Grace Winnfield

Avastar is 100 percent worth having for rigging.

Just curious if any of you find it mroe lucrative to sell full perm meshes than to sell original mesh creations that are finished and exclusive to a brand.

I learned by watching HAVEN DITKO on you tube. She has a 12 part series that clearly explains how to use blender from the very basics. Then I progressed to watching GOON SQUAD videos and other random ones including OLD AVASTAR videos I found online. The layout and whatnot is different but the basic idea is there and once you watch Haven you will understand. Haven uses Blender 1.73 or 1.74 in all the videos so they are current and easy to follow. I learned in 3 weeks!!! I do not understand fitmesh (have not tried to learn yet) but I have created my first dress, unwrapped, rigged and uploaded it YAY... IN 3 WEEKS (watching 2 videos a day)

YAY! after the initial confusion regarding unwrapping (which I find fun) in order to be able to apply a texture (who knew...!? None of the 25 videos I watched told me I had to do that before saving my Dae....) I am ready to begin sizing and texturing. Pretty sure once I get my avatar shapes loaded I will be ok with sizing (can I resize without having to rerig??? I was told rigging was ONCE then resize would be ok). I am trying to figure out how to make a SHADOW MAP. Can someone lead me to some good video resources as to how to do this? I know how to make an AO map (and though I prefer this style for photoshop texturing over a uv) but really like to design on a shadow map in photoshop. Also looking for good clear video resources to learn texturing in blender. Not sure I will do blender texturing though. Photoshop is just what I'm used to and I find it easy if the map is good. Thanks for any help! I will list what I am seeking clearly below so that if you don't want to read this you can see it easier. 1. Can I resize my rigged mesh without having to re-rig? 2. Can someone point me to good video resources for learning to make SHADOW maps in blender FOR CLOTHES? Can this be done? 3. Can anyone lead me to a really good video that clearly explains how to texture in Blender? I am using the most current version of blender (downloaded it 3 weeks ago) and the most current avastar (just got it last week) Thank you in advance!

I think it is rude to say it is hilarious... since you did not know but lets just explain why .. 5000L is about $14 at best. Most commisioned mesh HEADS begin at a low rate of 20K and go up from there. You want a full avatar. It is HOURS upon HOURS upon HOURS of work that someone will have to put in to make this for you. Then the cost to upload it into SL, time to texture and test. I wish you luck! Hope you can afford to save up Lindens for what you really want

Awesome!

I am new and learning Blender (see my other post) and was wondering if I had some DAE files that I purchased on Marketplace is there a way to import those to Blender and play with them... I'm specifically wondering if i can load them and change the mesh so that I can get used to how manipulation of items is in the program. Additionally, if this is possible will it affect the rigging? Would the clothes need to be re-rigged. YES I may be speaking crazy talk but seriously I have no clue and readily admit it. Thank you so much!

Thank you both! I was so frustrated with the blender classes I took 3 years ago that I gave up.. I am excited now to try it again (Thank God!) and hope to find time to make a few meshes in between texturing mesh templates. I hope that I can create things that actually look good and that people will want to wear. I think the learning curve for me will lay mostly in rigging at this point... I will likely post again when i get bold enough to try. I plan on buying Avastar soon.... Question for Gaia... Sparkles appears to me to be a resizing add on, is this truly what it is? I have been wondering how people take a mesh from one standard size and create all 5 standard sizes. I am also of the opinion that standard sizing is still beneficial.. though fitmesh is nice it can sometimes create issues when mixing meshes and system layers. It also makes things fit much tighter which may not be the desired effect in my opinion.

I appologize in advance as I am certain this is not the first time it has been asked. 1. Is it me or has Blender become a thousand times more user friendly than when i attempted it 3 years ago??? 2. Does Avastar make meshing clothing and rigging easier? Is it a good purchase? What about Sparkles? 3. If i choose Avastar will it work with the most recent version of blender? I think it was 2.74 4. LONG ago in a galaxy far far away I bought a box.. free.. on marketplace created by : Minnu Palen & Thora Charron (of LeLutka), Siddean Munro (of SLink), Elie & Anouk Spot (of Mon Tissu) and Jaden Celoe & Shay Sibrian (of Celoe). It contained "standard sizing" shapes. xs-L for female and also male shapes. I believe it is not available any longer but I still have it (Thanks God) and am wondering if those same standard shapes should still be used now. 5. Anyone who has any tips for a newb, resources, etc (esp good youtube vids or websites) I am ever grateful! Right now I am simply texturing mesh templates and system layers for appliers and traditional second life body.. but I hope to reach into the deep parts of my patients and try to mesh something without throwing my computer monitor out the window. Thanks a ton! Grace

never mind.. found it

Not likely a new topic but I have several gachas i want to resell.. but they will not transfer to the marketplace. They are all transfer and no copy no mod. I see other people reselling the same items. What am I doing wrong???? The error message says "likely a permissions error"

and..... does anyone realize how much time it takes to actually create the demo itself?? Just saying

BTW... I'm cool with a temp demo.. really i am.

To the contrary.. I sell clothes that cost that amount.. and I offer DEMOS of them... otherwise they likely would not sell.

This is a frustration I have had for many years now. Each and every time I go to buy a new build I discard half of my choices on Marketplace for lack of two simple things..1. the ability to view a model of the home at my convenience. 2. Dimensions &/or prim count. Now, I understand that land in world is not cheap if you are starting out.. however... you will sell LESS if you do not allow customers to see the quality of your work. I am certain that your creations are beautiful.. but photos simply cannot show me perspective. I have spent hours in the past searching for a place to see your builds in world.. I look first for a "see in world" link.... which many times leads me to abandoned land, drops me out of the sky, or places me into the middle of a home or some other shop. When this happens I look to your profile for a hint as to where i can see the build..... sometimes you sell other things.... and other times I have the pleasure of viewing your role play limits.. sigh (insert sarcasm). When i see, "IM me to see a sample of this build" I want you to know I am unlikely to wait long enough for you to be in at the same time as me to actually do this. On to problem 2. I simply will not buy something without knowing if it will fit on my land.... period. So make sure you tell me how big the thing is! ON TO SOLUTIONS 1. a. If you cannot afford/ or are simply too cheap to have in world land to view your lovely creations MAKE A DEMO. The demo can have demo written all over it.. or perhaps buy a temp rez script that deletes the build after 5 or 10 minutes. Let me buy the demo and view it in world.. Problem solved. I make bridal gowns... the cost of them is not cheap... people would NOT buy my gowns without a demo so why would they buy an expensive or even inexpensive build without a demo of it.??? hmmmm? b. If you do not have an in world store any more... change it in marketplace please. As much as I like to explore I do not like falling out of the sky. LOL 2. Measure your build.... let me know how big it is.. how many prim it is. I offer all of this as a customer. Please know that I would probably have bought some of your builds IF i had been able to see them. I probably buy at least 5 builds per year.... sigh. I'm sad that i can't see them all because some look absolutely lovely. You will sell MORE if you make it possible.. ... promise. (unless of course you are not showing me because you know your stuff is crap... lol)

well yep except that she had a bogus trans history with my store name and item from my store LOL

Today I received a message from a customer (i think) who stated she purchased a demo gown from me yesterday ( I see no transaction from her avi in my second life trans history or in my marketplace trans history) and then the full version of said gown today (again nothing in either transaction history). I have had transactions on my second life transaction history today, but not marketplace, none from her. I also did not get a message when i logged in stating that anything had been delivered. She is asking me to pass her the full version gown, has posted in her nc her transaction (looks right as if copied from trans hx) with an order number and everything. She states the money came out of her account, I have not received it however... and have no proof of the transaction other than her word. What would you do? Have any of you other merchants experienced this? I have replied asking her to please contact Linden Labs, as i have no record of the transaction. My items are transfer as well.. so in general i do not replace non delivered items and on the off chance that i do i pass a no transfer copy. I have honestly only done this one time.

With the advent of all things "Marketplace".. I am considering selling my mainland store plot and opening a small mainstore in a stylish stable mall or commercial sim. To make this sensible it needs to be approximately 150-200prim.. and a fairly large shop. I can work with less prim than this but need the shop to be large square footage as my vendors look best large. Please IM Grace Winnfield if you have or KNOW OF a place that would be appropriate for my BRIDAL store. Thanks so much for any advice!

being able to attach flex to my mesh.. sigh..... being able to make flex move like cloth simulation across one prim....sigh... being able to get past the learning phase and into the creating mesh phase..... i'm workin on it LOL

Thank you Daniel for the detailed description and understanding of my question! I am forever grateful for the knowledge.. i'm learning.. slowly.. but i WILL get it ... I feel like i have a somewhat better grasp at the capability with what you have put in your answer.. THANK YOU !!!

whoever it was that recommended canned mushrooms might be my hero! and i have been intermittently watching rigging videos. NOT that i am ready for that but hey.. I can navigate in blender and build the house in canned mushrooms lesson one! LOLZ Maybe i will do ok if i take my time

I make clothes.. specifically wedding gowns and maternity wear. I survived sculpts (barely) without having to make any but use premade ones and edit. I do not want to do that with mesh... but why the hades did someone have to make blender so friggin complicated. I think i need to memorize or write down every little key stroke gad!

found an answer to my python problem in the wiki above YAY! AND dangit i have to read a friggin book.. sigh.. as if my life isnt more complicated by the minute.. my husband is going to keeel me.

well... I'm trying to use blender.. but every tutorial i find uses blender 2.49a or b... I installed Blender 2.59 and then uninstalled it.. and then installed blender 2.49a and cannot get python to work right (i have a 32 bit machine..sigh) SO.. i am in the process of uninstalling 2.49a and python and reinstalling 2.59 and trying this all over again... Do any of you know if: a. Blender 2.59 will do what i need. b. Blender 2.59 tutorial specifically pertaining to mesh in sl???

If i cant learn this stuff i might be out of sl business.... bummer. Too bad i didnt go to school to learn 3-d modeling ..... sigh