Archive for the ‘Previews’ Category

Preview: “Trish” underwired lingerie-style dress (Spring 2013)

Posted on January 26, 2013 by Alaska Metropolitan

I’ve been working on some pieces for this spring season (and, as usual, am hopelessly behind!) I wanted to go with more feminine fabrics and colours; something softer than the dark jewel-toned clothing I’ve been making in the past.

Above: Sketchbook showing some rough ideas. Also in the background, the all-important tools!

My process

I usually start sketching with a black fine-liner. Though I’ve been trained at an art school, I’m not much of a figurative illustrator, so I tend to sketch the rough shape and let the on-computer process dictate the final look and feel.
Then I work on the computer – in my case, I’m doing everything on an old black MacBook (shown above) using Adobe Photoshop CS3 and a Bamboo Wacom tablet (also shown.) To preview stuff, I use the SL Clothing Previewer – vital for saving L$ on upload fees if you don’t own high-end 3d software (which I don’t.)
Even after uploading to Second Life, there’s adjustments to be made! The flat shading in SLCP isn’t what we generally see inSL, and the colour definitely shifts from what I see in Photoshop.

Preview: “Trish” underwired dress

Above: “Trish” dress, the top left illustration shown on the sketchbook page above. It’ll be available soon!
Also worn: “Persephone” mirror-sole platform shoes in midnight, “Kadence” hair by Truth

For this underwired corset-style lingerie dress (named “Trish” after an acquaintance in RL,) I ended up adding a lace panel option once I got working on the computer. Often stuff evolves as I’m working on it; the crossed straps were added based on the separate corset top design.

Spring colours

I always try to work within a unified colour palette, even if I don’t release much from season to season. The above colours combine some of my favourite soft neutrals and feminine tones with the saturated hot primaries that I secretly love… even if I’d never wear them in RL.

A note on mesh

I wasn’t sure if I should write a separate blog post detailing my feelings on using rigged mesh clothing for my Spring 2013 line. Based on talking to newer Second Life avatars and some of my oldbie friends (sorry I called you that!) it seems it’s a very polarizing topic. For any Second Life creator whose strength lies in texturing, not 3d modelling, it’s a technology for which we must weight the pros and cons.

(more…)

Posted in Previews | Tagged alaskametro, clothing, corset, dress, fashion, lingerie, mesh, opinion, poll, Second Life, SL fashion, spring, underwired | Leave a comment

Preview: “Milla” dress and “Basix” underwear sets

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Alaska Metropolitan

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, I’m releasing a slinky lace off-the-shoulder minidress called “Milla”, and an underwear set named “Basix” with a variety of options!

alaskametro<3 "Milla" black lace dress for Second Life

"Milla" lace dress shown in black with beige underlay

alaskametro<3 "Milla" lace dress for Second Life

"Milla" transparent lace dress shown in "Swoon" fuchsia pink

“Milla” will be available in black, “pebble” dark grey, “swoon” fuchsia pink, and “fire” red/orange. There’s a version with a beige modesty underlay, and a version without.

alaskametro<3 "Basix" lingerie for Second Life

"Basix" underwear shown in "pebble" dark grey, opaque

"Basix" underwear shown in brown lace

“Basix” is a rework of a previously-unreleased underwear set. Each colour contains everything you need for underwear: bra with and without straps, panty, and thong. There’s versions that are opaque, sheer, and lace. “Basix” will come in beige, brown, “pebble” dark grey and “clarity” pale pink.

I’ll be releasing “Basix” and “Milla” this weekend, so you can have something lovely, lacey, and affordable for Valentine’s Day.

If you’re a blogger and would like a review copy, please leave me a comment, poke me in-world (Alaska Metropolitan), or tweet me @alaskametro. I’m always happy to accommodate reviewers, publications and fashion bloggers!

Make sure you join the mailing list before Valentine’s Day, because I’ll be sending out a special gift to list members!

Posted in Fashion, New Releases, Previews | Tagged alaskametro, dress, erotic, fashion, hosiery, lace dress, lingerie, minidress, panty, Second Life, SL fashion, thong, underwear, Valentine's Day | Leave a comment

The Missing Skintones

Posted on January 21, 2011 by Alaska Metropolitan

The original plan for the beauty by alaskametro<3 skin series was a grand total of 8 skintones, offering a great amount of customization and flexibility. Well, up to this point, I hadn’t planned to work on the remaining tones; with all the eyebrow options and so on I’d be looking at tens of thousands of L$ in upload fees (at least!)

However, the new ability to stack layers (and the new tattoo layer) means I can develop my skins as bases, and offer separate brow/hairbase/etc layers in a variety of hair colours. I enjoy the existing 4 hair colour options with alaskametro<3 skins… but why not push it further and see just how much flexibility one can get with a skin system?

From left to right: Latte, Bronze, Cacao, Olive, Rose, Ivory, Spice and Ebony. Click to enlarge.

I’m planning to release the updated skintone bases, hairless, in the future, along with up to 12 hair colour options as add-on packages. (Other creators also make brow/hairbase packs, so you can also use theirs if you prefer their hair shades). The skins have some revamped shading through the face, especially in the darker tones, the lips have been fixed so all tones have the same size (making makeup tattoos fit better!) and the cleavage has been enhanced.

While the 8 skintones are my attempt to reflect diversity and the fact skins shouldn’t only be available in Megan Fox Tan™, each skin is also tintable by 7%, so you can also tweak the shade to some degree. And yes, they’ll still have a freckles option.

Posted in New Releases, Previews, Skin/Makeup | Tagged alaskametro, dark skins, hair layers, light skins, makeup layers, preview, Second Life, skins, tan skins | Leave a comment

Hopeless skin perfectionist.

Posted on January 11, 2011 by Alaska Metropolitan

I find that creating skins never ends. I always find things to tweak and play with; I suppose since my skins are handdrawn I always look at things and want to draw them better. (With photosource, you’re pretty much stuck with the way the source photo looks!)

Lately I’ve been re-doing the face on the alaskametro<3 skins. I’ve been editing it to look softer through the nose/mouth, the lips definitely needed to be redone. A quirk in the darker tones: the lips are actually bigger on the Ebony and Spice tones. I needed to fix this so that producing makeup layers wasn’t twice the work!

Second Life’s new viewers allow you to stack on the tattoo layers. I’m planning to re-release the alaskametro<3 skins in the most customizable way possible. The base skins will be completely nude. From there, you can layer on eyebrows/hair bases (yay!)/pubic hair. And then makeups, etc. So I’ll soon have a few more hair colours than the existant 4, and there’ll be some new eyebrows to choose from too!

Preview photo (makeupless):

Unretouched photograph showing work-in-progress updated skin

Okay, don’t mind the rabbit teeth. I wanted to see if I could create them. If I ever do release such things they’ll certainly be another layer as an add-on. The jury’s still out on the mouth-breathing look. It’s used in fashion photography inRL to drop the lower lip and make them appear fuller (or add sensuality.) However, a photographer friend of mine in L.A. once referred to it as “the credit card slot” and that’s what it is, in my head, for all eternity. Maybe it’s useful inSL for photos.

PS – Today’s the last day to sign up for the mailing list to receive January’s gift; I’ll be sending the gift out at midnight!

Posted in Previews | Tagged alaskametro, brows, second life skins, skin base, skin texture, skins, tattoo layers | Leave a comment

Preview: Fall 2010 makeup looks

Posted on October 11, 2010 by Alaska Metropolitan

I’ve been hard at work preparing to release the Fall 2010 alaskametro<3 makeup series. There’ll be 8 looks total, lots of new nail polish, and a couple new false eyelashes. I’m liking it so much, I can’t resist giving you a preview…

alaskametro<3 makeup Fall 2010

Metallics are in this season… shimmering eyelids in bronze, gold and silver paired with a creme nude lipstick were on the runways for Fall 2010. Here I’ve interpreted the look with gold shimmer. Also shown: “Vida” prim lashes – clumps of single false eyelashes for a spiky dramatic look.

alaskametro<3 Fall 2010 makeup

Red eyeshadow… so striking, and not a look many of us can pull off in First Life. But this is Second Life where we can do what we want. Charcoal grey lids with red shimmer undereye shadow and a nude lip to give the eyes maximum impact.

alaskametro<3 Fall 2010 makeup

Red lips are a fall makeup staple… this season, they’re treated simply with little to no other makeup on the face. Also shown: “Here Kitty” prim lashes – extra false lashes at the outer eye corner create a dramatic “cat’s eye” look.

alaskametro<3 Fall 2010 makeup

One of the most surprising trends this season? Natural makeup – a clean, fresh face. This Second Life version uses pale beige and brown eyeshadow and pale pink blush for contouring, but the final look appears to not have any makeup on at all.

alaskametro<3 Fall 2010 makeup

As always, makeup is meant to be fun. Fall 2010′s trends tend toward bold colour and dramatic eyes, so embrace the looks and have fun with it.

The Fall 2010 makeup series will be available in store and on the marketplace in about a week. Join the subscribe-o-matic in world to receive notifications when new alaskametro<3 products are released.

Posted in Previews | Tagged 2010 makeup trends, alaskametro, bold eye makeup, fall 2010, fall 2010 makeup, lashes, lipstick, makeup, runway makeup, shimmer eyeshadow | 2 Comments