icon would look great without the additional lighting.
+ I like what you're trying to do with the lighting, but I think it didn't quite hit because the whites wash out the color at the top while the darks make the color more intense at the bottom. I would add some tint to whatever you used for lighting (texture? gradient?) so the light part is a light skin tone that goes with the cap, then the color should be more consistent throughout.
+ this icon is a little blurry on my monitor but fiddling a little with the sharpening method of your choice should help. the top parts of her face seem a little washed out to me too, if you're using PS playing with levels can help bring depth back into the image. otherwise creating a new layer on soft light and going over the washed out parts with a black brush, then adjusting the opacity can help too.
+ I like her facial expression and the contrast. I think it looks a little blurry on my monitor, which could be easily improved by sharpening it a bit. Maybe it's caused by the white gradient in the corner, too, which takes away from the sharpness. It pulls the focus away from her face, too, making one of her eyes lighter than the other and leaving the lower half of her face in the shadow. Maybe you could try lightening her face instead of a corner of the icon, or use a black and white gradient map on soft light to bring out the natural highlights of her face that way.
Cornelia FunkePOSITIVE VOTES
+++ The composition is great, love the negative space and the text use.
+++ The blending and colouring are superb. The saturation is at that perfect level where neither the orange or green are overwhelming. I also like how it darkens at the bottom left corner, where you'd imagine the natural shadow sits - this aspect brings a level of realism to the background. And the text really ties it all together nicely - well positioned and unobtrusive to the icon's subject.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice typography and color work, though the icon does feel a little flat; perhaps for lighting or shadows on one end?
+ If I could have voted for Top 4 instead of Top 3, this icon would have received a vote for sure! The composition is simple, but effective, and you did a great job of removing the greenish tone from Aang's skin without getting rid of the green coloring entirely. The typography is great too, though I'd have picked a different font for 'can save the', since the one used here is rather hard to read at such small size.
+ I like this. It's sharp, the composition is good, the text is readable even though it is obscured. There is a sense of motion and speed that matches the text. If I had anything to suggest at all, it would be to set off the head against the very similarly colored text near it. Maybe a faint drop shadow or dark glow around the figure would make it pop out more.
Stephen KingPOSITIVE VOTES
+ The contrast on this icon is very neat. I like how his face stands out of the dark background.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ nice lighting and good center crop
+ the simplicity of this icon combined with the great lighting make this very eyecatching.
+ I love how it looks like Bowie is looking right at us in the cap, the centered cropping works really, really well. Great contrast also, it makes his face stand out a lot.
+ The lighting here is fantastic, and works beautifully with the centered crop and the simplicity of the icon. I think the bottom of the icon could be lighter though, to blending the background and the subject's clothes.
+ Some of the background elements behind the subject's head are just a little bit distracting, especially since the rest of the background is completely black. Either using some textures to mask those elements a bit more, or blacking them out would really help keep the focus on the subject.
Alexandra BrakcenPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ You did a wonderful job with a wonderful cap. I love the coloring, and the paint strokes on her hair really contrast well against the pink. The text works with the expression on her face and doesn't overpower the rest of the icon at all. Great job.
+++ I love the coloring here, how bright and glowing it looks, and how the blue of her hair still stands out despite al the shades of pink. The text adds a nice decorative touch too. Nice work!
+++ The work done on the coloring is simply amazing. The use of text and lights is also impressive.
++ The warm coloring is stunning. The icon looks almost painted which is really cool.
++ I really love the bright colors and composition of the text here. Wonderful job!
++ The coloring is very unique and the painted effect on her hair and face add the uniqueness of the icon.
++ The coloring is so rich and eyecatching, and the way you've kept the typography simple and streamlined makes it really pop.
+ I love how subtle is the text, and the lightning works so well with the pinkish tones.
+ I like the coloring, and how the pink light texture is echoed in the pink of her face. The separate strands of hair are brought out really well. The text looks soft, matching the overall soft look of the icon while not distracting from it.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
None.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ i love how this icon is framed and the text adds a really nice touch. the vibrancy of the colours is wonderful too.
+ I like the composition and the dreamy atmosphere you achieved here by using light textures and unnatural coloring. I think the text could be bigger and more prominent though - as it is, it's neither decorative, not a big part of the icon. I suggest experimenting with typography, different fonts, colors and sizes - the rest of the icon is fairly simple, so big fancy text wouldn't overload it. (a semi-related note: I googled the lyrics and I LOVE this song. THANK YOU.)
C.S. LewisPOSITIVE VOTES
+++ BEAUTIFUL coloring! So unique and gorgeous.
+++ I love the softness of the overall icon, through both the lighting and use of pastels. I think the crop does a brilliant job of capturing the emotion as well.
+++ The close crop is fantastic and the coloring/shadows and light use are really well done. Very good sharpening as well.
+++ I think the crop, sharpening, and lighting are completely perfect in this icon. The unnatural coloring adds to the distressed look on her face to create an icon full of complex emotion.
++ Great job of using cropping and lighting to highlight the emotions on her face.
++ amazing crop and coloring; shadow work can be tricky, and it was executed very nicely here, not too much and not too little
++ Great cropping, the contrast between shadows and lighting is georgeous and I really get the sense of emotional involvement.
++ The soft glow overall of the icon is really gorgeous. The muted gradient look really stands out.
++ With very little apparent effort, the icon brings out her state - she's in the hospital and crying, and the close crop brings the tragedy even closer to the viewer.
++ The coloring and cropping are working amazingly well together.
+ Great crop and coloring, combined with the soft light and slight blurriness of the icon, they create an interesting otherworldly atmosphere.
BEST INTERPRETATION
+ No reason given.
+ Great composition, very emotional, especially with the close crop. It fits the theme very well.
+ I think the coloring and the crop work perfectly with the subject to create complex emotion in this icon.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ Super lovely crop. The lighting/shadow is spot on too. However, I feel like it could use a little more sharpening as it currently seems a little blurry on my screen.
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ i adore the cropping and lighting in this and the monochrome colouring really adds to the ~atmosphere~.
Mary ShelleyPOSITIVE VOTES
None.
BEST INTERPRETATION
None.
CONSTRUCTIVE VOTES
+ The muted colouring in this icon is really great! It just needs a tad more contrast to make the icon pop!
ADDITIONAL VOTES
+ Lovely cropping and lighting.
+ nice crop and pretty coloring; it's muted yet contains the right amount of vibrancy, especially in her hair/cheeks/lips
+ I really like the crop, the crispness, and the muted palette. The darker coloring has a very mysterious feel to it, which I love.
+ I very much like the muted coloring and the immense depth. The hair is just really beautiful against her pale skin and against the complementary green behind it. Well chosen cap, good crop, all around great icon.
+ I like your crop on this a lot, but I think the coloring could benefit from a bit more contrast. Her red hair and the green background play off each other really well, but her face doesn't quite fit into this theme. I think if her skin has fewer blueish tones it would help the colors pop more and really make this piece stand out.
+ The crop here is fantastic, eyes-down crops can be tricky but you absolutely pulled it off. This would be one of my favorite icons from the post, if not for the tone of the subject's skin - compared to her hair and lips, it looks a bit too gray. I'd suggest adding some vibrancy only to her skin, to make it match the rest of the icon.
+ I really, really like the faceless crop, but the icon seems to lack a bit of contrast, the dark parts could be darker for instance, and some light blobs could help focusing on one part of the icon. I do find it very interesting that you went for a muted colouring with this cap, I think my instinct would have been to go with bold colours, so it's quite original and I definitely applaud it. It works great with Merida's hair, I just think a few tweaks in the use of light/contrast could make this icon stand out more.
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