I really love it! The new one would definitely draw me to your comic if I saw it on the main site. Zooming in was a good idea and dropping the title was also wise, it gives you more room and it's right under the icon anyway. You've done a great job, and as for it being it being in a different style I don't think it's so different that I'd feel cheated if I read the actual comic, but that's just me.
OK, I know this is old but I like the second one more, even though it looks a bit too blurry.
OK, I am not epileptic but I do have issues looking at certain images (I can not watch 3D films or look at flashing lights). The first one sort of makes me ill and dizzy.
Any who...
I recently changed my icon to this...I am not very good at icons but I think it came out Ok
@NickRowler
I would maybe use a bit less space between the characters, like this, they are very far apart and also don't really intrigue me because their relationship might look interesting. They both look rather unhappy, so something like an embrace might work for mutual comfort (I haven't read the comic so idk if it works for those characters)?
The icon has very little space as it is because 300x300 px isn't big, so make the most of it, especially with such a simple background!
I actually really liked your very first icon where they stand back on back and have this side-glance at each other, through which they kind of interact with each other and create a dynamic, there I just would change the angle a bit to make it look more interesting, like slightly from above. There are so many icons that show us something frontal, so be creative!
And if hugs don't do it right now, moving them closer together and zooming in, or copying the old icon (the one I mentioned) but with their sad expressions, might have a nice twist to it, too.
I hope this helps!
I think I need help... I don't know how to fix these icons:
Is the saturation wrong? Are they too dark or too light? I can tell they aren't quite right, but I can't figure out why...
Oh thank goodness for this thread!!! I had one of my comics get picked as a staff pick, and of course it WOULD be the new, rough and quick biographical comic where I put hardly any effort into the icon.
I feel like I'm not making best use of the publicity because the icon doesn't show off my artwork very well... but perhaps I shouldn't mess with unexpected success...
I'm trying something meta with my icon, as these two are the poster boys/girls in my series and I'm using them to promote the comic, though that's about as deep as I've gone with it.
@isaacfriedman Honestly, I think they read fine. The last one is the best in my opinion! I would bump up the brightness on that orange background so that the armor contrasts more. Also on the first, it's strange that the hat is low quality while the rest of the image is crisp. Probably not as noticeable when it's shrunk down though.
@Neil_Harrington Haha, honestly, it might give you less views. XD There are quite a number of readers that avoid BL tags like the plague.
@Helengreetham I would maybe pick a good emotion that defines your character and have that be the face of your icon. Right now I guess I would say she's (or you're) pensive? Perhaps confused? I don't have a good read on what the character is like is what I'm saying. XD
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Uhh, as far as my own. I worry it reads too much like it's a romance. D: Which couldn't be further from the truth. I dunno. Maybe I'm just crazy and it doesn't read that way at all? Advice please? XD
@JessJackdaw - It's difficult because it's a series of short comics that aren't about a character as such - I did the one with the back to the reader because i thought it looked contemplative which would fit the vibe of the comic, but I'm not sure it's great for inviting people to click on it.
I've only just started the comic and wasn't really expecting the thumbnail to be thrust into the spotlight just yet, so I haven't got a lot of ready-made artwork to use.
No the back to the reader is fine! Although honestly I'd consider it without the text. When that icon gets small it gets hard to make out what it even says.
(Honestly, the same thing happened to my comic like a week or so ago. I think that's just how staff picks are. Congrats though! XD)
here's my current icon:
it's actually a placeholder image from a print i made of the main character, it doesn't match the coloring style in my comic since it's painted and mine's cel shaded but i sketched up a new one and i think im liking it?? tell me what you think
it's going to be cel shaded like my comic and it'll have the same color scheme as my current icon
I just did a clip of the title character, giving a thumbs up- with a lightning bolt in the background. It's funny coz when it comes to actual comic drawing I have no issues coming up with stuff- but when I start doing art for poster/prints or some type of thing like an icon or banner, I struggle with trying to make the consummate piece.
I've been wanting to simplify my icon for a while but I'm also extremely indecisive, what do you think?
My friends say i should just leave it as is but i feel like the one with the text is too crowded
This is the icon I've been using for my comic. This is the updated version of the original which I used to use, though I'm still unsure if it stands out enough. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated! It features one of the more mysterious main characters in the story.
Would this be better?
But I hate the original icon, mostly because it is not well drawn and the man's skin color is also off and the art style does not match the comic.
Here are them side by side, the second one looks nicer and looks more like the comic.
The two are not a romantic couple. I wanted the woman to look sad (because she has depression). She tends to distance herself from others. I wanted it too look like the man was confronting her but unable to help (or touch her).
Oooooh nooooo, it certainly doesn't look like that to me! With the title of your comic I always read it like, "ahhh! It's a pesky monster! This job is too much, I need a raise." I really like this thumb, though, it's one of my favorites that I've seen! The contrasting colors and values are really eye-catching. And it just looks like a fun story.
Anyways, one thing I've noticed (but perhaps underutilized) is that my eyes are always drawn very strongly to a face. If the thumb just has a face in it, I notice it instantly. However, there are SO MANY thumbs with faces that unless it's a very interesting face, I tend to click on something else. (usually thumbs that have two or more characters and thereby imply character relationships)
I also notice thumbs with words on them, but they repel me, haha. Thumbs with only words are especially infuriating to my to my eyes.
Here're my thumbnails, neither of which are particularly strong thumb compositions in my opinion. But they're fun and that's pretty much what matters to me at this point!
Oh gosh thank you! ;u; I was worried that people would infer that two characters in an icon looking at eachother automatically means a couple. XD I'm so glad it comes across right.
I like both your thumbs too! The juxtaposition is just great you've got cats and guns and even blades and cute girls. Awesome characterization with each one! Although, the stupid part about icons is that most of the detail is lost. D: I hope they read well as something tiny, because they're both really good!
