Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Kemono Kids


Alright, so 'Kemono' and 'kid' isn't something you usually hear in the same sentence together-- at least not on Second Life (I can't claim I know much f the usage of the word 'kemono' off Second Life, but I know there are Google results!). And just why is that? While Utilizator's Avatar 2.0 has a sweet, rounded face and body, Kemono bodies tend to be more slender (outside of the hips and thighs-- let's not ever talk about the hips and thighs there) and with the naturally small chest on the mesh body (easily changed for entirely flat chest), it should be a decent option for a childish mesh avatar from kid to young teen, right?

Well... there are plenty of child mesh bodies out there now. The most popular being, of course, being Toddleedoo followed closely by SMB. Unless you spend all your time on Adult sims doing... adult things, chances are you've seen quite a few kids on Second Life wandering around-- there's a thriving family community here, and plenty of spaces to reclaim your inner child. But despite my affinity for playing a kid, I waited quite a few years before I pushed into the mesh territory to try my hand at a boy avatar. I didn't like any of the kid mesh out there, and I already trusted Utilizator mesh, so... despite the Kemono being targeted more at the Furry community, I knew I had to try my hand with its human counter-part to see how well it could be adopted. It's such a beautiful avatar, after all, so why isn't it more commonly used?


Likely because of the above pictures. As adorable as my avatar turned out with Kemono, it would be rather foolish to keep it if none of the clothing could fit, right? The two biggest problems I ran into were: your normal SL mesh clothing seemed to lean just a few centimetres in front of your body, meaning unless the clothes were made specifically for the Kemono, nothing would fit at the collar and anywhere that the torso and even legs were revealed. The second issue, while not as prominent and alarming, was that for some reason the area around the ankles would be elongated greatly while wearing mesh. This meant that pants were suddenly too short (would show the ankles) and that shoes that touched the ankles were too high.

Luckily, the ankle problem can be fixed! It took me far too long to figure this out, but... when you get your Kemono avatar, there is an item in the folder called Bonus Items. Rez that, open it, and within there is something called Kemono Body (No leg deformations) along with the version number. Wear that instead, and it will turn you legs into... voilĂ , the third image shown above, with the really weird looking ankles. But that means you can wear jeans and boots, even if you can't really pair jeans with bare feet.

Because of this, I have two shapes I use with my Kemono: one shape for shorts (with the original Kemono avatar) and below the ankle sneakers, and the other shape for jeans and above ankle sneakers. Both are always paired with a scarf or something of the like... let's just say it's a quirk my boy avatar has, then.


Zerou is wearing:
Mesh Avatar: Kemono by Utilizator $900L
Mesh Head: M3 System Venus Head by Utilizator $500L
Skin: Tor Shade Skin Mod by =^HARO^= $300L
Hair: Unisex 32 from Dura in black $120L
--FREE ITEMS--
[VALE KOER] VASIFORMS [ group gift sneakers ] 
pictures taken at Chestnut Valley

Monday, May 16, 2016

Frisland


I figured it's time I shared one of my favourite places to go when looking for photoshoot oppotunities-- Frisland.  This cloudy, sleepy little island is not only one of the most beautiful places I've seen in Second Life, but also happens to be extremely accomodating for those looking for beautiful pictures-- join the group, and you get temporary rez rights to allow you a space to put down your pose balls if need be.

This idyllic isle is the perfect place not only to take photos, but to enjoy the calm serenity that can be offered. There are birds chirping, farm animals grazing, and buildings interspaced that serve from housing to schools to windmills and barns, to a tiny rustic chapel at one corner of the island, just waiting for someone to come and sit in search of inner peace.

I've never truly seen anything else of its like on Second Life. Every inch of this island provides new and different opportunities for spending time with friends and family online, taking some of the most beautiful photos I've encountered so far. I could churn out dozens and dozens of pictures for this post, and none would be able to do the entire sim a bit of justice.

There's something soft and sweet here, like honeysuckle in the summer heat, and yet cool enough to make you shiver. A summer storm, perhaps. The grass and leaves are silken to the eyes, and the entire sim embraces that feeling of a calm sanctuary.

From camping grounds to beaches to little alcoves tucked away behind flower-ladden trees and birdcall, this entire place is a visual embodiment of how I felt a Tennyson poem would be-- not so much his Arthurian works, but more like The Islet:

a sweet little Eden on earth that I know,
A mountain islet pointed and peak'd;
Waves on a diamond shingle dash,
Cataract brooks to the ocean run,
Fairily-delicate palaces shine
Mixt with myrtle and clad with vine,
And overstream'd and silvery-streak'd
With many a rivulet high against the Sun
The facets of the glorious mountain flash
Above the valleys of palm and pine.'


Obvious, the comparison isn't perfect (I'm over writing reports on poetry!), but it's the essence that I feel runs parallel and true.


Shamera is wearing:
 *barberyumyum* 53 mixblue [ past LB @ Sanarae ]
  Gritty Kitty Studio Headphones [ discontinued? ]
~Tableau Vivant~ Cho Hair - Sun&Flower [ accessory w/ 75L gacha ]
 :Moon Amore: Traveler Necklace [ past Kustom9 gift ]
[Miseria] Bearnotes Backpack [ past gacha ]
Just a Girl top and skirt [ Carver's End prize ]
Izzie's Leather & Beads Watch Bracelet [ past hunt item, now 249L ]
Utilizator shorts, socks, and boots [ 100L, 20L, 100L ]

Monday, May 9, 2016

FaMESHed 4th year

You know what, since we were just doing a post about the anniversary of one event, let's do a post on the anniversary of another! Yes, that sounds like a great idea because my inventory is totally going to thank me for pulling two events in two days. But then again, events like this (with loads of beautifully made freebies) tend to be extremely crowded, so when I found that it was still easy to get into FaMESHed today, I knew I just had to take the chance.

This month FaMESHed is celebrating its fourth year, and that means that sheer amount of item put out as gifts (yes, you need to join the group. Yes, the group is free!) is quite astonishing, and the majority is more than the usual trinkets I sort through when I go to places with small gifts! This month seems to spring multiple outfits, dresses, shoes, furniture, and various accessories that took me quite some time to sort through. What I've found somewhat disappointing, however, and this isn't a slur to the event or the vendors, is that a lot of places are slowly fazing out the old SL standard mesh sizes to be replaced with certain brands like Maitraya or Slink. While great for them-- this is somewhat devastating to me because the Avatar 2.0 fits the standard sizes well but not the special sizes.

Thus, I won't be showing any of the shoes that I've managed to collect, because goodness knows I'd save up loads for someone to make socks for the Avatar 2.0 that would work perfectly for Slink sizes as well. Let's not even mention normal Kemono socks. I think I'll actually try my own hand at mesh and textures if I can just get some normal ankle socks for my little boy.

Speaking of little boy, though! I'm borrowing Zerou today and aging him up to show another one of the very dapper gifts from the FaMESHed event. He's not exactly happy about it, but it's always good to prepare some outfits for when he grows up, right?

I'm starting a collection of clothes he can wear as an adult, because good men's mesh don't come around often as gifts so he's going to need all the time and help he's going to get.

Zerou is wearing:
Mesh Head / Skin / Shape
-- Genesis Lab. Hiro [We<3RP gift]
Hair - Dura Unisex 32 [$120L]
Suit - Kauna 2BN Casual Suit: Check Grey [FaMESHed gift]

Shamera is wearing:
Hair - /Wasabi Pills/ Marissa Hair
Sunglasses - KITJA gift Silver
Earrings -  [Z O O M] Marine Earrings
Necklace - *{JB}* Crystal Acorn Choker
Armbands - *{JB}* Elegant Arm Cuffs
Dress -  NYU Satin Draped Dress
(all found as gifts at FaMESHed!)

Saturday, May 7, 2016

3rd Chapter Four


So it might be really unusual for me to forego my standard glasses and dark brown / black hair (except recently when I've been favouring blue hair thanks to having worked hard to bleach and dye my hair blue in real life), but I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to showcases the gifts offered for the 3rd anniversary of The Chapter Four!


Yes, you need to join their group in order to get the gifts, but the group is entirely free and there are just so many talented people there that it'd be a shame to miss out just because you don't have a group slot left.

Everything on my person at the moment outside of my actual avatar and skin is a gift from The Chapter Four-- even the pose (from Le Poppycock)! And there are plenty more item that I'm not showcasing because I've only decided to put one outfit together for this post and there are various items included that wouldn't really fit the Avatar 2.0 (such as skin applicators and numerous pairs of shoes that would require mesh socks compatible with slink that I've bought in the past and therefore isn't a part of the gifts group), and I have a tendency to delete accessories if I feel like I would never use them anyway. So these are just my favourites among the lot!


Shamera is wearing:
[atooly] the blair bow .rainbow.
Love - Blush hair in Ombre #3
[Z O O M] Gift Earrings
7mad;Ravens Foxy 8-bit Mouthie
Pure Poison - Sakura Heart Necklace
Luas Dream Crop Top
Valentina E - Bella Taffeta Bell Skirt
AZOURY - Bracelet Flowers
"mignon." -bunny gem ring
::C'est la vie !:: Alette purse
Kalopsia - Emily's Bracelets
(all available as gifts this month from The Chapter Four)

Sunday, May 1, 2016

We're in the City of Wonder

Your mind is in Disturbia, it's like the darkness is the light.
Now, I know I said there'd be a few more fashion posts, but I was just enamoured with this place the moment I saw it and knew it had to be on this blog!

Welcome to Disturbia, a beautiful little sim rife with opportunities for photographers! It is an Adult sim, so I don't recommend bringing the little ones along on this ride, although the Adult rating is more for the horror aspect (as well as naked corpses sewn on the ground) than it having anything to do with sex.

From what I can tell, there's no game going on here (although it would definitely be amazingly cool if the creators were to make a game out of this place!), a Mystery seems to be a part of the title here. What happened? It looks like an old abandoned carnival ground, with some very questionable blood strewn over the place and green pollutants in the air. One side of the island is inhabited by killer clowns and broken down buildings and rides.

On the other side, however, is something else entirely-- reminding me a lot more of a video game come to life within the confines of Second Life. There are skeleton archers, mages, statues of Goddesses, and monsters that look like they've stepped straight out of MMO rather than a carnival.

And it works! Likely because the two areas, despite both being Disturbia, are on separate little islands connected by a thin wooden bridge. Unfortunately for me, I didn't feel like one outfit could cut both sides of the bridge, so I kept the MMO area unfiltered by my trapeze outfit. Although that just means I'll have to remember this place again when I want to actually do an MMO shoot (which I've been meaning to look into recently because I'm ever so slowly collecting pieces that would make up an elven archer on SL!).

Most of the photogenic areas on both little islands are nice and spaced out, though, so there's minimal lag despite the sheer amount of detail and textures on everything here. That make it a pretty ideal place for pictures if you're looking for something that's slightly horror, slightly video game-ish! It's not often that I find a place as beautiful as this that isn't made by either MadPea or Bryn Oh. Despite the crazy amount of horror sims on Second Life, there still aren't that many which will invest in the amount of graphics that an entire sim of detailed mesh will take. It's nice to see a place bringing SL out of the boxy prim era.



Shamera is wearing:
Astralia - Soraya Headpiece BLACK [ past free gift, now $250L for color HUD ]
Hair - [e] Other in White [ $75L, tinted blue ]
Goth1c0: The Dark Circus Trapezist [ past Twisted Hunt item ]
S@bbia :: Suede Knee-high Boots [ past free LB, now $100L ]