Profile Pictures

[SilkSkull]

I recently watched a video essay about profile pictures and it got me thinking how interesting of a concept they are. It can tell people a lot and becomes part of peoples online image of you. Do you use different profile pictures for different sites? What made you choose a particular picture? Do you remember your first? I would love to know about peoples experience with the purely online concept

[wodaro]

Because I'm an artist I always like to use my own art for sites where I post that (twitter, tumblr, mastodon, the big social media sites basically) but on sites where I'm not really there to post my art (here, discord, myanimelist, etc) I tend to use pictures from my favourite anime! on here and MAL I use pictures from Revolutionary Girl Utena, and on discord & a lot of misc. sites I use pictures of Mariko Shinobu from Oniisama E

<-- My MAL avatar, Juri from Utena
<-- My Lacemarket avatar, Mariko!

But I think I choose these character not just because they're from shows I like, but because they set a particular vibe. Both are kind of unhinged lesbians/lesbian coded characters from popular girls love series. Both are 90s anime with a very particular aesthetic. etc.

[Nippo]

I recently watched a video essay about profile pictures and it got me thinking how interesting of a concept they are.

Do you mind sharing the video essay? I am interested in watching it!

My profile picture is this cool boppin Pikachu. I used it on AOL Instant Messenger through the Phoenix servers. I wanted a cute gif for it and now I use it here!

I update my images depending on the profile and what my moods are. I like Pokemon a lot, so I may make it that. Sometimes I'll make it my own art. I am sporadic...

[SilkSkull]

Do you mind sharing the video essay? I am interested in watching it!

My profile picture is this cool boppin Pikachu. I used it on AOL Instant Messenger through the Phoenix servers. I wanted a cute gif for it and now I use it here!

I update my images depending on the profile and what my moods are. I like Pokemon a lot, so I may make it that. Sometimes I'll make it my own art. I am sporadic...

Looking at it now, I'm not sure if it would count as a video essay because of it's length but here!

It's by one of my favorite creators

[Nippo]

Looking at it now, I'm not sure if it would count as a video essay because of it's length but here!
It's by one of my favorite creators

I thought this was very cool, thanks for sharing!

I have always viewed profile images in this way, but I never thought that it was something everyone else did, so it was cool to see someone else's perspective.

I don't remember the last time I have ever settled on a profile image that I'd use everywhere. I have always been a fan of gif PFPs, and it is unfortunate that most platforms do not offer them or force you to pay for them. I enjoy it when forums allow me to set a gif image.

I used to change my profile image sporadically on platforms like Discord, but I have been attempting to settle on a single image. I notice younger users tend to change theirs a lot while older users stick to one. I feel like I am a mixture of both, lol.

[DJoftheCoven]

I recently watched a video essay about profile pictures and it got me thinking how interesting of a concept they are. It can tell people a lot and becomes part of peoples online image of you. Do you use different profile pictures for different sites? What made you choose a particular picture? Do you remember your first? I would love to know about peoples experience with the purely online concept

Oh, I remember my first! It was a drawing of a ninetales that I did on a sticky note when I was really little. I kept that for a few years until I changed it to a picture of Kiba from Naruto when I was about eleven or twelve.

Generally my pfps have always had something to do with whatever fandom I'm in at the time. It makes me happy when I choose a character to represent how I feel and everyone sees me as them! Currently my pfps across platforms (just tumblr, discord, and youtube for me) is my favorite character from The World Ends With You.

although on Melonland I've been using a pixel gif from Whimsical. I really love using gif pfps but those are generally not supported on modern social media platforms. I have a small collection of old em:ha:punk gif pfps that I found while looking through myspace archives, in case the day ever comes in which I'm allowed to use one ^^

[Corrupted Unicorn]

I don't remember my first PFP ever... yet. I think it was a random cat from a comic book.

I'm using this gif here on Melonland because I think it fits the vibe well! It's a little clay doll I made of one of my characters, then took three photos and animated together! It's a bit janky looking, but it adds to the charm.

I like using my own art as PFPs, but not always. Honestly, it depends on my mood. Especially on Discord, I like to switch them around. Common topics include pictures or fanart of characters I'm liking a lot at the moment and meme pictures for a quick laugh and an amusing look.

[creaturefeature]

that depends, like for example for one fandom blog I would use the image of my fave characters, but sometimes I would use you spooky profiles to reflect my taste in horror.

for dreamwith its a bit different, I choose different icons according to subject o f my post

[Commodorn]

I've always chosen characters that I relate to in some form for my profile pictures. Those characters used to change pretty frequently (like once or twice within a year, maybe), but Mario and Luigi have become the characters I gravitate towards most when choosing an avatar. I've been consistently comfortable with that for maybe 3 to 4 years now.. I guess that's an effect of me growing older?..

..They always seem to jive the best with my humor and personality. The fact that they're plumbers satisfies the middle-aged New Yorker in my brain that likes to go on loud and animated rants about how great blue-collar workers are, too. (I love the guy, but he really needs to stop trying to take control when I'm having casual conversations that happen to mention plumbing like.. once.)

[tarraxahum]

I usually put my favorite characters on my profile pics and avatars, yeah.

The profile pic I use here is perhaps the first exception in a while, in that it's drawn by me and of my own character. But that technically makes her my current favorite character too, so? On brand, I think 

[Cele]

I use different pfps everywhere and I also change them all the time. Usually they include my favourite characters, like right now here. I made this by cropping someone's wider gif. I totally don't remember my first one.

[teatime]

most of my profile pics tend to just be whatever i have on my phone or computer. usually it ends up being an image of my favorite characters, since i like downloading images of them. my avatar here is an exception: i just picked it because it looked silly and unique 

[Guest]

I personally tend to use icons from old icon packs as profile pictures. It's kind of "my thing" now.

[dotmidi]

Haha i usually just use pictures of singers from bands, OR if its an older site i use a gif from gif necronomicon like on my imood! (my imood pfp is a stop motion png of a beanie baby bat    )

[TheFrugalGamer]

I personally tend to use icons from old icon packs as profile pictures. It's kind of "my thing" now.

I love your profile pics! I've got a thing for icons in general, and I always like seeing the ones you choose.

Mine right now is an alien I drew in a Pixel art app. It doesn't have a name, but I think it's cute.