For those people who have portraits of characters (obviously this doesn't apply to people who have creature avatars, or people who have gems) how did you decide on your portrait? Everyone knows why Splunge took his, but for others, what was the basis? Did you take someone that may actually look like you? Did you take a portrait of what you would be like in a fantasy setting? Did you take a character who seemed to represent a race and/or class that you would play most often? Or did you just pick the coolest looking portrait of the options available? For me it was definitely the class of the character. It would have been better if it was a dwarf, but I thought weapon selection was more important than race.

The description of my avatar amounted to, essentially, "lawyer." As that's what I am and as Planescape:Torment (which is where it's from) was, IMO, the best CRPG ever, it was a no-brainer.

This portrait just suited me better than any other and I basically made the decision without giving it much thought. It certainly does not look a character I usually play in D&D or something like that. He might look a bit like me, probably because he looks calm and pondering, but certainly not physically. I still think it's a very cool portrait, but the small size here in the forum doesn't do it any justice.

I have to say the portrait isn't that much different from how I look in real life, IMHO. This is subject to a couple caveats.

My hair is very long, a cultural observance on my part since I'm half Native American. It started off when I was a teenaged metal-head who had a few things to deal with growing up. Now that I'm older, I keep it braided for the most part. Occasionally I still wear it down when I'm amongst my old friends. As you can probably guess, I'm not blonde, and I certainly wouldn't be walking around in medieval armor either. ;)

I also have a moustache as well. But on the whole, not that dissimilar. When I first started posting here, I hoped to use a portrait of Sorak the Elfing from the Dark Sun novel series. That's a closer approximation. No matter anyway, I settled on the one that I felt came closest. (i.e. it just had to have the long hair :) )

This portrait is the one I thought best resembled my character who's name I chose to use on these forums...ie: Faerus Stoneslammer, a red-haired/bearded dwarf...

I actually would have preferred Baezlebub's (formerly Sir Bel's) portrait...but one can't always have what one wants...

An elf holding a dagger fits my name IMO, and I always use this avatar when I play NWN.

I thought my avatar was the coolest one available IMHO. Also it managed to fit just what I wanted: A slightly odd looking fellow. :D

Also, in a few years, when I lose some hair, I might look similar.

Did you take someone that may actually look like you? I bloody well hope not! :lol:

I chose mine due to all the good ones being taken and not having much time to choose before I went out at the time. :(

Well I tried to pick one who mostly resembles me, and this one does a bit considering I don't have the muscles my avatar does. And besides I'm Apeman, and that was the only portrat that closely related to nature. If only I could have Baldrak's one ;)

There is no Sarevok Portrait so I chose the one that looked most like him.

This just seemed to fit my position as master (in my own mind of course) of the Boards O'Magick. :)

Everyone knows why Splunge took his Exactly. It looks just like me. Really. (Except it needs a tongue-in-ckeek smilie. :p )

Actually, I think mine displays a kind of personality that I found appealing - a bit laid back and easy-going. Someone (I believe it was either Aldeth or Hacken Slash) described it as a cross between Grizzly Adams and Burl Ives - sounds pretty good to me. :D

I chose mine because I'm multifaceted...

@Beren: long hair and moustache? Please don't tell me you have hockey hair as well...

I chose mine because it reminds me of a druid on heroin.

Which is cool.

The idea of a druid on heroin, that is.

Drugs are bad.

The picture on your left looks like an incaffeinated loremaster or wizard suffering from Morning Syndrome and still has something paladinish about it.

I got mine by accident. I asked for another one but described it incorrectly so got this one. It looked OK so I kept it.

To quote Splunge:


This looks just like me.
Really.
I don't know why I chose this one. Probably because 90% of the times I play as one of the tall races I use this portrait, be it IWD, IWD2, BG, BG2, or PnP, it is still this one I most frequently use. If I am a short race? Well, if I am one, I am a halfling and use the portrait Chandos the Red have, otherwise, I am not short. Gnomes and Dwarves are not my style.

I like dwarves and with this one an appropriate title immediately came to mind. :)

<--- actual size.

Looks like a blue dude wearing a giant sombrero. 'Nuff said.

(Shut up, I know it's a myconid :1eye: )

I have chosen this portrait due to the mohican haircut. I have never had and I will never have a mohican haircut in real life, I don't even like punk music but this haircut gives me an illusion of freedom and brings to my mind the rebelious teenager I used to be.

Chicks dig furry. Rrrrar.

My avatar just beams out my attitude. Guess what mood I am usually in. :grin: Its bright, cheery, and has one kick a$$ beard.

Though it kinda looks like a white Uncle Phil...

My portrait looks just like me (when I'm on a motorbike :p )

There's a remarkable resemblance between my avataar and myself...

/me rushes off to remove any contrary evidence to be found on SP photos.

Having been on fire, it seemed fitting.

I just always loved goblins. I always try to trow a goblin or 2 in my campaings. Also Goblins are cunning but not really strong. That looks a bit like me!

Mirithinar and Gopher chose my favourites already.... swines! S I settled for my fave mage portrait :D

I think he just looks cool. And since I usually play assassin/thief chars, this was like love at first sight. Could have been a bit darker though...

My avatar just seems to perfectly fit the stereotype of my profession - the second I saw it the old corny "what would you like it to be" joke instantly popped into my head so I figured why not use it ;) .

I often play a divine character. The Halo intrigued me. I'm interested in the divine, in games as well as in real life.

This is the portrait I used for IWD2 and NWN. It's perfect for a rogue-cleric of the Copybook Headings. But it doesn't really look like me (save the expression). I'm not grey-haired YET!

Ever since I got the Monster Manual, Beholders just plain intrigued me, as intelligent and crafty supervillains. Naturally, I jumped at the chance to get the portrait of my favorite foe.

It looks a bit like me, the hair and all. What really got me though was the face armour (don't know another way to describe it) and the colour. I like that green. It gives it something mysterious.

Looks like me, except my hair is darker and ears not quite so pointy. ;)

ArtE -- he looks so cuddly! (That's one of my favorite avatars!) :D

@ Grey

I still don't understand what the hell the whole "Copybook Headings" thing is supposed to be all about. Care for an explanation? Curious rabbits shouldn't be trifled with.

(They bite your bum.)

Mine just seemed to match the name. The quote is from The Hobbit, naturally.

@DR: Grey's Source (http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_copybook.htm). A "copybook" was a collection of proverbs & conventional wisdom.

It was (you may say) satisfactory. (5 points to anyone who knows the quote source off-hand.)

If memory serves, the book of Revelations has Jesus saying "...I am the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end." But you've never really struck me as terribly Jesus-ish fellah, Tal - so I'm guessing it came from a book or movie or something.

For some reason, I'm thinking T.S. Elliot. Which is odd, since I'm not overly familiar with his works.

Eliot is right. And the quote was in my post text, not the portrait title. ;)

Woo Hoo! 5 points! (even if I did spell Eliot's name wrong).

Now I wonder if that's Croatian points or Canadian points? :hmm:

:p

Isn't Tal Slovenian, not Croatian? :?

Did you take someone that may actually look like you?Yep, absolutely. Actually, there's very little difference at all.

Isn't Tal Slovenian, not Croatian? Oops! Sorry, Tal. I was looking at an old post by Extremist just before I had posted here, and was then wondering how he was doing. I guess Croatia was stuck in my head.

Well, Splunge, some current world leaders would have considered Tal to be "Czechoslovenian," so I wouldn't feel so bad...

At that time there really wasn't too many to choose from, so I chose the one I liked the best.

<--- This one. :D

It has worn off, though; would like to change to the same I use on every (other) board.

>> This one. << (http://www.uwasa.fi/hov/PageImages/Elven.gif)

Can't have everything, I guess.

I like Drow, and this was the only Drow portrait in NWN (before HOTU).
Seemed a natural choice :D

I didn't like any of the portraits, so I went with my avatar. When I was first offered an avatar, I wanted something with wings, but there weren't any males left. I got tired of "Spiky" so when I donated to SP I saw this little guy. <---
It was love at first sight. :love: I just wish his robes didn't look like a pair of bright red chonies draiped over is shoulders. :rolleyes: :rolling:

I chose mine because Penn looks so cool in his own way. he just sit there hovering in his weird chair with his badass beard in the light from his own lamp. all he needs is a good pipe and a glass of red wine.

I thought it looked cooler than the other ones

@Bion
:lol: So right!
More often though, we are Slovakians.
I say, we could attack USA and they'd retaliate and level Slovakia to the ground, i bet! :spin:


Now, eventhough the topic is about portraits, not other types of avatars, seing that so many non-portrait avatars, it wouldnt be so bad if i do it too :)

So, it was pretty much the most natural being there and represented best what i wanted. Some type of nature guardian. My words leave no doubt about that anyway ;) .
In the last year or so, i've changed a bit, so i might consider changing it. Not very likely though, i'm not that far from what i was at that time. Still all out for druids :roll: :cool:

I was searching for a mythical / mystical figure. A mage rather, but there were no good ones around. Then I spotted this one, and I always thought the watersnake effect in BG2 was nice, plus water is what I consider my element.

So that's what I picked. At the time I was hugely re-interested in Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy, so that's where the text comes from.

I took this avatar because it was totally different from the others avatars, dark and *evil*, while if you look closely, there is no evil to be found.
A shadow with his own shadow, muh?

And the quote? Nietzsche, because I try to get the best out of everything :p

I chose mine because there wasn't anything else I liked.
It was only afterwards that I realized how much it fitted my quote though.

I picked mine because of how I felt at the time I chose it. He's strong and tough looking, and he's had a rough time...But he's still kicking!!!

Mine looks the most like me of all the portraits. Except I don't have long hair. Or a beard. Or armour. Or an expression like I'm tired, but still fighting the good fight.