I love these! They're excellent, some of the higher quality member artist works for sure. I like that you have a banner with no people most people stick to that I think, and it looks more original if you have some with out people.

heylo.

I really really like your stuff, especially the office icons, and the first banner.

Maybe the guy on the second sig might be a little too saturated or something, so it kinda looks a bit strange, but I really really like your work!!

belle

Hi, Ashley, welcome to TDA! You're off to a fantastic start (well, if you've been doing graphics for a year, that would explain it, no?)

I love, love, LOVE your icons, especially the last in +THIS. The coloring is beautiful.

I would suggest working a little on graphic placement, for instance, in icons, be aware of every part of a person's face, and try not to cut off anybody's chin. I would also suggest adding a bit more contrast to some of your graphics, like +THIS one, for instance, to make 'em pop a little more.

Hope that didn't seem too harsh! Critique is always what helps me best. You really are to a fantabuloso start.

Good luck!

xx
Liz

thanks so much for the comments, guys, I appreciate them quite a bit (especially your critique, Liz -- it wasn't too harsh, don't worry

A^2

HAIHAI, i is ella!
i was just galleryhopping and decided to comment.

wow, you've got some fantastic stuff in your gallery!

first off-- i love the first two icons in the random icon set. the coloring and cuts are fantastic.
(plus, for the second set, office = always ftw!)
the christian bale sig has FANTASTIC blending, however
i would try to make the coloring in the left picture a bit more yellow to match the one on the right.
i also suggest possibly using a different font type and color, to make it "pop" a bit more and fit the mood of the sig.

hope this helped!
you're off to a great start, and i can't wait to see more!

wow, you have a really pretty gallery here, i think you'll definately be promoted soon
The colouring on your first banner is gorjj *Jelousy* and your icons are really beautifully done, keep up the good work!
Hugs,
Lauren xx

Thanks for the comments, xlaurenbabe

Also, I've updated my banners and signatures, so feel free to comment.

-Ashley

Hey there

This is a lovely gallery you have going on here!
Your 'don't fix me, I'm not broken' blend... thing... well the colouring is amazing.
It's kind of creepy, but amazing all the same

And your banners. It looks like you have a good hand on blending.
You're doing wonderfully. I especially love the first banner.

The only thing I think you should work on (that I also need to work on ) is text.
It's a good idea to go to a site like dafont.com and download a few. Try messing with embossing and different coloured layers and stuff

Apart from that I think you're doing a wonderful, amazing job! Keep the good art rolling

- Laura

Thanks so much for the coments, RoseWilts. I know this is like a million years late, but I really do appreciate it

I've updated fairly recently so feel free to comment

-Ashley

Hey! You dropped a wonderful comment at my gallery so I thought I should do the same!
I really love your stuff! The first siggie is positively amazing!
And your colouring is equally marvelous.
I wish you would play with text more, though.
And... hey! Have you checked out the promotion options? Just one more post and you are eligible!
I am sooooo sure you will be promoted!
Try out this month!

-love,
Leeya

Avis - thanks so much for the comments and for the promotion info. With this post I'm officially eligible, so I'm definitely considering that

Ashley

_{You should really teach my how to make such cool animated banners.
Your gallery looks great.}

How have I not commented on your gallery yet? I suppose you know who I am. Your sigs and banners are absolute love. I'll have to submit Secrets to HPFF just so that I can use that banner. *melts*

I'll bet anything that you'l lbe promoted this month. Honestly, it's outrageous. Ashley? Not a Staff Artist yet? Gasp.

BB! (unless you go by something else here?) Thanks mucho for the comments (they were very flattering - not incredibly true (me - staff? I laugh) - but verrrry flattering). It always nice to see other BA'ers around, especially because we seem so underrepresented. Ah well. We'll have to fix that.

Anywho, you're banners have freaking exploded with talent lately and I think I'm going to leave a little note in your gallery. Your SENIOR gallery. I'm so proud! *pinches cheek*

-L. Gaga

your gallery is super awesome!

i love your banners and icons! super awesome! great work!

keep it up and you'll have a promo in the bag!

-is stalking-

EDIT: and -squee- i just realized your name was ashley!!

All of your stuff if GORGEOUS I must say.
I love all the coloring, especially the icons

xxEmma & Emerald_Princess92: thanks so much for the comments, guys. I appreciate it muchlyyyy.

ashley

Hi, I'm here with your requested gallery critique.

I'm gonna go really quick and just focus on a few points.

The first thing that jumps out at me is coloring. You do a good job with making your graphics have a unified coloring, but there is quite a bit of 'unnatural' coloring going on, like blue highlights that are too strong, yellowish or pasty-looking faces, heavy orange shadows, that kind of thing. So while it's great that you are able to work with the coloring options in your program, maybe try and bring out more natural colorings for the moment.

Second is image quality, especially in your second icon set, it's kind of iffy. And on some other graphics, I think they could do with a sharpen. I know screencaps are hard to work with, but you should only put tip-top HQ images in your gallery.

Text is generally pretty good, just watch out for it getting away from you and wandering all over (here), or getting shoved too much to the margins and becoming hard to find (here).

Hope this is helpful to you! You're doing great, by the way, just keep working on the basics and you'll be there in no time.

ASHLEYYOU'REHEEEEEEERE!

Hello.

Kaye, so, I know it's laughable for me to critique a pixie, but I'ma pick at a few things.

In the first two sets of icons, the coloring is almost too bright. The white really overpowers the rest the of the colors in what would otherwise be REALLY great coloring. If I could guess, I'd say you adjusted the white in selective coloring, and overpowered the natural shadows. Or something.

As for your banners -- or signatures, or what have you -- I'm just not gonna embarrass myself. You own. The coloring in Martina's sig is edible. Your composition rocks my bananas, especially in the Dumbledore/challenge banner. Seriously. I'ma eat it for lunch.

Your blend is also FANTASMICAL. I would suggest, though, removing the texture from their skins; it looks really odd, and obstructs the otherwise FANTASMICAL coloring and composition and DIDIMENTIONCOLORING. Gah it's so pertiful.

LAMECRITIQUEOVER. I fangirl you. T'is nice to see you here.

Hello! I'm Elyse!

First off, I want to point out that I love your coloring of your graphics! Your dumbledore set flows well! I like your signatures!
I like the blend that you made. It is interesting, but , as Arianna said, watch for textures.

I can't wait to see what else you make!

SwissMiss: Thanks so much for the concrit. You definately gave me some things to think on. I really appreciate you taking the time to help me out.

Ari: It most definitely not laughable to critique a pixoe, expecially when your critique is as helpful (and nice as yours) Thanks thanks thanks. You rock. Can't wait to see what you come up wth for the BA challenge. *squish*

Undercover Superhero: Your username is super cool. Ahem. Yes. Thanks or the compliments and comments, especially about textures. They've been my kryptonite lately.

THE OFFICE!!!!!

Yes, that silly little show does tend to pop up in my graphics from time to time

Hey Ashleeeey

I love love love your coloured pieces, but DUDE, you need to update with your wonderful monochromaticz and blow everyone away.

You are so awesome, it kinda hurts. I look forward to seeing you in a lighter blue (or more) soon

-Sitara

Sitara my love: Hello dear I do need to add some of the monochrome ones, don't I? I think I may. Thanks mucho for your lovely words.

Hi Ashley!!!

I'm Sarah and I'm here to give you some critique!!!!!

I'll start off with Icons: the ones you have currently are pretty good but the coloring is what throws me off....it's too pink for my taste....I'm glad you experimented with coloring but in this case, it just doesn't work. It's very difficult to change a person's skin tones to an unnatural color and make it work. So try for more natural color????
Your placement is really good though and maybe you could vary it up even more.

Signatures:

this one is really good but her chin is almost reaching the bottom of the sig and that's what throws me off is her placement. I'd almost move her up a bit more so you don't cut of her neck too much.
I like the painted style you have going on in this but be careful with the text. It almost seems flat and you don't want that. So adding gradients/drop shadows help.
Your last few sigs are good but not as good as the top ones in my opinion. I would try playing around with placement and negative space a bit more. As well as coloring. I'm starting to get the feel you like monochrome. Monochrome is great but you need a balance too. Seeing fully colored work is always nice.

Banners:

I love your placement of images/people and coloring. And your animated version of that banner is really good! I can't do animation to save my life! XD
I see you like the Jellyka fonts. (I think that's the handwritten one in the first and third). Those fonts are great but try to have some variety! Text is ridiculously evil but you're getting it! What I try to think of when making banners, I place my people where I want them then look to see if I have room for text. You don't want to just slap text anywhere. You want balance within your banners. You don't want it all on one side or all in the same font. Try emphasizing one or two words of a long title: like your Cain and Abel, what would work best is putting the And as a & in a scripty large font and putting 'cain' 'abel' in small serif font.

And banners can be tricky. I find tutorials are great but try not to rely on those too much, as you want to form your own style. Try entering some banner challenges to get your muse going and another thing a lot of artists do, is mockquests. Those are like requests but sort of more of an individual challenge. If you ever want one, feel free to pm me at anytime and I'd be more than happy to help!

I start getting the feeling you use tutorials, for coloring at least...but don't get me wrong, tutorials are great and all but again, don't rely on those....you can tell really easily when something is based of a tut....so try to go down the 'beaten path' as I call it and wander away from those into your own experimenting. You'll find yourself developing a style and finding coloring that really works for you.

And with image choice, I'm not sure how to help you there. It's best if you find good quality, larger images, especially of people. The Swap Meet is a great place to look for images if you're stuck. I don't use PS7 so I don't know how much I can help you there......

You have a great gallery!!!! you just need to vary it up a little more!!!! Try playing with chapter images or blends too. The more practice you get with them, the better you'll become!!!

I hope I wasn't too harsh....and I hope that helps a bit. Let me know if you have any questions!

Sarah

Sarah: Thanks so much for the critique, it wasn't too harsh at all. Just what I needed, actually

I like your stuff
and ur banner

nice work

hi there ashley (: i'm here for your gallery crit n_n

just saying now, if i'm totally harsh and over the line, tell me D:
and feel free to stab me with a spork. or not. whatever you're feeling :]

okay, PERSONALLY, i don't know why you think your banners are a weak point!
THEY ARE GORGEOUS. now repeat that to yourself (;
- the blending is EXCELLENT.
- i can understand the moods without seeing anything past the banners
- plus the coloring is stunning (:
overall: keep up the good work! you don't need much help on these darling

the next weak point you said in your topic was text.
this one is a little more... obvious? -stabmenow-
your font choices are extremely fitting, it's the sizes & colors that don't fit as well.
- for the times new roman-like fonts you used: i'd suggest keeping them around 10pt in size, not much smaller or bigger for the effect you're aiming for ;]
--- (on the secrets banner, the small text is very hard to read.)

- for coloring, they look nice because the font color is the same kinds of colors you see in your graphics, but it matches a little too well. i know, stabbbb.
--- (this really only applies to the here's the sun, here's the moon sig and the fire and snow)

one little tip i can give about text? if you're using a thin, scripty font (like A Theme For Murder), add a faux-bold style to it, just to see if it helps the text pop a bit more on the graphic :]


&& as far as image choices, you're doing perfectly fine on those =D

so, again, i hope i wasn't too mean D:
keep up the great work ashley :]
- keisha!

Keisha: Thank you very much for the critique; it wasn't too harsh, so don't worry. It was very helpful and I'm looking forward to applying what you said to my graphics

Oh wow! I love your banners and sigs!
Your animated banner is amazing!!

:x i be jealous

kerplunk and malove: thanks so much for the lovely comments!

hey there
First of all i have to say that i love these two, the colouring,blending and text is WOW.
Just be careful with your icons because in some of them they are starting to get a little grainy, great cuts tho

keep up the amazing work, you are doing wonders

rubix

rubix: thanks so much for hte concrit

ok so I saw your gallery title and I was like OMG I LOVE THAT SONG!!!!!!

yeah i do. i love singing it. i just break out in it all the time

anyway, your graphics are really lovely! I just suggest workingon some image quality but i really love the signature you are using currently!

/randomcomment

ceren: it is a wonderful song isn't it? Lea Michele's rendition on Glee STILL gives me chills. Thanks for the comments

hi Ashley!!!!


I absolutely love love love these banners!!! <3333 They are gorgeous!

I can see you're improving with your banners!!!!

Keep up the awesome work!!!!!!!

Sarah

Sarah: Thanks, hun! I'm so glad you liked them

OH LJHWTPQ
wtf
wtf
wtf
ashley you are the definition on skills
I didn't know you had a tda!!!

!!!!!!!!!!!!
my life was just made a million times better
thanks for allowing me to post in your amazing gallery

avery my love: !!!! I had no idea you were here either! we're still lamenting the loss the of you wonderful skillz in the BA (come baaaaaack) Did you know we still squee you? 'cause we do. like, on the daily. I'm soooo glad you're here my dear (rhyme) <333333

Love your banners and sigs!!! Can't wait to see more.

:::Annaliese:::

Annaliese: Thanks so much!

ASHLEY!!!!

CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR WELL DESERVED PROMO!!!!!!!!!

Congrats on your promo!! Enjoy your new shade of blue!

Congrats on winning MC!

Congrats on your promooo!

_{Congrats on MC! your banners are great. I can't wait to see the new graphics you make in the future, keep up the good work.}

Thank you, everyone, for the congratulations! I'm still a little boggled at being promoted

congrats on the well-deserved promo! Enjoy the new shade of blue =D