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Forum monthly theme-shoots w. virtual magazine compilation


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I personally think that this is growing way too fast.  A magazine is a great idea, but it's also a lot of work.  I think Zeta’s idea of just dragging and dropping it into something is a lot easier than trying to find a different guest designer to design a new cover for it every month.Eventually that might be great if it grows into something a lot bigger, but for now, I think Zeta’s idea is the most reasonable.

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18 minutes ago, Orwar said:

 

  1. What will the general aesthetic of the magazine be? This is still sort of a work in progress, so we don't know - personally I'd prefer some level of uniformity and equality - solidarity, even, if you feel that you're 'too good a photographer for simple backdrops' (not saying anyone has given that vibe, but let's be blunt: SL photography always has its elitists who think that they're doing things 'the way it should be' - me, I prefer sharing my experiences and listening to others). If we get 20 people with 20 vastly different aesthetic preferences all picking their backdrops and fonts (I'm looking at you and your multi-coloured Comic Sans, @Zeta Vandyke... ), the final product is going to feel rather awkward and incohesive, which I believe would be more harmful to the project, than a few guidelines.

   

So basically you are saying, as long as we all use coloured Comic Sans, we are uniform and it will be awesome?

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1 hour ago, Zeta Vandyke said:

Maybe we are overthinking it a bit to much, making it way to big?

I cant speak of anyone else, but in my mind we would just casually decide a theme, throw in a lot of fun pictures in the theme topic, and end of the month someone picks up these picks and drops them in to one of those premade magazine thingies where you just have to drop an image on the page and done.

Im ok with anything, as long as it stays fun

I agree to a point. It's not meant to be big or too time consuming on anyone, it's meant to be fun for the most part. We do however, have to have certain roles in order to make it happen is all, but yes i do agree, just snap away and drop onto a page, whether they're individual pages, whether someone makes collages with them, etc., but definitely more fun than work, and nothing has to be perfect.  Job titles aren't actual job titles but more like tasks in making this happen.

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10 minutes ago, Catrie said:

I personally think that this is growing way too fast.  A magazine is a great idea, but it's also a lot of work.  I think Zeta’s idea of just dragging and dropping it into something is a lot easier than trying to find a different guest designer to design a new cover for it every month.Eventually that might be great if it grows into something a lot bigger, but for now, I think Zeta’s idea is the most reasonable.

   Growth and people blowing things out of proportions are different things. I have a fairly clear idea of what I'd like to see, and I don't think that it's an unreasonable goal. But I'm not making it on my own - I think the charm of the whole thing is to get people involved, giving everyone and anyone a chance to be part of it; and if they're to be involved then I want their voices to at least be heard. It might have been easier if I had just said 'right, this is what I'm/we're going to do, these are the rules - sing up or ship out' - but then what would be the point of participating?

   Creating a magazine is the easy part. Putting a bunch of people in one room without people shivving each other left, right, and centre, is the challenge.

  

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4 hours ago, Saravendi said:

KI appreciate Tayas support of my efforts putting together the bunny poster. It is true, and she is right, I did feel a bit pushed aside once the whirlwind regarding the book started to take shape, and especially being omitted from the original post and story of how this thing started. I kind of had the significant role in its evolution. Anyway, that said, it was never ever my intention to own anything or get anything other then my personal enjoyment in giving our community another way to engage with each other and a fresh way for us to see ourselves as a super creative community.

I think that the bunny poster worked because it was spontaneous and organic in its nature. Zeta, Taya and Alice posts... I post the four of us... another jumps in and off it went. I just finished everyone today at 32!!! I never expected it to grow like that... we drew out some outliers and  newbies that rarely post and that helps threads grow and thrive. The important thing is that it seemed like everyone enjoyed the process and their inclusion into the community.

Yes Orwar, I did support your & Zenns idea and I think that if you guys can dedicate the time, it could be an awesome project. My only concern is that after a while it might become more & more work, like a job and demanding of our time and when that happens, the fun starts to fade fast and it can fall apart quickly.

My intention moving forward (prior to this project) was to organically feel out the desires from the thread... it seemed like the Superhero thing was bubbling up and I thought i might run with that if that felt fun for the group. However, now I’m not sure how to move forward?  

Zenn- thanks for the inclusion. I’ll help where I can... the poster thing is definitely a fun project for me to do, so just let me know. 

Lastly, I’d love for this to become super successful, but for me... not at the expense of “hows does you avatar look today” thread. That’s still where you’ll find me hanging out.

~ Sara

 

Sara, I'm so sorry if you originally felt left out, that was by no means my intention, or my intention for anyone to feel left out.  You are, as I've said in another post in response to someone, by far the biggest piece of this. If it weren't for your bunny poster the thought might not have ever came to mind. Orwar had a thought and threw it out there, i saw it and went with it (and as i stated then I got ahead of myself, happens often), but again in no way did i mean for anyone at all to feel left out. This is a project of the entire forum and i would welcome anyone to not only post their pics but help do the work for it and provide input and suggestions. I apologize to anyone who felt left out in the original post.

With that being said if anyone has any expertise they'd like to bring forth please do!

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4 hours ago, AyelaNewLife said:

My editing process is almost entirely layering raw shots. I can remove/reduce most alpha overlap glitches by combining two layers with a different form of DoF applied (Black Dragon feature). I can add vibrancy to the colours or make the shadows darker simply by layering a different windlight (with the same sun angle) onto a base shot. The end result is something that's incredibly faithful to the raw SL shot, yet impossible to recreate without editing tools.

Meanwhile there are those that will take a quick snap in front of a greenscreen, and then edit the photo to the point where it looks like it was painted by hand. And there's nothing wrong with that at all; it's just a radically different style to mine, and from the sounds of it yours too. And I don't think lumping them in together as "edited so doesn't count" is either fair or accurate.

It's so odd, the things we find to get exercised about.

"Pure" SL . . . as opposed to "impure" or "dirty" SL? What, in the context of a digital world jam-packed with different tools and dependent entirely upon your computer set-up, the viewer you use, the amount you're willing to fork out for clothes and accessories, etc., does that even mean? Clipping is "pure" SL. So is alpha glitching.

In an RL context, visual art (think mixed media!) and photography (consider how the Orton Effect is produced using old-fashioned film, for instance) has never been "pure."

The purity trope is an ancient, awful, and invariably repressive one. Contaminate! Get dirty! Mix and match, and make a mess!

Be creative, be human!!!

Edited by Scylla Rhiadra
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Just now, Scylla Rhiadra said:

... [what] does that even mean? ...

   Walnut and lampblack ink on vellum. Egg tempera in maybe one or two colours if you can afford it. Quills only. Ordnung muss sein!

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1 minute ago, Orwar said:

   Walnut and lampblack ink on vellum. Egg tempera in maybe one or two colours if you can afford it. Quills only. Ordnung muss sein!

Variant states and slipped type!

I'm totally onboard with an approach that accepts lampblack ink as "pure."

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2 hours ago, Angelina String said:

Oh - I’m not sure if I’m able to commit to this right now :(  I’m living with having to meet deadlines in RL, and the next 4 months are the worst of the year... 

I will of course offer my assistance when I’m “available” - but I cannot commit to more deadlines now - I probably end up delaying the whole ting...

 

UGH deadlines...

I totally understand!  RL is a busy time for me as well over the next 6 weeks with RL work and this isn't meant to put pressure or added work on anyone. I say do what you can when you can and everything else will get figured out as we go and hopefully we'll have lots of people chiming in to help with any and all aspects of this. No role has to belong to only one person, I'd say if anyone else has an idea for a cover or is able to design one they can just say so and we go with it. 

 

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14 minutes ago, Orwar said:

   Growth and people blowing things out of proportions are different things. I have a fairly clear idea of what I'd like to see, and I don't think that it's an unreasonable goal. But I'm not making it on my own - I think the charm of the whole thing is to get people involved, giving everyone and anyone a chance to be part of it; and if they're to be involved then I want their voices to at least be heard. It might have been easier if I had just said 'right, this is what I'm/we're going to do, these are the rules - sing up or ship out' - but then what would be the point of participating?

   Creating a magazine is the easy part. Putting a bunch of people in one room without people shivving each other left, right, and centre, is the challenge.

  

Well said, Boss 😛

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Just now, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Variant states and slipped type!

I'm totally onboard with an approach that accepts lampblack ink as "pure."

   I once bought a pot of ink after picking it up and skimming through the small-print to assure myself that it was lampblack. When I got home and picked it out of my bag, I noticed the big text on the front. 'Acrylic Ink'. My exhilaration and joyous mood were snuffed out with as brutal a suddenness as that of a seal being clubbed.

   Finally I have gotten myself a pot of proper shellac ink; the way it glistens in the raking light ... Makes a weird, possibly inappropriate noise.

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42 minutes ago, Zeta Vandyke said:

So basically you are saying, as long as we all use coloured Comic Sans, we are uniform and it will be awesome?

You have a death wish, right?  lol

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27 minutes ago, Orwar said:

Finally I have gotten myself a pot of proper shellac ink; the way it glistens in the raking light ... Makes a weird, possibly inappropriate noise

Why do I have no problem imagining your glee at contemplating a sticky, viscous black fluid?

Years ago, I got to watch someone restoring a 19th century drum with tempera that he'd mixed from authentic ingredients himself. He kept having to fish . . . stuff . . . out of the mixture.

Ewwww.

Edited by Scylla Rhiadra
Because paint not batter.
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1 minute ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Years ago, I got to watch someone restoring a 19th century drum with tempura that he'd mixed from authentic ingredients himself. He kept having to fish . . . stuff . . . out of the mixture.

   Usually want to put the fish in the mixture. Fish skin glue was one of the most widely used animal adhesives throughout both the ancient and medieval periods - it's good stuff. Works excellently as a binder for inks, too (Chinese ink is usually made from lampblack and fish skin glue).

   Egg tempera is generally made with egg, water and white vinegar, plus pigment (if you're making paint). Not sure what he'd be fishing out of it, unless he got egg shell, sac sediment or pigment lumps in there!

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1 hour ago, Orwar said:

  That's my point of view, but I'd be happy to hear what people think about it. Either way, there's the fact that people have already started posting pictures with other backdrops than solid black - in hindsight I suppose I perhaps should have made a decision myself and chiselled it down at the get go; so as far as the April theme goes, anything goes - BUT, if Sara wants to do a collage, and you've used a different background, it's up to her to decide how she wants to do with it, and whatever she goes with - even if it means excluding people's pictures because it would be too much work - I'll stand behind her in that choice.

Somewhere in this topic someone posted about just allowing to post what you like, and if you want to be added to the collage you also post one with the solid background. (if @Saravendi and maybe others helping her if needed, will still make the collages)

That sounded like a really good idea to me. Like you also said, some people might enjoy making/using backdrops, other might not at all. Why stick to a format if we can do both and both "sides" can do what they enjoy most?

As for helping out, I'm not very good at any technical stuff (understatement of the year). But, if there's people who would like to make backdrops but would like help with it or enjoy cooperating, that is something I enjoy doing, and I have quite a bit of sim building junk in my inventory, and about 1k prims left that I always use to build my own backdrops. I allow friends to sandbox around on my sim already, so that is something I can offer my services with :)

 

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These sorts of things tend to work best when a couple people do the bulk of the legwork themselves, and allow everyone else to chip in as and when they please. Over-engineering these organic ideas until everything is weighed down with roles and regulations, so that nothing gets done until the Director of Page Numbers has finished their work and passed it on to the Director of Page Headers, is an easy trap to fall into. Okay so I'm being facetious here :P but I'm glad to see things leaning towards a more casual, freeflowing form. I think that will work out the best for us all and keep things fun.

With the obvious exception of Orwar, Director of the Crop. :P 

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1 hour ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

Why do I have no problem imagining your glee at contemplating a sticky, viscous black fluid?

 

It is really adorable to see him go on about a new font he found or different ink he got.  

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50 minutes ago, AyelaNewLife said:

These sorts of things tend to work best when a couple people do the bulk of the legwork themselves, and allow everyone else to chip in as and when they please. Over-engineering these organic ideas until everything is weighed down with roles and regulations, so that nothing gets done until the Director of Page Numbers has finished their work and passed it on to the Director of Page Headers, is an easy trap to fall into. Okay so I'm being facetious here :P but I'm glad to see things leaning towards a more casual, freeflowing form. I think that will work out the best for us all and keep things fun.

With the obvious exception of Orwar, Director of the Crop. :P 

Exactly my thought. My original intention and post was to let Orwar know if he went ahead with the idea to let him know I’d be there to help with anything needed. I agree he needs to be the main focus of this and just know we are all here to help him where and when it’s needed. Or at least some of us... 

So @Orwar I have two questions. When is the deadline for the April theme as far as picture posting and is there a maximum amount of pics for each individual to submit for each magazine? I think I saw two mentioned? 

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21 hours ago, Skell Dagger said:

Nope. I most certainly would not. It's not my thing at all. While Skell has done very specific trashy drag in the past and has been known to cannibalise dress parts for an outfit, an out-and-out summer sundress theme would definitely be one I'd sit out. And there are many other less adventurous male avatars in this forum who like to post photos and who may want to take part, but would feel excluded by a feminine theme.

There is a huge PC-Political aspect behind the gender-fluidity word choices. I find it highly annoying. I find it near-fascist to try and tell people how to speak and say things...  But, disregard of people's feelings in how they are addressed also enters the realm of fascist-shoulds. Somewhere there is a balance where people tolerate others and mature past a snowflake mentality.

Common sense tells a person that a sundress theme is. If a male wants to do a masculine version of that I hope they are intelligent enough to figure out it doesn't mean they have to wear a dress. Geeeez. We don't need all these rules.

18 hours ago, BelindaN said:

Maybe make a start collating a list of future themes? Might just make it easier to keep the momentum........

I have one.  It will require some shopping because it's not my thing.....

Here we go.......

"Biker Girl" ....or boy........😌

Biker girl/boy.... I bought a bike and have been looking for clothes ever since. When you find a good store PLEASE tell us.

13 hours ago, Candice LittleBoots said:

For that reason .. I'm out.

Post-processing of any sort is tantamount to cheating.

Same on all the 'look at me' threads, in my opinion.

If you can't manage without the help and assistance of additional tools beyond the realm of SL, then it isn't pure SL.

Aaaw... 😥  I think I understand your point. Doing pure SL images using only the viewer has its advantages. One certainly learns more about the viewer and SL lighting and rendering settings.

I've seen groups and contests that imposed a 'Pure Viewer Made' image for entry. Those are fun and I am surprised at some of the creativity. They can be awesome.

However, this thread shows people are already trying to impose lots of rules. The political agenda is to convince people their ought to be a law and let government handle it. That thinking is transferring to here. Eck!

Creativity thrives best in the chaos of freedom. Those of us that like Drax's SL-related videos have no doubt seem him on about creative freedom. I think that freedom is best for any growing artistic endeavor. In that environment there will be things the ones compiling a magazine will not want in an issue. Nothing says they have to use EVERYTHING submitted. We can allow editors freedom too. I think we will get a better result if we do.

So... if you chose not to participate... you are free to so decide. I would hope you wouldn't make our complying with your preferences the price for your participation.

6 hours ago, Saravendi said:

KI appreciate Tayas support of my efforts putting together the bunny poster. It is true, and she is right, I did feel a bit pushed aside once the whirlwind regarding the book started to take shape, and especially being omitted from the original post and story of how this thing started. I kind of had the significant role in its evolution. Anyway, that said, it was never ever my intention to own anything or get anything other then my personal enjoyment in giving our community another way to engage with each other and a fresh way for us to see ourselves as a super creative community.

I think that the bunny poster worked because it was spontaneous and organic in its nature. Zeta, Taya and Alice posts... I post the four of us... another jumps in and off it went. I just finished everyone today at 32!!! I never expected it to grow like that... we drew out some outliers and  newbies that rarely post and that helps threads grow and thrive. The important thing is that it seemed like everyone enjoyed the process and their inclusion into the community.

Yes Orwar, I did support your & Zenns idea and I think that if you guys can dedicate the time, it could be an awesome project. My only concern is that after a while it might become more & more work, like a job and demanding of our time and when that happens, the fun starts to fade fast and it can fall apart quickly.

My intention moving forward (prior to this project) was to organically feel out the desires from the thread... it seemed like the Superhero thing was bubbling up and I thought i might run with that if that felt fun for the group. However, now I’m not sure how to move forward?  

Zenn- thanks for the inclusion. I’ll help where I can... the poster thing is definitely a fun project for me to do, so just let me know. 

Lastly, I’d love for this to become super successful, but for me... not at the expense of “hows does you avatar look today” thread. That’s still where you’ll find me hanging out.

~ Sara

 

Yeah... people in general are ungrateful and forget where things started as they pursue their interests. That is just human nature. A lot of the two-year old resides in most people. But, there are people here that do appreciate you.

If you are concerned about the 'Look' thread, not to worry. This isn't a zero sum thing. I suspect much of the prep that goes into making images for this project will provide material for 'Look'.

However, if you still believe it will have a negative impact... how about making a Flickr group that feeds people there into the 'Look' thread here? Or promote the thread on Flickr. I've asked a number of Flickr peeps to post there image there.

 

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55 minutes ago, Zennessa said:

So @Orwar I have two questions. When is the deadline for the April theme as far as picture posting and is there a maximum amount of pics for each individual to submit for each magazine? I think I saw two mentioned? 

   The deadline for turning in photos for the magazine is April 20th. My goal is to have the March (bunnies) and April (Arch-villains & superheroes) finished by May 1st.

   Two pictures for the magazine, for two pages - alternatively one picture, with the verso for text (credits, Flickr/blog details, poems, comments about the picture, and the like). Everyone gets one spread to play with. Depending on how much work it'll be putting it together, this may change for the May issue - but being that it's our first issue, I don't want it to be a case of 20 people doing 12 pictures each, exhausting themselves, and we ending up with a humdinger of a magazine that no one could be bothered to drudge through.

  

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23 minutes ago, Orwar said:

   The deadline for turning in photos for the magazine is April 20th. My goal is to have the March (bunnies) and April (Arch-villains & superheroes) finished by May 1st.

   Two pictures for the magazine, for two pages - alternatively one picture, with the verso for text (credits, Flickr/blog details, poems, comments about the picture, and the like). Everyone gets one spread to play with. Depending on how much work it'll be putting it together, this may change for the May issue - but being that it's our first issue, I don't want it to be a case of 20 people doing 12 pictures each, exhausting themselves, and we ending up with a humdinger of a magazine that no one could be bothered to drudge through.

  

Wait, two pictures? Good thing I didn't change out of my costume, yet. Maybe black backdrop this time, as it seems this is one the ... well, it gets confusing :)

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In October, I did a different theme every day leading up to Halloween. I still have my Google doc on it, so I thought I would share that as a start on ideas. if you have a different idea just add it to the list, and we can go from there.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1JB8bUGQT_Utloye8NIk4T2v0EMRkRsckVovnTIQpvA4/edit?usp=sharing

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