A flier linking to an article I wrote for @SybaSigns in Australia --Download PDF direct http://www.sybasigns.com.au/its_a_cartoon_its_an_avatar.pdf

1. EXCERPT FROM GWYNETH JONES’ ARTICLE:
It’s a cartoon! It’s an avatar!
It’s 20+ super sites to a new animated you!
Want to jump-start your web presence and connect with your Consider creating avatars for students who are
school community in a hip happening animated way? Channel blogging or contributing to wiki discussions.
your inner super hero with easy and fun character creators! Having an icon to speak from sometimes frees
Here’s a list of more than 20 websites that you can use to create students, especially the more shy or reticent, to
fun avatars. really express themselves without restraint.
This concept can work for shy grown-ups, too!
Creating a signature avatar is also a fun way to create a brand
Either way, having a fun signature avatar is great to
image. Though this article is aimed at teacher librarians
use with Twitter, blogging, commenting, Slideshare,
creating avatars for themselves and not with classrooms of
business cards, and a whole host all of social media
students, there are several sites here that kids would dig and
communications. Super hero cape optional!
would also be appropriate to use with them.
BuiLD YouR WiLD SeLF Clay Yourself Go!Animate
www.buildyourwildself.com/ http://clayyourself.com/ http://goanimate.com/videomaker
From the Wildlife Conservation Society: Create Sponsored by Hotels.com, Clay Yourself lets you My favourite, and the site that has the comic
an avatar out of bits and pieces of humans create a version of yourself in modeling clay. chops to make the most customized avatars is
and other animals – head, arms, legs, clothes, You can start with the given facial frames and the Go!Animate Comic World Character Creator.
eyes, mouth, tail, wings, shells … just pick the then customize other features. These features Though this takes the most time to master it has
parts you like and assemble them together, include hairstyle, eyes, eyebrows, glasses, the most potential for avatar greatness! And
choose a background, and at the end you’ll get eyeballs, nose, and mouth. When you are done it makes those avatar characters in your own
animorphtastic name and description! with your customization you can share your animated cartoons! GoAnimate also has a very
character on Facebook or Twitter. You can also helpful forum for questions and a friendly and
download your character in JPG format or take a responsive community manager.
ToonDoo screenshot. It’s Claytastic!
www.toondoo.com WeeMee
Very easy to do and super fun site to create
Simpsons Movie www.weeworld.com
your own comic strips! From the helpful www.simpsonsmovie.com/main.html Use this site to create a wee mini version of
ToonDoo wiki some of the outstanding features: Ever want to be a Simpsons character? yourself plus you can add all kinds of fun (and
drag‘n’drop assets, 1-, 2- or 3-panel comic Now you can create your own doppelganger in geeky!) accessories. There’s plenty of scope
strips, can be used with multiple languages, the style of the Simpsons. Note that the saving for customization of your avatar. Hint: Use the
and the ability to choose from a vast variety of feature didn’t work for me the two times I tried dropdown to select categories and browse
characters, props and backgrounds categorized it so when you get your character the way you through your options and screenshot when
into specific galleries. want it – take a screenshot! you’re happy.
Whatever site or style you choose, have fun and let your Active links and more information to all these sites can be
imagination go when it comes to creating your super hero found on my Daring Tech Character Creator wikipage, and
animated avatar! several postings with even more examples, how-tos and tech
tips can be found on my blog. Now go forth and be animated!
Some sites allow you to save the finished creation as a JPG.
If not, then take a screenshot, paste into a paint program, crop
and save as a JPG. One of my favourite new free digital image Now go forth and be animated!
manipulation sites is picmonkey.com. If one of these avatar For Gwyneth’s full PDF article with
creation sites is blocked by your district filter or firewall, go on 20+ super sites scan this QR code
to the next one ... or ... do this at home! Be an avatar ninja! or go to http://goo.gl.bq6XY
Gwyneth Jones – The Daring Librarian, along with colleague Dr Joyce Valenza will be joining Syba Signs for a series of seminars in July
and August in Sydney, Adelaide and Perth. See page 63 for more information or visit our website www.sybasigns.com.au/seminars
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