What's in a... face?

[Spookie Monster]

I have heard of your paintings too, well enough; God
has given you one face, and you make yourselves
another: you jig, you amble, and you lisp, and
nick-name God's creatures, and make your wantonness
your ignorance.

- Hamlet, Act III, Scene III

I was extremely satisfied with the response that I got from my "What's in a name?" thread (please see https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=895.0 if you're not familiar with it), so with a bit of encouragement (:-* alahendra) I've decided to take the next logical step and ask about avatars.  I'm always curious about why people choose to use particular avatars for themselves, just as I'm always curious about why people choose to give themselves particular names.  There's generally a story behind the choice, you know?

I, for example, have selected an avatar that involves Cookie Monster.  This might strike some people as being an odd choice, though I have received a number of compliments on it (thanks, ladies and gents).  Its origin is pretty simple, however: Basically, I jokingly asked the maidens of Elliquiy which harmless monster they'd prefer to be ravished by (see https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=128.0) and I decided to make Cookie Monster one of the options.  The response to him was fair, and heck, man, I like the ol' CM... who doesn't?  Therefore, I searched around for a suitable picture and voilà.

I'm interested in the stories behind the various avatars used here.  The questions for you, then, are these: Why did you choose the avatar that you chose?  How does it represent you?

Thanks in advance! :)

Though if you start nick-naming God's creatures in this thread, please know that I'm TOTALLY going to tell thee to get thyself to a nunnery.  Even the guys.  Don't say that you haven't been warned...

Spel

[Elandra]

My avatar is Katherine Moennig, who plays Shane on Showtime’s ‘The L Word’. I find her beautiful, stunning in fact, and the character she portrays is very strong-willed, independent, and practical, all qualities people have told me I possess time and time again. One quality that the character has that I lack, is she is outgoing, I aspire to become more extroverted, open up to others, certainly not to same degree and not necessarily sexually, but to meet other people, step out of my safe zones.

[MagicalPen]

Hmm...i think my avatar is Egyptian in origin, but i might be mistaken. It might be the Eye of Ra. Well, i think it looks cool. And it works well for all the games i am in as it doesnt make people think that the image is what my characters look like (obviously) like they do on RPOL. But yeah, if it is the Eye of Ra, i am also interested in Mythology of the Ancient World. So yeah, thats about it really.

[HairyHeretic]

Mine is Belkar Bitterleaf, a psychotic halfling ranger in the Order of the Stick webcomic. Its one of my favourite comics, so when I saw the avatar, I figured why not? Belkar is amusing.

Now, I'd prefer the pic where Vaarsuvius is casting the "Evans Spiked Tentacles of Forced Intrusion"

http://www.giantitp.com/comics/oots0020.html

but I gots to work with whats there :)

[alahendra]

*hugs her autographed copy of the first OOTS book*

I got mine off of an adult avatars website.  I like it because it looks like a painting more than a photograph, the pose is interesting to me, bondage elements (of course), and I like her long hair...

[Swedish Steel]

Well, my avatar can tell you one thing: I am lazy. I found it here, so it was convenient. The guy is blond, and I am called Swedish Steel. He looks a bit arrogant, that fit well with a character I was going to play. And I'm pretty sure he's from a Final Fantasy game, number 8 I think, and I used to love those games back when you still could get them for your PC. So...no great mystery here I suppose.

[Vekseid]

"Honey from the Darkness" by Luis Royo.

It uh, illustrates my favorite activity.

[MechanicalImpulses]

Baphomet by Giger.

     Well,  I could say something extremely deep here...  but that wouldn't exactly be to the point.  So I'll just come out and be straight about it.  Its not only extremely beautiful,  its positively kinky.  I wish I was able to find the whole image as an avatar, but I just had to settle for the upper portion. 



here is a somewhat blurry version of it in its entirety

So I guess what it comes down to is…  its nice on the eyes, and just plain awesome.

[Swedish Steel]

Aaah, Giger. I hear you can be dragged to court if you use one of his pictures as a cd-cover. Better watch yourself.

[MechanicalImpulses]

Erg...  maybe I should change it...

[Apple of Eris]

I think mine is pretty self explanitory, but for those who don't, my avatar is the golden apple of eris, with the etching "to the fairest". Uhm... so there.

[NightBird]

I had a poster of this up in one of my cube homes back when I was working corporate, and I kept getting comments that I looked like her, so I started using it as an avatar. It's Royo, of course, one of my top favorite fantasy artists.

[Lirliel]

An avatar of Within Temptation's Front Woman :)

[Elvi]

She is one of my own designs.
I needed an avatar and wanted something that no-one else would have so made her myself.
People have said that she looks like me.....well, if I was a lot thinner and far better looking perhaps....*laughs*

[TheAlchemist]

Several reasons for my Avatar, none too deep :)

Firstly, I chose from what the forums had to offer, didn't have time to search for one at the time (but pretty happy with the result anyway).

Secondly, I preferred not to have an image to associate with a specific character, so as not to restrict or give false assumptions about them.

Thirdly - A for Alchemist, from the Tolkien 'alphabet', one of my favorite writers.

That's about it.

[TonyWoods]

My original avatar was of an eye. I chose it because of the old proverb 'the eyes are the window to the soul'.

I recently changed it to the symbol of Astaroth, because he is a seducer and tempter of mortals. Plus, I think the symbol looks cool!

[MechanicalImpulses]

Because I'm extremely frightened of high powered lawyers...

[Swedish Steel]

I like your new picture, but it wasn't about copyright infrignments the band was dragged to court, they had Giger's permission, I'm pretty sure. No, it was because the picture was deemed indecent. Is that really something you feel you need to worry about here? :)

[Caustic]

Enough about everyone else, let's talk about ME.  AAAAAH, me.  My favorite subject.  Me me me, I, myself... lah de dah.

I think that "Fight Club"'s Tyler Durden just about says it all for me.  He captures how I'd like to see myself. A beat-to-hell Don Quixote of the postmodern era, charging headlong and laughing into oblivion.

There's a lot more to quote-unquote 'me' than that, sure.  But this is the only part of 'me' I care to share here.

Alright, that's enough about me.  Resume the... y'know... whatever else.

[Lilac]

Elvi found this nice picture of a nun holding a bunch of lilacs...

[Elvi]

Ahhhhh the great Mother Superior incident of 2006.....remember it well.....*laughs*

And my nun was a photo manipulation with lilacs around her, it was Lilac who gave her the evil eyes.....*smiles*

[MechanicalImpulses]

That avatar always screamed "Dune" to me...  though the Mother Superior line didn't help much either.

[Spookie Monster]

Thanks very much for all of the great replies, ladies and gentlemen*.  I genuinely appreciate your taking the time to detail why you've chosen the avatar that you've chosen.  Looks like the various selections reflect a number of different reasons: aesthetics, aspirations, humor.  Very cool! :)

Thanks again! :)

Spel



* And others - I mean if there are any 'others' here - just sayin'! ;)

Fnord.

[Akioth]

Mine was made for me by Jackie a wonderful girl here on the E, My first one was a dragon (For fairly obvious reasons)