Changing/updating One's Avatar

I read names so no problem for me.
I cannot imagine that your face would look that different unless you are tossing in an image 25 years older/younger than the usual.
This isn't a dating site, but I guess there are still some who prefer an old portrait than a current one for obvious reasons.

I have a really hard time with names - always have had - so I look for avatars - except for Abbies and Mike's.

I always immediately associate the the avatar with the artist, before the name.. albeit, I would like to update my avatar, but I just am not sure...

it depends how well known you are, and how much you catch the eye. in general i don't think it matters greatly. mostly your trying to make an eye catcher, getting someone's attention. i change it monthly, doesn't seem to hurt sales. and depending on what i am that month, often determines how many new friends i get in facebook. like weird al, doesn't seem to attract any kind of attention from there. i'm hoping more for july's. august is a bit iffy, but i'll give it a go.

in my case, the mustache stays the same. but unless you look at them like google graphics, people may not notice or care.

---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Yes, Mike... but your avatar is very much recognizable and just changes subtlly with different hairdos, clothing, etc.... and not drastically

wait till july...

best thing to do is try it. if it doesn't work, go back to it. for all you know, you'll attract more attention. as long as the avatar reflects the work, there shouldn't be an issue. its when a person choose a lousy picture of themselves, that's when people may ignore the work. like if your an ace photographer full of sharp images, from every corner of the globe; and all you have is a poloroid of you at that college party, hammered and partly sleeping. and that's the one you choose to represent you and your work - that's when its bad.

peoples faces change normally. people are confused for a bit, and then get used to it. just don't change it every week, that's very confusing. or change it so much that no one knows who you are, i've almost given the "so your new to faa" speech to people that have been here for years. based on their question, and the fact they looked nothing like who they were before.

---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I get confuzled too....but eventually (usually) I can figure out who is who! I just changed mine as I was tired of having the back of my head as my avatar....tried to change it on my premium site but it wouldn't change. Not sure why. Gave up there.

Just changed mine the other day and pretty sure, buyers aren't following avatars for purchases,

Rich

p.s. Abbie changes hers, often!

I would like to change my avatar, but I am on the fence about it!

Diana,

You could do it for a day or two, and if you do not like the change go back to what you have now.


Dave

Change is the only constant.

You will never know if you don't do it

I change mine on occasion. I have one for the winter holidays and then change back. I do that on my SM sites as well. So at least they are consistent. I don't see why it would make any difference as far as sales go. I know people here by name rather than avatar. But that's just me.

Hopefully a buyer will recognize our work rather than our faces.

I haven't found that getting a good avatar is very easy. If I do a selfie with my phone, I look horrid. When I set up my camera to do the time-delay, and then rush around to be in the shot before it snaps, well ... it doesn't focus! Argh. The avatar I have now I got by accident. My older camera did a better job, so I need to get that out again.

I guess you could always try it, Diana, because it's easy enough to change back again. I changed my avatar once and I didn't like it, so I changed it back minutes later. Nobody probably even noticed. I like to do a new one every year or so, but I don't want to be confusing, so I've committed to showing who I am -- good or bad.

All of my avatars - are years old - those on here and anywhere else that uses one. I am not one that has grown old gracefully. I would hate to scare people off with a new, up to date one.

What's wrong with age, Roy? It's part of life. I am determined not to be ashamed of my age as I get older. (Actually, to a lot of people I am already ancient, lol.)

It's the avatar

I'm a visual person..(I guess that's why I'm in a visual business)

And I prefer a consistent avatar with the face of the poster looking at me.

As if we were talking face to face....(by the way, I won't have a conversation with someone constantly looking down at their smart phone, which occurs far too often)


And to those that choose not to have their face as their avatar...BEWARE!!

I'll make up a face

And if I find the actual face doesn't look like my made up face......I GET VERY UPSET!!

You don't want to around me when I get upset

Patrica, I feel your pain, I think I took at least 20 "selfies" (timer shots) before I had one I considered presentable for my avatar.

I agree with your Roger, it always trips me up when someone changes their avatar, (except Mike, he has a recognizable and consistent theme with his). It was quite some time before I figured out that RD Erickson and Roy Erickson were the same person. ;) I also prefer faces, even though I hate to show mine.

Diana, I like your avatar.

Mike, I like yours too. The different looks are fun to see.

Jessica, my favorite of you is a winter one. It's gorgeous.

Roger, now that's scary lol.

Generally I do like photographs of people but I change mine quite a bit and have a pic instead. I need to do a Mike lol.

I changed mine a few months ago. I think it is really important to be consistent and so changed it everywhere not just here (Jessica mentions that too above). People get used to the change. Mind you, I wouldn't want to change it too often, it was hard work changing it everywhere and I am still finding places I missed!

Never bothered me when people change theirs and I like mine to be a completely up to date image. My avatars have grown old with me

Doesnt bother me what other people think, to be honest, I have to look at it far more than they ever do so I pick one for me, not them, because I'm a visual person

the important thing is, that if you do change it - MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE IT ON ALL SITES YOUR ON - even the minor ones. i have a master bookmark list that goes right to the avatar page. and i change it on all sites, i have like 16 links that open up of things i have to change each time. this way they are seeing the same face each time and know its you. that's where the brand comes in.

you can also change it just on facebook and see how many likes you get. if its a bunch, then change it here as well.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Very visual, I remember by face as well.

I take the real estate agent approach to selling art. LMAO

As mi Irish mother would say, "when he is joking, he is not serious".

Dave

Buyers come when they need art and search by subject. They aren't hanging around memorizing avatars. IMO.

Use an avatar that is appealing for buyers.

Edward,

RE:..."Buyers come when they need art and search by subject."

Sometimes that "Subject" is that bearded old man, that has that "Great" art that this potential buyer should have bought at that show...now, can't remember his name.

This has happened, many times, and generally results in a major sale.


This why my personal web site begins with

"Here I am, that "Rat,Bat & Vulture Guy..Still Alive and Kicking

Diana,
You might be surprised to know that buyers don't associate our work even with our names, much less an avatar.

If you're mainly concerned with fellow artists, then maybe we'd associate a particular avatar with a comment,,,,

I update mine about every 6 months.

I always have problem with this whole avatar issue... I read somewhere as an advice that is the best to have real photo about yourself, something quite nice, or normal, where they can see clearly your face, because people prefer to buy from real persons, not from logos, and such. And honestly most of the time I would prefer to be a logo, instead of my own head.

Why? Because the only place is my IG cat account, where I have a detail of one of my cat painting, where I am not getting "Hey Hi, how are you, how was your day" messages from men, and honestly I am quite fed up send them away. And I dont think that my avatar is provocative, and my content is more colorful-cute category than anything else, but something is not working for me with my head.

"MAKE SURE YOU CHANGE IT ON ALL SITES YOUR ON - even the minor ones." - so I cannot do this, even now I am considering to change on twitter, because right now there are three want to know how was my day, want to chit chat and who knows what and I am really fed up. ( my worst case was on FB, one guy acted like an artist wanted to chit chat, and as I am polite, I always answer to dm-s so I just let him talk, and answered the bare minimum, but in two days, he was proposing to marry him, because he wanted to move to Canada?! And when again politely I rejected his generous offer, he send me to hell and called me names... ) pfff

So I would prefer not to have any avatar on none of the sm-s. Or probably I should also "do a Mike", put my moustache on, my life would be probably easier...

Here I changed only once, because I was tired with the old one, and last autumn, on the day of my birthday I took this selfie, and I quite liked it, and I changed it, and changed everywhere except that cat account.

I am visual too, I remember more faces than names, but here I love to see sometimes the ones who are regular in the conversations changing their avatars , I like that moment when I recognise somebody by the new picture.

Mike I am very curious about your new ones monthly, I think it is very original, but I am more curious how you look without the things on lol :D

Diana, I am waiting to see the new you :) you should change, maximum if you dont feel comfy, change back

Why would you feel the need to respond to messages from men you don't know? I never answer those. If it's your art account, and they are interested in your art, that is one thing. But on FB, I get an occasional request to "friend" someone I don't know, so I don't. Makes life easier. Now if we could just get the ads to stop, lol.

I have different avatars for here and FB, but it's still my face, so I think there is some consistency.

Marlene,

RE:...."buyers don't associate our work even with our names,"

Where do I start to disagree?.

Is the following sentence plausible?

"Remember that great image of an old time doctor's office, by that guy I think his name was Savad, Mike Savad, I wonder if he's got anything for lawyers?"

I was going to go further, but I'll leave it with just that

without the things on, would be an X rated, blindingly white body, that would probably get attention, but not the right kind of attention.

https://www.facebook.com/mike.savad/media_set?set=a.156777467682259.34720.100000500199248&type=3
in the very back of this link is my real self, though, dressed, sorry to disappoint. the image is like 10 years old, but i really don't age much. it was also the last time i wore a suit i think.

in general though, don't respond to weirdos. other than myself. when i get a friend request, i look at their profile. if they are wearing a bikini, and have a number of emoji's saying they want certain things, i erase and report it as spam. the posts should tell the story. i did have one guy try to sell me on religion, but that was clearly a huge mistake on his part.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

with all this avatar talk i decided to jump to the next month, its close enough.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Mike, thats some unibrow. LOL!

bert wouldn't bert if he had two eyebrows.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Roger, I respectfully disagree. I always remember distinctive styles like Mike...but rarely remember the artist's name, much less an avatar...however, for some reason, I wanna give someone directions to Sesame St.

Marlene,

Hate to argue...........No, actually I thrive on it.

You wrote as the first posting on this thread:

"I read names so no problem for me."

So names must have some degree of importance.to you

Mike, that is one of my favorites so far!!

I do change mine, I go back and forth between photos of myself and self portraits that have drawn/painted. I tend to change it each time I do a new self portrait. I have done quite a few self portraits because they are great practice and I don't need a model release. lol This one is one I did to practice working in markers. The last one I had was one I did in colored pencils. I do tend to change them on multiple sites when I do change them, though I'm sure I haven't changed them to this new one on all my sites.

I say go for it! Like others have said if you don't like it change it back!

this is the bio blurb, in case it was missed:

Bert made his first appearance on Sesame Street on July 1969. He and his life partner Ernie, spent time goofing off and learning about life. On camera, they shown him having a fondness of pigeons, and collecting paper clips.

However off camera, many never knew that he had a very large art collection. He would spend hours in his study, looking at his private galleries. Often drinking fine Cognac, sometimes smoking a pipe, and he would just marvel at the complexities of his fine art collection.

Bert had a very high IQ, measuring well over 200, but you wouldn't know it by looking at him. This was due to a rare birth defect, that lead to natural deformities. A large nose, a conical head, and very small eyes, it only lent him to work at a freak show, or children’s television. On the air, they gave him prosthetic eyes.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Yes, Roger I read names.... and that was my response to changing an avatar. No biggie to me if someone changes their avatar cuz I read names. I don't get confused in the forum.
In terms of people who buy art. I don't think our avatars or our names matter much, if at all
They are buying our images.

Marlene,

I often read e-mails like this where the writer knows she is talking to the right person, by the name and possibly an avatar of an old coot

Subject:
your vultures

Message:
Hi Roger - I did some craft show with you long (long) ago and had a small collection of your vultures. The box they were packed in vanished when I moved to Maine. I'd love to buy something like the one of the vulture on the tree with the moon. How can I purchase some of what you have on hand
Thanks,
Michelle

Edit:

And this from David

Message:
I was fortunate enough to have purchased two vultures from you at a street fair in NYC in the late 70's. They are on display in my living room and have given me forty years of pleasure.

Yes, there will always be a few who remember your name but on a POD site, people care about images.... that's what they are buying.
I don't care to argue with you and I don't have the time to continue.
Diana asked our opinions and I gave mine. I encouraged her to change hers because it won't hurt her sales. That's what I believe.

I dont want to answer to weirdos, but how should I know if they want something to buy, or want to marry me? Normally this guys has very normal, general accounts, I am talking about twitter here. When artists write me, they do normally because they want my opinion, or want that I share my experience how is working for me to sell on pod-s.. So I see what they want, if I can help, answer, but I couldnt know in the beginning, that this one was I believe not even an artist, although was a member of an art group on Fb, and had some art posted.

Dan started once a thread how important is just to say hi, social media should be about being social too not only to sending "new art to sell" posts.

So if somebody real between the lot of automatic messages write hi, are you there? I am curious always, that it is my posts, my art, he want to talk about or not.. I answer them, and because I dont know which category they are, weirdos, or not. It is the same when we get scam emails about buying our originals, even if look a bit suspicious we try to find out , or not?

I think it is easier for men, because they can see much clearly if the hungry lady is wearing bikini, but these guys are most of the time look totally normal.

....
Mike, your yellowness is awesome lol ! Thank you for the fb link, nice to see your profile collection together :) Anyhow I dont know where is the back of that link, I dont find you in that suit, but probably because I am so use to your things on, I cannot imagine otherwise..

i think it scrolls down a page or two. the real me is at the very end.


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

ahh ok, you meant between the rabbit and the mexican signed as 2010... So you do have a mustache! I was looking for a normal photo, on that wedding or something like that...

i don't have a mustache. i don't like hair on my face.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=100478073312199&set=a.156777467682259.34720.100000500199248&type=3&theater this is me


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Dora, I had the same problem on Twitter with my previous avatar, then I changed to this one and it's been fairly peaceful ever since. I'm getting kind of tired of this one tho, and occasionally consider changing it, but I don't know if I want to give up the relative anonymity this one gives me. Truthfully, I think this one just scares people, LOL!

___________
Susan Maxwell Schmidt
So-so Board Moderator and
Artist Extraordinaire
Boo!

for some reason i can't get mine to stick on twitter. it comes up with an error


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Mike your normal fb avatar is not for the public like the others, only for friends.

i wonder why... well its public now. thanks


---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

Marlene,

I came to this site to sell Originals, and since then, the vast majority of sales are from originals.

Thanks to Google Search

So did I, Roger, but they don't google my name or my avatar....they google abstract paintings. If they googled my name, they would land directly on my website, not connected to faa in any way....and sometimes they do....but not the majority of the time. My website comes up long before faa or pixels in a search for my NAME.

Diana is concerned about changing her avatar and how/if it will affect her sales. So I'm gonna help her get back on topic by not conrtnuing with this side argument you seem to want to have with me over names and selling original art.

Thank you Mike, this "real you" wasn't there probably because we are not friends, now I can see the photo, right before the rabbit.

And thank you Susan for understanding me!

Now Diana, is only your turn, will we know your "new you" ? :)

Back to the topic

Diana,

Re:.."My hesitation is that I feel that buyers associate our avatars with our particular work."


I firmly believe that buyers certainly associate the artist with their work

One way to maintain that connection is the Face of the artist

And a facial avatar is the simplest way to do it.

A timely image, I think is best......As long as it is more or less truthful

I also feel that it is not critical that every site an artist is on, has the same avatar...as long as they all can be connected back to that artist


Now, Diana, If you have a new facial photo that you prefer, I say , "Use It"

I notice the name, also. When the name isn't the same gender as the avatar, that is confusing, lol. I expect the ones who do that simply don't care. It's not a huge thing, though. Looking forward to seeing your new avatar, Diana. Remember, you can change it back, so no harm in trying.

Mike, I have a strong feeling that every time I scroll through here and your avatar pops up, I'm going to end up singing Sesame Street in my head for hours.

its better than raising pigeons... i keep saying wacka wacka, but that's fozzy bear.

---Mike Savad
http://www.MikeSavad.com

I carry my avatar across all of my marketing endeavors - websites, facebook, twitter, here at FAA and at another POD or two. I do believe it helps with branding. (I was recently introduced to someone at a local concert - and was told. "Hey you're the photographer with the huge camera lens. My roommate loves your work."


---------------
~ Bill
~ US Pictures .com
~ Visit me on Facebook.
~ Follow me on Twitter.

I reinvent myself everyday.

After a weekend, my friends and coworkers as well as managers can't figure out who the new person is.

My nickname is The Chameleon.


https://lisa-kaiser.pixels.com

Bill,

I consider those who use an image without identifiable features (personal name or facial image) are using a logo, not an avatar