Upgrading to Mesh -Sarahelisebeth Brenham Reporting

Are you ready to upgrade your avatar to mesh, but don't know where to start? And just what is Bento? Well, today is your lucky day, as I will be explaining to all of the ladies out there (gentlemen many of these stores offer male versions) just what is available to make your body and face mesh. So without further ado, let's get started!

To make things easier for all involved, I will breaking up this big topic into categories. If you are interested in a specific subgroup, just scroll down.

BENTO:
What is Bento exactly? Simply put, Bento is an extra set of bones. This could be seen best in the hands and in the face. Those who use Bento, especially enjoy the facial feature, as they are able to create a truly personalized face; even more so than a system one.


BODIES:
Maitreya Lara- This body is what I have seen those who are in the fashion industry has. It comes with several skin preset skin tones and nail options. SPRO TIP: Do you see a line between your head and your neck? Get rid of it by clicking neck fix on the hud that Maitreya Lara comes with.
Price:  L$2,750
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Maitreya%20Isle/134/184/23

Belleza:
This company sells three different bodies: Venus, Isis and Freya and are Bento. These bodies pretty much work the same as Maitreya Lara, except they are Bento and more customization for their skins is available.
Price: L$4,499
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Belleza/108/54/26

Slink
This business offers two types of bodies: Physique and Physique Hourglass. As with the other two bodies, they operate in the exact same manner. But, the things that make these special is that those who are furries can also use these.
Price: L$1,250
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Slink/72/170/26

Legacy
This store has several bodies for sale: Perky, Feminine and Pregnancy Edition. While these still work like the ones that I mentioned, they also allow clothing that are made for other mesh bodies to fit theirs.
Price: L$5,000.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/The%20Shops/128/128/2

Altamura
This shop offers many different types of bodies and they all come with heads. All are Bento as well. They too work just like all of the other bodies that I have mentioned.
Price: L$4,899.
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Altamura%20Store/95/203/34

HEADS:
Catwa-Bento and a non-Bento versions of these heads is available. Mesh heads do operate just like mesh bodies, as in the way that it comes with a hud that has preset skin tones, lipsticks, hair bases, and blushes. Skins, makeup, and hair bases that are made for Catwa or are Omega Compatible or Baked On Mesh can be bought to change up your look.
Prices range from L900-L$5,000
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/CATWA%20Store/194/196/23

LELUTKA
This shop sells many different types of heads and work just like the Catwa head.
Price: L3,990
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/LeLutka/114/116/37

But whoa! Wait a minute! I just bought a mesh body and/or ahead, but how the heck do I wear it/them? I probably should have started with that huh? But to answer your question, If your body and/or head is/are not already in a folder in your inventory, find it/them in your Objects folder and rez it/them on the ground. Right-click on the box on the floor and select copy into inventory. Once the product folders are your inventory, find the body and/or head and the appropriate alphas and wear them all. Vioala!
Do you want some extra help in creating the perfect look for you or perhaps are just too overwhelmed with all of the options available? I sat down with a person who transforms people into gorgeous beings. Read on to learn more about this amazing woman.

sarahelisebeth Brenham: It's an accepted fact that you are an expert in blending skin tones from a different body and head, such as Maitreya and Catwa together seamlessly to create a beautiful look. Could please explain how to do this.

NANY Jurado: Hello, thank you for the invitation to give my opinion on this subject that I am so passionate about.I tell you that I have been an image consultant in second life for more than 4 years, where I give my knowledge in skin tones and remember the different stores that have variety and look for the best option for each person.I also like to explain each step I make in each makeover, I like to hear the person's voice, you know their favorite colors, which are tastes in hair and eye color if they have any reference.There is a host of details that I like to know so that I can find the best option for each person. Likewise, I guide or indicate if they do not know how to use the applicators, hud be of the head and body with all the pleasure, I show them step by step how to learn to use it and thus achieve details and a magnificent appearance unique to each person.


SB:  In your opinion, what do you feel are the best bodies and heads on the market right now?

NJ: Wonderful question I would like to be very sincere in this way of image consultant, most of the body and heads have gone through my work platform and as new products come out I investigate them and let me tell you that they all have details that make it all pleasant They are good since they give the possibility that each person take his own personality give that touch of difference in this wonderful world. As an image consultant I love my work and here I give you the option that you feel unique and harmonious with your beautiful appearance in this virtual world.

SB: If someone wants to hire you to make them over, What would your fee be?

NJ: L$2,500. 2 hours where I edit if shape, we look for skin, hair, eyes, I teach how to use the applicators and doubts that come, I advise on the appropriate clothing and I take it to stores if it is necessary to look for his new image and much more

So there you have it, my guide to upgrading your avatar to either partial mesh or fully mesh. Happy shopping!

Read More

Two Heads are better than one - Pandora reporting

I never thought that I would find my original Pandora especially not in Mesh and now that there were two of me I knew I would be in for a lot of work. Neither avatar wore the same outfit or hair as I wanted them both to have their own look and style.
Pandora’s Poppy really nailed it. She had the cute sexy thing going for her and it suited her perfectly. The new Pandora, which I simply referred to as V1, took on a more sexy,classy approach. Considering that was how she looked in her classic days it seemed like the obvious way to go.
Something was missing with V1 as much as she looked like the old Pandora I couldn’t work out what the issue was. Then I realised she needed a different head because the Poppy one wasn’t  exactly right for her.
I went to LAQ to get more demos. The story of my life these days or should I say my Second Life. I teleported back home to check out all of the demos. Finally I settled on the Neve head luckily this one didn’t need any further tweaking. I went to LAQ again to buy the head and then home to complete my project.

V1 had now become Pandora’s Neve. It’s as though I have this alt stuck in my inventory that I bring to life every now and then. Alts may have different personalities depending on their creators but two versions of an avatar? That is a whole new situation and one that I hadn’t encountered before let alone thought of. I have two alts already so having a different version of me can get complicated at times.
Pandora’s Poppy earned the nickname of V2 just to make it easier even though she was the first Mesh avatar that I created. V1 had been there since the days of classic avatars and I still have one saved version of her tucked away.

I am enjoying my SL this time around however a word of advice to the newbies out there. Don’t go making half a dozen alts or several versions of yourself just because it seemed like a good idea at the time. Trust me you’ll go crazy … I have and there’s no going back.

Read More

Finding Pandora - The Original Skin Pandora Drezlean reporting

Pandora’s Poppy became the new me. Changing over to Mesh had turned out to be quite a journey in the short amount of time that it took me to tweak my avi with the final touches.
Going fully Mesh wasn’t half the nightmare that I thought it would be when I got used to it releasing my creative side once more as I played with this new me, experimenting with different makeup and hair.
However there was no denying how much I missed my old face. I mean, I liked my new face, I created it but I just missed seeing the old Pandora.
LAQ has always been my go to place in SL when it came to skins and makeup they were my first choice. Their glow skins had always been so popular way back when and the first time I laid eyes on LAQ’s Lacie I knew I had to have that face.
I always visit the LAQ Store at least every two or three weeks for anything new or different. Then I found her. LAQ kept all of the older glow skins upstairs that now came in two parts. They were separated into head and body omega appliers. I had found my original Lacie.

One quick demo confirmed what I wanted to know and I teleported home to recreate my Pandora in Mesh.
With LAQ heads you can use either system or mesh eyes and so I chose to use the eyes that I used with Pandora’s old self. I wanted to keep something original about her.
Her skin isn’t as highly detailed as the newer skins. In fact she still looks a bit like a classic avatar and her makeup and eyebrows are already preset.

It’s fun to have two versions of me Pandora’s Poppy and Pandora’s Lacie. Poppy is like using a blank canvas where I can apply as little or as much makeup as I want to while Lacie has light makeup which I can simply add lipstick and eyeshadow to enhance her look.
Which avatar gets the most SL time? I think that they are pretty much on par with each other. Finding Pandora was like finding the missing piece of a puzzle for me. I had lived with that face for  almost nine years of my Second Life and I wasn’t ready to let her go.
The best part about all of this was … I didn’t have to.

Read More

Meddling With Mesh Pandora Drezelan Reporting

I recently logged back into Second Life after a break that lasted for over a year and a half ... okay I admit it ... I deleted my account which was a really stupid move but my real life was one big mess at the time and I just never thought that I would get back on the grid.

After submitting several tickets Linden Lab restored my account(s) and all is well again in the world of Second Life ... except for MESH. Now for those of you who have already converted over to Mesh this article may not seem relevant but for me and my Classic Avatar everything has relevance.
Don’t get me wrong ... I like the way my Avi looks and I have spent both a lot of Lindens and effort to make her as original as possible. Curiosity did get the better of me after a few days of SL window shopping so I decided to check out the Mesh situation for myself.
Firstly I made landmarks EVERYWHERE then I spent another day Demo shopping ... my shops of choice were LAQ and Maitreya and EMOtions to name a few. I also joined a few groups and took advantage of the gifts that were on offer ... I made a folder for all of these items so that I wouldn’t forget where I had put them or rather where my inventory had decided to place them.
My next step will be to pay a visit to the closest sand box to do some unpacking and sorting and then back to my home base to try all of my demo items. Home is a simple room with a bed and nothing more ... the cost is only Ten Lindens a week but it’s somewhere to park my avi ... for now.

I feel like a newbie again.
Thank you LL ... it is great to be back.

Read More