1) I think a big part of it is because it's so hard to make it legible and fit it with the rest of the image. I never knew where to put it, what color, what type of font, and more importantly: something that fits the character(s)/scenery. But you're pretty good at it!! You always make pertinent and aesthetically coherent icons, that's one of the thing I've always liked about your icons!
3) LJRP's popularity Good point, and a good reason. Though not everyone's into LJRPs
4) crappy trends :(
6) I think there was a backslash against tiny text and text brushes in particular oh boy I hated those. Whats the point of text if you can't read it x_x
7) Depending on the fandom, but there's the debate on use of Japanese fanart True, I seldom use fanart based icons myself because of that.
8) What do you put as the text itself? Something pertinent and interresting! That's the whole point! Not just taking some text because you think text would look good, but making the icon for the concept of the icon you're making which must includes text!
Re: tl;dr theories?
1) I think a big part of it is because it's so hard to make it legible and fit it with the rest of the image. I never knew where to put it, what color, what type of font, and more importantly: something that fits the character(s)/scenery.
But you're pretty good at it!! You always make pertinent and aesthetically coherent icons, that's one of the thing I've always liked about your icons!
3) LJRP's popularity
Good point, and a good reason. Though not everyone's into LJRPs
4) crappy trends :(
6) I think there was a backslash against tiny text and text brushes in particular
oh boy I hated those. Whats the point of text if you can't read it x_x
7) Depending on the fandom, but there's the debate on use of Japanese fanart
True, I seldom use fanart based icons myself because of that.
8) What do you put as the text itself?
Something pertinent and interresting! That's the whole point! Not just taking some text because you think text would look good, but making the icon for the concept of the icon you're making which must includes text!
9)Hehehehe. Yeah, me too.