Wallpapers

[out_there]

Okay, on Monday, I made a Dan/Casey wallpaper for celli. It turned out too dark (I've since learned that pictures look brighter/higher contrast when I'm working on them in PhotoshopCS, so I need to factor that in). I've played with a few different effects on the texture layers and came up with four different lighter versions.

The original:


Version 1:


Version 2:


Version 3:


Version 4:


So, which do you prefer as a wallpaper? Which do you prefer just as a graphic? Is there a difference between the two, and if so, what do you look for in a wallpaper vs. a manip?

Comments

[ahab99.livejournal.com]

I think I like 2 and 4 best. If I ever used fannish wallpapers (which I can't do because I use the laptop at school) I'd probably use 2 because it's slightly more muted, but I like 4 best for its clarity.

[that_mireille]

I like 2, and I don't really think about the difference between wallpaper and manip. 1's still too dark for my tastes, 3 is too muted, and 4 is a bit too harsh. They're all okay, mind you, and that's a lovely manip, but that's how I decided which I liked best.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Okay. Cool.

Personally, 2 is the one I'd use. I like the colours, and it's not-detailed enough that it wouldn't bother me.

4 is hot, and I like it as a graphic, but it would drive me completely nuts on my desktop. That's far too much energy/colour/contrast for me to blur out when I'm trying to do something other than stare and drool.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Actually, I was going to say 2 would be my pick, too, but looking at it on the screen, the colours actually make my eyes water. (I'd probably actually go for 1, since it's darka nd soothing on my eyes.)

They're all okay, mind you, and that's a lovely manip, but that's how I decided which I liked best.

Thanks. I'm trying to get an idea of how other people's tastes differ from mine, I guess.

[in-the-bottle.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like 4.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

*makes note of that*

[celli]

I think I'd like you to marry me.

I also think 1 and 4 are my favorites, and probably 1 is edging 4 out.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I think I'd like you to marry me.

Heeeee! Okay, that cheers me up considerably.

I also think 1 and 4 are my favorites, and probably 1 is edging 4 out.

I find that I like 4, but for a semi-permanent, in-my-visual-background, it's too bold/bright. Huh. Interesting that we both settled on 1, in the end.

[delurker.livejournal.com]

I like #1 best, because it's like they're sharing a private moment. I don't like the others so much because they're so orange. (Although #2 and #4 are nice... I just like #1 better.)

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

I like #4. If you and Celli are getting married, can I be a bridesmaid? I'll even wear the frock Anya made Buffy wear.

[copernica3.livejournal.com]

I like #1. It's perfect. #4 is my second favorite. #s 2 and 3 are too fuzzy, somehow. But that's just personal taste; I'm not big on that blur effect in icons either. It's a great manip though. It looks real.

[meadowlion.livejournal.com]

I think my favorites are 1 and 4. 3 just looks washed out to me. 2 is decent, but that prism look is one I'd prefer simply for graphics, not to see constantly as a wallpaper. 1 and 4 are clear, realistic, and pretty without having too many extra touches to make them distracting.

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Hee! Yep, you can. Probably you and oxoniensis and shellah...

Heh. It could be the first all-fen wedding party!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

Huh. It's interesting that everyone has settled on 1 and 4. I'm sure there's something I could learn from that. *g*

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I'm not big on that blur effect in icons either. It's a great manip though. It looks real.

Thank you. And that's also why I had to use the "glass"/weird blurring effect. I couldn't get the edges to work together (I have no idea how slodwick manages to make such clear and realistic looking manips -- I always need layers to hide my mistakes.).

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I like #1 best, because it's like they're sharing a private moment.

Me, too. I like the fact that the colours are soothing on my eyes, but it also feels... possible, you know? It made me feel oddly voyueristic while making it, like I should be leaving Dan and Casey alone to finish what they're doing.

And yet, I don't feel voyueristic when I write smut with them. That's kind of strange. *g*

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

Sadly, not the first - I went to a wonderful wedding some 15 years ago, which, amongst other things, featured the bride walking down the aisle to the original BG theme music. Specially transcribed and played by the local silver band, bless (they were lovely, and reprised the performance at a convention she ran a few years later). And they're still married!

But she didn't have Anya's bridesmaids' dresses.

[delurker.livejournal.com]

YOu know, I felt exactly the same? It is strange. *ponders mysterious workings of the mind*

(Very pretty though.)

[out-there.livejournal.com]

And they're still married!

Oh, that's a rather delightful tale. I'm perfectly happy not to be the first.

But she didn't have Anya's bridesmaids' dresses.

Hee. True. Do you actually have an Anya's bridesmaid dress, or are you just willing to wear that monstrousity one?

Meanwhile, I've decided I'll and in the essay on Friday (and screw 'em if they take marks off. It'll be a maximum of 10% per day, which means that since this in only worth 15%, I'll have lost like 3 marks in the overall thingy. I doubt that'll make the pass/fail difference.), I'm going to play with Danny-with-a-gun now.

And then i'll pout a little since I posted a wip and no one commented. I'm indulging my inner attention-grabbing three year old.

[phoebesmum.livejournal.com]

No, but I can see myself in that shade of green. I have quite sallow skin, so I'd basically look like an upright pool of vomit.

As long as you do get the essay done!

Is that 'Therapy'? I'm saving it for after I have my bath as an incentive to stop playing pooter games (all the pooter Mah Jonggs are too confusing for me - the screens are so small, all the tiles look the same), get off my lazy bum and get on with something, as it's nearly lunchtime!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

As long as you do get the essay done!

I keep stuffing around, but when i did sit down this afternoon, I got quite a bit done. In fact, I'll force myself to read through and highlight the remaining 7 pages of articles I have to read. Then, it's just shoving it together, referencing the right bits and handing it in inside a pretty cover.

Is that 'Therapy'? I'm saving it for after I have my bath as an incentive to stop playing pooter games (all the pooter Mah Jonggs are too confusing for me - the screens are so small, all the tiles look the same), get off my lazy bum and get on with something, as it's nearly lunchtime!

Yeah, I'm all... I'm kinda happy with it, because instead of studying I wrote some more today. And, suddenly, I have a scene where Dan and his dad *talk* (which I also "workshopped" at creative writing today and they *loved* it, so yay!) and where Casey shows some relationship angst. I mean, I'm not absolutely positive of the order they'll appear in during the next session, and I'm still not quite sure of how it's going to be a happy Casey/Dan ending, but it's coming together! There's actually plot! Themes, even!

Yeah, I'm still ridiculous happy that everyone loved it.

[sori1773.livejournal.com]

Oh wow. I love the original version, actually. It's dark and moody and just very sensual... Mmmmm. Oh yeah!

[out-there.livejournal.com]

I ended up using that one myself. I think it was a case of everyone has their monitor set to a different contrast, so what looks great and like this private, hidden moment (which that picture does for me: like Dan and Casey getting home late, when the sun's already up, and... yeah, you can make your own fun from there) is too dark/too coloured on other people's screens.