Avvies, identity and change

[Laurinquë]

Originally Posted by Thinlómien

I think I'm an odd case - I'm kind of stuck with this avatar. I may try something else for a while - penguins (lots of different ones!), other Mucha women, ww theme pictures (ringwraith, Gildor) or I've had very different stuff in the past: a football protest, a raccoon, a chimp, a few Galadriels, Winnie the Pooh etc - but I always come back to this one, it just feels like me. It's a bit weird that I'm so fixated, but I like the bright beautiful colours and Mucha's artwork and the atmosphere in the picture and all that - but I blame my mum who sent/gave me this picture as a postcard several times when I was small always forgetting she had given it to me before. Apparently the picture reminded her of me - well the girl there is kind of thoughtful, lazy and playful at the same time and that kind of fits me.

I am a great fan of Mucha's work as well, (especially your 'Summer' picture) but I could never use it as my avatar - that is a right held by Thinlómien alone!

Originally Posted by TGEW

Now, Laurinque for a while really wanted me to change back to my Sam avvie because it reminds her of TGEW, despite the fact that she knows me in RL and sees me just about every other day.

I gave up on that war. It was a lost cause anyway.

Originally Posted by Nogrod

Then I had my Gallén-Kallela period - a Finnish artist in the early 20th century renowned especially from his paintings on Kalevala...

That was my favourite!

As for my avatar; I had a Phodopus roborovskii photo for a while, being my favourite animal, but it was getting a bit dull so I thought that in light of my recent trip to the North Slope of Alaska I would change it to a phalarope. Not deep or meaningful in anyway I fear, but biology geeks never do grow up.

But back to this thread's main question; I am an exceedingly visual person who is just about incapable of seeing users as being independent from their avatars. I get hopelessly muddled and a little distressed when things change, and as is the way of things on the Downs, as soon as I become accustomed to someone's avvie - they change it. Not that's it's a bad thing, but I do find it a bit difficult to find the person again.

[Groin Redbeard]

Originally Posted by Laurinquë

That was my favourite!

I don't know. I actually liked Nogrod's Bombadil avvie, the one where Bombadil is standing in the middle of a wheat-field. It seems to fit Nogrod's personality: he may seem distant, yet has a very Bombadilish attitude when you talk to him.

Also, I agree Laurinquë about Lommy's avvie. Lommy doesn't seem like Lommy without it.

[Eönwë]

Originally Posted by Groin Redbeard

I actually liked Nogrod's Bombadil avvie, the one where Bombadil is standing in the middle of a wheat-field.

Hmm, yes, I think so too. I would say that the Kalevala one and the Bombadil ones are my favourite ones, followed by the owl.

And yes, in my mind, that picture to me is Lommy, unless of course there's a penguin, which is also very Lommy.

[the phantom]

Sometimes I get annoyed when someone changes their avie, because I can't spot their posts any more. I mean- it's much faster to glance at avies than it is to read names, especially when you're scrolling quickly down a page.

Since I'm such a considerate chap, I never change mine.

Okay, okay- it's possible my primary motivation is so that I can find my own posts. Plus I love my avie and changing it would feel like... dying or something.

Seriously. I don't think I'd change my avatar for less than a hundred thousand $ or so.

[Inziladun]

I've tried a few different avvies, but I don't know that I've yet hit upon the 'right' one. Who knows? I may go back to doing without one.

[Formendacil]

Originally Posted by Inziladun

I've tried a few different avvies, but I don't know that I've yet hit upon the 'right' one. Who knows? I may go back to doing without one.

There's something to be said for "the right one." Caesar has filled that role for me for some time, from the slightly comic aspect to the grouchy old curmudgeon to the hint of assumed royalty to the delectable (and happy coincidental) shade of purple background.

Catching sight of this thread a couple days ago--but not having the time to post--I was honestly baffled that no one had ever started such a thread before. Avatars are, after all, so terribly central to our mental pictures of Downers. Perhaps this is less obvious in the days post-Facebook and since we've had a regularly updated Downs-photo page, but if you take a gander through the "How Do You Imagine Other BDers?" thread, you'll see that our mental images are (or were) chalk full of avatar-based imagery.

I know that, back in the early days, my image of Lhunardawen was decidedly influenced that that Rohirric, blonde image of Éowyn against the blue sky, counter to all truth, and it's only the studious efforts of Hookbill's "Phantom and Alien" comic that have allowed to segue my mental image of the phantom into his Photo page portrait.

It's a shock, if ever one of the old-timers changes. Hookbill changes just slowly enough that it always takes me a good month to adjust, and if Davem, Lalwendë, or Heren ever change, I'll probably have a heart-attack.

That being said... I'm a hypocrite. If something better comes along, Caesar is gone. It's just that, picking up on the "just right" theme... he's going to be a really high watermark to flood over.

[Bêthberry]

Originally Posted by Formendacil

There's something to be said for "the right one." Caesar has filled that role for me for some time, from the slightly comic aspect to the grouchy old curmudgeon to the hint of assumed royalty to the delectable (and happy coincidental) shade of purple background.

. . . .

That being said... I'm a hypocrite. If something better comes along, Caesar is gone. It's just that, picking up on the "just right" theme... he's going to be a really high watermark to flood over.

Well, there's always the possibility of an alternate just right for avatar (like comic) relief: Hooky's sleeveless Father Formy.

[Feanor of the Peredhil]

Originally Posted by the phantom

I don't think I'd change my avatar for less than a hundred thousand $ or so.

I bet I could think of a worthy incentive...