Each person chose their avatar for a reason. I don't imagine the avatar as the person, but I do ask myself "what kind of person picks that as their avatar." I suppose it is like a masquerade ball in a way. For example,the guy wearing the white sheet isn't actually a ghost, but we have learned something about who he is: he's a total slacker, too lazy to get a real costume.
Isn't that somewhat of an oxymoron? lol. Considering masks are normally used to conceal true identity. Or so it seems to be popular in horror movies. But I think in a sense a mask can be 'revealing' as to express personal taste. So I guess it kind of is? Hm. I think my point of view is a little bit broken haha.
A mask can hide what the person really looks like. But depending on the mask you choose, the mask reveals what the person is inside. A mask can hide and a mask can reveal.
Yeah that is kind of what I was getting at towards the end of my last post. So I pretty much ended up agreeing with you and contradicting myself haha.
I just added this Avitar to my profile. It's my dog, Zimba. I had him for 13 years and had to put him down last week. I'm honored to use his image as my mask, he was a great friend.
I see an avatar as being a person's face on the internet. Like I recognize my friends' faces, I recognize users by their avatars. If I've talked to them before, I don't even have to look at their name. I instantly know who they are from the picture. With each picture is an impression of the person that is talking. Like, if you go to a party and you see someone you know, their face will carry a good or bad connotation with you, depending on your past experience with them. That may make absolutely no sense to anyone else.
Well I have noticed that some people use their avatars to promote their stories. Myspace is classic for this and I think that it is great. I change mine when I can be bothered. Normally I like to stick to avatars that are to do with the horror genre, because I have a huge passion for horror, as most of you know. But I also put up images of my children and myself at times, because I love to show off my children as they are the most important people in my life, and so very precious. They are a way for people to express themselves over the internet I guess, and get a message across. At the moment mine is from a trip to the park with my children and a friend. I chose it because most of my avatars are to do with horror, or my children. But I do a lot of stupid stuff and act like a total fool to entertain my children. So this one expresses the parental side of me. <Though I am changing it to an even more hilarious image after this has been posted... lol>
I understand what your saying. For me an avatar is just like a colour, or a soundbit - its just there and i notice it staight away. Faster then putting my glasses on (if i had any) and try to read who just typed that silly comment etc. But we live in a world where symbols means so much, and i guess avatars are part of that world
I don't see it as a mask... A mask would imply a deception, a masquerade, or a cloak, and that isn't the case for me.
I would have though they were more like the car you drove (if you have your licence and some money). You have the kind of wheels you wanna be reconginsed in. And be like "Hey its so and so". *shrugs*
I don't really see it as such. Sure, it can sometimes give an indication of the personality of the person--if I put up a picture of a sportscar, you might assume I like sportscars. But at the same time, I might just put up the sportscar for no reason in particular. My avatar now is a Picasso painting I like. I have a poster of it hanging on my wall, framed. I just like the picture--just like someone might like how something looks. It doesn't mean I identify with a depressed/repressed musician, or an abstract artist. I just like the way it looks.
For me its just a way to put an image of something I believe in. Although I can pass judgement on others because of their avatars, I try not to. Its mearly an image, on some level a representation of the person -but not a total summary of them.
I use my avatar because I like Egyptian mythology, I'm proud of the drawing I made of Thoth, and I don't want my ugly face out there for the world to see. No real motives other than that. Some people are comfortable showing their faces, some aren't. Aside from my physical face (which has been posted to the Net, just not as my avatar, I really don't need it looking at me every time I post something), I'm not hiding anything because I've always been terribly transparent. (A reason I don't do aliases.) I'm sure some people would use avatars to hide themselves, but not everybody. Everyone is unique. Some people just use certain avatars because they're cool. While I might wonder why somebody chose a PARTICULAR avatar, it never occurred to me to question why people use avatars in general, and it still doesn't. *shrug*
I...must admit I never do anything remotely like that. o_o Avatars might influence my impression of people online (for example, if somebody has a female avatar, my first impression will probably be that they're female, and depending on the character or theme of the avatar, I might assume some of the poster's interests--if somebody has a tree as an avatar I might assume they like nature--if they have John McCain I'll probably assume they're conservative; etc.), but I don't come up with voices for the people, no.
No offense if anyone takes it as such, but I've never really put much stock in avatars. I just think they're neat, funny, cool, weird, or sometimes frightening pictures. My decision on a person on these boards, like in real life, comes from what they say not their avatar picture. Additionally, my avatar represents my overwhelming depression that I can't grow a mustache like Selleck or Reynolds. I shaved the beard to a mustache last week and it didn't do it for me. Needless to say, I was depressed by this.
Yuck, he is to hairy. And he is creepy. I have never liked him. My father watches all his stuff, he collects the videos and he has some stuff recorded. Also the access of the internet. My father tried to get me into when I was real young about two, I believe, I just cried the whole entire time. That man is frightening.
I agree with Leaka. That image will haunt my nightmares. Though when you first put it up, I thought that was a picture of you.
