Where to start?!

[LexxiXhan]

Ultimately, I'd like to learn how to make clothes, layers, skins, makeup, tattoos, eyelashes, nails (have I forgotten anything?!) for mesh/bento avatars, including but not limited to specific brands/heads/bodies.

I appreciate this will involve a LOT of learning, and that the limited skills and knowledge I've acquired so far barely scratch the surface.

So, for example, is it worth me spending more time making and texturing clothes using system layers? Are there things to learn doing that that would be transferable to making applier layers for mesh bodies? Or should I try jumping in more ambitiously and avoiding timewasting?

Are there any particular tutorials, sites or resources that you've found gave a good heads up to get going?

[OptimoMaximo]

Technically, appliers are the system clothing replacements to be used with mesh attachments. Usually all body brands use the default avatar's UVs for backward compatibility with older skins... or for laziness of the creators not willing to move onto different sets of UVs for different bodies, you pick. The fact is the same skills apply in making system clothing/skins and in making appliers. These latter ones will give you more material to texture on, though. Nails weren't standalone objects on the classic avatar, for example, therefore the nails texture kits you get for the various brands are part of that "more material to texture on".

Consider giving yourself some training time. I don't know what your CG background is, but in my opinion:

1 hour ago, LexxiXhan said:

Or should I try jumping in more ambitiously and avoiding timewasting?

are 2 actions that don't go together. If you jump in more ambitiously, it IS good for you and your learning path, BUT that will NOT save on wasted time, at all. Actually not wasted as the time one spends learning is never wasted, but in terms of acquired experience VS product delivery WHILE learning... i'd say it's not efficient. So, depending on what your background is, priorities in your SL and inclination to learning VS efficiency, you can choose your path. I'm always for the learning over efficiency, but that's me. Perhaps i missed the point of what would actually be the time waste for you.

[LexxiXhan]

1 minute ago, OptimoMaximo said:

Perhaps i missed the point of what would actually be the time waste for you.

I have no idea! I was using as an example: is it worth spending time creating system layers or am I just as well off going straight to making appliers?

[LexxiXhan]

And FWIW, I'm in no hurry. I'd rather take the time to learn things that are worthwhile before going straight to working with appliers or mesh clothing, if that is the case.

[OptimoMaximo]

I see, then yes, go for appliers and mesh stuff. Learn the 2D skillset required to texture templates for mesh bodies until you feel familiar enough with them, then dip your hands in the mesh dough yourself. Get some solid foundation in one skill before tackling the next. i'd suggest to proceed with a limit to the number of fields you study in a given time frame, to not get overwhelmed of information. Give yourself deadlines for any particular project during your learning, so to also learn time evaluation in regard of the actual task you're accomplishing.

However, your initial question is about tutorials and/or resources to get started. As far as i know, you first need to get a developer kit for your brand of choice. There is a post in this forum i saw a few hours ago that pointed to a nice tutorial on texturing mesh clothing, i'll look it up and come back to add it as edit. It may not be very much, but it will give you an idea of what you're going to do.

EDIT: I found it in the Building and Textuing section, thanks Aquila Kytori for sharing this 

 

Edited January 1, 2018 by OptimoMaximo

[LexxiXhan]

2 minutes ago, OptimoMaximo said:

Give yourself deadlines for any particular project during your learning, so to also learn time evaluation in regard of the actual task you're accomplishing.

Great tip, thank you

I do creative work in RL and this is so easy to overlook, especially when it comes time to give time estimates to clients

[OptimoMaximo]

12 hours ago, LexxiXhan said:

I do creative work in RL and this is so easy to overlook, especially when it comes time to give time estimates to clients

More importantly, if you have to take on a new product you want to publish for a certain holiday/feast/event/whatHaveYou, you can opt for something actually doable in the given timeframe. Watch the everyday tasks the most, clients might be a more seldom work opportunity, unless you go look for custom works only. Now go out there and get all devkits you can and get busy!

[LexxiXhan]

Thanks Optimo