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[red_satin_doll]

All this talk of icons, editing platforms and fanart the last week, plus icontests and enjoying other people's work, has made me hungry got some thinky-thoughts a'flowin:

Imagine voting at any fanfiction awards site (WGA, SunnyD, RWSA, NRFTW, NAFTA, AoLA, etc) where all the work is listed anonymously. I am of course excluding juried situations

Comments

[endeni]

Oh, interesting thoughts! :D I read somewhere that anonymity is secrecy in public and I always thought of it (and of Internet nicknames and such) as a kind of protective mantel but it sure has its drawbacks. *nods* Still the purpose of those icon challenges is definitely doing the best work you can, not the most unrecognizable one. If people guess that's their business.

[red_satin_doll]

I read somewhere that anonymity is secrecy in public and I always thought of it (and of Internet nicknames and such) as a kind of protective mantel but it sure has its drawbacks.

It's definitely the proverbial "double-edged sword"!

[kikimay]

Actually I don't know why the icons have to be anonymous. As you point out the fanfics aren't. (Also I don't do icons so I don't eeven insights in the communities who share icons)

I also try to fairly judge artworks. I can recognize some authors - ahem - from their style and I like that: it means that every author has some kind of signature and that art isn't anonymous at all. But I try to be fair because I know what it means to create a fanwork, you spend time and try to do your best and it's something that you do for free and pleasure, sure, but that doesn't not diminish the quality. So every ficwriter/fanartist etc. should be rewarded when their work is good. If you enjoy the art than tell that to the artist, that's my philosophy.

[red_satin_doll]

So every ficwriter/fanartist etc. should be rewarded when their work is good. If you enjoy the art than tell that to the artist, that's my philosophy.

One of the frustrations is not knowing who did what (most times I don't) and therefore not being able to tell someone when I like their work - or if I want to snag something for myself. So I have to ask the moderator unless the submission threads are opened.

[velvetwhip]

I do wonder about the vastly different rules in icon contests vs. fic... hmmm

As to voting and nominating - I am right on board with you. I might love someone to pieces, but if I like another story better than theirs...

Gabrielle

[red_satin_doll]

I do wonder about the vastly different rules in icon contests vs. fic... hmmm

I suppose I could have posed the question to dragonydreams and starry_night directly...*ponders*

As to voting and nominating - I am right on board with you.

When I was writing this I kept remembering a conversation we had not too long ago, in the context of fic and you said (loosely paraphrased) that the work comes first - always.

I don't think having the names out there in icon contests would make much if any difference in the results, do you?

[velvetwhip]

No, I don't think it would matter at all.

I would wait before talking to dragonydreams though - today one of our dearest fandom friends passed away. You probably have never heard of emeraldswan but she was a vibrant part of Willow fandom and we're all still reeling.

Gabrielle

[red_satin_doll]

I saw dragony's post about emerald last night and left a brief comment - what does one say to someone you barely knew about a friend of theirs you never knew except "I'm sorry"? I had never heard of her before last night but I cannot imagine the pain and shock everyone who loved her must be feeling right now.

My condolences to her family and to you as well, dear.

[spikesredqueen]

I like these icons! I really like the Buffy/Willow hug #9, the pastel colors are lovely! Also the cap used for Willow with her eyes shut is a rare one, I don't think I've seen one like that before and I love the different variations you used but my favorite is the first one.

Also, I am with you on voting. I vote for the work not who did it whether it's fanfic or art, etc.

[red_satin_doll]

Oh thank you! The colors of #9 is probably the thing I'm happiest about, I just wish the clarity were better esp Willow's face.

the cap used for Willow with her eyes shut is a rare one,

Is it? I have to admit that I don't remember if that's DW in The Wish or Dopplegangland.

my favorite is the first one.

Mine too! Although #4 comes a close second, the b/w one. (I have a fondness for really saturated colors and that includes rich, dark blacks.)

[teragramm]

I can sometimes guess who the artist is in some challenges. Especially the artist who have a distinctive style, but there are still sometimes that I'm completely surprised. Do I let the fact that I might know the artist color who I vote for? Absolutely not!!! I judge the icons on several factors; 1.) Quality... are they well made, with no noticeable flaws. 2.) Coloring 3.) Cropping and 4.) My personal taste.....this usually means the icon I can't keep my eyes off. Who made the icon has nothing to do with my vote.

[red_satin_doll]

1.) Quality... are they well made, with no noticeable flaws

That puts me out of the running. *lol* Srsly I just voted at the current OWL challenge and all I could see in mine were the flaws that I managed to NOT notice before. UGH

My personal taste.....this usually means the icon I can't keep my eyes off.

Oh yeah, it's those "intangibles" that's a combination of the technical qualities you mentioned, plus emotional impact, or that indefinable "It" factor. Mood and emotional impact are very important to me - does the icon "tell a story"? I often find that there will be one or two that just POP when I look at the entries.

When I look at icons from other fandoms that I'm not familiar with I wonder if I'm "missing" something re: emotional context/impact?

[teragramm]

Most time I can't keep my eyes off of an icon it is because of all those thing both you and I mentioned but for me it is also color. I love a pretty colored icon.

[red_satin_doll]

I love a pretty colored icon.

Both of our default icons being very good examples of that - my eye makes a beeline whenever I see yours. (i have no idea how valyssia made the one I snagged; I wish I had that skill.)

So things I love in icons: strong use of color. It can be rich jewel jewel tones or pastels (but not drab or washed out), or monochromatic but with strong and dramatic contrast of light and dark. Achieving balance and symmetry via asymetrical compositions. Facial expressions tend to be very important to me in icons. Use of unusual or under-used shots. Fonts and text that work with rather than against the image - unless subversion of the image is the point - and color-coordinated font colors.

I like textures and effects but not when they're used for their own sake. Vintage effects used with subtlety

And yeah, prettiness. Pretty female faces especially. At heart, I'm kind of shallow.