Introduction: Make an Avatar
Are you tired of the generic (but artistic) Instructables siloette? No more with my: Make an avatar Instructable!!
Wow, I sounded an awful lot like some infomercial salesperson...
But more importantly, having an avatar is about expressing one's creativity, and it's the first thing that many users see. Your avatar should express you, and show the world (or instructables) who you are.
Step 1: Do's and Don'ts
Do:
- Respect intellectual property and rights. (There's alot of free-to-use art at Wikimedia Commons)
- Be Creavitve.
- Be Original.
- Ask permission to use other people's intellectual material.
- Feel free to use your own pictures.
- Steal or Plagerise.
- Use inappropriate material (on Instructables atleast)
- Use religious insults.
- Use Eric Wilhelm's picture (Or any admin's for that matter), or the Instructable Robot avatar (unless you ask), or, unless you modify the later. (Eg. Kieth-Kid, NachoMahma, etc.)
Step 2: Type 1: Hand Drawn
You Will/May Need:
- A Writing/Marking implement.
- Something to draw on.
- A Scanner or Camera (Scanner preferably...)
- An imagination.
Draw it.
Scan it to your computer.
It doesn't matter what you draw, as long as you like it, or find it funny, or something like that.
Step 3: Pictures
This is probably the most preferred method of avatar creation on Instructables.
You can take pictures of:
- Rocks
- Nature
- Animals
- People
- Etc. (It can't be too risque on Instructables, or you'll get in trouble...)
Finer stuff:
Lighting is important, look at the pictures below. Too see the difference that lighting makes.
If you have a hobby, take a picture of that, let your imagination run wild!!
Step 4: Messing With Pictures on Your Computer
Some of the more interesting Avatars are created on the computer.
There are more programs than I can name, but some of the best are Microsoft Paint, and Adobe Photoshop.
An example of a picture created in MS Paint is My avatar, with no more than two colors and the "brush" tool.
You can also edit or change photographs, even in Paint. Just open the picture with Paint, and mass around with it.
There's so many ways to express your creativity (or lack thereof) using the computer.
Step 5: Misc.
There's some more stuff that doesn't seem to fall into any categories.
If you're a writer, take a picture of your book (Minus your name...).
Use pictures from previous or upcoming Instructables!
Use any of the pictures in this Instructable (Not including my profile picture, the Cello picture, Kiteman's profile picture, or The Instructables Robot Picture...), feel free to use them!

Participated in the
Burning Questions: Round 7
31 Comments
9 years ago on Introduction
i made mine.but he has eyes and looks cool at the same time.and hes got a knife and revolver.
10 years ago on Introduction
i thought avatars were moving pictures...
11 years ago on Introduction
Good instructable! **** 4/5 Stars!
Is this legal?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I'm going to go with yes.... That part was mostly so that people wouldn't get confused. Thanks! Good luck!!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
What about this?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Sweet.... (Profile)
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
What about this?
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
Hey, are those Kanye West shades!?
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
yup
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
...?
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
That's cool. Nice work.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
YES!!! Hamburger Hats™ are sooooo in right now!
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
I don't see how this isn't legal.
Is this really how you behave in real life??? =)
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Unique? :)
11 years ago on Introduction
Ok well...hope you don't mind... Don't worry, I'm not using it for anything except this comment.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Hahah! Nice!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
It's called Bluesagi.
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I call it, Wilcurt, with mouth....
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Icall this wilcurt with smile!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
:D Mine is somewhat of a failure...