An In Depth Interview with Photohunt Organizer Dave Koi - Dean Lawson Reporting...

Shoot To Win

 

 

 

The LEA Photohunt is a regular event in which second life residents can win prizes for taking snapshots. I had the good fortune to speak with the event coordinator Dave Koi.

 

 

Dean : Could you tell me about the origins of the LEA Photohunt?

 

Dave : Photohunt is an event started as part of the Virtual Artist Alliance (VAA). The purpose of VAA is to provide artists in Second Life with creative opportunities, and to unite people and groups into artistic collaborative experiences. Cyanide Seelowe started VAA and Photohunt was one of several events individual VAA members put on. As near as we can work out this would’ve been in 2007 sometime. Last year we had opportunity to expand to include some Photohunt event that focused solely on what was happening on LEA sims. Recently we incorporated the LEA hunts and the hosts all together and have since moved the main gallery and starting point onto LEA donated land for which we are very grateful. Photohunt and LEA are a perfect fit.

 

 

 

 

Dean : Could you explain how the photo hunt works?

 

Dave : PhotoHunt is a game in which participants must search for the best Second Life snapshot that embodies a theme or landmark provided by a moderator within a time limit of 60 minutes. No outside manipulations are allowed. Spectators are welcome, and everyone is invited to vote for the winners of each match! Prizes of $L for 1st, 2nd, 3rd are given based on donations.

 

 

 

 

Dean : How often do you have photo hunt events and how can people get involved?

 

Dave : Photohunt runs every Wednsesday at 6pm slt. Also Photohunts are run each Monday at 11:30am slt - this is specially created time to suit Euro-centric countries and is run by hosts from that region. Adhoc events are run weekends - as announced through group. Photohunt has a Facebook group athttps://www.facebook.com/groups/slphotohunt/ and a Flickr group at https://www.flickr.com/groups/sl-photohunt/

 

Everybody is welcome, just TP to the start location on LEA in time for the start. The location ishttp://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA3/79/227/41

 

 

 

 

Dean : Who are the judges of the photohunt events and what is the criteria for judging?

 

Dave : It’s very much a peer review process. Each event is judged using a voting process. Those who took part vote on each others photos. The voting script doesn’t allow you to vote on your own work. The criteria is largely left up to each individual, though often some like to see any Theme that might be given as part of the photo submitted. This however isn’t mandatory.

 

 

Dean : In a previous conversation you mentioned that the Photohunt avatar is used by more than one person. How does that work? 

 

Dave : The Photohunt event itself is run to a pretty well set formula. There’s a group of core hosts that make the major decisions but mostly I see it as a community owned and run show. Because of that fundamental belief I took steps a couple years ago to create a Photohunt account that is separate from the hosts themselves. In this way Photohunt becomes its own entity and all the items involved with running Photohunt can go with it. That way hosts can come and go and the Hunt live on. 

 

 

 

Dean : Is there anything you would like our readers to know about yourself or the Photohunt Events?

 

Dave : Photohunt is a unique event as it’s a set time limit and set location. This creates an environment of almost “forced creativity” . It offers a set time to be creative and each hunt is a self-contained event with a start and end in a relatively short space and time that is complete in itself.  The nature of peer review voting means anyone has a good chance to do well. In addition it’s a great bunch of people and friendly helpful creative community. It’s those who take part and invest part of themselves in the Photohunt ideals that become a part of the community and the Photohunt entity and so it becomes an ongoing community owned and run show. At least that’s how I envision it.

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FUNKY JUNK : LEA 22 An in-depth interview with Carmsie Melodie - Dean Lawson Reporting

Carmsie Melody is a Second Life artist who is currently creating a sim called “Funky Junk” as part of the Linden Endowment for the Arts land grant program. I had the good fortune to speak with Carmsie. 

Dean : Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions about the Funky Junk LEA sim. Could you tell me what first attracted you to Second Life?

Carmsie : Before Second Life, I was in an alternative virtual world called There.com. It was fun and I had great friends but I became a bit bored and restless because I wanted to create content. The ability to build was limited in that world.  I had heard that people could create in SL so I checked it out. As soon as I arrived I discovered it was all I was hoping for and more. The rest is history! 

Dean : Could you tell me about the concept of Funky Junk?

Carmsie : Funky Junk is a large, 3D immersive virtual artwork (aka destination) that's currently in development. Thanks to LEA's Land Grant program, and the wonderful volunteers who keep it all ticking over, I’m having tons of fun creating its strange landscape and unique inhabitants. It’s hard to describe but Funky Junk is sort of a whimsical, post-apocalyptic, mini-world where trash, waste, bent and broken stuff is truly treasured. Most things in Funky Junk are made of, or contain, remnant artifacts of the species that once lived there, namely Avatars. The strange beings that now reside at Funky Junk have come up with some ingenious methods of farming and manufacturing goods, not to mention a seemingly haphazard approach to building and construction. Be sure to explore under the water too!

Dean : What was the process of building the sim?

Carmsie : To begin with there was a LEA Land Grant submission process that required me to tender a proposal. I came up with the idea of using Junk and gave LEA a rough outline of what the sim would ultimately look like. After I submitted my proposal there was a period of time where I waited for LEA’s decision. On the strength of wishful thinking I started making bits and pieces for the sim. I built some furniture, some weird looking inhabitants and also a few large, complex components. The challenge was, due to lack of prims, I wasn’t able to see them all together to determine whether they were visually cohesive. It wasn’t until I got the sim (yay by the way!) that I was able check. Ultimately some elements survived others … well … delete! The proposed build is very different from what I am actually creating now, although junk is still at the heart of it. Error and rework, much maligned in the world of business, seem to underpin most of my artistic endeavours. I try something and if it works it stays, if not I hit delete. The proposed concept didn’t gel so the idea has morphed. I’m still building – and loving it!  I should also add that my building skills are limited. For example I can’t make mesh. So my art always contains items I make myself along with others I either have in inventory, are freebies or I purchase. For large builds like this one I also work with a very skilled scripter, Struthious and you’ll find some of Dusty Canning’s creative madness dotted here and there. 

Dean : How did you get involved in building? Do you have any words of advice for people that are new to Second Life who might be interested in creating content in the virtual world?

Carmsie : As I mentioned earlier, I came to SL specifically because I wanted to build. When I arrived I knew zero but, as so many have, I began by visiting Ivory Tower in SL. From then on you could not stop me rezzing prims and trying things out. Along the way I taught myself Photoshop and some basic scripting – rather how to edit scripts. I also started making sounds using Audacity to incorporate into my builds. A few very strange ones can be downloaded for free from my Carmsie account at Freesound.org.

It has taken me years to develop my skills and I still feel like a novice in many, many respects. But that’s the beauty of SL and what keeps me interested – there’s always more to learn. 

In terms of advice for new builders I suggest they start with easy things. Don’t try to make anything too complex to begin with or you could become discouraged. Lots of small wins is better than one giant flop.  Also, use the resources that are readily available – in world places like Builders Brewery, websites and YouTube videos contain a wealth of info and freebies you can draw on. And keep in mind that every single thing you make in SL, even if you botch it, expands your knowledge and competence in some way. So keep at it. Practice makes perfect … or at the very least really big improvements. 

Dean : Is there anything else you would like people to know about Funky Junk?

Carmsie : There is one thing I have not mentioned. I am trying a little multi-media experiment with this build. One of Funky Junk’s inhabitants is called Rusty Steele (Rustysteeleblogger Resident) and he’s our official blogger. He has set up a Blog and posts semi-regularly (http://funkyjunksl.weebly.com/). 

My aim is use Rusty as a vehicle to help make the development of the sim - the building process itself - part of the overall art experience. Rusty’s posts inform people of new places on the sim that are ready to be seen, even if not 100% complete. He gives them SLurls and they can drop by if they’d like to, or they can just stay informed about the progress via the blog. That way people can feel part of the evolution of the crazy world of Funky Junk as well as seeing it when complete. 

An unexpected bonus for me has been some of the feedback visitors offer. There have been lots of comment made along the lines of, “It would be great/funny/interesting if…”  Some of these ideas are just a bit too out-there but others have been total gems and I’ve added a version of them to the sim. 

Rusty will kill me if I close without mentioning that all visitors can get a full Rusty Steele avatar for free, including shape and AO, from Funky Junk’s Blog Office in world. So if an uber-hot, corroded look (his own words) is what you’re after, you can become Rusty’s virtual twin!   

Funky Junk - 3D immersive sim, LEA22 (237, 34, 22) - Moderate

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LEA22/237/33/22

DEAN LAWSON 

deanlawson1@gmx.com

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The School of WrenNoir: An in depth interview with SL Artist WrenNoir Cerise - Dean Lawson reporting

WrenNoir Cerise is a Second Life Artist who creates incredible images using her skills as a mesh designer and her exploration of Second Life. I had the good fortune to chat with WrenNoir and learn more about the process by which she creates her images.

Dean : Could you tell me about your artistic experience in Second and Real Life?

Wren : I entered SL reluctantly at the urging of a friend. The reluctance was not because I didn't think I'd like it, but rather I thought I'd like it too much.  When I eventually relented, I found my expectations to be justified and maybe even overly so. As a visual artist in RL -- I have a Master's in Art Therapy --  the beauty of this world captured me and I immediately wanted to capture it right back. I began by taking photos of my avatar and soon friends were asking for photos. Then businesses asked for photos for vendor images, eventually I was hired as a photographer for various SL magazines, and then on to exhibit at SL art galleries. Throughout, I found people were hungry to find out how to create better images, but received few answers as many talented photographers are busy honing their craft. In the Spring of 2013 together with Nariko Okawa, I started an SL photography school where we teach everything we know from how to use the SL tools, composition, lighting, and how to truly SEE. I don't see this as creating competitors, but rather as supporting future colleagues who will push me to always improve my own craft. You can find information about the school, Visionaire, here: www.visionaireSL.com

Dean : Could you tell me about your artistic influences in Second Life and Real Life?

Wren : I am not sure you have enough room here, Dean! There is such a huge number of creative people just in SL never mind RL. If you take a look at my Flickr stream, you will see that I follow over 500 people. But I will try to name a few for you since you asked. I love the work of Deborah Lombardo (https://www.flickr.com/photos/harborgalaxy/) she has the most amazing way of using color... and that's no easy! People get Ph.D.s in RL for color theory! It's hard! Needless to say, my work is nothing like hers but I hope to one day approximate it. I think pretty much everyone also loves Anouk Anna (https://www.flickr.com/photos/anoukanna/). She is incredible with crips clarity, lights, and shadows. A brilliant image maker. Nic Bour is another amazing image maker (https://www.flickr.com/photos/102433698@N06) who is a genius of the use of light, as is SL Senna (https://www.flickr.com/photos/65872974@N03/). I honestly could name so many more: Laura (Mrs. S), Magissa Denver, Isa Messioptra, Lil' Frenchie elo, Nimoe Constantine. Ah, I see a pattern now, the ones I truly admire are using the SL image-making tools to the utmost to showcase the beautiful lights and shadows and colors we can achieve.

As for RL, I love Vermeer, Chagall, Magritte, even Dali. But what influences my SL image-making is not painters, but photography from the fashion industry. I love being able to represent people/avatars in a way that just grabs a viewer.

Dean : I’m impressed by the use of texture and shadows in your images. Do you use an editing software such as Photoshop? If so could you elaborate on what software you use and what types of adjustments you make to your Second Life images?

Wren : Thank you. Shadows are completely done in SL and SL gives us tremendously beautiful shadows. People don't realize just how powerful the SL tools are for image making, and I think it might be hard to believe that I use exceptionally little post-processing software in my images; however, when I do, it's Photoshop all the way. Sometimes, I just get a bug and want to push playing around with Photoshop, so those image are well worked over. My favorite things are layers. I usually take many snapshots of exactly the same image but with different lighting conditions, I layer them, and then use masking techniques and layer modes, to combine the layers. Sometimes I overlay textures for extra oomph, and those are images that I pull from the internet making sure they have the proper rights. www.pixabay.com is a great source as is Flickr. People just need to be sure to respect the usage rights of the image creators.

Dean : The avatars featured in your images have great detail as do the clothes they are dressed in. Are there avatar and mesh clothes designers you would recommend to photographers who are starting out in Second Life?

Wren : Thank you again. Yes, it really is important to choose good work from SL creators because in the end that saves you from having to 'fix' things in post processing programs. Skins in SL are a big thing if you want to photograph avatars. A cheap skin can look flat and cartoonish, but a well-crafted skin can show off skin pores, moles, highlights, and look natural. Some of my favorite skin designers are Lara Hurley, League, The Skinnery, YS&YS, Atelier Pepe, DeeTaleZ, and the very artsy Kooqla. I am enjoying the introduction of mesh heads very much too. This saves you from once again 'fixing' the SL classic avatar from showing all the triangular planes. With mesh, the curves are really curves, rather than flat small planes arranged to look like a curve. As for the clothes, that is a completely mixed bag. Since mesh bodies came about I stick strictly with mesh clothes. Applied textures are still not crisp enough for me. You will will I have lots of stuff on the avatars' heads, those flowers are from Lode and LaGyo, while the jewerly is often from Mandala.

Dean : As detailed and compelling as some of your avatars are I also find your backgrounds very interesting, do you create your own backgrounds or do you find them by exploring different sims?

Wren : I do both, Dean. Sometimes I rezz trees and objects I own around the avatar, and other times I go to a sim and pose there. I adore SL. I really do. I will never use a flat, pre-photographed background because you just can't get a realistic depth to it, in my opinion. I came to SL for the promise of visually creativity (which it delivers in spades!) and want to utilize it as much as possible. When I can completely get away from post-processing I do!

Dean : Some of your images contain more than one avatar, do you collaborate with other SL artists?

Wren : It's always a pleasure to work with other people. The only criteria I require from them is patience! hehehe.  When you have more than one avatar, the time for the work doubles as one must adjust shadows, light, objects, and poses for both. 'Night Fishing for Mermaids' and 'When Venus Rises' were collaborations with Alles Klaar who is well-known for having multiple avatars in her work, and little Quintense also makes an appearance in 'When Venus Rises.' SL is a social platform after all!

Dean : You have a lot of positive reviews from students. How could someone contact you regarding lessons? Do you charge for lessons?

Wren : I do teach in SL. Myself and Nariko Okawa founded Visionaire which is an SL photography school. We realized that there was a real thirst for people to learn how to create better images. Many amazing photographers are so busy with creating images that they just don't have time to answer questions or teach, so we decided to carve out a bit of time to be able to do so. In the end, when everyone's work improves, we all benefit. We teach everything we know and hold nothing back. However, nobody is compared to anyone else. We all start at a certain point, and what we want is for people to improve from that point. Classes are intense, though. We meet for a minimum of 2 hours (usually 3), once a week for 10 weeks, then we have a break and a graduation exhibit. It requires real commitment on the students' part as well as our own. Yes, we do charge. My philosophy is that while there is real satisfaction in making a contribution (and I have volunteered in both SL and RL), this level of commitment shouldn't be cheapened. Payment actually insures that the student will stick with it and pay attention too. As Adriel Huntress, one of our graduates said: "[17:05]: ahh i had so much fun and learned so much! i met some fantastic people and got to know you more. I have walked away with not only a better understanding of photography and art but also some very lovely friendships :) I spend money all the time here in sl lol have regretted a lot of it lol but I would have paid double knowing now what I know about your class :) You have an amazing way about you and are so positive and supportive. You really are a fantastic person and have a wonderful skill at what you do :)"

If people are interested in learning more, they can go to www.VisionaireSL.com. They can send an e-mail to www.VisionaireSL@gmail.com or send me a NC if they have any questions or want to be put on an advisory list.  There is a new semester starting on April 23rd and we only teach 2 semesters per year (Spring and Fall).

Dean: Is there anything you would like people to know about you or your work?

Wren : I am super friendly and down to earth. I adore people who want to learn and it doesn't matter to me how far they are on their path. As long as they want to learn I have the greatest respect for them. As for my work, I just hope it resonates with people in some way and that it showcases the tremendous possibilities for beauty in Second Life.

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An in depth interview with Elite Management - Dean Lawson reporting

*Elite Equestrian*, the leading purveyer of all things equine and equestrian, is an enterprise that offers shopping and role play for Second Life horses and riders. I had the good fortune to chat with Elite Management to learn more about their original sim and their new Elite Riding Academy. 

Dean :  Could you give me a brief overview of the history Elite Equestrian?

Elite Management : Elite Equestrian was formed this year as a spin-off to my parent brand, ~Ladies' Pleasure~, which was founded in November 2012. EE is a maker of the RealHorse horse breed avatars, tack and accessories for our 12 breeds of horses.  We have two regions, one is our main store location at Cherry Island, where we do most of our work and have our stores laid out conveniently for horses to shop.  Our original sim is where all of our demo models may be seen in action, and in some cases, even ridden!  Our second region is our roleplay sim in Tamarillo Island. We launched our roleplay sim, the Elite Riding Academy, in August of this year.  Other than being horse-centric, the two regions are very different. Cherry Island is our display sim; ERA is open to the public and to registered roleplayers, and while there is a small mall at our landing point, that is not the point of the region,

ERA was inspired by one of our customers, who said that she was unable to find a sim where she could RP with her RealHorse. We thought that was an opportunity for our team and so we asked our customers for input about what they'd like to see in an equine roleplay.  After talking to them for a week and collating their responses, we put the sim together in about 3 days and opened it that same week. One of my business partners, Cherry Lastchance, is responsible for the design and the decoration of our sims, and she has done a beautiful job.  

Dean : How would you describe the roleplay at Elite Equestrian?

Elite Management : I think it's important to make clear we have two different sims. Our store sim is not a roleplay sim. Horses talk, shop, run around, do their thing, but it's totally not a RP place.  the Elite Riding Academy, however, is a full on RP sim, with horses and humans expect to engage in roleplay.  Our sim differs from other animal sims in several ways. First of all, we are focused on having an experience as close to a RL equine industry trainin facility as we can. Many of our RPers currently own/train/ride horses and quite a few have been horse owners/riders/trainers in the past, so there is a strong body of knowledge about the horse in our roleplay community.  We offer narrative roleplay, where roleplay is storyline driven, and again, in a way that would be logical in a high-end, American-based horse training facility.  Thirdly, we require all horses who are roleplaying at ERA to have an open RLV relay set to our group, so that the human RPers can bring them out, ride them, and otherwise RP with them as if they were RL horses.  That's another thing that makes our RP move more smoothly.  Human RPers aren't left dangling about 'how do I RP with this barn full of hostile horse avatars?' They know that if a horse is at the ERA, and in a stall or the turnout paddock, they are up for RP and they will respond to the human like a horse would.

We have formal RP times, when horses are introduced into the RP narrative through something we call 'Barn Walk'. Barn Walk takes 1 1/2-2 hours and we try to RP with as many horses as show up.

We also have competitions, clinic and other events, including performances off the sim.

Dean : Are the horse avatars in your stores created exclusively for Elite Equestrian?

Elite Management : Elite Equestrian is the spin-off company from ~Ladies' Pleasure~.  We are the maker of the *E* RealHorse, which we made because we wanted a horse avatar that was as close to RL as we could get. We now have 12 breeds, each in 2 genders, so a total of 24 horse avatars, with more breeds coming soon.  We spend much of our time working on our horses and the tack, hair, skins and accessories they wear.

Dean : Are all the horses avatars or can riders "wear" the horse they ride?

Elite Management : All of our horses are avatars. Some of our customers get the best of both worlds, by purchasing a horse to put on an alt that they register as a bot.

Dean :  With Halloween approaching are there any events that you will be hosting or that involve equestrian events?

Elite Management : yes, many in fact! We currently have a leaf chase going on, with random leaves appearing in the sim for the horses to chase to win 1 of 48 prizes. We have an upcoming Cross Country competition at Equine Island, which is currently decorated in their best Halloween spookiness.  We will also be participating in [ Free Bird ]'s 'Live Trick or Treat' at the end of the month, where our Percherons will be providing hay rides to our visitors.  (Our 'treat' will be a very cute limited edition 'Tiny Tails' horse avatar, in 6 different halloween patterns).  We've been invited to provide horses for hayrides at several events and of course, we have our special Costume Show on the 30th, with both ridden and driven dressage in costume.

Dean : Do you have any advice for anyone who is interested in roleplay but is new to SL RP?

Elite Management : Well, gosh. I myself am not what I'd call an epic RPer.  There are tons of places to go learn about RP, but I guess my best advice is to rememebr that IC actions usually bring IC responses, and if you don't like the IC response, maybe you need to stop your IC actions that generated it! Also, IC is not the same as OOC, and if you visit RP sims be respectful of the owners and mods, many of whom are doing what they do as a passion, not a job.  Respect their rules if you visit; usually it's not that hard to do and most places do list their rules pretty prominently.  There are tons of groups you can join to help connect you to a good community, as well. Search is a great tool, just type in 'Roleplay' into the groups tab and a lot of options will pop up.

Dean : Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about Elite Equestrian?

Elite Management : We have built what we feel is the best horse avatar in SL, and we encourage anyone with an interest in going equine or riding to come try them out at our Cherry Island store or visit the Elite Riding Academy.  Horsing around in SL has been a lot of fun and I still find riding my personal horses a total blast, whether we're jumping, driving, or riding dressage.

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Cherry%20Island/153/31/25

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Spotlight on the Halloween MAGE - Dean Lawson Reporting

“ARIA” by Andressa DePrims

An in depth interview with Second Life Artist and MAGE Model Andressa DePrims

MAGE Magazine is a fantasy and science fiction genre magazine featuring stories presented in comic book form. Issue #1 was released in April 2015 and, since then MAGE Magazine has released 6 issues, distributed throughout Second Life as a 3D book. MAGE Magazine also produces machinima videos and helps to promote the work of Second Life artists. As the magazine prepares to release it’s Halloween Edition I had a chance to speak with a member of their senior team, Andressa DePrims, who is a producer of machinima and virtual photography.

Dean : Could you tell me how you first got involved with machinima and Second Life photography?

Andressa : Ya, it’s actually kind of funny. When I first joined Second Life I got a hat from one of the freebie shops and, at the time, I didn’t know that you had to take certain objects out of a box in order to wear them, so I was walking around with a box on my head when someone sent me an IM asking me if I needed help. So I explained that I had picked up a free hat but whenever I put it on, I ended up wearing a box with a picture of the hat, instead of the actual hat. So the person who approached me explained that I needed to rez the box and sent me a tp to a sandbox where she showed me all those counter intuitive prerequisites required to get my hat from a box into my inventory and then onto my avatar’s head. As it turned out the complications of putting on a hat turned out to be a twist of fate as this person who was helping me was Othella, the editor of MAGE Magazine. We got to talking and Othella explained that she was starting a magazine and asked me if I wanted to be a model. So I said yes and she gave me some lindens and links to freebie and dollarbie items on the marketplace that I would need to be a model and I started putting together different outfits or “characters”. Then, when the first issue was released the section at the back, which is called “A Note from the Editor” was inspired by how Othella and I met, with the character MEZ getting his head stuck in a box.

Dean : That’s a very amusing anecdote, but could you tell me how you got involved with machinima and Second Life photography?

Andressa : Ya, actually my point was that I started as a model with MAGE Magazine and by chatting with the photographers I learned about the techniques they used to create their images and, when I told 0THELLA I was interested in being more than just a model she started sending me links to video tutorials on machinima and SL photography.

Dean : As a model for MAGE Magazine which characters do you play and what kind of preparations do you make for a photo shoot?

Andressa : The characters that I play exclusively are Felicia the Fairy, the Princess Aida, Pieta the gypsy and the Inn Keeper’s wife. There are also characters that I play that other members of the team also play so, for example, the alien avatar that we use for Aldo the Alien costs 15 lindens on the marketplace so 0THELLA, Sizzelle and myself own copies of this avatar so that if one person is unavailable for a photoshoot, someone else can stand in. Aria, the main character from the "Lady Dom” series, is another character that is played by both myself and Sizzelle. The avatar werewolf that we use for MEZ is a library avatar so everyone has a copy of that character. The prep work for a photo shoot is basically a lot of shopping. I try to create original looking characters so even if I find a complete ensemble on the marketplace I'll make modifications like changing the color or I’ll mix and match with other ensembles. The same thing goes with the shapes, especially if they are human, the skins, the eyes and hair are influenced by the story so, with Felicia, Othella said she wanted an “Amazon fairy” so I found a dark skin tone, a black hair piece that resembled a Chinese queue, some polynesian style tattoos and some gold and ivory bracelets and anklets. But the butterfly wings for the fairy were blue and I wanted the eyes to match the wings so I gave her blue eyes and for the first few issues, because Felicia is a fairy and is usually small in the frame no one noticed. In the issue we’re working on now Felicia is the central character so we have close ups of her and Othella noticed for the first time that she has blue eyes. She wasn’t happy about this because Amazons don’t have blue eyes but, for the sake of continuity, we kept them. In addition to creating characters I also do a lot of shopping for poses and huds that cause the character’s expression to change. You might notice in some of the earlier issues, Felicia is in a bad mood so she has a frown.

Dean : You mentioned that some of the other MAGE models use the same avatars. Is this how you’re able to portray multiple characters in the same scene?

Andressa : Ya, but we also use a green screen studio that I built from prims, which is why 0THELLA dubbed me “Andressa DePrims”.

Dean : Is this the same green screen studio that got you banned from the Shiromani Sandbox?

Andressa : Ya, lol, I was fifteen days old in Second Life when I joined Builder’s Brewery and started to build the green screen studio. I had 2 textures to work with. One was green that I used for the interior. The other texture was the MAGE Magazine logo which I used for the outside. I was making adjustments in the Shiromani Sandbox when Eternal Gray decided that showing the MAGE Magazine logo was deserving of being banned for life. So I guess that makes me persona non grata but, there are other sandboxes so it’s not a big deal and if Eternal Gray wants to be remembered for being an asshole, that’s his business.

Dean : You were only fifteen days old and already you were building studios and modelling for a magazine. How did you manage to get your act together so fast?

Andressa : I owe a lot of it to 0THELLA. She is very supportive of artists and MAGE Magazine is more like a family than a business, so we share a lot and learn a lot from each other. It also helps that most of us are relatively new to Second Life so we still have that curiosity and the humility that’s required to improve and grow as artists and human beings.

Dean: I noticed that there is some nudity in the Magazine, what is it with Second Life artists and nudity?

Andressa: Lol. I don’t know. It’s pixels, not real skin, and, even if it was, museums and art galleries are full of nude statues and paintings, so I don’t see anything wrong with it. But I know what you are saying about sexuality in Second Life. I think the anonymity is liberating for some people who might live in sexually repressive conditions because there are a lot of Second Life groups that encourage homosexuality, domination and gender bending. And with MAGE Magazine we don’t shy away from this, if anything, we make it part of the stories.

Dean : Is it awkward to pose nude?

Andressa : ROFLMAO! It’s ironic you ask that question because, regardless of whether I’m exploring a medieval sim, or a science fiction sim or a modern day sim, I always seem to find a stripper’s pole, so it’s not unusual to see avatars showing their bits and I find the fact that there is a lucrative sex trade in Second Life a very bizarre phenomenon. Ozymandius once said; “If you take into account the lindens to dollars exchange rate and find someone in SL willing to have virtual sex for 500 Lindens, that literally makes them a 2 dollar whore.” Keeping this in mind, I would like my avatar to be respected and I think the artists I work with feel the same way, so if we stage a scene with nudity, we usually try to find a remote place where no one else is around and if someone teleports into our location out of the blue, its amazing how fast everyone throws on their alpha layers.

Dean : Is there anything you would like people to know about you, your art or MAGE Magazine?

Andressa : I sent you some links and if you could publish those links with this interview then I would like people to click the links and watch the videos on the MAGE Magazine playlist, leave comments, share with friends and show your support for MAGE Magazine by joining our group because a lot of hard work goes into making the videos and the monthly magazine and all that we ask from our audience is that they take the time to enjoy it.

To find out more about Andressa DePrims and MAGE Magazine use the following links to visit the MAGE Magazine website and the MAGE Magazine video playlist.

http://0zymandius.wix.com/magemagazine

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwNM1DppSMQ&list=PLThpLfGotClLbUtMa2Os3Ddo2_KpdiDDL

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ART DREAMS : An in depth interview with SL Artist Jolie.Lisa - Dean Lawson Reporting

 

Taught by Masters from the Cape School of Art in Provincetown, Massachusetts.... Jolie's  style and techniques blossom with color and sensuality.  Her work is post -Impressionist and Fantasy. Additionally Jolie earned a dual B.A. in Art Studio, Art History and received a state Teacher Certification in Art Education K-12.  After many rewarding years teaching Art in public schools Jolie is happily exploring new worlds in digital arts.  

 

 

Dean : Could you tell me about your experience as an artist in real life?

 

Jolie : My work in virtual/digital art is a new direction in a long art career.  I am classically trained in plein-air technique in real life and studied intensively to painting from life, be it portrait, still life or landscape.  I started showing in publlc shows at the age of 19 and that same year worked as a sidewalk portrait artist for Walt Disney World.  In the next few years I was often involved in instruction of drawing and painting as well.  It was then I decided to complete a university degree in Studio Art and Art History combined with a state certificate in Art K-12.  I taught many wonderful children in many schools, mostly inner city. After finding myself retired I discovered an extremely enjoyable virtual world with my new computer and became immersed in Second Life.  In this world the landscapes and tableaux available seem never ending and various;  there is always a new scene or setting to challenge me and to capture.

 

 

Dean : Could you tell me about your experience as an artist in Second Life?

 

Jolie : I explored first and made many noob blunders : ) learning to navigate.  As soon as I was comfortable with things I started noticing avatars in poses with light and shadow . I learned I could assess them as a figure or portrait study. That is when I started taking photographs and looking around for editing programs that would not be too complex.

 

 

Dean :  Some of your images appear to have multiple layers, including text, could you elaborate on the technical process by which you create your images?

 

Jolie : I work as much as possible in the same manner I would in RL.  I start with the broad composition and add general color scheme and tonal layer first.  I work up from non detailed to highly detailed things in the picture plane, balancing the tone and contrast all through.  And I "save" in between each layer.

 

 

Dean : What are your artistic influences? What inspires you?

 

Jolie : I studied with Elliott McMurrough and with Henry Hensche, both teachers from the Cape School of Art in Massachusetts. I will add a link where the theory and lineage of this awesome school can be learned.

 

http://www.capeschoolofart.com/history-of-the-school/

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/1987-05-14/entertainment/0130080062_1_mcmurrough-brevard-artists

 

 

Dean : Is there anything you would like our readers to know about you and your art work?

 

Jolie : Art work is not, first of all, a product. It is a working of the mind whose outcome improves with practice and skill.  Not trying to sound lofty but many people see a gallery as a "business" where the success is measure in number of sales.  Truly if I were to be concerned with these matters above everything I would be making products more easily sold. 

However my studies with Elliott and Henry began when I was a terribly confused yet talented adolescent who had no idea where to go or what to do.  The strength of character, the orderly thinking , the ability to qualitativeley assess art all began in my studies with these two great teachers whose names are well known in the American art world of plein-air painters.

My life took a few turns that made relying on my career as an artist impossible although I always kept painting.  I eventually earned a college degree and certificate to teach public school art which I did for 10 years.

 

Happily I discovered a thriving art community in SL and the option of using new techniques, the wonder of windlight settings and the ability to virtually travel to so many exceptional locations.  My personal art career revived itself and here I am learning something new and extraordinary every day.  The more I exhibit or use Flickr to share my work the more skilled I become at pushing boundaries and striving for excellence in my work.

 

 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Tabula%20rasa/46/121/26

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Second Life Portraits: An in depth interview with Cameron Cove - Dean Lawson reporting

 

 

Cameron Cove is a Second Life artist and explorer who finds inspiration in the dark and murky shadows of the virtual world. I had the good fortune to chat with Cameron and learn more about his attempts to "capture the horrific atrocity of imagination.”

 

 

Dean : Could you tell me a bit about yourself?

 

Cameron Cove : I'm a real life photographer and graphic artist. I joined Second Life out of curiosity. At first I thought it was an RP game but with no clear objective I was about to quit when I discovered the snapshot application. After taking snapshots in Second Life I began to look for work as a Second Life photographer which was very difficult because there are a lot of SL Photographers and most of them have a lot more experience with Second Life photography than I.

 

 

 

Dean : Your blog is titled “Second Life Portraits by Cameron Cove” but most of your images are landscapes with your avatar appearing almost inconspicuously as part of the background. Is this intended to be ironic?

 

Cameron Cove : It wasn't my intention to be ironic. The reason why I refer to my collection of Second Life images as "Portraits" is because the places I explore and find interesting enough to photograph is more an expression of who I am than the appearance of my avatar. I include my avatar in the snapshots to provide a subject or, in some cases, to provide context for the scale of other objects in the frame but the true subject of the image is the moment or memory that is captured by the snapshot. In this sense, the word "Portrait" is a portrayal of my spiritual self more so than my physical which, of course, doesn't exist in Second Life.

 

 

Dean : Most of your images are engulfed in shadow with your avatar’s back to the viewer, is this intended to create an enigmatic impression? 

 

Cameron Cove : I use one of the generic avatars that people can choose when they first register with Second Life. I added spectacles and, in some snapshots, the avatar is carrying a flashlight but, because the focus of my images are the different locations I visit as opposed to my avatar, I frequently face the avatar away from the viewer to create a sense of anonymity, as if to say, the individual is less important than the environment. I consider my images to be a collaboration between myself, the people who create the sim and the people who create the objects within the sim.

 

 

Dean :  The depth of shadows in your images reminds me of the paintings of Carravagio, what are some of your artistic influences?

 

Cameron Cove : Thanks for the compliment. Michelangelo da Carravagio is definitely an influence. I think he is a master of creating shadows within shadows. The Spanish painter Francisco Goya is another big influence when it comes to the way I try to capture details within the shadows. Another influence is the French Iranian cinematographer Darius Khondji who worked on the films Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children,  Alien Resurrection, In Dreams, The Beach and Panic Room. His work on the movie "Seven" is probably the most influential as this is visually a dark and moody film that spends a lot of time in the shadows.

 

 

Dean : Some of your work has been featured in MAGE Magazine. How did you get involved with this group?

 

Cameron Cove : I posted an announcement in the SL Creation Forum asking if there were any Second Life photography groups I could join that would help me learn about the different techniques used to create great images. I had visited some art galleries and seen some images that were truly incredible and realized I had a lot to learn but the only person who responded to my questions was Othella, who is the editor of MAGE Magazine. After becoming friends with Othella I joined the MAGE Magazine group and found the creative team was very helpful. Andressa, Sizzelle and Ozymandius were surprisingly generous with advice and would even give me things like a green screen studio, props, accessories and different lighting equipment to help improve the quality of my work. Out of gratitude for their help and support I've contributed some of my images to MAGE Magazine which can be seen in the SL Perspectives section.

 

 

 

http://secondlifeportraitsbycameroncove.blogspot.ca

 

https://plus.google.com/collection/c1oukB

 

http://0zymandius.wixsite.com/magemagazine

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwNM1DppSMQ&list=PLThpLfGotClLbUtMa2Os3Ddo2_KpdiDDL

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