How do I get started in Fashion?

[Keli Kyrie]

So I want to start making cloths for Second Life. I am good at PhotoShop but that is about all I know about creating. This all started because of this dress. I wanted to buy something like it in SL but could not find it, so I thought why don't I make it?

So here is my question: what do I need to know to make this dress?

[Rhonda Huntress]

---

Keli Kyrie wrote:

: what do I need to know to make this dress?

 

---

First, bookmark this page.

http://www.mermaiddiaries.com/2006/11/build.html

 

You need to understand alpha channels in images, particularly TGA images.  The sleeves can be done with the system shirt layer or with prims.  If you use the system you will get the fleshy under texture like you do with system pants but to fix this you would add gloves like you would add socks for pants.  Or you could use prims.  Your choice.

When you start making clothes, get a good set of templates.  Make the template a layer and create another blank on top where you will put your shading.  Textures and fabrics go between them.  When you are done, save the shading texture for use on the next blouse or dress.

But the best thing to know is how to use the temporary uploads commonly available with TPV like Phoenix.  It can save a bundle over time by not paying for uploads that you may not use.

[Rhonda Huntress]

Oh ... and a warning.  Building is addictive.  You will hit 50K+ inventory very quickly if you are not careful.

Selling your builds is a yucky, boring and tedious process.  At least that is the way I felt. The photos, boxing and packaging only only the start.  Then there is store space, customer service, accounting (and you need to be on top of your accounting from the start!) and the absurd amount of L$ spent on advertising.  Oh, and don't forget you need to learn how to get your listing higher in the search.

Business.  Yuck.  I get enough of it in RL.

I hope you have fun creating tho :smileyvery-happy:

[WeeWillian Wylie]

50K???PFFFFTTTTT  :smileyvery-happy:

---

Rhonda Huntress wrote:

Oh ... and a warning.  Building is addictive.  You will hit 50K+ inventory very quickly if you are not careful.

                        

---

 

[Suella Ember]

I'll second Rhonda's suggestion to look at those guides from mermaid diaries.

My advice would be to work your way through those clothing guides and get your head around the whole process before diving in to make a dress. It's boring I know, but if you start off with the simple stuff like making a basic t-shirt, you'll understand the process of how templates work and the peculiarities of how what you see on the template in Photoshop won't necessarily be quite what you see inworld! Once you play around with the basics I'm sure you'll have lots of 'eureka' moments which will make it so much easier when you are ready to make the dress you want

When it comes to actually making the dress itself you are going to have a decision to make - full prim skirt, pants with small prim parts or system skirt. I'd personally start off with a system skirt. Some people hate system skirts because they don't always look right around the bum, but I find if you turn the sliders on the skirt right down it's workable. Either way - start of learing the system skirts and then move on to trying to make prim skirts. Making prim skirts requires some trial and error but there are tools to help - look up a tool called 'Looprez' on the Marketplace which might help.

Basically what I'm saying is practice, more practice, pull your hair out with frustration, practice a bit more! (I'm probably making it sound worse than it is, but really ... practice! :smileyvery-happy: )

[Keli Kyrie]

@ Rhonda Wow, I read though one. There is a lot more building then I thought. I thought it was mostly going to be PhotoShop. :smileysurprised:
@ Suella You said start simple with something like a T-Shirt... right? :smileytongue:

[Rhonda Huntress]

LOVE IT!

That's a great idea for a tee.

[Suella Ember]

Ha! Great T-Shirt Keli

I was forgetting you've already made some cute t-shirts and stuff so must know the template basics, so you are on the first step to making that dress.

What you now need to do is start playing around with the basic t-shirt template to turn it into the dress top. You'd need to erase the neckline down and extend the sleeves, for example. The you need a simple pants base and to make the skirt, either from a system skirt or prim skirt.

Here's the listing for the tool I mentioned that can help with prim skirt making:

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/LoopRez-Deluxe-Commercial-Edition-v081/264749

Note that is the more expensive commercial version which you'd need if you wanted to make items to sell. If you just want to make skirts for yourself though, there is a $L100 personal version from the same merchant.

To get the flared sleeves on your dress I'd recommend using some pre-made sculpts. Here's an example:

https://marketplace.secondlife.com/p/Sculpted-wrist-cuff-Dress-A-for-clothdesigners/678665

These links are just a couple of examples, but there are lots more so don't necessarily assume you have to buy these ones.

Once you've got that far you should have the basic shape of the dress you want. Of course, the tricky part is them texturing it to get the pattern you want. Which unfortunately is not as easy as it sounds because getting patterns to maych up across the top, pants, skirt and sculpted sleeves requires some practice!

ETA: You may also want to look at things such as the dodge and burn tools in Photoshop which can help with getting the right shading and creases etc on your creations.

ETA2: Oh - also meant to add that you can also use the .png format with Phtoshop which negates the need to learn the more complex alpha channels.

[Irene Muni]

In addition to the great Natalia's tutorials, see https://wiki.secondlife.com/wiki/Clothing_Tutorials

[Keli Kyrie]

Thank you Suella and Irene.

You know all this talk about Mesh has me wondering if it would be possible to make a complete dress out of Mesh with gravity effects and all?

[Ceka Cianci]

Chip midnights templates are a big help..also about the 5th link down on that wiki you will see robins site for tutorials on alpha channles..she has some really great tutorials..i believe she even goes over the white haze that can happen as well..

Also the old texturing archives have all kinds of great tips in them as well

Second Life Forums Archive Texturing Tips

 

One thing with that dress..you really shouldn't have too much shading to do really..i mean unless you are wanting to get wrinkles in it..then you may want to get all detailed..but for the most part i would just shade seams and where the skin meets the cloth to keep the cartoon feel off it.. =)

it's busy enough that you wouldn't have to get too into detail with it really =)