Group Project: New Avatar
 

I decided to draw a new avatar to psyche myself up for the idea of starting the SCS process. Here's my prototype, and I need critiques before I animate it:

http://i297.photobucket.com/albums/m...oan_zap_01.png

I was originally thinking safety sign, hence the black and yellow/gold, but then it sort of morphed into a superhero kinda thingie and I thought that I'd make the lightning bolts flash.

Wow
 

Amazing!! : o O All I can imagine once animated, it will be cool!

Yup,:D
Mark56

Cool
 

Hi Joan,

I think it's very cool, someone once described my implant when I got it done was like being a bionic human. Why does the hair have to stand on its head, your SCS will help you be more calm, less on pain and of course all going well you will have a smile on your face. :)

I think it's cool, I love the colour and it's symbolism. Well done misses!

Sinéad

Oh, I like this topic, and the graphic too.

But I don't have any experience with SCS myself.

When I do graphics and logos, I put them aside for a few short days, and then look at them with fresh eyes. If you do that then you may think of something else to change or add, or you may find that what you have already is what you really want.

I would ask this... is this graphic supposed to be AFTER the implant? A person with no experience with this may interpret the lightning bolts as "pain" not SCS signals. If after...then the smile is appropriate also. This graphic person looks like they are falling... and falling means "problems"...is that what you want to convey? Perhaps another movement would be more appropriate to show SCS success?

If you get your graphic to a point where it satisfies you, I think we can approach DocJohn to have it put at the head of this SCS forum! But then it would be smaller of course, and an informal vote here for approval, and that might be an option in the near future.
Doing a logo like this is very difficult I think, so don't rush it.

Our PD forum has a graphic...so take a look. So does the Stumble Inn at MS.

I would suggest perhaps having the letters "SCS" in the person...say a negative space or banner/belt across the body maybe in gold also?, either like a seat belt diagonally, or across the waist. If SCS is there somewhere, it will make the graphic more understandable, I think. Also I'd suggest trying making the person with rounded edges...sharp edges are less friendly. Many signs depicting people graphically show a softer round look, since we don't have sharp edges. If you do this, then the electrical part will stand out more I think.

But this is a wonderful idea, and going well so far as it is.
I didn't know you were going get the implant. Must have been while I was on vacation?

Thanks, Sophie! Here's what happened with the hair (most of it "happened" for various weird reasons :) ): recently, I've been using spiky "product" in my hair a la Chef Anne http://www.foodnetwork.com/secrets-o...hef/index.html

Maybe I could make it more wavy, or do it some other way, or not have hair at all? Ideas?

Or if it's not my avatar at all, if it's an icon for SCS, as mrsD is talking about, then it might need to be more generic, not something that represents me in particular. More on that...still thinking about her ideas--I hadn't thought beyond my own silly little identity issues when I started playing.:winky:

So I'll think about your ideas too, mrsD, and get back to you soon, but in the meantime, it's nice to see you! I haven't really made the decision yet about the SCS...I guess I've just made the decision to talk to the doctor about it. How's that for whishy-washy?:p

Wish I woulda thought of it first, Joan! :cool:
For your personal avatar, it looks Grand! I like the 'intense-ness' look about it.
And LOOK what you started! The possibility of us getting a LOGO for our SCS forum!! Oh MYY! How very exciting!
You've got some very good critique here!


I love mrsD's ideas! Regarding the forum Logo ...

Also, we'd want to somehow make it gender-friendly? ... He/she could be wearing a bra and pants? :D no no no, that was a joke. How bout a tie and a skirt? ok, this is getting nowhere.

Pitch in with the ideas! I'm lovin this!

Rae

It's your Avatar :)
 

Hi Joan,

I like Anne Burrell's hair and it suits her but it doesn't literally stand on her head! I like the idea of making it more wavy or something, mine is bait like this is not straight and its not really curly either.

Mrs D also had an idea of adding a belt around your waist to represent the SCS, this charging belt will become part of you. If you're going out to the shops for a couple of hours you'll need your stim in your bag, if you're going away for a couple of days you'll even need your chagning kit so all of this will become part of you.

Either way this is your Avatar and what ever you decide will be fantastic and you will become a bionic woman too. If you decide to extend it to the wither group then that's fine with me and I think it would be really nice to be identified by something as nice as you have here.

Can we see it before you finish it?

All the best,

Sinéad xxx:hug:

Many Thanks
 

MrsD, you so gently urge us along in a compassionate way that may bring greater identity to our neck of the Sub-fora with your teaching commentary. In this I am tremendously grateful, for the art JoanB inspires could so truly be used to better identify the group [even though, Joan, you would make quite a personal impact with your notions of identity through such an animated graphic].

Now, turning to dear Rrae..... ahem [clearing throat], I should imagine Cleo might object somewhat to my identification with the radically humorous adornments you contemplate were they tied to one such as moi. Gotta admit, you do crack me up!!:ROTFLMAO:

Yup,
Mark56:D

Well, the title says "group effort". So I thought you wanted it for the group as well.:o

I have a college art training, including design. So I am used to critiques etc. I just put in my two cents. I'll fade into lurkdom now unless beckoned! ;)

Sometimes it helps to draw it out on paper...first. Then do the computer stuff.

You don't HAVE to do it for the forum... it was my misunderstanding when I read the title.

Even So
 

A group Avatar could well be the means to draw more seekers into the conversation. We reach out at every opportunity to connect with new folk in need. So, MrsD, I appreciate your shared thoughts, and wonder outloud whether JoanB could both help our group while also stylizing a more personal avatar..... at least to take Rrae's humor to the heart.... I would not be the ugly duckling among Rrae's skirt and bra crowd.... besides, I doubt either would look any good on my physique, to the extent I have one anyway.:D:D And I must share, living among a family of graphic artists, I do feel as though the fish out of water at times, although I did [chest puffing out here] design the logos for our company. Ok, back to humility......

Thank you all..... ALL for sharing,
Mark56, a guy, in case some on here had thoughts otherwise : o)

I like the Avatar with a bit of tweaking in my opinion why not use it for the group but we all have to be in agreement.

I'm my opinion and what i feel is Joan's intention, this is my Avatar, what do you think and maybe just maybe if we as a group like it Joan could let us have it as a group Avatar, that's my 2 cents worth.

Joan, as your Avatar I like it alot, it represents you and that's the way it should be however if the group would like to adopt it as Mrs D suggests then it might need some tweaking to represent the group and the different types of SCS although for the majority of us we hope the outcome is still the same. Yea I can just imagine she have a bra and pants, why not just have it as non identifiable sex wise.

From my 1 penny's worth in the back of my brain somewhere?

Love to all,

Sinéad xxx

It's all good!

Hi Mark,

I think you're safe from the cluthes of feminism for the moment you're such a guy as my lovely husband is, I couldn't imagine either of you dressed as ladies! It would be some sight... LOL ! :)

Night night to both you and Cleo

Love and God bless,

Sinéad & Paul xxx

OK, you all are throwing out great ideas--I didn't have time to play with any of them because my mandolin orchestra is gearing up for a very exciting trip in a few weeks where we are featured in Friday night's concert:

http://www.classicalmandolinsociety....convention.asp

But I think all your ideas are great, and I will try working in some of your suggestions to try. We can have many interations of this. And mrsD, don't you dare leave! We need your help!

Thanks everyone...I'll try to work up some of your differnent ideas tomorrow night. And annimation suggestions will be accepted too---I just want to wait until we have something somewhat final first because that's the hard part.

Thanks you guys, and I'm really flattered that you'd let me try and would help me to make a logo for the group!

Well........ You See
 

YOU, JoanB, have endeared yourself to me, at least, as the sock monkey, just as I am a blue guitar playing glasses wearing poptart! If you do choose to change your Avatar, that is certainly your deal, and I will not fuss..... well...... maybe not too much.

This notion of you, after mandolin orchestra rehearsal and performance, preparing for this group an identifying Avatar which shouts to the whole of NT HEY!! We are over HERE and we Buzz or Pump, as the case may be!! I find especially, ESPECIALLY cool! So, if Sophie is in for a penny, I am in for a sixpence [and yes, we do have one in the safe, waiting patiently for the day in the future when our daughter may marry----- just not too soon, please God. She is too dedicated to her work to become a physician to let something else distract her for now. :)].

Way cool,
Mark56:cool:

Sorry, still getting sidetracked by other stuff--isn't life annoying sometimes?

So Mark, maybe you're right, I am probably best represented by the sock monkey. For what it's worth, I knitted that sock monkey, whose name is Casey, and lives with my neighbor's little neice.

Avatar/logo: Needs to look androgynous? OK

mrsD thought the figure looked like it was falling, but I meant it to look like flying, like a superhero, so I need to work on that. OK

I'm not 100% invested in the colors. We can look at different options.

So I guess that leaves me with these elements: some human figure, possibly flying (as in a superman launching pose) still keep the lightning bolts (yes, I think those have to be an essential element). Maybe the lightnig bolts should point to an SCS belt buckle instead of a bag...? Or they could shoot out from the buckle (or bag) (animation could indicate direction). Should look happy, empowered...?

I'll try to make something that looks like that and see if any of you have other/additional ideas. Or you can tell me if anything I said above was a misunderstanding.

Thanks...this is fun!

Don't worry...we'll figure this out!

Just a hint. When making an avatar...we have pixel limits here.

85px So reduce your various changes to that size to see if they work that way.

A siggie can be larger. The size is given when you do a siggie upload. Therefore reduction there is less severe.

Size reduction testing will reveal to you if your changes show up well, etc. You could save time, this way, overall.
I've done many avatars, and know from experience that some don't reduce well and others do.

I didn't forget about this--just have had too much on my plate and PN has been flaring a lot.

Besides, I started my ukulele class this week. Now if I can just learn how to make balloon animals, my life as a party girl will be complete.

Party Girl
 

Well now..... that sounds pretty good to me, but the picture it conjures up, mandolin strap hanging over the back, ukelele dangling about midriff, and toting a waist belt with gillions of little balloons of varied colors just waiting to be twisted into fun shapes....... indeed, you would be a well rounded party girl ready to serve up humor and treasures to many a child of all ages in restaurants, malles, parties...... you name it!

:D
Mark56

Oh, you mean there'd be crumb-crabbers involved? Hmmm...maybe I should rethink this...

No Hurry....
 

Dawn't put any pressure on yourself, Joan....
Fine wine takes time, yes?