Help for new creators

[thecatqueen]

Hello I'm looking for anyone who is willing to teach me how to design clothing for my avatar. I Have a lot of ideas that I want to incorporate into my designs. thank you!

[AviNews]

There are quite a few ‘help’ and building tutorial sims with regularly scheduled class events..

look for Builder’s Brewery... is one of larger ones with ‘advanced’ classes on most everything, including mesh.   If looking for not so advanced subjects...  NCI is another inworld sim(s) with tutoring events...  being New Citizens Inc.

Edited May 13, 2018 by AviNews

[Fionalein]

Mesh clothing is nothing you will achieve to wing in an instant, best start by building in steps like mesh jewelry and furniture first, then proceed to rigged mesh and finally to fitted mesh.

[Janet Voxel]

It’s definitely not something you’re going to be able to do overnight. There is no easy way to make mesh clothing. First you need to learn how to model mesh. There are many tutorials on modeling basics, how to make donuts, coffee cups, etc. All of them will be useful to learning your way around a 3D modeling program. Crazy as it might sound, you can make a shirt out of a mesh cube.

Now you need to learn how to rig. Programs like Avastar do a lot of the heavy lifting but you still have to know what’s going on there. There are also tutorials on weight painting, etc. This step is just as important as modeling.

So your simplest pipeline is 3D modeling program>SL. You can also use other specialized 3rd party modeling programs like Marvelous Designer. So now you have to learn how to use that as well. Now your pipeline is 3rd party modeling program>modeling program>SL.

Most creators are actually a team of creators that handle the different aspects. It’s doable to do by yourself, but you have to know about each step.

But, start with modeling.

[Coffee Pancake]

From someone who has spent over a decade making things in and for second life : 

• Plan your projects before you start. Write down your plan. Keep a creative notebook.
• Bite off more than you can chew. You might not finish the project, but you will learn a lot along the way.
• Perfections is impossible, good enough is good enough.
• Share your successes. Share your failures more.
• Don't waste time modelling detail no one will see in normal use.
• You're not building with lego, your models do not have to be water-tight.
• Be curious. Inspect everything you buy.
• Everything is built standing on the shoulders of giants.
• Don't get sucked into trying to be truly unique. if no one is doing something, plenty of others will have learn't why the hard way.
• (Especially) If you're using blender, spend a couple of weeks doing nothing but tutorials from YouTube. Even if the actual task is irrelevant to your interests - It's like learning to type.
• Find friends who will be critical. Listen to your friends.
• HAVE FUN.