Community Profile

This is an icon community for BtVS and AtS icons. It is a closed community, meaning you have to apply to become a member and get posting access.
This community is moderated by mesnica and lenabee.


To join, first read the application post and follow all the rules stated there. If you do not follow the rules, you will be rejected.


The idea for this community is copied from goodhplotricons. We want to have a community where all the posted icons have a high quality. No more icons with bad cropping, clashing colors, text without Antialias (or with Antialias on pixelfonts).

How do I get into chosen_icons?
Well, first you have to leave a comment [here], with your lj username and a link to a place where we can see a few of your icons, to judge how well you create. Also make sure you click the link to request membership in the user info. If you are approved, your request will be granted. If you are not, your request will be denied.

Can I link you to my icon journal for judging?
Yes, as long as we can see the posts. If your icon journal is friends-only, friend mesnica and lenabee to it before applying. If we go to your journal and it is friends-locked, we will automatically reject your application. This is an audition, and we will not jump through hoops just to see your application. Be sure that we will be able to see everything you're applying with.

What exactly are you looking for?
Icon makers that are original and that know how to make icons that are aesthetically pleasing. This means knowing the basic dos and don'ts of icons, and then some. For example: Does the use of brushes accentuate or overpower the image? Does the use of blinking text make you want to gouge your eyes out? Is the image clear? Does text overpower the icon? Is text antialiased when it needs to be? This kind of thing.

I only make bases, and don't jazz them up at all. Can I join?
No. This community is chosen_icons, not chosen_bases. Icons are modified. The image is filtered, brushed, brightened, cropped well, and text is added. All of that takes time and effort and shows great amounts of skill. Bases, on the other hand, often require no less work than cropping the image and putting a border on it. There is no way that the two compare.

What will you not allow into the community?
Simply because it requires more crediting than other things, this community will not allow any icons made from fanart. Often, they are of a lesser quality than other icons, and more often than not, the creator of the fanart does not know that their art is being iconned in the first place. Therefore, that is not a line that this community will be crossing.

What about making icons with other people's bases?
It is our firm belief that part of making good icons is making your own bases as well. One of the requirements for making it into this community is that you show proof that you can make your own bases. Once you're in, it doesn't matter if you use bases by other people, but to get in, you must show that you can make equally beautiful icons by starting from scratch as you can by adding to a pre-made base.

I post with [username], but I have another journal for icons. Will you add both to the community?
No. We only add one username per person, so make sure you tell us which username you'll be posting with. We want the member count to show the actual number of members, and if people have more than one journal added to this community, they throw off the number.

Anything Else?
You need to have a good grasp on proper English grammar and punctuation. Netspeak is not a good thing here, nor are sticky caps (i.e., tHiS cRaP) or ghetto-speak. Proper English simply looks cleaner, reads easier, and as far as I have been able to tell, those with a grasp on their English usually have a better grasp on what makes good icons.

You didn't accept me! You're so mean!
Well - no offense - but deal with it. Work on making your icons better. Take a look at what's here at chosen_icons and learn. Also - being rejected does not mean you can never, ever, ever try again. Feel free to work on your technique and try again. Just know that being rude will not get you in later. Check our memories section for links to some very useful and well-written tutorials on making your icons better.

I got in at takenote_icons/goodhplotricons but not here! Why are you so mean?
chosen_icons is in no way connected with takenote_icons or goodhplotricons. We judge on our own standarts and belonging to another "application only" community means nothing to us when we review your application.

What's allowed at chosen_icons?
Icons. That's it. There will be no pimping of new communities without permission from the moderators, there will be no poetry, no fanfiction, no icon requests, and let’s make it very clear right now: one violation of the only-post-icons rule and your posting access will be removed. There - it's in the user info. Complaining won't be tolerated.

Can I use the icons posted here?
Any and all icons that are posted here at chosen_icons are posted with intent to share unless otherwise stated by the poster. In any case, when you get an icon from this community, you must credit the creator of the icon in the keywords when you use the icons. People take pride in their icons, and when you don't credit, you're technically calling something yours when it isn't. That's not cool. If you don’t know how to credit, look here!!

Should I lj-cut?
It is good form to lj-cut large quantities of icons, so yes. Please, lj-cut. You may put one or two 'teaser' icons outside of the cut, but otherwise, lj-cut the icons themselves. Your personal sharing rules can be inside or outside of the cut.

Can I post one-icon posts?
Sure, if you really can't come up with more than one icon. However, it would be much more efficient if you would wait until you have at least 5-10 icons and post them in sets.

I didn't get accepted, but still want to watch your community. Will you add me if I promise not to post?
No. You can, however, friend the community without joining.

The big no no:
Don’t go to one of the moderators personal journals to ask/complain about anything concerning your application for chosen_icons! If you do so, you’re application will be hold back for two weeks. If you do it a second time, you’ll be banned from the community! Anything concerning chosen_icons has to be discussed here, not in our personal journals!

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Looking for good caps, fonts, etc? dtissagirl has a great icon making resource page here

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