New Icons!

[manikus]

Originally Posted by nologgie I brightened up your phoenix in psp, and it still looked good to me. Your call, though.

I also just brightened it up a bit (but not a lot) in PSP and posted a 640x480 res version in the new small pics/prtraits thread.

[Dinonykos]

Here is the giant sloth I promised. I am not sure if I should rally call it a Mylodon... However, there were so many species of giant sloths during the Neogene that I am quite sure that it at least looks a little bit like one of them...



P.S.
Now that I looked again at a Mylodon skeleton, I will probably resize the head a little bit. It should be smaller...

[manikus]

Very nicely done, Dinonykos.

I think this icon will work well with Uatu's icons...which is a very nice bonus.

[Dinonykos]

I think the smaller head is better...

[manikus]

...is the icon with the smaller head posted anywhere?...

[Dinonykos]

Originally Posted by manikus ...is the icon with the smaller head posted anywhere?...

Just to put that clear (although Manikus probably recognized... ), the version you can see above now and on my homepage is the one with a smaller head. On May 3rd, the head was 2 pixels bigger in width and length...

Originally Posted by manikus I think this icon will work well with Uatu's icons...which is a very nice bonus.

In my opinion, Uatu's icons are more realistic than mine concerning proportions and details, while mine often show more difference between the normal and the attack position.
Concerning shading and colourization, there are also small differences, but I also think they can get along quite well in the same design.
In any case, I should do some more icons. Uatu is far ahead, even if I counted all my helmettiger and marten icons...

[Uatu]

Very nice work, Dinonykos! I am glad to see that you seem to be as nitpicky as me about closeness to reality, too (2 pixels is not much for most people, but quite important for me)! This icon looks more realistic than your Helmetlands icons, but still with the "soft touch" that your icons usually have, I think.

It is true that I try to be realistic if I can, but it does make creating the icons much more challenging (and a bit of a headache, if I may add). Humans are much easier, as I already know what humans look like

Also true about the smaller differences with normal and attack positions - the main reason for this is that I try to stick the icons in as small a space as possible (i.e., I would rather have an icon in 2 x 3 squares rather than 3 x 4, if I can). The other reason is that I can often cheat and save time that way

(By the way, I asked on the other forum, too, but I was wondering how big the largest smilodons were...)

Anyway, I have to do far more walls, overlays, and backdrops - or else I will have to do a game that only has combats!

[Uatu]

By the way, I am not sure, but I think that hotlinking from xthost.info these days may cause the file to "die" after a while (maybe number of views).

Maybe not, but a few pictures I hotlinked before have become invalid later on... (the file is still there, but becomes size 0)

[Dinonykos]

Originally Posted by Uatu (By the way, I asked on the other forum, too, but I was wondering how big the largest smilodons were...)

I answered there, but I should add that while preparing lectures on vertebrates, I very often check Wikipedia (e.g. because they often have additional pics, often public domain, which I use for my slides), and I never found something really different from scientific literature. Concerning paleontology, most of the Wikipedia articles are either written by "real" paleontologists or by enthusiasts who carefully check what they write, so, concerning size, weight and age of the taxa, you can generally rely on the articles. E.g., the article for Smilodon is good in my opinion.
Still, I am always happy if I can give some information!

BTW, the Smilodons I have seen so far (we had, e.g., one in the institute where I started studying), where more or less as big as a leopard or jaguar, not as big as Siberian tiger. Only one species from SA became bigger than today's biggest cats.

Originally Posted by Uatu Anyway, I have to do far more walls, overlays, and backdrops...

Yes, you have!
I think your art is "most-wanted" especially by those who like the original FRUA art (or similar "old-school" material). I hope for an Uatu-design!

[manikus]

I hope for an Uatu anything.