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...A good avatar? Not just on LiveJournal, but on forums, and other places? Is there some sort of science to these little icons? What makes the best ones? Emotion? Memorability? Novelty? Animation? Iconagraphy? (As circularly logical as that seems.) What makes... a good avatar?

I've seen a lot of them. I pay good attention. They can say a lot about the person, you know. Political opinions, comics they read, things they've seen, what the look like, how they feel, what there inerests are, and more. What makes... a good LiveJournal icon?

I think, if it was something that one could understand, kinkyturtle would seem to understand it. I think kbhoyt has made a few clever ones. Do I need to know how to draw to do the best ones? Perhaps, it is an ability one is born with: in innate understanding of how to cram the most identity into the smallest space without losing coherency. Maybe it is magic. More realistically, it's just a combination of an epiphany ("ah-ha!") and familiarity with the hardware and software involved. But can that really make... a good icon?

What makes... a good LiveJournal avatar?