ComicBookMovie 101: Creating Avatars

ComicBookMovie 101: Creating Avatars

Do you struggle finding the right size for your avatar? Do you desperately wish to know how to use a .gif as your avatar? Or do you wish to create your own custom .gif to use as your avatar? Well look no further, for all your avatar questions will be resolved! With my simple editorial you'll learn how to "dress" for success the MrBlackjack way.

Editorial Opinion
By MrBlackJack - Aug 14, 2014 01:08 PM EST
Filed Under: Other
 
 
 
 
  

If you would like create an avatar using a regular image there are a plethora of ways you can accomplish this. You can simply resize a picture in programs such as Microsoft Paint, Photoshop, or GIMP, but it is also possible to resize images quickly and easily by visiting sites like LunaPic.com or picresize.com. But regardless of what method you chose, the ideal ComicBookMovie.com avatar size is 70 pixels by 70 pixels. Not only is this the most preferred size, but it gives you the best presented image when it is viewed in the comments section. If one was to go to a site such as picresize, they would simply need to select an image you would like to use, crop the image if needed, resize the image to a custom size of 70 pixels by 70 pixels, save the image as a JPG or PNG and voila! Your soon to be avatar is completed.
Example
Original Image

Finished Avatar

Resizing (or rather creating) a .gif avatar is almost as simple as creating an avatar using JPEG/PNG. I personally use and recommend a site like toolson.net, but there are other sites like ezgif.com (another one of my personal favorites) and LunaPic.com. From past experience, I've found using site toolson.net tends to be the easier route to use. While using toolson.net, you simply upload the .gif you would like to use, crop the .gif (if needed), and re-size it to 70x70 pixels. With JPEGs and PNGs 70x70 pixels is the preferred size, but with .gifs it is the only acceptable size. You may be able to get a .gif of a smaller size to work, but most users prefer their avatars as large as possible. Any .gif above the size of 70x70 pixels will not work, it is very important to remember this for future reference. You once you resize the .gif you are done and are ready to upload your new avatar!
Example
Original Image

Finished Avatar

The third option for creating an avatar is mixing and matching .gifs to create a .gif compilation based avatar. Unfortunately, this process is much longer and tiring than resizing a picture or re-sizing a .gif. The first thing you need to do is make sure you have all the .gifs you wish to combine at the size of 70x70 pixels (as per usual). Once you have that completed, visit ezgif.com and select "GIF Splitter". There, take each .gif and split them by simply hitting the split button. Once a .gif has been split, select "Download frames as ZIP". Once they've been downloaded open the compressed zip folder in which the files have been downloaded and select "Extract Frames". Select whatever location you wish to place them in, just remember where the location you have chosen. Personally, I always have a folder dedicated to each .gif that has been split, that way there's no confusion as to where the files are located and what they are. Repeat this process with the rest of the .gifs and then head to toolson.net once again. There you simply uploaded the extracted .gif files in the order in which you would like them to appear in your final product. The final product has a limit of 15 MB, so there's plenty of space for files to use. Once all the files are uploaded, you must select the frame interval. I've found a frame interval rate of anywhere between 70 and 80 ms is usually the right pace, but it all depends on how many .gifs you are using and many frames each .gif was. If you chose a handful of short .gifs, then you may want to use a higher ms. If you have chosen .gifs that are made up of many files, then you may be best off using a smaller frame interval. After a frame interval is decided on make sure the animation is cycled and the height is 70x70 pixels and then you're done! You're now ready to use your newly created .gif as your avatar.
Example
Original Images
 
 
 
 

Finished Avatar
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Pasto
Pasto - 8/14/2014, 1:20 PM
I make the best avatars.
TheBuoyWonder
TheBuoyWonder - 8/14/2014, 1:23 PM
10/10 would tell a friend.
Great Article.
Very Useful. Much Appreciated.
ThedamnBatman
ThedamnBatman - 8/14/2014, 1:25 PM
nice info, now on come all the gifs
MrBlackJack
MrBlackJack - 8/14/2014, 1:26 PM
Any .gifs in there are "up for grabs" too. I have no use for them.
ThedamnBatman
ThedamnBatman - 8/14/2014, 1:31 PM
this is how you make an article with sytle

cipher
cipher - 8/14/2014, 1:32 PM
Good stuff, bud.

I'm not good at this tech stuff, though.

I'm probably going to upload a pic of myself as an avatar sometime soon anyway, but people will probably be too thrown off by the sight of a wiry, long-haired, pretty boy instead of whatever they imagined me to be, haha.
cipher
cipher - 8/14/2014, 1:32 PM
Also, I zoned out again after looking at your avatar for ten seconds.

You.. you sneaky bastard, you.
EhMaybeSays
EhMaybeSays - 8/14/2014, 1:35 PM
"Do you struggle finding the right size?" Yes. Yes I do.
sKeemAn
sKeemAn - 8/14/2014, 1:36 PM
Thanks @MrBJ. You gave me this info and havent had time to apply it, but good info nontheless.
McNyagano
McNyagano - 8/14/2014, 1:36 PM
Great stuff bro. Got mine off the @BlackFlash ;)
EhMaybeSays
EhMaybeSays - 8/14/2014, 1:37 PM
@cipher
I always assumed your avatar was of you.
SauronsBANE
SauronsBANE - 8/14/2014, 1:38 PM
I make a motion that we NEVER shorten MrBlackjack's username to "MrBJ".
TheBuoyWonder
TheBuoyWonder - 8/14/2014, 1:39 PM
Aww yeeeaaaaah
Now my avatar isn't all pixely and unreadable.
AND ITS ALL THANKS TO @MrBlackjack 'S WONDERFUL ARTICLE!
DrKinsolving
DrKinsolving - 8/14/2014, 1:40 PM
Nice article BlackJack, I might try to make one of these, eventually....
batz11
batz11 - 8/14/2014, 1:42 PM
Worst article ever!
Now every [frick]er is gonna have some blinky thing next to every [frick]ing comment on every [frick]ing thread!

LOL, remember that "moving bugs" one, that was some trippy shit...good stuff BJ!
DEVLIN712
DEVLIN712 - 8/14/2014, 1:43 PM
It's strange, almost all of the users with iconic (in terms of CBM.com) avatars have since changed them.
DEVLIN712
DEVLIN712 - 8/14/2014, 1:45 PM
Just look at this thread alone, both Ciph and Batz changed. It's not fair, I need my daily fix of little orange midget!
Pasto
Pasto - 8/14/2014, 1:45 PM
MrBlackJack vs Pasto
in
The Great Avatar Creation Battle Bonanza
MrBlackJack
MrBlackJack - 8/14/2014, 1:46 PM
I'm sorry Pasto, but it's not even a fight. I own the avatar realms of CBM, you own the editorial realms.
FordEl
FordEl - 8/14/2014, 1:47 PM
Thanks BlackJack. This is a really great article.
batz11
batz11 - 8/14/2014, 1:47 PM
For you Dev :)
LordDaredevil
LordDaredevil - 8/14/2014, 1:48 PM
I feel like a bandwagoner because I changed mine before I even finished reading the article.
MrBlackJack
MrBlackJack - 8/14/2014, 1:48 PM
My goal is to have each CBM user use a .gif for their avatar within the next two years. Then I can start my BJ rebellion!
UltimateHunt
UltimateHunt - 8/14/2014, 1:49 PM
nice artticle, i learned it by mistake, i went to the chat and they were talking about it, i had no clue lol, nice info, will help alot.

batz11
batz11 - 8/14/2014, 1:50 PM
BJ Rebellion sounds like Pasto's life story...or Ciph's band???
NightWatcher
NightWatcher - 8/14/2014, 1:50 PM
Great Article @MrBlackJack

MrBlackJack
MrBlackJack - 8/14/2014, 1:50 PM
Choosing the name "MrBlackjack" and not thinking of MrBJ is just poor decision making on my part.
MrBlackJack
MrBlackJack - 8/14/2014, 1:51 PM
Oh yeah, I do everything on my PC so...
DaniDeSanta
DaniDeSanta - 8/14/2014, 1:52 PM
This article is on my Top 5 All-Time favorite Internet Articles ever! This caused my new profile image!
DEVLIN712
DEVLIN712 - 8/14/2014, 1:53 PM
*screams in delight at Batz*
DCGuy
DCGuy - 8/14/2014, 1:54 PM
Thank you black jack
MrBlackJack
MrBlackJack - 8/14/2014, 1:54 PM
The size for a .gif for an article teaser is 60x60, FYI.
SnapperCarr
SnapperCarr - 8/14/2014, 1:57 PM
Great article! I'm going to go change my avatar later.
kong
kong - 8/14/2014, 2:12 PM
I have 60x60!!!!!






(rebel)
Abary
Abary - 8/14/2014, 2:31 PM
Great article, most people here have shit avatars.
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