I *definitely* see the attraction, and I enjoy seeing all of the pretties, but I've mostly just used the one icon, and now that I've lapsed back to unpaid, my limit here on LJ is a big ol' *5* icons. W00t! And I actually lost one of 'em back when that weird shit was going on where suddenly one of your icons would just be some completely unidentified image that WAS. NOT. YOURS. Remember that? And I just never fixed it.
The icon that I use is Vicki the Biker Chick from "Rose is Rose." She's my alter ego, oh yeah. At this point, I think if I used a different icon, nobody would even know who I was. ;-D
I love the people not on my flist who have like 1 or 2 standard ones they use. Because I start associating them completely with their icon. THEY BECOME THE ICON. It's weird, but being able to "recognize" them so easily beyond the name makes them see more familiar to me. I glance down a page of comments and am immediately drawn to read theirs.
This! Only it gets messed up when it's a person sometimes, because when I finally met a couple popslash peeps, it was SO BIZARRE that none of them were Justin Timberlake or Chris Kirkpatrick.
*laughs* Yep. And to be very honest? When I first changed from that one to a Supernatural one? I felt like I was cheating on him, or something. o_O It was terribly disconcerting.
I change my default to go with my desktop/browser skin/LJ layout, which is either related to what I'm writing during NaNo or to whatever season it is. Is being super anal about things matching considered frequent? *lol*
I like making my own because I don't like seeing other people with the same icons. I'm funny that way. And my default is my doggie because I love her nose.
OK... I put that I am an artiste but I'm not. I do however only use icons that I made EXCEPT for my bang icons. Also, I make my default icon my latest big bang. Since i've done so many this year it changes quite often :P
* I manipulate friends into making icons for me :D
But I feel it is important to have a variety of fandom/stock/text icons. Different moods, posts. It's important to not post a condolence comment with a picture of a boob (imo).
I don't have a 'favourite' type of icon, I just love being able to use an appropriate one for whatever post I'm making. The most important thing to me is that I only use icons I've made myself, either from screencaps or from my own photos or artwork.
I never ever use my default icon. I have to have the most appropriate icon possible for every post and comment. It's only there to exist when I've had to delete an icon.
I have icons I only use for one purpose, like the one I made of Kensi from CSI:LA for the Kensi fic I wrote. I don't know if I'll ever use it on another post or comment, because it doesn't really convey a particular mood, and I don't talk about the show much. But I want to have it for that fic. this is why I need so many icons! *uses it now just because*
also. I make a lot of my icons, but I also use other people's icons for stock or animated ones, because I am not good with those. My thing is icons of people, really. so I need a middle ground on that answer :D
I love love love my icons! I have a couple, I think, that I "made" myself courtesy of LJ's "icon factory" resizer thing (though I may have deleted those, actually), but I love finding new icons, and I like to have icons that go with my posts/comments etc.
I voted for fave star/show etc, but actually it's a tie between that and the text ones. Text icons are often my absolute favourites. The icons I have that I love the most combine the two - text icons of lyrics or quotes from the performers/shows I love. Best of both worlds!
I can't stand getting too close to my maximum number of icons, I need some breathing space in case I find a new set that I absolutely have to have. I have never reached the limit and if get close I have to delete some from LJ (though I will save them on the laptop in case I need them again).
I have a thing for candles and flames. And I do seasonal icons, as well.
I like to play with Pshop and crop and caption my own--some of the pics I've taken, some I've found public domain, and some from that teevee show. Or that other one.
no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 02:46 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 04:51 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 04:22 pm (UTC)And OH MY GOD, your icon!!! *drools*
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Date: 2010-11-24 03:09 am (UTC)The icon that I use is Vicki the Biker Chick from "Rose is Rose." She's my alter ego, oh yeah. At this point, I think if I used a different icon, nobody would even know who I was. ;-D
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Date: 2010-11-24 04:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 03:35 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 04:49 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 04:50 am (UTC)no subject
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Date: 2010-11-24 04:53 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 04:48 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 04:54 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 05:12 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 05:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 06:48 am (UTC)But I feel it is important to have a variety of fandom/stock/text icons. Different moods, posts. It's important to not post a condolence comment with a picture of a boob (imo).
no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 07:24 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 12:34 pm (UTC)I have icons I only use for one purpose, like the one I made of Kensi from CSI:LA for the Kensi fic I wrote. I don't know if I'll ever use it on another post or comment, because it doesn't really convey a particular mood, and I don't talk about the show much. But I want to have it for that fic. this is why I need so many icons! *uses it now just because*
also. I make a lot of my icons, but I also use other people's icons for stock or animated ones, because I am not good with those. My thing is icons of people, really. so I need a middle ground on that answer :D
no subject
Date: 2010-11-24 01:21 pm (UTC)I voted for fave star/show etc, but actually it's a tie between that and the text ones. Text icons are often my absolute favourites. The icons I have that I love the most combine the two - text icons of lyrics or quotes from the performers/shows I love. Best of both worlds!
I can't stand getting too close to my maximum number of icons, I need some breathing space in case I find a new set that I absolutely have to have. I have never reached the limit and if get close I have to delete some from LJ (though I will save them on the laptop in case I need them again).
no subject
Date: 2010-11-25 11:45 am (UTC)I like to play with Pshop and crop and caption my own--some of the pics I've taken, some I've found public domain, and some from that teevee show. Or that other one.