Lotus trap tattoo: and after a bit more more time on it...

... a new version appears.
Many thanks to all those who sent me feedback. They really helped making this new version something better for the shape.
What changed:
- lotus in front splitted in two smaller flowers, over the belly and over the breast
- lotus on the back is now upper right shoulder
- leaves are 'around' the navel
- leaves above kitty moved up
and I think that's it for this version.
One more thing: the transparency is globally the same for the entire tattoo, no distinction between lines and flowers.

Lotus trap tattoo: and after a bit more time on it...

... some new things appear:
- new arms (actually there was nothing before :))
- seams worked on
- transparency effects with several levels
- resized some lotus on the front
- added some leaves above kitty
- ... and I think that's all for now
To me, this one is close to release, so you, millions of readers, can start to preorder ;).

Tattooing lotuses

First many thanks to the designer who gave me these skin files. That makes my previews much more realistic.
Now, here is a first draft of my 'coming soon' tattoo project.
As 'viola's sorrow', it will cover almost all body.
The design is pretty different though. I try to make it 'natural' with curves and leaves.
The lotus comes here in two versions:
- as a 'drawing' on several parts
- as a logo on the lower back
Now comes the funny time of seam removals ;)...

New tan & face tat

The more I work on it, the more I undertsand the Hell of making a skin.
Enough whining, let's see whats new:
- tan: I got feedback mentioning the tan was a bit too 'orange', so I tried to fix that and will submit this new version for comments ISL.
- face tat: a new face tattoo based on tribal / tikki. It's easier for me to work those layers directly on the skin textures. I can try some effects and have more subtle ink edge lines to draw the tat shape.

Next step: The SO terrifying SL texture upload / skin review.
To be continued...

This no sepia

This path to the White House at Midnight Lotus is really beautiful.
Stairs, waterfall, trees, rocks, all the elements are placed with harmony.
So I took a picture of it, and tried a few effects to 'wash' some colors and make it older.
This no sepia photo, but sepia tinting is definitely part of the game. Wha resisted the most is the big kakemono with the logo. Red is definitely strong here.
And by the way, please buy my tattoos at the Lotus, 'cause as you can see on the picture, I kinda ruined myself at Moderno.

Shameless advertizing

Believe it or not but a few weeks ago, I realeased new products.
It's a tattoo collection for females (or pretty aesthetic sensitive sensitive males, your choice).
I named the collection 'Sweetest Perfection' (Many thanks to Martin Gore or Dave Gahan, guys, you rock :) )
The collection is composed with seven tattoos showing leaves and roses, other flowers will soon follow.
I added an 'all in one' box which is a very good money saver if someone likes several products of the collection.
Some tattoos cover torso, some legs and ankles. One tattoo covers all body (torso, back, one leg).
All those marvelous products are available at the Midnight Lotus!

A more Seductive Mata Hari

Let's move on with our portrait 'photographs' (hehe) and see what we can get from a new picture of our dedicated cute pose volunteer Viola :)

This picture come from the same series I made of her for her first profile photo (link here).
To have less subject distortion, I close my camera angle. The result is a more realistic face shape with normal proportions.
In motion, the standard SL camera angle is not disturbing,as it gives us a better view on left and right. Extremely useful when shopping :).
For a full body or face photograph, the result can be disastrous, especially if you make a close up and your camera is not horizontal.
I really like this photo because of the composition, the angle, the pose of the model, and the way she is looking at the camera.
The result gives a feeling of mystery and seduction. Because the camera is over her, we feel like we dominate the character, but the fact she is not gacing us, and the way she is looking at us send some sort of challenge message : 'are you really sure you are going to win this one?' she seems to say.
So now, let's try to enhance this image.
I won't spend lines to describe what I do but here is the aim of the photoshop job:
- detach Viola from the background
- highlight face / eyes / left hand
- boost hair color a little
- add some 'mystery' diffuse glow :)
This said, after some photo torturing Potter witchcraft, here is the result.
To me, a better color composition than the previous work I have done, her skin is not 'burned' (sorry V., I won't take pictures with a flame thrower any more again).

Sarah Connor?

I had 10 wonderful minutes ISL yesterday to try 6 times to upload a texture and make these pictures. SL is pure magic, Linden is Dumbledore, we all know that.
I'm pretty satisifed of the result, as the prim eye follows the movement of the 'regular' eye, making the character realistic.
Next step will be to work on cyborg Body parts, and ultimately, we will know the answer to this question we all asked to ourself: Does a T800 have genitals, and if so, are they 100% flesh?

Youuuuuuuuuuuu could be miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine

ok, if you're a bit sensitive, you already came back from the toilets after watching the pic above (sorry Miss V.).
I used SLCP for this rendering and added the terminator and standard eye textures I designed also.
I find the reslut pretty convincing, I now need to see it with the SL lights and the 'jolies lumières' of Windlight. Not sure the result will be good.
Results and SL shots for the next posts!

New playlist

A new ecclectic playlist for your ears, including new stuff and old things I really like.
And yes! I listen to Rihanna too!

Lazy day...

... and I did not have time to make the pic I wanted to, so it will be a link to a Midnight Lotus post!
Yeepee!

Article following this link

Profile photo

Thanks to all the blogs about SL, I discovered that people use and overuse a photoshop technique to enhance photos they publish on flickr. Yes I know, I am dumb, but I can't know everything about everything :).
This magic filter is diffuse glow. I used it yesterday on the midian picture I took and you can see it is pretty effective to 'dramatize' a photograph.
So today, I try that on a profile picture project I started with a friend. To preserve her privacy (she might not appreciate I publish 'tortured' visuals of her face), I will name our subject 'Viola' :).
The aim is to create for her not only one profile picture but a set of different profile pics expressing several moods.
Needless to mention she had to sell an eye and half a kidney to pay me for that.
Today, we'll try to express a bit of mistery with our subject.
Lets' start with a photo! The lady gets her fav clothes, jewelry, tat, makeup on....
ok , shoot!
All right, pretty decent picture. I took it as I liked the neutral face expression and the 'evasive' eye direction. We can then ask ourselves 'What is she looking at? a friend? An enemy? Is there danger?'.
The idea of mistery is more present because of the background behind. The screen and the cushion make a colorful composition that is not obvious.
We will separate them from the foreground with some nice blur.
Then, we will put some lighting to strenghten light direction and highlight our subject (aka international feale of mistery).
FInally a bit of diffuse glow to turn Viola into a source of light that will attract our eye.
There.
In blog life, it took one minute and two lines. In Photoshop life, it took a bit more :).
Auto-criticism: diffuse glow gives a boost to the face, that's a fact. It almost makes the face 'surreal'. The bad side of such work is that it 'burns' the skin a bit, as Windlight (booh) does. I also enhanced the hair, the original was too dark to me.
Still, I think we now have a pretty good picture of Mata Hari asking herself how she could get more secrets from this austrian-hungarian ambassador.
To be continued...

Happy New Year!

Ok things to do for 2008:
- eat less
- more sport
- shop less
- create more
- talk less
- act more

Hmmm, I can already say I'll do that when hell freezes... Woosh, it reached Midian CIty.
Amazing what you can say with a picture?
Just a few settings and brushes, to move from the icy, cold, frightening picture above to the colorful, warm, Christmas like picture below.
(things to do for 2008: improve Photoshop skills).