The First Time My Avatar Looked at Me - My attempts at a unique face and figure...Part One

The default "Female Gothic" avatar. 

Going back to the beginning, I have to say I was only too happy to change out of the default avatar you pick when you first join Second Life. Not that they aren't serviceable in their way, but I wanted to express who I was as quickly as possible. Trying to trace back exactly where I got my first shape and skin would be impossible, so I'm just going to share early pictures and attempts to alter my avatar with you, and tell you what I can about the process, hopefully culminating in my most recent search; which was for a skin and shape to reflect the fashion in cosmetics and silhouette from the 18th century.  I'll put in the brand names of shapes, skins, hair and makeup tattoos when I can find them.   

Hanging out at a pub in Dublin; wearing all clothing from default folders, and my first or second
customized shape. Here I'm wearing an outfit I called "Wicked School Girl"

Of course, in the beginning I had no knowledge about shapes, skins, hair and eyes, but I was lucky to encounter people  right away who wanted to help. A very nice guy gave me my first pale skin; which was called "pallid fae" and also an eye package (bunch of different eyes.) I settled on a green pair of eyes and some hair  called "Trizzi Burgundy" that he also gave me and between that and innumerable freebies, as well the default freebies you get  in your inventory folders, I was able to put together my first unique looking avatars.

I also discovered quickly  that you can manipulate your shape, including your face, so I changed my facial features  and my bodily shape very early on, as well.

One of my earliest attempts at customizing my face and body. I ended up going a bit too far, here, I think.
I also customised he clothing a little bit; shortening sleeves, getting rid of collars, etc.

I should probably explain how this all works as I understand it. Your "shape" is your facial and bodily structure, your skin is skin tone and built in make-up such as lip colour and eyebrow shape. You can add make-up by using make-up "tattoos" which are added on top of the make-up embedded in the skin. Be sure to use the "add" option when using several facial tattoos; the face and head and neck are connected; a complete area, so more than one tattoo in the area could cancel each other out. With hair; you often are given a "bald head" which was created for use with that hair. This may also alter the position of the eyebrows. Sometimes you can use a head which has a hair base tattoo on it, which matches the colour of your hair/wig and makes it look seamlessly attached to your head. Also, if you are getting some bald patches on your hair it can help disguise them. You can re-size and change your hair, usually, but until you do that it's a very useful feature.





Early days, indeed. Another early face and body. Here I am wearing all free stuff,
 including the tattoos, the henna on the hands, hair, stockings, dagger, bangles
and "Female Gothic" outfit.



Incidentally, there is literally EVERY kind of hair, body type, skin colour and shape you could possibly think of; as well as some you never would. All of these things usually have complete Demo versions for free or $1L, so you can try them before you buy them. As they are often the most expensive components, it is a smart to try them first. There are also quite a lot of free skins, etc; so it is advisable to pick up as many of these as you can to build a library of possibilities. You never know if the occasion will rise to change into some kind of green fog creature or winged demon.



Getting closer to what I want. Clothes all freebies. Corset from BlakOpal. Hair from "Truth," make-up Tuty's.
Tattoos, armbands, etc, unknown.





....to be continued....