The Artist in Me
I suppose there should be some sort of tear-jerking jabber about my lack of time and will to live1 write as well as overall laziness. Never fear, it will all come! I’ve made notes and saved the file on my desktop for future reference. After all, you cannot possibly be spared the exciting tale of the terrible misfortune to befall upon poor me2.
But back to today’s post.
I can make a user icon! An honest-to-Windows icon, that depicts a user: an MSN Messenger style one *points below*:
(Resource used: Cool MSN-Style People in Photoshop).
As we all know, I’m no artist, and will probably never be one. As a matter of fact the only reason I’m trusted with design tasks is due to me worrying about them the most… while I preach semantic HTML and CSS3 to anyone willing to listen4
As such, after spending close to 4 hours yesterday night to find the right tutorial, coupled with an additional 3 of actually making it this morning, is it any wonder that I expect recognition?
Granted, the bottom lines are jagged because… I’m pretty sure it’s not a crime to require five years to realize that the custom shape tool does actually have several custom shapes; not just that arrow.
OK, so no one will see the “nifty” glossy effect on an 18×18px icon5 … but, you know: appreciate me! I shall put up a splash page/banner/card requiring unconditional admiration for my otherwise non-existent artistic skills. Right after I’ve figured out the script/program for reading complete strangers’ nonexistent impression/opinion/thoughts’ about me. I’d hate to block potential stalkers fans.
Regardless: I can now make MSN style glossy icons… which are preferably not to be used as icons. Really, wouldn’t you rather have a wallpaper with such a cute 3D chess peasant look-alike? The answer is yes by the way: that was a rhetorical question, should you have any doubts.
You, as the self-respecting visitor, will now proceed to compliment my crappy achievement: so that I won’t have to change the sidebar description (way too smug for her own good) to … well anything really. I’m out of witty ideas.
As a side note to the Dicle’s victims: there’s no “only way to do” something; at most there is an “easiest way to do” something. As real web design connoisseurs you should know this… along with the correct spelling of the verb “to write“6.
_________________
1 I’m only a closet emo because I fear Rhiannon and Jem
2 also known as deadline
3 all Jem‘s fault, of course
4 i.e. no one
5 more likely confused on seeing the ‘user group list’ image, which contains 9 resized user icons on a 18x18px surface… 
6 basic spelling doesn’t generally require woodworking skills.
Emsz
October 17th, 2007
I like it
It looks cool 
Good Job Vera!
Rilla
October 17th, 2007
Lol that is so cute. The gloss and shading is cool. But aren’t MSN people even shorter and fatter? I don’t know… Ever since I saw your creation I’ve forgotten what real MSN people look like.
Kaylee
October 17th, 2007
That thing is way too tall and skinny to be the MSN icon (Rilla was correct)
But, omg, that looks so lyke totalllyyy amazing! You have such great artistic ability!! Why have you been hiding all these years?!?
Louise
October 17th, 2007
Nice icon Vera. Maybe you should make more.
Until recently, I didn’t know you could ‘wright’ articles/blogs/etc.
Amanda
October 18th, 2007
OMG VERA BEST ICON EVAH!!!!!11$!
Vera
October 18th, 2007
Thank you everyone
Rilla and Kaylee: initially I wanted to make something like these Fast Icon user icons, but since this task was supposed to take very little (in my boss’ perception at any rate), I stopped there.
Louise: neither did I
*glomps Amanda*
Louise
October 18th, 2007
Hey Vera, did you get an email from me? It’s about my pending review.
Vera
October 18th, 2007
I just answered you.
Gonny
October 18th, 2007
I was just wondering, why you are linking to my site?
Vera
October 18th, 2007
Because you’re the first person to ever “wright” a tutorial, of course.
Gonny
October 18th, 2007
Wow I didn’t believe you at first but I’ve checked my pages and yes I’ve written “wright” @@ I don’t know why I did write “wright”, but I did (shame on me) anyway thanks for umh…letting me know in a way…
Vera
October 18th, 2007
Yes… I could’ve e-mailed you, I suppose… the same way that you could have chosen not to blog about Dicle. No, it’s not nice.
Gonny
October 18th, 2007
I can handle a review about “how someone doesn’t like my site” (I do not expect everyone to like my site) but I can’t handle the fact that she’s accused me of stealing. So that’s the reason I’ve blogged about Dicle.
Jem
October 18th, 2007
But you are stealing, Gonny.. so what’s your point? People shouldn’t write the truth about you?
@Vera: I heartily second Amanda’s comment! I’m also impressed that you linked to me twice in one entry
Gonny
October 18th, 2007
Jem, you’re referring to me using celebrity images, but Dicle said I stole a tutorial and that’s the reason I wrote my blog.
Vera
October 18th, 2007
In theory you are right, however the fact that all of those sites had extremely similar names for said effect makes me doubt that.
I read that same tutorial some 4 years ago, though it wasn’t meant for any kind of glow. It was a quick fix for bad quality images.
Crissy
October 18th, 2007
Hello ^^
Oh that icon is so cute! I love it, now I want to make one (LOL, as if I could, but still…) so where exactly can that be used?
Designing? Not my forte. I am really bad, my own design on my blog is….terrible to say the least.
So, yay you blogged!!! *smile* Oh and thanks for the blogging tip
Vera: It’s quite easy actually; I’m thinking of using it in a layout (with a few modifications).
Kycoo
October 19th, 2007
Cute chess peasants are made of awesome.
Kimmie
October 19th, 2007
Gasp! You’re not dead!
Jem
October 19th, 2007
Gonny, what you’re stealing is irrelevant. The fact that you are stealing something makes you a thief, so protesting that you’re not a thief because you didn’t copy some lame tutorial is both a lie, and hilariously pointless.
Crissy
October 19th, 2007
Vera: Awesome! can’t wait to see that then ^^
Gonny
October 19th, 2007
Jem, it is relevant ’cause I’ve written my blog because she accused me of stealing a tutorial and she wasn’t accusing me of stealing celebrity images. So yes I’m protesting ’cause what she accused me of was (still is) a lie. If you find me a thief ’cause I’m using celeb images that’s your choice, but this wasn’t what I was “protesting” about.
Crissy
October 19th, 2007
Hello: I was trying not to barge in but I have to ask. Gonny, Jem what’s going on? I can get a brief impression about stealing a tutorial…details?
Vera: It’s Dicle’s (link in post) last blog about the amount of people using a certain Photoshop effect and naming it similarly.
Jem
October 20th, 2007
A thief is a thief is a thief, Gonny.
I don’t “find you a thief” because of my choice, I think you’re a thief because that’s what the law says. You might be so obsessed with your teenybopper visitors that you can’t take the risk of losing them by removing illegally gained content, but that doesn’t make you less of a thief.
@Crissy: Gonny is defending her right to not be called a thief, despite the fact that she IS a thief because she steals and redistributes photography that she doesn’t own and has no right to.