Monday, June 25, 2018

More SL15B Exhibits


By Gemma Cleanslate


I always look for Ginger Lorakeet’s installation at the birthdays. On her parcel you can enter into the pictures and become part of them.


This year she has wonderful fantasy creatures in her pictures so I hopped right in. 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL15B%20Dazzle/53/70/23


Nearby is the Bay City exhibit . Bay City is also celebrating the 10th anniversary and Marianne McCann is illustrating Points of Interest in her build. I spend some time there so was glad to see this . Their events are always such fun... parades... car washes... parties .

Take a look. Pick up the city directory and booster pack, flag, postcard for your future city to the City.


I ran into Draxtor Despres  on the Bay City Bridge and we stopped to discuss the whole 15 years LOL. He was getting ready to stream the birthday into Sansar at 11:00 slt


Close to the Palace is the Great Snail Races parcel. Lovely crystal snail caught my attention. Pick up your own tiny snail that is lovely!

You can see who is involved in this Second Life fun activity that has races all over the grid .They are such fun to watch!... or join!

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL15B%20Dazzle/83/104/23


Caro Fayray has a bubbly Crystal Bowl here .”A Gentlemen's Club for Mer Monsters. Take the Bubble Taxi provided.  A world reversed and roles reversed. Anything is possible in virtual. This build is also an experiment in physics optimisation. See notecard” 


The bubble taxi takes you up to the club , inhabited by large wiggling sea creatures and shifting crystals. Very lovely and you actually got to take the bowl with you as a gift! Look for it.  http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/SL15B%20Dazzle/139/174/23

This is the week to really get to enjoy the parcels with less lag. The parties are over...the pods are running... the gifts are waiting. Do not let this opportunity pass. Get over to Bear Island and collect those bears!! Visit the Cornfield. Enjoy the beauty of the builds! So much work for such a short period of time. I applaud all who were involved in this special time. I wonder what the 20th will bring! Start from any of the above sites and head out!

Gemma Cleanslate

Friday, June 22, 2018

The RFL DSD Rabbit V2 Mod


By Deaflegacy

To help raise money for the Relay for Life, some people are making items for sale in which the money goes to charity. Among them, an avatar mod made by Astra Noctura (Silverskyranch) called the "RFL Rabbit V2." It was made for bunnies from the Dark Spot Designs avatar maker, often called DSD for short, but can fit another called PAWs, giving them a purple coat of fur.

I heard Astra was at the Farshore Field Air show. When I arrived to meet Astra when she was with some of the Relay Sunbeamer team, they were already talking about the bunny avatar for the RFL. I asked how was a "mod" different from regular avatars. I was told mods are not complete avs in themselves, but are modifications of a complete one, which must be bought separately.

"Mods kits require you to own the base avatar,"  Destiny (Dusk Griswold) told me. Kylee Gracemount nodded,  "Mine was like that." "Then you buy the mod kit made for that avatar," spoke Destiny. "In this case the Mod is custom textures Deaf," spoke Kylee,  "Others can have different parts you have to add. or replace from the original." "This was a fancier mod, in that it included a head and tail," Destiny told me.

"Where can I get the mod?" I asked, "I can use that on my existing bunny avatar." "Which brand of bunny avatar do you have?" asked Astra. I answered "AX. I have the AX brand." Bixyl Shuftan would later tell me it was short for "AnthroXtacy," an older brand from earlier days in Second Life. "Oh, the mod is only for the PAWs rabbit head, or the DSD," informed Astra, "AX is pretty old." "AX is an old one," spoke Destiny, "This av is based on a specific head that is sold." I then asked how much the DSD bunny was. "V2 is 1500," answered Snowy Sugar Blossom (Skylark Lefavre). I was surprised, thinking that was a bit steep. "Do they still sell the v1?" asked Destiny, "Likely cheaper. And still good." "Yes, the V1 is still on the Marketplace,"answered Astra. Kylee gave me the landmark to Astra's store where the mod was. We would find the DSD V1 bunny on Marketplace.

The question about clothes came up, I realizing I didn't have clothes for a mesh avatar. When asked if regular clothes would fit, "If you use the SL body, then yes," answered Astra, "The mod is made for Maitryea, but can be used on SL body or any omega-compatible one." "Some of my stuff is still SL Body.  I switch back and forth," spoke Kylee Gracemount, who was wearing the Maitreya Variant. I thought I should be able to find some outfits for bunnies at Furry Fashion, and spoke so, "I need to rez the DSD Rabbit White, and the dual pack, too." "This rabbit wasn't specifically for RFL," Astra told me, "but the color design of it was."

I was told a little of how modifying the bunny tail went. "Copied from the instructions," Kylee Gracemount was saying, "Tail - This part is a bit tricky.  There are 3 parts that need to be retextured seperately using Select Face.  The first two are pretty easy, and use the tail texture with the included Alpha. (simply called 'Tail').  Apply this to the first two faces you grab.  For the third layer, you will need to cam inside of the tail to see it.  This layer, when you click Select Face on it, you will notice has Alpha set to 'None'.  This is the one that you apply the Solid Tail texture to.  Like with the Ears, you might need to re-set the Scripts after you wear it."

There was a little trouble when someone changed out of a small Manticore avatar, but it was soon resolved. I invited Astra to be on my friends list so we could contact each other later about the article. I then gave personal reasons for wanting to do this, "I understand about losing a family member to cancer.  I lost my Uncle and Mom to cancer." "Mom had breast cancer that spread to her bones," Astra would tell me. I asked if it was okay to write about this, and was told I could.

I talked with some people about the Relay Rabbit. I asked them one question, to please tell me in their own words about the Relay Bunny. Bixyl Shuftan, the Newser editor, answered, "Well, I haven't gotten it yet, but I have a few friends who have, and they're impressed with it. It's Bento-enabled, so it's able to take advantage of those features. For those looking for a good purple bunny,  a way to support the Relay, or both, it's a good choice."

"Astra made it as a way to raise money for her team Meli's Maniacs. But to me it means much more." Snowy told me, "I want people to know I relay for a cure for cancer because I have lost so many friends and family to cancer.  My color is pink, but I proudly wear this.  My colonoscopy put a scare into me. Was a super close call. I am wearing it also to tell people I am not going down without a fight." 

When asked about the Relay Rabbit, Snowy spoke, "The creator sells them at The Happy Vixen vendor section. They are for the DSD Rabbit v2 but she has some for the DSD Rabbit v1 as well. She has a store on SL Marketplace.   https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/109832?  I might very well be wearing this Relay Weekend as well.  I want to know the best cure for cancer is prevention.   Get tested and often. I like to see others wear the bunny in honor of those they relay for as well.  It is a symbol of hope. (smile)"

"It is an applier for the DSD Rabbit, either V1 or v2," Kylee told me, " Easy to apply if you have use DSD or Omega compatible parts.: I have a quite a few of Astra's mods. The V2 Mod I have has multiple textures you can use.  It has appliers for the Omega and the DSD parts included. I enjoy supporting Astra and The Relay itself."

"Since loosing my mother to cancer six years ago, the RFL has been something that I have been far more passionate about," Astra would tell me, " Since I began making furry avatar mods in Second Life, I have always tried to make at least 1-2 per year that was a special Purple and/or Pink Ribbon avatar mod, with all proceeds of it's sale going to RFL.  Over the past year, my modding skills have greatly improved, and I have really gotten into making various bunny mods. So this year, I felt that the perfect release would be a Purple Ribbon bunny, especially since I knew so many bunny furries in SL.  I made three different variations of it for different avatars, and so far it has been the best selling yet of my RFL mods.  I may not be able to do much in real-life to help in the fight against cancer, but this Purple Ribbon Bunny is my own way of doing what I can, however little, to help in that fight."

I do know that I will be wearing Relay Bunny this weekend to support the RFL.  That's what I will do this weekend.

Deaflegacy

Friday, June 1, 2018

Raglan Shire Art Walk Does it Again


For a Lucky 13th Round

By Klaus Bereznyak

Open to be enjoyed until June 17th, The 13th Annual Raglan Shire Art Walk serves up an impressive cross-sectional variety of artwork for all tastes sprawled and nestled across four sims: Raglan Shire, Heron Shire, Morning Shire, and Athen Shire.


This is one of the highlights of the year hosted by the Raglan Shire tinies community who just entered their 11th year together. For five weeks, their home territory is inundated with biggies, stomping all over the place, and we are grateful they continue to host this event. Somehow Artwalk Director Karmagirl Avro, and her assistants Kayak Kuu and Shadow Marlin, ensure that the work of over a hundred artists is seen to be enjoyed. It's a "walk" so take your time.

Anyone can sign up and display their work: all levels of artists may show their works, and the only thing that seems to be excluded is photographs of real-life crafts. Artists arrive early on May the 11th to grab some hedge space and set up.


The variety of styles and subjects to be seen all at once is therefore one of the most striking things about this event. Here real-life photography by SimiXiamara1 faces SL photography by Lo. Coeur.


It would be rare in this world to see digital and real photographic work side by side along with real-life watercolours and manipulated Second Life pictures. This picture shows adapted SL photography by Free Dawn Voix and fractal work by Kraven Klees.


Several tinies have contributed exhibits to the mix. This picture shows 'My Tiny Life', a series by Kitty Huang, along with a watercolor by SkyBlue Earthboy.


Visitors can wander from sim to sim through the maze of levels, travel on a slow-moving 'hedgiepillar', or use the teleport boards provided to hop to the different areas, but it's easy to miss something. Each time I have been back in the last week, I have spotted something new. Most of the art displayed is for sale at prices fixed by the artists and ranging from 5L$ up into the thousands. There's something for all tastes and income levels.


The 2D work is concentrated on the network of hedge walls on the Raglan Shire Sim. Wild animals keep an eye on things. Here, a giraffe gazes hungrily at Tea Gupte's vegetable paintings.The 3D work is found mostly in the woods and along the water in Heron Shire, where it brings a magical aspect to the landscape.


Through the trees here can be seen the glitching triangles of Gravity by Elle Thorkveld, Stillpink's (pink) Memorial Tree, and Head + Brain by Otcoc.


Further along, with their feet in the water, can be found a build by Asmita Duranjaya, housing reliefs of carved Bactrian figures, alongside Terra Merhyem's Constellation of the Shaman.


Crossing over into Morning Shire, the visitor walks a path flanked by the canvasses of Kayly Iali and works by Giovanna Cerise before it opens out into parkland with more 3D installations such as the sculptures of Alander Starostin and SkyBlue Earthboy's immersive Healing Color Temple.


More 3D spills over into Athen Shire, where the eye is greeted by kienetic light sculpture by Slatan Dryke and iSkye Silverweb's Marble Dancers and purpose-built ArtWalk 2018 ColoursTower.


With so much on offer, it would be very hard for me to pick favourites. I blew my stipend pretty quickly, favouring affordable work by artists who were new to me and perhaps not seen every day on the grid. Filtered SL photography is probably represented more than any other approaches. However, close to where I first landed, I am glad I did not miss the portrait treatments by Caissa Amat.


The 13th Raglan Shire Art Walk is open until 17th June.

SLURLs:

Raglan Shire Art Area #1 - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Raglan%20Shire/34/221/77
Raglan Shire Art Area #2  - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Raglan%20Shire/68/148/58
Heron Shire Sculptures - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Heron%20Shire/125/132/22
Morning Shire Sculptures - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Morning%20Shire/206/166/22
Raglan Shire Art Area #4 - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Raglan%20Shire/75/245/23
Athen Shire Sculptures - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Athen%20Shire/69/245/23
Raglan Tree Art Gallery - http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Raglan%20Shire/122/59/59

Klaus Bereznyak