Skins / mesh heads for a Mestizo or Central-South American Indigenous looking avatar?

[UnilWay SpiritWeaver]

I've been thinking of remaking my look to be clearly Mestizo or if not that Latin American Indigenous in appearance. I do not have that look at present as I've never quite found the right tone and features of skin, and head shape. And especially now that mesh heads are detailed enough that we're not longer just 'generic colored cartoons' picking the right head shape becomes vital to representing the right ethnicity.

I'm Mestizo myself (though that's really a Mexican term, and I'm South American) - so ideally I'd like to be able to finally capture myself in SL. Something I've never had success in. I've run the list of having avatars of every sort of ethnicity and even Elves (it's my Elf alt that I used on the forum), Orcs, Furries, Tinies, etc... but never anything that was actually me because It's never seemed possible.

But as SL has a lot more variety in human representation now, I'd like to look again.

So that long into out of the way...

 

Anyone know of or have any success in making a visibly clearly Latin American avatar of Mestizo or Indigenous ethnicity?

 

 

[Ceka Cianci]

I'm not sure with the male heads..You could look around Lelutka.. they have some versatile heads there..

Edited August 27, 2022 by Ceka Cianci

[UnilWay SpiritWeaver]

3 hours ago, Ceka Cianci said:

I'm not sure with the male heads..You could look around Lelutka.. they have some versatile heads there..

Oh I'm looking for female heads. Forgot to mention that.

Lelutka's stuff all seems a bit too Nordic, but with enough shape dial tampering I've used them to get Asian looks out of Ryn and Black looks out of Nuri. Getting a Mestizo / Native American / Indigenous look, I'm not sure which head to try and attempt it with. I think I need to find a fitting skin first so I'm dialing in an attempt that is fighting against the skin I'm using.

 

[Ceka Cianci]

26 minutes ago, UnilWay SpiritWeaver said:

Oh I'm looking for female heads. Forgot to mention that.

Lelutka's stuff all seems a bit too Nordic, but with enough shape dial tampering I've used them to get Asian looks out of Ryn and Black looks out of Nuri. Getting a Mestizo / Native American / Indigenous look, I'm not sure which head to try and attempt it with. I think I need to find a fitting skin first so I'm dialing in an attempt that is fighting against the skin I'm using.

 

I'm sorry as well.. I didn't know what Mestizo meant and just went off the first definition of the word that popped up in the search, which from further digging seems to be the wrong definition.. hehehe

I'm indigenous myself and am in love with the lily head from lelutka..I have a few of the heads and have went back looking at the newer ones demoing them all and Lily just works best for me so far.. It's very versatile and with the right skins and shape  it can give a very beautiful South west and south american look..

I've had some really nice looks with the genus heads also, But really they head haven't been updated in a long time..Omega was still a big thing when it was last updated.

I really loved the genus also, but I fear they are going to do the same thing belleza did and sit too long before an update and knock themselves right out of the market soon where we'll only be getting a few making things for them..

I would give the lily head demo a try and see what you think..  Most of my looks are ethnic orientated, but also when i feel like stepping into something different, it's good for that as well.

Either way, I do hope you find what you are looking for.. I'll dig through my skins and see if I can find some good suggestions there also.. I have a couple of skin creator links that you might really like, if you don't have them already..

I'll edit this post if nobody jumps in.. that or I'll just make a new one below with LM's

 

[Rowan Amore]

58 minutes ago, UnilWay SpiritWeaver said:

Oh I'm looking for female heads. Forgot to mention that.

Lelutka's stuff all seems a bit too Nordic, but with enough shape dial tampering I've used them to get Asian looks out of Ryn and Black looks out of Nuri. Getting a Mestizo / Native American / Indigenous look, I'm not sure which head to try and attempt it with. I think I need to find a fitting skin first so I'm dialing in an attempt that is fighting against the skin I'm using.

 

Try Briannon from Lelutka.  

[Ceka Cianci]

Here is an LM for SAP..  They are only the head skins..

They only have like three skins altogether, but two of the three work well for what you are looking for I believe.

I wanna say the only one I didn't get because it didn't fit what I was wanting to achieve was the middle skin.

I believe they are Evox skins  and the body skins for them are Velour

Here is the slurl

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Yangeulla/223/110/152

[Rowan Amore]

You could also try skins at The Face.  Keep in mind, too that newer? heads from AK can also use EvoX skins, try Vanessa.  The Face is from the same person who used to do Deesse's skin...Nataliewells.  I used to use her skins exclusively for awhile.   She has one out at Dubai event and Dreamday also.

[Janet Voxel]

Google shows a wide variety of looks for mestizo, ranging from more African to more indigenous. 
 

Can you show a pic of what you’re going for?

[Ceka Cianci]

37 minutes ago, Janet Voxel said:

Google shows a wide variety of looks for mestizo, ranging from more African to more indigenous. 
 

Can you show a pic of what you’re going for?

Ya, there is so much more range today than years ago.

[Ceka Cianci]

Almost forgot.. Mila and Boataom might have something as well.. Those just popped in my head.. You might have already tried them though, but figured I would give them a mention..

both of them have their own body skins and addon.. Also, Mila should be updating soon to reborne body skins.. I wanna say like another month maybe.. I can't really remember exactly but it should be close.

I can't remember if Boataom has yet or not..

 

[UnilWay SpiritWeaver]

1 hour ago, Janet Voxel said:

Google shows a wide variety of looks for mestizo, ranging from more African to more indigenous. 
Can you show a pic of what you’re going for?

Usually mestizo / mestiza refers to a person of mixed indigenous and Iberian (Spain to North Africa) heritage. It's literally a term coined from the outcome of the war against the Aztec Empire (the other side of which was NOT Spain, it was many nations that were fighting the Aztec on a 6 front war; and they recruited Cortez to their cause. Much like the Americans showing up late to WWI and WWII, and then claiming the spoils... Cortez did that in central Mexico).

So Mestizo started as a term referring to the people of the new mixed colony, and has evolved over time throughout Latin America to also include non-Mexicans who are mixed.

Mulatto is the specific term for people who are a mix of Black African and Iberian (Spanish). Or simply mixed race people in Latin America who are significantly African.

Obviously there's a LOT of blurring in the point where one would be Mestizo or Mulatto. What in the USA would be the deciding point of whether you 'pass' or not I guess. There's a lot of people, self-included; who might say they're Mestizo in one context, and then Mulatto in another, and then Latina / Latino in a third.

So it's kind of a 'yeah... that' answer.

I guess I'm looking to get an avatar in which I can clearly see that the 'person' is notably indigenous. When people think of a 'stereotype' of a Mexican; that sort of image - as incorrect as it is, it is also a common ethnicity in both Latin America and the US - distinguished mostly as a matter of cultural heritage.

 

[UnilWay SpiritWeaver]

1 hour ago, Rowan Amore said:

heads from AK can also use EvoX skins, try Vanessa.

I'm not familiar with 'AK'. Is that the whole name or an abbreviation?

 

[Janet Voxel]

20 minutes ago, UnilWay SpiritWeaver said:

Usually mestizo / mestiza refers to a person of mixed indigenous and Iberian (Spain to North Africa) heritage. It's literally a term coined from the outcome of the war against the Aztec Empire (the other side of which was NOT Spain, it was many nations that were fighting the Aztec on a 6 front war; and they recruited Cortez to their cause. Much like the Americans showing up late to WWI and WWII, and then claiming the spoils... Cortez did that in central Mexico).

So Mestizo started as a term referring to the people of the new mixed colony, and has evolved over time throughout Latin America to also include non-Mexicans who are mixed.

Mulatto is the specific term for people who are a mix of Black African and Iberian (Spanish). Or simply mixed race people in Latin America who are significantly African.

Obviously there's a LOT of blurring in the point where one would be Mestizo or Mulatto. What in the USA would be the deciding point of whether you 'pass' or not I guess. There's a lot of people, self-included; who might say they're Mestizo in one context, and then Mulatto in another, and then Latina / Latino in a third.

So it's kind of a 'yeah... that' answer.

I guess I'm looking to get an avatar in which I can clearly see that the 'person' is notably indigenous. When people think of a 'stereotype' of a Mexican; that sort of image - as incorrect as it is, it is also a common ethnicity in both Latin America and the US - distinguished mostly as a matter of cultural heritage.

 

I’m just asking you to show a picture of what you’re trying to look like since heads have different shapes. You’d get better help if we had a better idea of what you’re going for, ijs.

If it’s more « yeah…that » it’s going to come down more towards the skin than the head, but again it’s harder to make meaningful recommendation not knowing what you want.

[Rowan Amore]

33 minutes ago, UnilWay SpiritWeaver said:

I'm not familiar with 'AK'. Is that the whole name or an abbreviation?

 

Akeruka – Second Life HQ Mesh Head for Men and Women

 

Edited August 28, 2022 by Rowan Amore

[Mark Sparkle]

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cf4U7JOLmOO/ RAISSA skin from Velour.

Maybe this skin using one of the darker tones? Using second photo as a reference for the facial look.

Edited August 30, 2022 by Mark Sparkle
adding a photo

[UnilWay SpiritWeaver]

By chance I had bought the Briannon head a few days before starting this thread.

That head is a little more cartoony by default, but that also appears heavily influenced by my choice of skin. My first attempts to mess with it looked perfect.

For a character in Sims 4.

So far I'm up to this, which is a bit of shape dialing and demoing half the skins at both Moccino and Babe. Babe's skins are a bit more cartoony though.

Each of these brands has and absurd level of similarity between all of their skins so I'm down to hyper focusing on little details. While ALSO trying to do the right shape when my shape before was for an African look.

 

Moccina demo "so far":

 

The same head and shape on a Babe skin:

 

 

This is the 'sunkiss' tone from Velour. I'm also debating between that and 'brownie':

Sunkiss and Brownie are really similar in some lighting, and very different in other lighting.

 

I'm hitting my file limit for a post, so I'll next post some images of some Mestiza's that are closer to what I'm seeking.

Mestizo / Mestiza is absurdly wide definition so yeah - as requested context is needed.

Shape dials still need work - but I'm pretty sure the Moccino skins are more akin to what I'm seeking. The Babe skins seem to do youthful Black and White ethnicities very well, but 'Brown people' maybe not as much. Babe was in my list because I just bought a Babe skin a few days ago in the Ebony tone, and here I am less than a week later jumping brands again, while thinking on whether or not to get that Babe skin again for an alt... or to do this look on the alt...

------------------------------------

The Akeruka heads look amazing, and seem to have all the quality that Lelutka heads have, but more ethnic diversity (even among their White heads - Lelutkas always looked Nordic to me, Akeruka's don't - but I did read some users asking them to have more nose variety which Lelutka does have).

The Akeruka demos don't fully work on the hide ear button, so I'm left guessing that that works properly. Didn't see any complaints so it probably does. But I did NOT see an option for Elf Ears and my Lelutka Elf Ears don't quite fit - That's only important because the alt I most want to use Akeruka on is an Elf that needs updating in the next few months...

I'm really surprised I'd never heard of Akeruka given how good their stuff looks. The only reason I'm doing these demos on Briannon is that I already bought that. The Luna head above would be in competition if I'd had the sense to post this thread one week earlier...

 

 

 

 

Edited August 31, 2022 by UnilWay SpiritWeaver

[UnilWay SpiritWeaver]

Some people.

These get a bit too 'Instagram model probably photoshopped' at the end, even if the last one almost has the same lips, nose, and eyes as my sister's daughter-in-law. I still remember being that young...

My google just wants to serve up either models or ancient elders...

And in the '3-pic collage' the lower right looks like a render or statue but is actually spot on ethnically for my roots. IF I am going for 'the cousin from the other part of town' of the people below, I probably want the Sunkiss tone from above, and then need to spend a few hours tweaking the nose and lips of the inwork shape I've come up with so far.

 

 

What I'm going for is to make a look that seems about half Indigenous and maybe an eighth Sub-Saharan African on top of Spanish / North African.

[Ayashe Ninetails]

6 minutes ago, UnilWay SpiritWeaver said:

Hiya UnilWay! For this look above, take a peek at Akeruka's Andro F. Unfortunately, you missed the period where it was free, but grab a demo and play around with it a bit. Try some skins, play with the shape sliders, and don't forget Pumec. I prefer their skin tones for my avatars, and they include body skins as well. The reason why I'm suggesting this head - the nose looks like it might be somewhat similar.

Random look I came up with using it a few months ago (wearing a Pumec skin):

 

For this look below:

15 minutes ago, UnilWay SpiritWeaver said:

Play with Catwa HDPro Majer Edged and Majer Soft:

 

More general options to test out:

Lelutka Ora:

 

And of course: Lelutka Lilly (it's very versatile and I use it for a zillion different looks).

Hope this helps!

[Ceka Cianci]

3 hours ago, UnilWay SpiritWeaver said:

Some people.

These get a bit too 'Instagram model probably photoshopped' at the end, even if the last one almost has the same lips, nose, and eyes as my sister's daughter-in-law. I still remember being that young...

My google just wants to serve up either models or ancient elders...

And in the '3-pic collage' the lower right looks like a render or statue but is actually spot on ethnically for my roots. IF I am going for 'the cousin from the other part of town' of the people below, I probably want the Sunkiss tone from above, and then need to spend a few hours tweaking the nose and lips of the inwork shape I've come up with so far.

 

 

What I'm going for is to make a look that seems about half Indigenous and maybe an eighth Sub-Saharan African on top of Spanish / North African.

This is why I went with the lilly.. Because it has for my needs, the best facial proportions i could find that I was looking for.. look passed the hair  and brow color and picture what you can do with it.  picture the features on it  with the images you provided..

Myself I seen a wide range of variety just toying with the demo.. It's the best free head  or head in general that I have for versatility.

 

This was one of the first looks I made with my lilly.

This is what I'm running around  the past couple of weeks with.. That's water on my face because I was doing a wet shoot.. but just with this shape alone I can Jump all over the board with different looks.. 

a little bit of a different direction with another Shape I made for Lilly.

And another direction as well with another shape I made for Lilly..  I've got a zillion more shapes, but didn't want to end up posting a ton of pictures, just more show some range with it instead.

 

 

[Janet Voxel]

Here are a few skins I think might be good choices (of course, you would want to demo the darker skin tones):

 

[Janet Voxel]

 

[Ceka Cianci]

21 hours ago, Janet Voxel said:

 

That's a really nice skin and shape there..

[Janet Voxel]

2 hours ago, Ceka Cianci said:

That's a really nice skin and shape there..

It just came out at the Level event!

[Ceka Cianci]

5 hours ago, Janet Voxel said:

It just came out at the Level event!

Ya, I was there the other day and seen it.. hehehe

They have that cute bandanna hair there too..

[StarlanderGoods]

I was wondering about that type of avatar too, I dont think that most of the examples are nailing the eyes, particularly the eyelids of the south american aborigin (Tons of different tribes, Im assuming the OP is looking more at Quechuas, around the former Inca empire, and not as north as the aztecs nor south as the Tehuelches)

Its odd, because its such a strong identifier (the eye shape), that I would start with an asian head, instead of an african inspired one