LJ icons

[drwex]

http://www.livejournal.com/userpic/41725914/8687905
(Ganked from coffeeem)

I can think of oh, eightyhundred of my friends who would use an image of that sort, at least now and then.

Which brings me to the LJ icons thing. I've been considering ditching or at least adding to my icons set. The default Pogo icon has a lot of meaning to me, but it's not always the most appropriate. All the others have uses and I'm reluctant to jettison them. How sad is it that I'm considering upgrading just so I can have more expressive pictograms? Maybe I should go daub plant dyes on my cave walls, too. Eesh.

Comments and advice welcome.

Comments

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

*smile*

I must admit, I have considered upgrading solely for the purpose of adding icons... Though when I found out I'd be able to do polls too, that added to the pot. I like polls... polls are fun... *g*

And its not like we are talking about a huge amount of money either...
($5's, $10's...)

[coraline]

expressive pictograms are fun! i dunno, i don't think it's sad at all -- it's one of the reasons i originally upgraded :)
(but then, for me, it's kind of like the whole obsession with clothing thing...)

do you object to pictures of yourself? i've got a picture that seems like it would make a good icon for you :)

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

And speaking of icons, I really should have changed the one on this one... Somtimes its really annoying that you can't edit your comments after the fact...

[drwex]

The writer in me feels like my words ought to be able to convey the right message without needing the help of a cartoon. Though some of my online conversations have proven otherwise. I wonder if people even notice that I choose my pic based on the tone of what I'm writing (well, except when I forget to change the default...)

[drwex]

*ding*
Sometimes I copy the text of a comment, delete it, and re-post with a new pic.

[drwex]

I've not found many pictures of myself that were pleasing both to my ego and to my photographer's eye. I'd be happy to see whatever you've got and perhaps make an icon of it. Who knows, maybe that'll tip me over.

To return to your main point, I agree that icons can be decorative, but I try to use them primarily as tonal or expressive elements. Thus my desire for a wider repertoire of images.

[coraline]

mm, my comment about "expressive" and being like clothing wasn't meant to be just about the decorative -- it really is about being expressive to me (both the clothing and the icons). there's not necessarily a verbal message encoded in what i'm wearing, but it just about always says something about how i feel that day -- picking out clothing for me is definitely based on my internal state, and if i have to wear something i don't "feel" like, it feels very weird.

anyways, this was the picture -- it's not quite as amusing as i remembered, but it seemed very appropriate somehow.

http://www.labgoth.net/~johanna/20060507handfasting/medium/m-8594handfasting.jpg

[taura-g.livejournal.com]

A very good point. I think a lot of LJ writers use their various icons to depict either tone or what the topic might be about. So, yes, I think that many people notice, but of course there are always going to be people who don't or who don't grasp the significance of the pic chosen.

I understand what you are saying by the writer in you, however, a lot of people learn/understand better by sight and to these kind of people the addition of pictures (of any kind) to help interpretation can make a huge difference.

Icon Love!!!

[daurdabla.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I haven't added one for a while, but that's getting ganked forthwith, I think.

[drwex]

That's cute. Me and my scrunching camera face.

And yes, of course you're right - exression and decoration are inextricably intertwined. I was oversimplifying, sorry.

[sykotropic.livejournal.com]

I think I can credit imvfd with the comment made to his lovely spouse that it's not a lot of money and it's a service you use, so why not pay for a service that you find you useful.

[sebastian-tombs.livejournal.com]

I get great glee value from the paid account for playing with userpics.