Activity #96 - Around the Block

[tinny]

We're going to try blocking this month! Use any rectangular shape to cut off/obscure/divide your icon. Text is roughly a rectangular shape, too, so it counts. You don't have to use more than one image to achieve blocking. Textures or even single color shapes can be used to great effect.

This is a free inspirational challenge.

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icons

gallicka | wickdshy | calikalie | neonspider


fprintmoon | julie_izumi | burntheflaws | afeastforme

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textures

lessrest | lookslikerain | lovemelikemusic | david_lucena


Mondrian | streetcatx | lessrest | yunhe



damnicons | pure_flames | theedgeofdemi | wickedgame

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icons

angelamaria | starkwars (?) | lemonzter | fprintmoon


abyss_valkyrie | holyscream | tinny | bold_seer

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* You can make as many icons as you like (if you need a goal, five is a good number :))
* There is no minimum, 1 icon is enough to enter this activity
* Please submit your icons (and URLs!) to this post, all in one comment (if possible)
* Everyone can participate, you don't have to be a member of this community

* I will collect all the icons from the comments and make a result post
* Everyone can leave comments on the inspiration and activity result posts
* There is no voting

Deadline: Saturday, August 23rd, your end-of-day

Comments

[abyss_valkyrie]

MY FAVOURITE!<3

[tinny]

Yay! \o/ It's my forever nemesis. :D (That and blending and complex icons. I avoid all three wherever I can. :D )

[breyzyyin]

Giant-Size Age of Apocalypse / Magik / Psylocke / Storm / Phoenix

1. https://breyzyyin.dreamwidth.org/file/1044656.png
2. https://breyzyyin.dreamwidth.org/file/1044942.png
3. https://breyzyyin.dreamwidth.org/file/1044185.png
4. https://breyzyyin.dreamwidth.org/file/1044347.png
5. https://breyzyyin.dreamwidth.org/file/1045002.png

[tinny]

I love these! Great use of the provided textures, and amazing coloring, too!

[magicrubbish]

These are amazing, I love the coloring and compositions , especially of 2 , 4 and 5.

[mulhollands]

Love them :)

[holyscream]

I love the coloring and use of white space in this set. Really good contrast!

[littlemissnovella]

I got inspired by your last icon in my own set! I love the composition and the use of coloring of comic to create your icons! The last one is perfect!

[littlemissnovella]

Gossip Girl & The White Queen

Links:
1. i.imgur.com/mZF8J0N.png
2. i.imgur.com/0006Xtt.png
3. i.imgur.com/G5dhBxL.png
4. i.imgur.com/AqrN072.png

[magicrubbish]

Lovely set, especially 1 and 2.

[breyzyyin]

Oh, these are incredible! My favorites are two and three, but all four are amazing! ♥

[holyscream]

Really atmospheric set. Overlapping a character with the “No. No. No. No.” adds a lot of drama, I love it!

[tinny]

Lovely composition in #1! And I love the way you used the squares texture! So creative! <3

[mulhollands]

Sherlock | Alice In Wonderland

Links:
https://i.imgur.com/ntBJfkZ.png
https://i.imgur.com/vglWHJ1.png
https://i.imgur.com/NILACkH.png

[magicrubbish]

Lovely set , especially 1 and 3.

[breyzyyin]

Awesome set! I love the Alice in Wonderland icons in particular, and the coloring and cropping of the first icon is really eye-catching. ♥

[holyscream]

I didn’t realize 1 and 3 were the same texture at first, I really like how you used it so differently. :D I think my favorite is 2, though; the coloring, crop and texture give it a lot of interest.

[tinny]

Cute! #1 looks very modern/bold, awesome! And I really like #3, too, the coloring is great!

[littlemissnovella]

Lovely coloring and use of the screencaps!

[magicrubbish]

Scumbag System , Shadowhunters , Jennie MV - Mantra , Smile 2 , No time to die,
House of the dragon , Wednesday X2 , Ted Lasso , The Mandalorian



https://images2.imgbox.com/49/7d/tAv2ovL0_o.jpg
https://images2.imgbox.com/26/fd/dDiBgAsL_o.png
https://images2.imgbox.com/fc/a7/2a3jcurA_o.png
https://images2.imgbox.com/90/16/sZiZlnnH_o.jpg
https://images2.imgbox.com/2b/c2/lGKIm6fD_o.png
https://images2.imgbox.com/a3/5a/SECBrxZg_o.png
https://images2.imgbox.com/cd/3d/uMpAgVP7_o.png
https://images2.imgbox.com/2f/35/1nwMeHQr_o.png
https://images2.imgbox.com/4e/fa/0xtp1sDY_o.png
https://images2.imgbox.com/e7/ff/0FOzDDOv_o.png

[breyzyyin]

This set is incredible. The cropping and lighting are astounding for the entire assortment. They really draw your eyes in! ♥

[mulhollands]

Love the Wendesday icons :)

[holyscream]

Here I was, thinking, “ooh, proper blocking in an icon, I haven’t done that yet,” only to see my own icon used as an example, lolol.
I’ve always been intimidated by those collage layouts with a lot of cropped character shots (which I guess was my first association for the theme) but this challenge was the push I needed to finally try my hand at one.
Concrit on all icons is very welcome. :)
⸺

01

02

03

04

01	Wolf / Honey & Molina	https://images2.imgbox.com/d4/da/OZkG2pLV_o.gif
02	The Ambush (1869)	https://images2.imgbox.com/02/cf/CPuuvAZn_o.gif
03	Y Golau / Joe	https://images2.imgbox.com/45/f5/a5QZzVgy_o.jpg
04	Wolf / Honey	https://images2.imgbox.com/93/1a/xZ1Xbjzt_o.jpg

Resources used: Studio 2am, The Ambush by Alexandre Louis Leloir, David Maier, lyrics from The Wheel by SOHN, lyrics from Falling Down by Oasis

[tinny]

These are great! I especially like the coloring in 1, very artsy - and the edges around their faces look like paint splatter, which fits with the painted-looking coloring, too. And I really like the crop and composition in 4.

I adore the composition in 2! As for concrit, I have a bit of a hard time telling what is on #2. The text is clearly visible, and works perfect as a blocking tool, only the subject is hard to see due to the dark upper body(?) and light legs. I think it would be easier to see them if the background behind them were dark and their upper body were lighter than the background. I have no other ideas on how to achieve that than actually painting over both - with red (probably set to a light blend mode like color dodge) on the body and with black on the wall behind them (set to normal at some opacity that still has it recognizable as a wall but darker than the person). This way the person would be easier recognizable as a person with both halves of the body a similar brightness.

I was, thinking, “ooh, proper blocking in an icon, I haven’t done that yet,” only to see my own icon used as an example, lolol.

That's indeed hilarious! I loved the way you used text to hem in the horns(?) in that icon. I was specifically looking for examples with text, and yours is just gorgeous!

[skysedge]

I am completely new to blocking and it scares me haha but I had a go!



Death Parade - FFXIV - Digimon Adventure

https://i.imgur.com/MleDhaN.png
https://i.imgur.com/tJfy5sw.png
https://i.imgur.com/o8Wbkn1.png

[holyscream]

Ooo, the color palettes of these are so pretty! I especially like the first icon; the images work incredibly well together and with the layout.

[tinny]

I tried so hard, and I think these still suck lol. I need to practice blocking *waaaaay* more! :D





Snowstorm of Love | Wu Lei (+Zhu Yilong) | Nothing But You | Ballboy Tactics


https://tinpix.de/2025/zyl_wulei_776046_1a.png
https://tinpix.de/2025/nothingbut15_05.02_18_19.11a.png
https://tinpix.de/2025/snowstorm114_36.51_109_11.47.png
https://tinpix.de/2025/snowstorm114_16.01.png
https://tinpix.de/2025/snowstorm109_11.25.png
https://tinpix.de/2025/snowstorm108_26.17.png
https://tinpix.de/2025/nothingbut1521block.png
https://tinpix.de/2025/wulei_mens_uno_ouoap.png
https://tinpix.de/2025/wulei_officiel_1fwen7.png
https://tinpix.de/2025/ballboy.tactics.105_17.55.png

[holyscream]

Whaaat? I think these turned out really good! I think the compositions you chose give the icons good tension and atmosphere and all of them, even the muted ones have great contrast and readability. 01 and 02 are especially good in that regard. I also love the cut-off vertical text element in 04.