RenaissanceFestival.com Forums

R/F.com Updates => R/F.com Updates => Topic started by: DeadBishop on May 30, 2008, 09:55:16 PM

Title: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: DeadBishop on May 30, 2008, 09:55:16 PM
We've been working on how to handle the fact that we can't have a profile picture in our profiles now, but that avatars are part of this new site.  I believe it's time to move forward with allowing everyone to have an avatar/profile picture.  However, there are stipulations.

1)  The avatar will need to be a picture of yourself since it will also serve at your profile picture. 

2)  It must be faire related.  That's why we're here, folks.   :)

3)  It must be somewhat tasteful.  Knowing how some pictures from faire turn out, I'll be lenient on this.  It will be my discretion as to the final say of the avatar as to whether it is appropriate or not.

4)  You must have permission from the photographer to use the picture you want as your avatar. 

5)  Avatars are limited to a size of 100 x 100.

6)  As with the old site, you will need to host the avatar at a web-based storage site like Photobucket or Flickr.

7)  At this time, I would like all members to have a static avatar; that is, a single, non-animated image.  My personal avatar was made in a way so members could differentiate my posts from the rest. 



These guidelines will probably be refined over time, but for now, I believe they cover the bases fairly well.  If anyone needs help creating an avatar, let me know.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: renfairephotog on May 30, 2008, 10:12:36 PM
Noess people can't know what I look like. off to photo bucket to see what I have there.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Erynn on May 30, 2008, 10:22:22 PM
DB do I have your permission to use the picture you took of me in 2006? (Dis one? (http://flickr.com/photos/26614157@N04/2537163295/))

;D
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: DeadBishop on May 30, 2008, 10:28:23 PM
Quote from: Erynn on May 30, 2008, 10:22:22 PM
DB do I have your permission to use the picture you took of me in 2006? (Dis one? (http://flickr.com/photos/26614157@N04/2537163295/))

;D

Of course.   :)
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Erynn on May 30, 2008, 10:29:37 PM
Yay! Thanks DB.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: renfairephotog on May 30, 2008, 10:40:56 PM
Ok updated.  New old profile pic is resized and back.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: renfairephotog on May 30, 2008, 10:52:49 PM
And here's how to add an avatar.

Click profile then look for Forum Profile Information on the left.

Forum Profile Information enables you to enter optional personal details such as gender, birthdate, location, website and instant messenger contact information. It's also where you go to enter your own personal text and signature and select an avatar (personal picture) from one of your own on the web.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: DeadBishop on May 30, 2008, 11:15:45 PM
Thanks RFP....I was getting to that.   ;)
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Leyla on May 30, 2008, 11:24:27 PM
Someone linked to a photo resizer thingy.  Can we get that link posted here again for the size limit on the avatar.  I'm clearly having trouble with mine.  Photo shows on my profile alteration page when I put in the address, but am getting just the little blue box with a question mark instead of a photo for my posts right now.

Thanks!

Oh, and YAY AVATARS!  WOOT!!!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: DeadBishop on May 30, 2008, 11:29:59 PM
Here's one free online site for resizing;

http://www.picresize.com/
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: eloquentXI on May 30, 2008, 11:35:22 PM
Huzzah to the admins! :)
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Just Randall on May 31, 2008, 12:54:06 AM
Gee, I like avatars! Faces, names, all that good junk!!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: renren on May 31, 2008, 12:58:55 AM
Hey, is this allright?
If not, just lemme know, and I'll change it...
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: SleepyArcher on May 31, 2008, 02:13:07 AM
yay...

now if you will excuse me I must find more purple.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: theChuck on May 31, 2008, 09:14:08 AM
Cheers to the admins for opening this up.

Now if only I had a pic to use...
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Tremayne on May 31, 2008, 06:34:19 PM
Quote from: Deadbishop on May 30, 2008, 11:29:59 PM
Here's one free online site for resizing;

http://www.picresize.com/


At first I was all excited about this for the cropping aspect but found that when I downloaded back to my computer and then tried to upload to photobucket, it did not acknowledge the crop. It must somehow preserve the original information that photobucket is picking up on--or did I do something wrong?

Is there a best or preferred pixel width/height for these avatars? I've already figured out that a vertical (aka portrait) orientation is best--otherwise you get squished and skinny (as my pic currently is now--the reason I was trying to resize). Can we get some specifics? (That sort of resizing may work fine--haven't tried it yet for lack of specific numbers.)

Thanks, DB!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Tremayne on May 31, 2008, 06:50:28 PM
And now, after cropping the image in photoshop to be vertical and reloading to photobucket, we've gained weight  :D

Will come back later to resize to about 250 pixels as an experiment.

[tried the pixel re-sizing and it hasn't affected our proportions, so advice on how to the avatar look like the original pic would be appreciated  :-*]
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: sealion on May 31, 2008, 09:43:16 PM
Thank you so much! :happydance: I get one up tomorrow!


Tremayne- You'll want to crop your photo from a rectangle to a square then resize to 100x100.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Tremayne on June 01, 2008, 08:57:13 AM
Thanks, sealion!  :)  We are now squished neither vertically nor horizontally. For once, it's good to be square  ;D

And now I see the 100 x 100 was in the original instructions  :P

For those using photobucket, they've got wonderful cropping and resizing functions. If you hold your crop for a sec it indicates pixel dimensions.  :) Very helpful feature.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: DT_Masters on June 01, 2008, 09:03:18 AM
Hmmmm, directly faire related? That might be kind of hard since I'm always the one behind the camera and never infront of the camera.

But abstractly related? That's possible. I have one of something like a modern wizard in his study. I'll have to dig it up and scan it.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Blushing on June 01, 2008, 01:57:35 PM
Huzzah!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Queen Bonnie on June 01, 2008, 04:48:54 PM
 I did it!  Huzzah! I love having pictures back on!  I miss our banner!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: susannah on June 01, 2008, 04:56:42 PM
Huzzah!! Thanks, Admins!!!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Var Greyshadow on June 02, 2008, 07:16:14 AM
Yay!  Avatars!  That was a nice surprise for Monday morning.  Thanks!!!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Scotsman on June 02, 2008, 07:22:39 AM
Yup ... like the Avatars .... wish I had a better pic, but this one will do for now!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Fairietink on June 02, 2008, 07:33:52 AM
Thank you so much guys for allowing us this!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Lady Ann of Draycott on June 02, 2008, 10:57:23 AM
Yay! Thanks for letting us have our pictures back!  :-*
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Var Greyshadow on June 02, 2008, 12:55:49 PM
This is actually better than pictures in the profiles - we get to see people's faces every time they post!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Amras Elfwine on June 02, 2008, 09:18:52 PM
When you edit pictures at photobucket, you can resize them for avatar type pictures.
Use a closeup head shot, otherwise, the cropping is all kinds of distorted...thought I was back in Weight Watchers week 1 on my first several attempts.

Also, when you resize at photobucket, make sure you save a copy, and use the URL for the copy...otherwise you are just linking to the original photograph, and it wont change at all.

Good luck.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Anna Iram on June 03, 2008, 02:00:14 PM
That's the step I missed. I croped it but I didn't resize it. Now it's distorted. What is the size I need to resize it to?
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Malcolm on June 03, 2008, 03:45:41 PM
Quote from: Anna Iram on June 03, 2008, 02:00:14 PM
That's the step I missed. I croped it but I didn't resize it. Now it's distorted. What is the size I need to resize it to?
Crop the picture square, and then resize to 100 x 100. Save.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: DeadBishop on June 12, 2008, 12:39:59 AM
Once again I'd like everyone to read the avatar guidelines if they haven't done so. I'm seeing many non-photo avatars, and I'd like us to have images since they also act as our profile picture.
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Amras Elfwine on June 13, 2008, 04:11:38 PM
Yeppirs, I replaced my Guinness-drinking squirrel with a pic of my "mug, actual"...much to the consternation of the masses...and there was much wailing, and gnashing of teeth... 8)
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: NoBill Lurker on June 13, 2008, 05:50:44 PM
Hey DB, you might want to gives them a little reminder as they probably won't see this here hint of yours!  ;D
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: DT_Masters on June 15, 2008, 03:01:28 AM
Give us some time! For those of us always behind the camera, it isn't easy to find a picture of us in the lens!
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: AnyuBoo on June 17, 2008, 01:03:57 PM
Glad to see the avatars abound.
I actually neglected to read the guidelines beforehand, but since this IS a renaissance forum, I wasn't about to put up a mundane pic of myself.  ;D

And Scotsman, your pic is absolutely fine.  :)
Title: Re: Avatar Guidelines
Post by: Richard de Graeme on October 03, 2008, 05:01:51 AM
Is Kodak Easyshare a workable site for this, me Brother? I require some guidance. If you would walk me through, a bit, I would be most appreciative.