How To Create Your Own Myspace Avatars
Myspace avatars come in all styles and categories. You can have static images or animated videos. You can select animals, ethnocentric images, celebrities, gothic/emo/rock icons, love avatars, music avatars, funny/scary/party theme icons, games, cartoons, brands, artistic themes or sports icons. If the pre-made icons at "Glitter-Graphics", "Cool Avatars" or "Myspace Avatars" don't suit you, then you can even make your own!
If you'd like to create your own Myspace avatars the computer geek way, then you'll need a computer with an internet connection, movie software like Quicktime or MovieSnapshot and photo editing software that can create layers, like Adobe Photoshop. To create still images from a movie/AVI file, you'll need to choose an animated sequence, video or movie trailer. If you have a movie on DVD you'd like to grab a scene from, then you'll need to rip your DVD into an AVI file using appropriate software.
Next, you'll have to play the video clip, pause on the shot you want to make an avatar out of. Some software will allow you to select "create thumbnail" or "save image," or in other cases you'll need to click "print screen" on your keyboard and paste into MS Paint to save as a screen shot. Advance the clip to the next frame and create a still image, and continue doing this for as long as you want the sequence to go on. Then you can open all the still images in Photoshop and place each image in its own layer, saving the animation as a GIF file.
For some, Myspace avatars are a nice anonymous outlet to self expression. Not everyone is comfortable posting their actual photographs online. After all, anyone can see you. Girls sometimes worry that men will be drooling over their pictures and some adults fear that their likeness or identity may be stolen.
The last thing you need is an ex-lover tracking you down or incriminating photos to surface. Instead, why not use Myspace graphics that say something about you? Or some people prefer to create a virtual person on sites like "Meez", selecting the same eye color, hair color, clothing style and facial features with characters that look like "Zwinkies," "Sims" or "Second Lifers."
Want to send your Myspace friend a message? Check out the wide variety of Myspace avatars! You can send your boyfriend an animated avatar of two cartoon monkeys kissing, or you can send your best friend a "friends forever" icon with two cats hugging.
There are birthday animations or just plain funny animations that you can post because they remind you of someone in particular. Avatars are a great way to let Myspace friends know you are thinking them, in addition to expressing yourself.
Article Source: Daily Digest Magazine
About the Author
Mike Selvon portal offers free articles on myspace. Find out more about myspace avatars, and leave a comment at the myspace posters blog.