btvs20in20 Round 16: I Robot, You Jane

[red_satin_doll]

For btvsats20in20 Round 16. Many thanks to my wonderful beta-Muse velvetwhip!

Teasers:    

10 Themes
Center Text	Party	Shadowed Profile	Personification	Plain Background
Bright Yellow	Dream	Flower Texture	Touch of Color	Fiery
5 Category |TELL YOUR STORY ICONING
1.The Beginning	2.Conflict	3.Climax	4.Resolution	5.The End
5 Artist's Choice
AC 1	AC 2	AC 3	AC 4	AC 5

I consider IRYJ to be one of the most underrated episodes of the series.  Sorry, but I do not get the hate. It's got the introduction of Jenny Calender (did I mention I'm a G/J shipper?); and right off the bat foreshadows the idea that she is not what she claims to be; some great dialogue; a Willow-centric episode; Buffy looking out for Willow's welfare (she was only concerned when she realized Willow didn't actually know this "Malcolm") and the first instance in the series of me being truly afraid for Willow and her proving that she's smarter and more resolute than I gave her credit for.

And some of the stuff about computers and the internet turned out to be rather uncomfortably true.

Alts/extras:

  1 - 7

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Comments

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

These are all stupendous! I love Party, Dream, Plain Background, Climax... all of them really. Bravissima!!!!!!

Like you, I think IRYJ is a terrific episode!


Gabrielle

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, cara mia!

I watched half the episode today and want to finish it tomorrow. It's adorable!

(I didn't mention that Xander is still being a jerk to Willow at this point. I'd forgotten how he used to make me cringe in S1 on a pretty consistent basis.)

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

Xander was very insensitive in Season 1. *sigh*


Gabrielle

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

And then he'd do something terrific, so you knew he cared about Willow and Buffy, but that doesn't stop him from acting like a jackass. Even knowing about his family and making excuses for that it can be...hard to watch. I ended up cringing on Willow's behalf a lot these early seasons (which is one of the reasons I haven't rewatched them recently, I think.)

IRYJ has that scene near the beginning where Willow asks Xander if he'll stay late with her at the library, which in Willow-speak is the equivalent of asking him to stay late at the park and neck, and he laughs at her "Are you kidding?" Her reaction - ouch.

[feliciacraft.livejournal.com]

Oooh, lovely!

Favs this time around are: Party, Bright Yellow, Flower Texture, Resolution, AC1, and Alt 6.

I know the show's about Buffy and slaying, but I wish Giles wasn't so alone. Why can't he have adult friends? Even Spike has Clem as a buddy. Oh, and poor Jenny. :(

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for the feedback! :D

I'm tickled that two the icons I disliked the most, or really worried were subpar - Party and Dream - are ones that have been singled out a lot in the comments. Shows that I am not the best judge of my own work! AC1 and Alt 6 OTOH are two of my favorites *points to user pic*. I almost make Alt 6 my b/w+ color but I also wanted to use the shot for my "yellow" icon so I had to choose.

but I wish Giles wasn't so alone

I so agree with this - I ship Giles with Jenny, Joyce, and Olivia. If Joss is so into angst why does he think the best way to do that is to end relationships? Relationships - yes, even healthy, stable, functional ones - are THE SOURCE of angst. I don't read the Jessica Jones comics (I've seen the first five eps of the series and that's it, 'cause they were free), but in the comics she and Luke have gotten married and have a baby, for crying out loud. Whereas nobody ends up in a relationship in the Buffyverse it seems.

I'd feel worse if it weren't Joss' pattern and not just with Giles. Whedon reportedly did not want to include any adults in the series if he could have pulled it off. But the show really needed more adults, or at least really develop the few it had, and it desperately needed strong, mature women to be role models (both positively and negatively) for Buffy, Willow, Tara and Dawn. It had so many possibilities and it threw every one of them away. Mrs Rosenberg and Mrs Harris: seen once and never again. Joyce, Jenny, Maggie Walsh, Mrs Maclay (offscreen): dead. Nikki Wood: dead. Darla: dead. Dru: insane. Olivia: quietly written off. Then add Tara as a mother-figure: dead. Anya: dead.

And yeah, sorry for going off on a tangent like that.

[snogged.livejournal.com]

Marvelous work!
My favorites from this set are party, personification, touch of color, the end, AC 1, AC 4, alternates 5 and 6. :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! I'm stunned that Party is such a hit because I wasn't happy with it - but I'll take it! I'll take the compliments! I think of this set my favorite is AC1.

[bangel-4e.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna begin by saying that I probably would have liked the episode more if the monster had been more realistic or done better. But I understand it was season1 and they were low on budget so I just watch it as a filler episode, nothing more. It was cute to see Willow in a romantic position (even with that happened later) and yeah, it foreshadowed quite a bit of what we deal with now. It's probably one of the worst BTVS episodes for me, but all in all..it's still Buffy.

NOW ONTO THE ICONS!!! I have to say cat5 is my favorite..IT IS AMAZING! Composition and light are great and I like the contrast between the two moments captured. I also loved the text in personification (VERY CLEVER), flower texture (love the composition here), the crop of touch of color and ac5 which has a very beautiful clarity and light.
A great set. And I like that you chose what is considered an unpopular episode of BTVS.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

It's probably one of the worst BTVS episodes for me, but all in all..it's still Buffy.

Thank you for explaining - the MOTW is the weakest aspect but that's always true of MOTW eps. I still find the generalized amount of hate it gets over and over puzzling. I remembered the episode as charming and funny and I just rewatched yesterday it and still enjoyed it. Whereas there are other episodes that are far worse IMO, or at best forgettable: The Witch, Inca Mummy Girl (my candidate for worst, possibly), Puppet Show (dull), Bad Eggs, the rage and headache inducing As You Were.

I have to say cat5 is my favorite.

Thank you! That one is definitely one of my favorites - one I knew I had to include come hell or high water. I had a version with the text "we're doomed" but it just didn't work - the image said it all. I'm not great with text if you hadn't noticed *lol*

I also loved the text in personification

Except maybe that one, I do like - at least in concept. I suppose it would have been more interesting to have part of the text obscured by the cup and let the viewer fill in the gap in their minds? *ponders*

And AC 5 is one of my faves - it and AC1 were two of my "I have to include this come hell or high water" icons. I always want to create a visually coherent AC set but usually just end up cherry picking among all my alts.

[bangel-4e.livejournal.com]

Yeah, Puppet Show was another bad one. Dull, exactly as you said. I didn't mind The Witch cause Buffy is so fun in it. And Bad Eggs has Bangel so that's a plus for me eheh
I liked As You Were, even if parts of it are awful like Sam...ugh. What an awful, awful character for an awful actress.
Oh, I could talk about Buffy episodes all life..I was once part of this beautiful forum where we discussed episodes (among other fun activities) and lots of interesting things came out of it. I just can't remember its name lol.

Oh, I find the best thing for text is practice..I'm practicing it myself cause I always find it really hard to include it in an icon but I found out that it can save me sometimes when I don't have ideas.

Personification has a very interesting concept. I like i :)

Oh, I loved the idea of picking alts for ACs but I never do alts cause I never have them O.o
It's one icon and that's it. Which makes the whole process longer and difficult to bear with.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Puppet Show was another bad one. Dull, exactly as you said.

It has imagery that will be referenced later - Giles as stage manager, Willow with stage fright, Giles having his brains nearly sliced off but not even the introduction of Snyder manages to make that episode memorable.

even if parts of it are awful like Sam...ugh. What an awful, awful character for an awful actress.

The actress seems cooler and more interesting in the behind the scenes clips I've seen. Like, she seems like someone who would be cool to hang out with, she just can't act her way out of a paper bag.

And I hate hate hate the degree to which Buffy is humiliated in that ep. Like, does Sam HAVE to look like a barbie doll supermodel? And her apologizing to Riley (while he never offers an apology for his shit) will NEVER be ok with me. In fact, I can feel my rage rising as we speak....I must go and cool down.

I could talk about Buffy episodes all life

I'd love to be more involved in conversations because it's a fascinating series but finding spaces that don't devolve into bashing someone's favorite character or ship wars, etc can be hard. And I don't have the energy to get into endless fights.

Personification has a very interesting concept. I like

Thank you! I like it too.

Which makes the whole process longer and difficult to bear with.

See, and I feel like the fact that I produce so many alts makes it longer and more difficult for me. I have more than I need, but often lack one or two key icons right up until the last minute. (Sometimes the last minute babies end up being my best ones.)

[bangel-4e.livejournal.com]

The funny bits with Snyder and the gang and Giles were ok but it has many flaws...eh.

The actress seems cooler and more interesting in the behind the scenes clips I've seen. Like, she seems like someone who would be cool to hang out with, she just can't act her way out of a paper bag.
Oh, I was only judging her acting ability, I'm sure the actress is a nice person.
Well, I've always thought she didn't look THAT good, tbh. SMG always shines compared to the others. But as of Riley apologizing...I think some people have trouble saying the words...they mean it through gestures, looks, future actions...I found out there are different ways to apologize and not only the words. But of course for two people who will probably won't see each other for a LOOONG time, that doesn't make sense lol

Yeah, I feel you about the fandom fights. I once made the mistake of joining tumblr and was attacked because I liked Damon and Elena from TVD. I was trying to discuss point of views but they insisted they were right and If I couldn't see the toxic/abusive nature of the relationship (or whatever) then I wasn't even worth talking to. And that was when I realized I didn't need to argue with 15 years old and got the hell out of there.
Well, anyways...if you wanna talk BTVS in PM or whatever, I'm always available...and we won't fight, I promise :)

Well, then it's a process that works somehow. Because it brings you to the best, last-moment, precious :)

[all-malocks.livejournal.com]

I like your center text icon. Such a simple but effect solution to the challenge! I also like the cropping on touch of color and the "cartoony" thought cloud you used on dream. I had a hard time coming up with something for that challenge. :)

The composition on cat 5 is fantastic and I really like your extra 5!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I like your center text icon.

Thank you! It's not showy or accomplished but I just liked the concept. I could have used any number of quotes from the show because this ep has some great lines, but I like using elements that are actually in the screen caps whenever possible. This icon actually could have gone in the Category set, but I could have shuffled several of these around. That is always my problem.

I had a hard time coming up with something for that challenge.

Seriously? Because your's is beautiful - and your center text icon is BRILLIANT. (PS Good luck this round!)

The most difficult for me were Party and Dream, because this episode has neither, not even a slayer dream. So I'm surprised that both have been mentioned a lot in the comments here. But I had a harder time with several of these than I would have expected.

[emmatheslayer.livejournal.com]

great icons

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[sum1-different.livejournal.com]

LJ tells me you had a birthday recently, so I'm dropping by to say Happy Birthday. :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much!

[sum1-different.livejournal.com]

You're welcome. :)

The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Thursday, February 18

[livejournal.livejournal.com]

User rahirah referenced to your post from The Sunnydale Herald Newsletter, Thursday, February 18 (http://su-herald.livejournal.com/854174.html) saying: [...] [Images, Audio & Video] Artwork: I Robot, You Jane Icons [...]

[debris4spike]

As ever, lovely work .... I especially like Touch of colour - both the crop and the colour effect. Shadowed profile is stunning, and it is great to see some Jenna icons.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the feedback Deb!

I just could NOT pass up the opportunity to make a nice Jenny icon because there are so few out there.

And I'm pleased you like Shadowed Profile - that's one I feel I could have done better on, but I'm hard on my own creations.

[teragramm.livejournal.com]

Very nice set! In fact, I just finished voting for several of these. And..... no, I didn't know they were yours. (I suspected on a few of them but I didn't know.)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thank you very much! I needed that morale boost right now.

[teragramm.livejournal.com]

I needed that morale boost right now. Are you having artist doubts or is it more than that?

If it's artist doubts, don't sweat it because we all go through that from time to time. I enjoy doing challenges but sometimes they can make you doubt yourself.

If it's more than just artist doubts....*hugs* feel better

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Life doubts, - depression and all that. Hopelessness, despair, etc etc...my sweetie reaffirmed that she loves me, and I listened to some music for a while, that usually helps. I feel better now.

It's something that I don't know will ever go away - but your hugs are SO SO SO much appreciated! They really do help.

Compared to all that artist doubts are way second down the line

I enjoy doing challenges but sometimes they can make you doubt yourself.

Thank you for sharing that because yeah, I go through that to. The whole "am I not good enough? I'll never be better" blahblahbittyblah...

[teragramm.livejournal.com]

I'm so sorry you are going through that and I'm glad your sweetie knows the right things to say to make you feel better.

but your hugs are SO SO SO much appreciated! They really do help. In that case.... *double hugs* ~_^

Continue to feel better.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thank you Meg! I'm working on it, day by day. :D

[lokifan]

I think how fast it got SUPER dated is part of the hate? But yeah IDK I love the cheesy S1 episodes.

I love these! Especially cat #1, AC #5, and all the Giles and Jenny (and Giles/Jenny!) ones.

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I think how fast it got SUPER dated is part of the hate?

I guess so - I actually think the scanner Willow uses is pretty cool. Like, I kind of remember scanners like that, it looks like it would be much more versatile (and take up less room) than my flatbed scanner.

I wonder if the character of Fritz as a stereotype of creepy nerds who hang out on the computer all day (and turn out to be evil) isn't part of the hate; even though Jenny hangs a lantern on it in the opening scene. "Thank you, Fritz, for making us look like crazy people." I'm sorry, but I just love so many bits of that ep.

I love these!

Thank you sweetheart! I think you're the first person to give a shout-out to my cat 1 icon!

[lokifan]

I guess it could be Fitz, but it's not like BtVS doesn't have a fuckton of evil nerds well before S6. (Not that fandom's reactions to things are always sane...)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

(Not that fandom's reactions to things are always sane...)