While I sit here feeling very very numb - oh look, 20in20 voting! SHINY!!

[red_satin_doll]

Voting for Round 1 of btvsats20in20 is up NOW until June 16th; there are separate posts for the 10 Themes, Category (black/white), and Artist's Choice.

And sign-ups are already being accepted for Round 2 so grab your claim!

Kudos to bangel_4e for all their hard work, for creating this comm and for making it all look great! And I forgot to thank clockwork_hart1 in my entries post for taking the time to explain how to make a collage in ipiccy so I could do the blending icons. I'd never done that before because Photobucket doesn't have that capability.

So go and vote for your favorites, the best of the best if such decisions can be made. What is "best" really? I used to whine and complain when I had 9 - 30 entries to chose from? I had NO IDEA how good I had it. Oh to be so young and innocent again (as I was last week...)

It's a trade off: on the one hand I've LOVED giving and getting feedback beforehand. Showing off more of my work, knowing who made what and learning from y'all how stuff is done is marvelous and energizing. Artists NEED audiences, even an audience of one. And vice versa.

And artists need a community of other artists to learn and grow. I've seen how not having that, how being a lone wolf, has been harmful to my sweetheart's growth as an artist. It stunts her if anything - hence the need to go to NYC last October and attend the Armory Show and expose herself to work she'd never seen before.

OTOH, it makes it a little harder to vote, if anything - I feel that nagging sense of "oh I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings". Which, oddly enough, I don't feel when I vote in or judge fic contests. Perhaps because it feels as if the "fic writing community" is larger than the "visual arts community (icon makers)" in this fandom, although that may just be my perception and limited scope of aquaintance. IDK.

And now I understand why you can't see the voting results in other icontests I've participated in. I thought it would be nifty? I'm re-thinking that stance. I'm feeling nervous all over again. And a little sick. Ok, I was feeling sick before thanks to a life-changing event involving sudden loss of income leading to numbness and depression but also nausea - which makes it sound like I'm fishing for pity votes or somesuch nonsense and really not. (Does that make it sound like I'm fishing for pity votes? Oh god I hope not. Somebody slap me upside the head. Or even better, hug me - hugs are of the good!)

Anyhoo - thank you everyone for your support, encouragement and feedback. Seriously, you folks have kept me from curling up in a very small ball in the corner (because it's impossible to sit at the desk and type in a fetal position.)

As velvetwhip would agree, this is what fandom is all about: not about endless wars and intercene skirmishes, not about "my HBIC/MANPIRE is better than your HBIC/MANPIRE" but about friendship. And sharing. And porn. And fun. And hairporn. And endless creativity. And Winged!Buffy/Vamp!Willow porn (ok that last one might just be me...It doesn't exist yet, but someday!)

Comments

[spikesredqueen.livejournal.com]

Yep, I have only made a couple of them and thought it'd be nice to make some more :) There are so many options for that comm in regards to BTVS/ATS it is so hard to decide on what to do!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I just adore seeing all the Dawn love. (I think one of the advantages for me as a newbie to the fandom is I'm not aware of some of the loves/hates/prejudices from back in the day.)

There are so many options for that comm in regards to BTVS/ATS it is so hard to decide on what to do!

Right? I now want to do Buffy/The First in Sleeper, Buffy in Amends; I'd love to do an entire round of just hand symbolism from btvs (I wonder if that's a claimable claim?) but first - VampWillow. Mmmm...

Hasn't there been a btvsats20in20 comm before?

[spikesredqueen.livejournal.com]

There was a couple of them but they closed last year and beginning of this one I believe, mutantbell20in20 was a whedonverse one and angelbuffy20in20. I used to participate in them and was disappointed when they closed and was considering opening a new one myself but things have been so hectic for me lately I didn't have time. So you can imagine my delight when this one opened, I was beyond giddy!

And I saw that you claimed vamp!Willow... I adore her and was thinking about claiming her or the episode(s) sometime in future rounds. The Wish and Dopplegangland are probably the episodes I have watched the most out of the series. I'm really looking forward to what you come up with!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

I'm really looking forward to what you come up with!

It's funny that Vamp Willow (lesbian vampire seal of approval) was probably my first icon in this fandom (and first icon in many years) but I haven't gone back to that well but once or twice since. My folder for The Wish/Dopplegangland is my only btvs caps folder not dominated by Buffy - it's all VampWillow gorgeousness.

And I feel like I want to do it especially for "my Willow fans" (yourself, Gabrielle, Wickedbish, snogged etc) who have been such great friends to me. I hope i don't disappoint.

Btw your icon - DEAR GOD. so wonderfully trashy!

[spikesredqueen.livejournal.com]

I didn't make that icon but I love it so, it is snaggable, you can find the credit on my userpics page if you want it. :)

I love your vamp Willow icon there and I am sure you won't disappoint!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Where is the page of your userpics btw? I don't want to snag anything (yet) I just want to look and OMG that Bored Now Icon STOP KILLING ME WITH THE BRILLIANCE. (Even if you didn't make it you chose it, so, brilliant taste and discernment.)

ETA: Thank you for the compliment sweetie - and I just looked at some of your art again on your journal and I'm like, whoa.

[spikesredqueen.livejournal.com]

If you visit anyone's profile there is a link to user pics, here is mine http://www.livejournal.com/allpics.bml?user=spikesredqueen

I listed all the ones which are snaggable by me and which aren't and those who are made by others are snaggable unless otherwise stated.

And thanks! That one I did make!

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Normally I have no problem finding user profile links on the top or side of someone's journal but I couldn't find it on yours for some reason. Probably right in front of my face.

I don't know why I didn't make the connection that you made the Dawn squee icon which is a classic IMO. So many pretties - and the fact that the text in "Bored now" is still legible when it's shrunk on my template says a LOT about the clarity of it in full size (which is even more gorgeous btw.)

Oddly enough one of my favorites of yours is Buffy Movie - a lovely crop of Kristie, wonderful light and I'm really struck again by how you achieve HQ definition whilst still maintaining light and softness.

It's interesting that you state specifically "please credit" on your own because I would think folks would know to do that...but you've obviously had issues and/or I'm extremely naive

[spikesredqueen.livejournal.com]

Sorry for the lateness of this reply.

Thank you for such wonderful compliments with my icons :) I put the please credit me on some icons because I have a mixture of icons from myself and others, it is just something I like to do. :)

[red-satin-doll.livejournal.com]

Oh gosh no need to apologize for "lateness", at least not to me! Late replies are like unexpected belated birthday prezzies!

I've adopted your please give credit on my own icons in userpics.