The Avatar Assistance Thread
- Thread starter Snaeper
- 404 comments
- 55,600 views
Mercury1
Premium
- 333
- Sydney
- robmchugh
Probably a rookie question; but how do I ask to use one of these? I just updated my profile with the Ferarri 458 Italia and don't want to tread on anyone's toes. Thanks - and great thread!Snaeper's Avatar Assistance Thread
Greetings ladies and gentleman,
One of the most visible updates to GTPlanet that came from GTP12 was the unified resolution for avatars available to all members. This means that all members now have access to the same canvas with which to express who they are to each other (within the AUP, of course).
However, I've noticed quite a few members are using inappropriately sized avatars that has lead to pixelation of the image. Being someone who's a bit OCD about aesthetics, I've done my best to help members of the community update their avatars, but this has resulted in a quite efficiently spammed Inbox, so I've instead decided to make this thread as a general resource to help members out in making the best looking avatars possible.
There was originally a 25kb size limit on the image you used, which lead to some problems if you chose a picture that might have had too much detail or color. As that is now gone, I'm not sure how much help this thread will be, but I will give some examples below to showcase good avatar-making practices, to ensure the beauty and detail of your image is on full display. Examples will be used by members I have helped who have granted permission for me to showcase what I've done. It all comes down to three easy steps.
Step 1: Pixel Recommendation
First, the 200x200 recommendation is something I'd strongly advise following.
An example of ignoring this recommendation comes from gtplanet member LawnDart. He had selected an Audi DTM interior for his avatar, but chose to simply put the entire image in thinking that the larger image would give him more detail. Even after I made a 200x200 avatar for him, he declined on the basis that the original image was larger.
Here's what the larger image looked like when it was uploaded to GTPlanet:
And this is what the avatar I made for him looked like:
As you can see, much of the detail from the original image that was lost, is now in view. Note, too, that the only time the full picture was even in view was when you clicked on his profile. Thus making it a bit of a moot point since most member profiles are visited quite infrequently.
Here are some other examples:
ExigeEvan
vs.
HKS racer
vs.
Jav
vs.
So, how can we avoid pixelation?
Step 2: Crop
Cropping an image is a very simple thing to do and can be done in just about every kind of photo-editing software. MS Paint's crop isn't incredibly intuitive, as it offers no method of locking the crop in place to ensure both sides are equal sized, thus requiring some monitoring. Adobe PS is the software of choice if you have it available, but I'm sure GIMP and other free photo editing software have similar crop tools that offer more control.
Step 3: Re-size
Once you've cropped, re-size the image down to 200x200 pixels and save away. You will now have a crystal-clear avatar. You're done!
Another tip I have to give is making sure you select an image that is dynamic within the 200x200 space you're recommended to use. A car may look good in a picture, but once you begin cropping, you could end up with a headlight and a wheel if you're lucky. And since GTPlanet crops the image anyways, don't you think it would be better to just pick an image and crop it yourself to control what others are seeing?
Here are some examples that had previously been over-sized or pixelated images, that I re-cropped for the member:
This is a good image of the R18 e-tron sitting with some R8's... but nobody would ever know that since only the corners of the front two show up. The original image wasn't large enough to allow more car into the space, and on top of that, there would have been a lot of negative space above the cars and it would've been hard to make anything out anyways, even in crystal clarity.
Here was my alternative option I provided to TDZdave which he liked a lot and continues to use:
This is an awesome shot of the R15+ and R18 that has lots of color, dynamic poses and genuinely makes a pretty good avatar in my opinion. Again, the size of the image prevented the rest of the R18 from being in the image, but I think it looks perfect the way it is.
Here are some other examples:
Alternative
Alternative
So have a little fun with finding an awesome image! The more unique or obscure the better of course!
Alternative
Requests
If you need help making an avatar, just post the image in this thread and I'll do what I can. I will not do excessive photoshopping, as that's too time-consuming and well outside of my Photo shop skills, anyways!
Note that all of the members listed above are great people that I just wanted to help out. Nobody is a bad person for having a pixelated avatar.
Here's my portfolio of avatars I've created both for myself, others, or just for fun. All artwork credit goes to their creators, one of them being our very own @Klem and the other featured artist being Colin Carter. Please ask to use the Avatar, that way there won't be any twins.
- 133
- Missouri
- hottracer88
Just wanted make sure my avatar look right I resize it down to 200x200 is that how I do them all. Had one I try do but kept coming out blurry I was going use a pic I toke from GT6 of me in a race suit or something.
- 1,037
- Lipa City
- bmwracedriver23
- Xbox Live?!
Could you help me out with mine please? It just doesn't look right with the top part being cropped out.Snaeper's Avatar Assistance Thread
Greetings ladies and gentleman,
One of the most visible updates to GTPlanet that came from GTP12 was the unified resolution for avatars available to all members. This means that all members now have access to the same canvas with which to express who they are to each other (within the AUP, of course).
However, I've noticed quite a few members are using inappropriately sized avatars that has lead to pixelation of the image. Being someone who's a bit OCD about aesthetics, I've done my best to help members of the community update their avatars, but this has resulted in a quite efficiently spammed Inbox, so I've instead decided to make this thread as a general resource to help members out in making the best looking avatars possible.
There was originally a 25kb size limit on the image you used, which lead to some problems if you chose a picture that might have had too much detail or color. As that is now gone, I'm not sure how much help this thread will be, but I will give some examples below to showcase good avatar-making practices, to ensure the beauty and detail of your image is on full display. Examples will be used by members I have helped who have granted permission for me to showcase what I've done. It all comes down to three easy steps.
Step 1: Pixel Recommendation
First, the 200x200 recommendation is something I'd strongly advise following.
An example of ignoring this recommendation comes from gtplanet member LawnDart. He had selected an Audi DTM interior for his avatar, but chose to simply put the entire image in thinking that the larger image would give him more detail. Even after I made a 200x200 avatar for him, he declined on the basis that the original image was larger.
Here's what the larger image looked like when it was uploaded to GTPlanet:
And this is what the avatar I made for him looked like:
As you can see, much of the detail from the original image that was lost, is now in view. Note, too, that the only time the full picture was even in view was when you clicked on his profile. Thus making it a bit of a moot point since most member profiles are visited quite infrequently.
Here are some other examples:
ExigeEvan
vs.
HKS racer
vs.
Jav
vs.
So, how can we avoid pixelation?
Step 2: Crop
Cropping an image is a very simple thing to do and can be done in just about every kind of photo-editing software. MS Paint's crop isn't incredibly intuitive, as it offers no method of locking the crop in place to ensure both sides are equal sized, thus requiring some monitoring. Adobe PS is the software of choice if you have it available, but I'm sure GIMP and other free photo editing software have similar crop tools that offer more control.
Step 3: Re-size
Once you've cropped, re-size the image down to 200x200 pixels and save away. You will now have a crystal-clear avatar. You're done!
Another tip I have to give is making sure you select an image that is dynamic within the 200x200 space you're recommended to use. A car may look good in a picture, but once you begin cropping, you could end up with a headlight and a wheel if you're lucky. And since GTPlanet crops the image anyways, don't you think it would be better to just pick an image and crop it yourself to control what others are seeing?
Here are some examples that had previously been over-sized or pixelated images, that I re-cropped for the member:
This is a good image of the R18 e-tron sitting with some R8's... but nobody would ever know that since only the corners of the front two show up. The original image wasn't large enough to allow more car into the space, and on top of that, there would have been a lot of negative space above the cars and it would've been hard to make anything out anyways, even in crystal clarity.
Here was my alternative option I provided to TDZdave which he liked a lot and continues to use:
This is an awesome shot of the R15+ and R18 that has lots of color, dynamic poses and genuinely makes a pretty good avatar in my opinion. Again, the size of the image prevented the rest of the R18 from being in the image, but I think it looks perfect the way it is.
Here are some other examples:
Alternative
Alternative
So have a little fun with finding an awesome image! The more unique or obscure the better of course!
Alternative
Requests
If you need help making an avatar, just post the image in this thread and I'll do what I can. I will not do excessive photoshopping, as that's too time-consuming and well outside of my Photo shop skills, anyways!
Note that all of the members listed above are great people that I just wanted to help out. Nobody is a bad person for having a pixelated avatar.
Here's my portfolio of avatars I've created both for myself, others, or just for fun. All artwork credit goes to their creators, one of them being our very own @Klem and the other featured artist being Colin Carter. Please ask to use the Avatar, that way there won't be any twins.
Edit: Never mind I've fixed it.
Last edited:
- 4,794
- Canada
I'm going to get a lot of flack for asking but on the new GTP layout can we use GIFs?
- 3,575
- Phoenix, AZ
- GTP_Snaeper
No, sir. I'm afraid not.
- 4,794
- Canada
- 130
- Sipoo
- mots63
Hi,
I found Kimi's helmet as my avatar? My id : mots63 . If I can us , how I do that ?
Regards
Mots
- 3,575
- Phoenix, AZ
- GTP_Snaeper
I'm either not experiencing the problem, it's been resolved, or it's an isolated case.
- 1,274
- launceston
- boy-wonder_2000
Hey guys, seeing I'm unbelievably BAD at Photoshop, could someone make my avatar transparent around the edges. (so where it is white, but not the google part.
- 1,274
- launceston
- boy-wonder_2000
- 1,274
- launceston
- boy-wonder_2000
- 3,575
- Phoenix, AZ
- GTP_Snaeper
- 1,274
- launceston
- boy-wonder_2000
Awesome, thanks a million.
- 3,575
- Phoenix, AZ
- GTP_Snaeper
Please try to provide more information before making a request next time?Could you please help me out with this pic
View attachment 153389
I know it' a huge picture but thanks for helpin' out man !
This should suffice, yes?
