Integrating Mesh Head with Mesh Body?

[Kether Farshore]

So..I'm planning on upgrading my old avatar to full BOM mesh; looking into a mesh body and head. A little unsure about how to integrate Mesh Head, Body, shape and skins all together. I plan on playing with my mesh body and head using sliders to make it my own look.

 I read somewhere that it's best to use the default Shape than came with your Mesh Body when you are in the process of fitting your new Mesh Head. However, a new Head skin also comes with it's own Shape.  So..do I use the default shape that came with the Head Skin instead? 

Is there a correct order to install all the different mesh components? like adjust Mesh Body Shape first and then head? or vice versa?

[Ceka Cianci]

You can adjust either in any order you like.. You can only wear one shape which takes care of the head and body..

You could try both out to see which one gets you closer to what you like and  then adjust things from there..

[Rowan Amore]

45 minutes ago, Kether Farshore said:

So..I'm planning on upgrading my old avatar to full BOM mesh; looking into a mesh body and head. A little unsure about how to integrate Mesh Head, Body, shape and skins all together. I plan on playing with my mesh body and head using sliders to make it my own look.

 I read somewhere that it's best to use the default Shape than came with your Mesh Body when you are in the process of fitting your new Mesh Head. However, a new Head skin also comes with it's own Shape.  So..do I use the default shape that came with the Head Skin instead? 

Is there a correct order to install all the different mesh components? like adjust Mesh Body Shape first and then head? or vice versa?

I usually start with the shape that comes with the skin for the head I am using as that shape will give you the look in the vendor photo.  I then adjust the body to my specifications.  Once. I have the body as I like it, I write down those numbers.  If I decide to buy a new skin for my head, again I start with the shape provided then uae the plug in the body numbers I've written down.

Edited May 26, 2021 by Rowan Amore

[Kether Farshore]

Thank you! 

[Maitimo]

2 hours ago, Kether Farshore said:

So..I'm planning on upgrading my old avatar to full BOM mesh; looking into a mesh body and head. A little unsure about how to integrate Mesh Head, Body, shape and skins all together. I plan on playing with my mesh body and head using sliders to make it my own look.

 I read somewhere that it's best to use the default Shape than came with your Mesh Body when you are in the process of fitting your new Mesh Head. However, a new Head skin also comes with it's own Shape.  So..do I use the default shape that came with the Head Skin instead? 

Is there a correct order to install all the different mesh components? like adjust Mesh Body Shape first and then head? or vice versa?

You are best off using the shape that comes with your head, not the shape that comes with your body or skin (though the skin one would work too, IF the skin is made only for your particular brand of head). It's MUCH easier to edit just the body, torso and legs tabs than it is to edit a whole face.  If the face looks half-decent to begin with, instead of like an alien monster, it's less daunting to make your own edits to it. 

There's no particular order, it doesn't really matter for most things. It only really matters if you have a few tattoo layers then you should order them so you wear the lower one first and the topmost one last (beard over freckles for example). But for shapes and mesh body parts, no it doesn't matter at all. If you are using applier skin you need to wear the mesh body and head before adding the skin, but if you're using BOM even that doesn't matter. 

Edited May 26, 2021 by Maitimo

[Nalates Urriah]

I agree with Maitimo and like the nuance that Rowan adds. The shape that comes with the head is always a good starting place. But, the shape that comes with a skin for a specific head is going to be more specific to the effect on appearance that the skin makes. The amount skin plays in the face's appearance is surprising, which is why I think using the skin-shape wins out for best starting shape.

If you decide to do lots of heads you'll want an easier way to enter a body shape. You can export full-perm shapes as XML files. Edit out all the head settings and you have a BODY ONLY shape. With Firestorm you can import a shape file. The idea is an imported shape overwrites whatever shape you are wearing. Since there are no head settings, the new shape is a combination of imported body shape and whatever head settings you had.