Creating avatar/display picture

[Oxwivi]

I want to create a unique piece of image to use as a display picture or avatar (take your pick), but I don't know how to get started with creating a digital image. Art and craft are something I don't have a clue about, and as suck to create something unique, I just want to have random mixture and splashes of color.

What software will fit the purpose? And a recommendation of the size of image would also be helpful (a size that can scale well even when it's displayed larger in places like profile pages).

Thanks!

[MG&TL]

There is various open-source image creation and manipulation tools out there.

I suggest Inkscape and Gimp. In a terminal:

sudo apt-get install inkscape gimp

Inkscape creates svg graphics that can be scaled up and down infnitely. Resize these ones to the size required, then edit them in GIMP (it's like photoshop) Inkscape is fairly intuitive (as with gimp), but there's plenty of tutorials on the web if you're confused.

[collisionystm]

There is various open-source image creation and manipulation tools out there.

I suggest Inkscape and Gimp. In a terminal:

sudo apt-get install inkscape gimp

Inkscape creates svg graphics that can be scaled up and down infnitely. Resize these ones to the size required, then edit them in GIMP (it's like photoshop) Inkscape is fairly intuitive (as with gimp), but there's plenty of tutorials on the web if you're confused.

or install it with the new fancy software center.....

[scania_gti]

... And a recommendation of the size of image would also be helpful ...

Mostly 80x80 pixels or 100x100 pixels or 125x125. If created avatar too big - site image simply don't upload.
Just try

[MG&TL]

This forum (and I'm guessing any that are based on the same vBulletin thing) take avatars up to 90px; but anything down to about 60px will look OK.

I'd just save as SVG, then export as a PNG or whatever in the size you need. GIMP has a convenient 'scale image' button.

[MG&TL]

or install it with the new fancy software center.....

I'd forgotten about that... Yeah, do that.

[Oxwivi]

Okay, the softwares down, but how do I make random art, if it can be called art at all.

[MG&TL]

Okay, the softwares down, but how do I make random art, if it can be called art at all.

The software's down? Errr... the centre's malfunctioninng, apt has crashed, your internet's failed, the servers are down?

Random art? Well, do random splodges all over the screen in inkscape or something. Or use one of those mandelbrot set generators.

[Oxwivi]

Random art? Well, do random splodges all over the screen in inkscape or something. Or use one of those mandelbrot set generators.

Well, that's what the thread is all about. I don't know how to do those. :/

[scania_gti]

...I don't know how to do those. :/

Try this turorial for photoshop; all image editing programs do it similar:
http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=70387