Icon squee

[altivo]

1. Reply to this post, and I will pick five of your userpics.
2. Make a post and talk about the icons I chose.
3. Other people can then comment to you and make their own posts.
4. This will create a never-ending cycle of icon squee.

These are the ones aerofox picked for me:

This one is, of course, THE Altivo whose name I stole. From the Dreamworks animated film, The Road to El Dorado, in which he upstages both his human costars. Actually, the name is a Spanish name almost as typical for a stallion as "Rover" or "Fido" might be for a dog. It means "proud" or "elevated" (or "conceited" but we won't talk about that.) I still love the original character, though I don't usually RP his sort of personality. I use this icon particularly for "Oh Really?" kinds of comments or posts.

The next one is from a commissioned drawing by Kaijima Frostfang, and shows me as an inflatable toy. The original drawing is much larger and also features goldenstallion as an inflatable pegasus, since he and I were long time playmates on Tapestries. I use this one when I'm being pompous or preachy, in case you hadn't noticed. ;p

I made this one by doctoring up an actual photo of an angry Clydesdale. The original appeared on the cover of one of my horse training magazines, and had a lot of text plastered all over it, so I unplastered it with The GIMP (open source program similar to Photoshop.) The meaning is obvious, I hope: rage, great irritation, vengefulness. I don't use it a lot, but when I do, I mean it.

Gift art from miktar, who, sadly, has abandoned both his LJ and his FA accounts. He's a good artist, a good writer, and a good dragotaur whom I am proud to call a friend, at least in the electronic sense. I hope to meet him in person some day. I use this one when I'm feeling old and greymuzzly, but I'm actually quite fond of it. I think it captures me in many different senses.

This one and another one depict me as a plush toy, which is an aspect I've been known to RP at times. I'm not always a passive person, but I can be. As it happens, this photo was a replacement provided by songcoyote for a less attractive version I had been using. It's special to me because it was a gift, but it also represents mirth and gentle amusement. I guess the rockers look like smiles to me or something silly like that.

Comments

[drgnkiyo.livejournal.com]

Looks fun ^^

Here you are

[altivo.livejournal.com]

[goldenstallion.livejournal.com]

Dear Rider.

I have that picture Kai drew on my toolbox walltop at work. Often people look at it over and over wondering just what the heck that is. I tell them it is a very personal thing but they always like it.

Gods I miss that kind of roleplay. Oh well.

Imperator the inflatable flying horse

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I miss the RP fun too. We have had a timing mismatch mostly, or we'd still be doing it I know. I used to do it a lot from work, which is harder now because I'm so much busier when I'm there. I've never had a lot of time when I'm home. Since you started working more hours and can't play from work, we'd almost have to schedule a time. 'Course Tapestries is all messed up now with weird rules and arbitrary changes, but I've kept my accounts alive.

You didn't say if you wanted me to pick five of your icons, but since you only have six, I won't. I'm sure folks would be interested if you want to comment on any of them though.

[cozycabbage.livejournal.com]

o hay i commented.

Do I even have five icons?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

You have six. I don't think I've seen you use them, though. All of them could use commentary. ;p

[schnee.livejournal.com]

I don't know why or how, but I initially read "conceited" as "constipated" - I wonder what that says about me. :P

Anyhow, very interesting! ^^

Only five?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Canis! You have a lot of them to choose from. OK, here are five I haven't seen you use that make me curious.







(The last one is snipped from the full size image I just happen to have as a backdrop on both my home and my work machines.)

Re: Only five?

[schnee.livejournal.com]

The first one's a "sock" icon that archadia drew for me. I don't really use it, though, to be honest - I don't usually post about socks anymore, among other things, so it just doesn't see any real use. Ah well. :)

The second's an icon from a trend of sorts that once existed (a minor one, admittedly); I occasionally use it when I'm feeling really good, but it's been mostly replaced by this one these days. Maybe I should dig it out again some time, though. :)

The third one's from another trend - I mostly use that one for posts that are both silly *and* sex-related, but of course, needless to say, there aren't too many of that. ^.^

The fourth one's just a crop from an arctic wolf picture; I uploaded it, but never really used it at all as far as I recall. I probably would if the picture had been taken in sunlight rather than in the shade (as it apparently has), though; I'm not particularly fond of it right now just because the wolves' coats look so grey.

And the last one's from a raytraced picture, of course, as you not(ic)ed. It's one I use when I'm feeling sad/blue/depressed, although it does not signify quite as much sadness as this icon does.

Re: Only five?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

The oddest thing about that last picture isn't visible in the icon. It's the shrub with blue flowers growing in the dim light, which just makes no botanical sense. ;p

Thanks for the commentary.

Re: Only five?

[schnee.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. :)

Hmmm, interesting - do you have a link to the original version handy, perchance?

Re: Only five?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I'll try to find it. If not, I can upload it.

Re: Only five?

[altivo.livejournal.com]

This is where I got it:

http://art.gnome.org/themes/gdm_greeter/1226

Re: Only five?

[schnee.livejournal.com]

Thanks! :)

[saythename.livejournal.com]

I only have a few, I let my paid LJ account lapse long ago.

I try and be a bit different, though online thats hard considering
the sheer weight of numbers.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

You have exactly five in fact. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to write about them. This message will not self-destruct in 30 seconds.

[saythename.livejournal.com]

My face: Its me, this was taken by me at
arms lenght while exploring a rather
interesting convolution of local railroad
tracts last summer.

The Angel: It works for me because demons and
horror are the "norm" for much popular culture,
I'm a contrary sort and like to at least try
for powerful goodness.

The Laughing Fox: I think foxes must laugh
a lot, the probably have great senses of
humor.

Da Hooch!: When I drink and post it seems
appropriate. Probably underused. @.@

The Hand: My favorite. Is it the expression
of a drowning man going down that you notice
and call 911? Or is it a friend waving at
you across a busy street? Is it the last
movement of a religious gesture, or is it
the hand laying across a forehead as someone,
exhausted, is going to sleep?

Or is it just a cool, well done example of
how to draw a hand?

[corelog.livejournal.com]

What the hey. :) I need something people will actually show some interest in, since my breakdown of how the Rush songs impacted me through my life didn't generate any such thing.

OK, here's five

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Now as for the Rush thing, I debated and decided to keep my hooves out of my mouth. It's too far from my own experience for me to safely say much. Music plays an important role in my life, but a very different kind of role just the same.

[cetasdolphin.livejournal.com]

heh I only have the one icon here that I got as a commission from Yiffer_Fox but I will say I have always like the inflatable icon pic. I am pretty sure I have seen the full version somewhere but I could be wrong.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Full drawing available here.

[cetasdolphin.livejournal.com]

thank you, turns out I hadn't seen that before it certainly is a unique perspective though.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

That's Kai's style. ;D

[songcoyote.livejournal.com]

Should you have any curiosity as to my icons I would be pleased to illuminate. Several of mine are "acquired", but even they have stories.

I was bashfully pleased to see my name crop up :)

More later when I'm not so tired.

Light and laughter,
SongCoyote

I'll give ya five

[altivo.livejournal.com]

I love the default one you used on here, but the significance is clear enough. So here are five that are interesting:

Re: I'll give ya five

[songcoyote.livejournal.com]

I am happy in that four of the five are ones I assembled :)

My default, which I adore and use about 90%+ of the time, was made as a gift for me by emberleo.

The ball-room: I really enjoy the comic XKCD and the strip this .gif shows in particular. I don't use it often, but when I do it's usually for particularly "grown up" realizations or thoughts. It's a very happy image for me.

"Get Some" is the second icon I ever made. Cougar is the other animal with which I associate, so I basically hunted around until I found an image I liked. I use it to indicate things, people, or food about which I am particularly enthusiastic, or to make playful challenges.

I only very recently appropriated the Elmer Season icon as part of a response to two friends of mine who were using "Rabbit Season / Duck Season" icons back and forth in a discussion in their journal. I found the picture specifically to interject into their conversation, and it amused them a fair bit :) I haven't used it since but will do so to indicate coalition: that moment when you realize that you are both on the same side.

WOW: this is the first icon I ever made, in all its Paint glory :) I use it to express exactly what it says: wow!

The woeful cat was reassembled from an image in another online comic I enjoy, Two Lumps. I use it when making morose entries or when playfully mocking my own sadness (or - very carefully, another's). The original comic was a much bigger image with a wider thought-bubble; it was challenging to squeeze it all down to icon size and keep legibility. More action in Paint again - fun but not always pretty ;)

That's about it. I hope you enjoyed this trip through my thoughts about my icons, such as they are. Have a joyous week!

Light and laughter,
SongCoyote

Re: I'll give ya five

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I like the play pen balls too. Amazing that it could be shrunken to such a tiny size and still be legible.

[typographer.livejournal.com]

My first thought was, "But my icons are all either boring or self-explanatory."

But that's just my opinion...

Well, actually...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

As a total non-watcher of television who rarely even sees a Hollywood film, more than half of your icons are well-nigh incomprehensible to me. Even so, the ones I choose here are probably not from that context:

Re: Well, actually...

[typographer.livejournal.com]

Interesting... answers posted in my journal.

Only 11 of my 38 user pics have anything to do with TV or movies... 13 if you add the too pop bands.

I had thought more than half my user pics were actual pictures of me... but it's only 10 of the 38, and one of those is me rendered in the style of the Simpson's cartoon.

Re: Well, actually...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Yes, the ones that are pictures of you I do recognize. ;p

The childhood one, though, begs for a recollection of the scene and occasion.

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Whoops the stopper came out!! *quickly gets a foot pump to reinflate the Hoss*

[altivo.livejournal.com]

*flies around the room as he collapses, making sputtery squeaky noises*

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

Ack Tivo!! Speak to me, say something! O.O
*quickly wheels in his compressor* Hold your breath or something.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

*gasp*

Thanks, I'll be OK now. I just had to switch back to plushie form.

*looks like he's lost some stuffing though*

[cabcat.livejournal.com]

*drags in plushie stuffing, and puts on an arm length glove* Okay, now undo your zip...you might feel some slight discomfort.

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Umm, no. That won't work.

*sticks muzzle into the stuffing bag and swallows several mouthfuls instead*

Duh, okay...

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

Heh, too easy. I like the first pic, I think it really does a good job depicting your character- at least, as I see it.

The second... well, I find the whole inflatable thing a little odd, but the design looks cool, so kudos.

The third seems very natural to someone like me- anger is one of my motivating emotions, so it seems "natural".

The fourth makes you look a bit tired, but I can understand why you use it and how.

The last one screams two terms, "hobbyhorse" and "plushie", niether of which mean much to me ^_^ I can't help but think of an old Sears or JC Penny Christmas catalog.

Re: Duh, okay...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Well, the plushie thing has a double meaning for me. I do collect plush toys, have been fascinated with them since I was tiny, and have even designed (and sold) original ones. And yes, I give them names and sometimes snuggle them (but no more than that.) In a generic sense, I can be called "plushophile" but in the specific sense in which fandom uses it, probably not.

I also use the persona of a toy in online roleplay at times, which may well seem alien to you, but [shrugs] I don't know if I can explain it very well other than to say those who have seen it usually get it.

Re: Duh, okay...

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

I see... that answers another question I haven't yet had the desire to pursue (what do you do in the RG things), but I'm still curious as to what five icons of mine you'll pick :P ...and what you'll say about them -_-

Re: Duh, okay...

[altivo.livejournal.com]

Hmm, so many hostile images. At least, it seems that way to me. Keep in mind the fact that the names of anime or manga characters are meaningless to me, as are their images. I have no context for those. Your old icon of the horse always interested me, what it means to you, where it came from... The one of your drawings I choose here seems to have three images superimposed and I've meant to ask you what they mean.

Re: Duh, okay...

[gabrielhorse.livejournal.com]

Ah, all excellent choices! To me, the image of a horse- society's "prey" animal- flinging around a lioness is so unlike anything you'd see on a nature show that it stood out to me as the contradiction to society's mindset that my thinking, indeed my very form, could represent.

The superimposed image represent three different perspectives- Ralph, the Horse, and Proteus (the figure in the background) is meant to have a psychological dream interpretation feel to it. Proteus is a representation of my mind & body's own developing capabilities, continuously changing and very animalistic- and in this pure animalism, an odd sort of awareness and natural aspect seeking to further express itself over the mask society attempts to cover me (indeed all of us) with limitaions.

The middle two are there to express more or less what is obvious- "sexy" in the third, "caught off guard" in the fourth.

The fifth actually highlights a principle I picked up from S-cry-ed, which I term "decomposition and reconstitution". This sort of fits into my Proteus representation- the breaking down of structured thought (given by outside influences) and the alteration and reconstruction into a form practical and suitable for my individual needs. Since my arm is constantly gettign exercised (broken down and rebuilt), I figured this representation worked on "all levels".

Excellent choices ^_^ Thanks.