QUALITY: Does the avatar actually look visually appealing?
INSPIRATION: Was the inspiration particularly timely or clever? Was it introduced to the Bored in a notable or interesting way?
REACTION: Did the avatar receive any BB commentary other than a token Found It? (Note, while an important part of the ranking process, it is just a part.... this isn't an all-request list)
DIVERSITY: Is there a similar themed avatar that is better? As intriguing as Snaxx's list was, a countdown of all Sprots/ES avatars would be boring and anti-climactic. This countdown reflects as much of the spectrum of where my inspiration took me this past year as I could possibly work in.
ARTIST'S OPINION: Finally, what are my thoughts on the avatar? I am my own best and worst critic, and my own feelings about these avatars held a lot of sway on what made the cut and where it was ranked.
While the official Top 20 does not begin until Monday, today and through the weekend, let's give one last hurrah to 15 of the finest that didn't quite make the cut.... and it's not a disgrace to only rate an honorable mention this year. There were 120 avatars eligible for consideration for this year's countdown, and many really good ones didn't even make this year's list. Many of these avatars that rated only an honorable seemed destined for Top 10 notoriety, and likely would have reached that level in a past year....
I took the 15 honorables, assigned them a 1, 2, or 3 based on their chronological order, and will post them over the next 3 days based on their number. Today, all of those assigned #1 will be displayed. I'll include an image of each avatar, it's title, debut date, and a brief description (I'll try not to merely parrot my description from the archive). Once we get to the Top 20, that day's avatar of honor will also be uploaded as my avatar that day.....
Here we go..... the first five honorable mentions for 2011:
"My Yellow Valentine"
Debuted: 1/20/11
One of the most underrated Sprots/ES avatars I have ever drawn, and my personal favorite of the saga from the entire year. Here ES wrote his feelings towards his beloved Sprotsie Baby in the snow. ES's signature shit-eating grin is nice, but it's Sprots' expression that really makes this one for me. It isn't mad or angry or shocked or any of her normal reactions to her favorite mangy rodent. It's like, "You've got to be kidding me! What is he going to do next?"
"On Furlough"
Debuted: 4/8/11
Rainbow Donkey's long awaited return to ES avatars! He hadn't appeared at all since he was laughed off the Bored in the Spring of 2009. Here, RD is shown out of work as the anticipated government shutdown caused me to put all non-essential characters on furlough. I loved the colorfulness of this avatar when I drew it and I still love it now. I never thought I'd be bidding this avatar farewell in early December rather than the final week, but it's been a tough year....
"Dick in a Box"
Debuted: 5/14/11
One of those crazy ideas that Fanny came up with in chat one night, it took months before I finally drew it. ES's tribute to the legendary SNL sketch played out in a theater much to the amusement of MBRS and the horror of Angel. The darkened scene, light radiating from the projector, and the mess on the floor were all pulled off well.
"Bedtime For Fanny"
Debuted: 8/8/11
A chat vision that was not sanctioned by Fanny for avatar use, but a blatant attempt at gratuitous cuteness by me. With shoutouts to earlier avatars ("Laker Socks" and "Hey Doll!") and another wonderful job of pulling off a dark scene, this one is so darn cute, you almost forget to ask why she's sucking her thumb instead of rubbing her sleepy eyes (Oops!)
"Happy Hoolyween"
Debuted: 10/31/11
A third straight honorable with a dark scene! Hooly gets the nod as the witch over MBRS for my Halloween tribute due to my late October squirrel boycott. Well executed, well rendered, visually pleasing.... I miss not getting to draw Hooly more often.
