Credits:

WoE Ellee Jeans – Frost
WoE Tat-04 Light
Maitreya Frenzy Banana – Black
House of Heart – Organic Necklace
Arsnova Black Long Eyelashes
WWI Bandaids Black
Exodi Look Into My … Natural Brown
Exodi Sienna Nuit “Studio” Makeup
Torridwear Fedorable Loveless – Raven
Pose – Torridwear

There is a new Flickr thief in town tonight and her name is Alyana Ying.

Miss Ying, hereafter known as “the thief”, was discovered today by Elysium Eilde to be ripping a good bit of her client work from Deviant Art and Renderosity artists. A few examples of the theft (more examples can be seen here and here):

All of these examples are what are called “morphs” in the SL Flickr community today: the pasting of an avatar face onto another photo/body. While that’s all well and good (despite how awkward it looks), these particular morphs are done on copywritten works, with neither permission by NOR credit given to the original artist. And to add insult to injury: the thief has been paid for these pictures, by SL models who unknowingly accepted her “photography” services.

The current pricing of the thief’s photography (direct from her profile):

• Individual 3D Pictures (profile, etc) —> 1000L per picture
• Individual Pictures (Not 3D style.) —> 800L Close ups and 1500L full body
• Couples Pictures —> 2500L
• Groups Pictures —> 1000L per individual in picture
• Contest Entry Pictures —> $1500
• Portfolio Pictures (Not a set) —> 1000L – per picture Full SL/1500L per picture 3D style.

I would strongly encourage all of you who PAID for these pictures (and any of you who KNOW people whom have paid for these pictures) to not only request a refund but also AR this person for scamming you out of your Lindens by selling you work she legally had no right to sell.

If you are friends with any of these people, they have unfortunately been scammed by this so-called “photographer”:

Removed
Meghindo Romano
Sariella Ashton
Tempest Rosca
Lovena Allen
Removed
Malika Marville
Gerry Susanowa
Removed

And again, thank you to Elysium Eilde for her endless efforts in bettering the SL photography community and continuing to make SL beautiful with her work, both photography and design. If you are going to pay for SL photography, be sure you are getting what you pay for. Originality, hard work, and unique beauty. Check out Ely’s flickr stream here.

On a closing note, I will say one more thing: ignorance of the law does not make it okay, and someone will ALWAYS notice. Don’t be an idiot. You are belittling yourself, you are insulting the artist, and you are pissing off the REAL SL photographers that work hard at what they do well. And with how competitive this industry is, believe me – you do not want to make enemies. Kthxbai.

Not too long ago, I had the pleasure of taking Xenius Revere’s in-world Maya classes.

I had heard that the creator of this truly gorgeous skybox would be offering modeling AND texturing classes (in two separate class sequences) and I just had to jump on the opportunity. I was not disappointed. In three, two hour long classes, I had successfully learned how to properly texture a sculpt, how to make basic NURBs shapes, how to use deformers to shape a NURBs sculpt, and how to create oblong sculpts. Xenius wasted no time in setting forth the basic, was AMAZING in answering questions and explaining his workflow, and was just an overall fantastic instructor to be in a class with. I came away from the classes feeling inspired, with renewed hope and a new skillset I could not WAIT to try out.

Xen takes on small groups of people (eight at a time) and walks them through live-video feed action of the modeling and texturing processes of Maya. Students are encouraged first to watch and then to follow along in Maya, so you are not only observing but also participating, hands on, in the class. But the best part is… these classes are specifically geared to teach you Maya for in-world use. So EVERYTHING that you learn, down to how to export the sculpt map properly, is useful for Second Life content creation. Xen even went as far as to provide the sculpt-map exporter script, explain how to set it up, provided relevant Maya scene files when the class called for them, and took the time to answer any and all questions that came up in the class. He never left a question to hang without an answer. The classes are conducted over SL voice as well, so there are no typing hold-ups either!

Basically… when Xenius told me that he’d just opened registration for his Maya 151 and 152 classes, I said, “I’ll be right there.” I simply cannot wait to dive into the intermediate set of classes, and when those are done, I’m sure I won’t be able to wait for the advanced classes as well. The combination of relevant information, excellent instruction and an overall fun classroom experience, I give Xeniversity’s classes two thumbs up and encourage ANYONE who wants to learn Maya for Second Life to sign up and take these classes.

Due to demand, Xen has opened up a second section of his beginner modeling class, Maya 101, which will begin September 2nd and run every Wednesday for 3 weeks (the last class is on the 16th) beginning at 1PM SLT until 3PM SLT. There is a second class on this day, at 4PM SLT, but it’s all full! So if you’re looking to learn basic Maya modeling… the 1PM class is definitely for you. Also, don’t be shy! Sign up for the Maya 102 class as well (basic texturing). Both classes will take place on different days, and you can combine your homework assignments as well (YES, there is HOMEWORK!) so you really are getting the most out of the experience by taking both at the same time. This is what I did, and I didn’t find it hard to follow along, plus the ability to combine modeling and texture learning somehow just made the learning experience much smoother and more satisfying. If you are an intermediate learner, Maya 151 and 152 (intermediate modeling and texturing classes beginning this September 4th!) are definitely something you want to give a look!

I really, really really want to praise the hell out of Xen and what he’s doing for the SL content creation community. And I have every faith that once you’ve taken a class, you will too.

Check out Xeniversity’s website and class schedule, and don’t forget to join the in-world group for the latest announcements, class sections and class scheduling. And if you’re ready to sign up, don’t hesitate! Hit Xeniversity to register at the Kiosk!

An exclusive skin pack has been released for a limited time at Exodi’s Fusion Crossing location (SLURL)!

The Fusion Pack includes three makeups, Osmosis, Fusion and Hybrid. These three makeups, like all other Lily makeups, come in both a regular version (shown in the poster above) and a faded, less intense version to allow for maximum use and enjoyment! The skins also come with both light and dark eyebrows, as usual. I have ALSO included my very first pair of prim eyelashes with this skin pack!

These makeups are only available at Exodi’s Fusion Crossing location (SLURL), so don’t miss out! You will find them to the left of the landing spot, in the Fusion Crossing Exclusives display area. For $1600L (that’s right — $1600L!) you can add these three skins (six, if you include the faded versions of the makeup) to your Exodi Lily arsenal!

To compliment these skins, I have also released a Fusion Crossing exclusive SHAPE… meet Lillith! Lillith is sold mod/copy and is a stunning shape for the Lily skin.

Both of these items are only up for a limited time, so time is crucial! You don’t want to miss out on these three exclusive makeups and shape. Head on over to Exodi at Fusion Crossing (SLURL) and grab these babies while they’re hot!

1 CUSTOM MAKEUP OF YOUR CHOICE FOR THE LILY SKIN LINE
Please drop a notecard with your name, the name of the person the skin will be delivered to, the tone you would like and the makeup details (eyeshadow, lipstick, blush colors, etc) onto Ryker Beck. She will work with you to create your requested custom makeup for the newest, as-yet unreleased Exodi skin line, Lily.
Delivery: Within 48 hours of request.

1 CUSTOM MAKEUP, “SNOWFLAKE” IN ALL SKIN TONES
The winner will receive one unreleased custom makeup, Snowflake, made especially for the Requiem event. All tones are included in this makeup package. The makeup will come with both light and dark brows, as well as normal and “faded” intensities.
Delivery: Immediate.

FULL RELEASE LINE OF LILY MAKEUPS, IN WINNER’S TONE CHOICE
The winner will receive the full Release Line of makeups (8 makeups in both normal and “faded” intensities as well as light and dark brows) for the Lily skin line in the tone of his/her choice.

I am happy to announce that Exodi (SLURL) is participating in a grid-wide 50% off sale!!!

The Build Your Own Fatpack cards will be marked 50% off for 24 hours only! Any eight skins in the store for half the price it would normally cost. A little about the BYO Fatpack cards:

For the price of any other pre-made fatpack in the store, you will INSTANTANEOUSLY gain access to ANY 8 skins in the store. That’s right! ANY 8 skins, INSTANT access. No notecards with skin names, no coupon transfers, no prepaying, NO WAITING!

Read all about the BYO Fatpack card here.

Again, this sale is for today ONLY (at Exodi, other designers may choose to participate longer). Don’t miss out on your chance to get any eight skins in the store for HALF THE PRICE! Head on over to Exodi now!

Other designers participating in the sale:

Boutique : Tenshi Vielle
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Floyd/166/127/52

Mother Effing Poses : Emleigh Westland
http://slurl.com/secondlife/League%20of%20Dastardly/16/180/2

Shape It Up! : Sileny Noel
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Onyx%20Noir/158/128/2

{LEF} : Lyla Shepherd
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Carver/242/141/23

Mom’s Basement : Cyclic Gears
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Baku/194/248/29

HighFi & Vendetta’s Garden: Twisted Vendetta
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Doll%20City/221/220/22

Sakabuku : Kyria Tomsen 
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Mounford/245/178/54

Cad & Tart : Kat Alderson
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Fusion%20Grove/126/132/22

Tea Lane : Laynie Link
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Granymyr/246/190/42

Kenzie & Co. : Kenzie Craven 
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Dulce%20Dal%20Mare/47/31/24/

Adam n Eve : Sachi Vixen (skins on sale!)
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Genesis/67/170/41

Haven Designs : Delora Starbrook
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Sanctum/161/53/43

Sh*t Happens : Ana Boogiewoogie
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Horst/121/14/22

Sand Shack Surf Co. Emma Gilmour
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Artilleri/131/174/23/

Registration opens tomorrow! Check this site for registration details tomorrow. But in the meantime, here are the details on the classes, as posted:

Instructor: Anton Hand / Xenius Revere

Session Length: 3 – 120 minute Sessions

Cost: 5400 linden per session (16200 L for the sequence)

Description: This 3 session course sequence is an introduction to the 3d modelling application Autodesk Maya for use with Second Life. Designed to get the student up and running quickly, we will explore the relevant features of Maya for creating and exporting sculpt prims. Several hours of homework will be assigned between sessions.

Session 1: Interface, Project Management, Maya object basics, Nurbs Geometry, Exporting Pipeline

Session 2: Isoparms and Aspect Ratios, Oblong Sculpts, Creating Base Prims Workshop, Discrete/Grid Snap tools

Session 3: Object Hierarchies, Mirroring, CV budgeting, Modelling with Deformers

Skill/Course Prerequisites (Recommended): Facility with Second Life In-World Building Toolset

Software/Hardware Requirements: Maya 2008/2009,  Headset with Mic

Class Location SLUrl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Xeniversity/54/35/54

If you have NO idea what Xeniveristy is, I mentioned the Canal Street Loft from their store yesterday!

TOTALLY EXCITED! *giddy*

1. Who was your first prom date?
I never went to prom. Mostly because I graduated 2 years early.

2. Do you still talk to your first love?
Yes. We dated for 2 years. He’s in the military now but is still one of my closest friends.

3. What was your first alcoholic drink?
My mom and dad used to give me and my twin brother shots of blackberry wine to calm us down and get us to sleep when we were five. So… blackberry wine.

4. What was your first job?
A cashier at McDonalds when I was 15.

5. What was your first car?
I’ve never owned one!

6. Who was the first person to text you today?
My beloved. <3

7. Who is the first person you thought of this morning?
Again, my beloved. <3

8. Who was your first grade teacher?
Mrs. Seaghers.

9. Where did you go on your first ride on an airplane?
I was 11 and it was to Los Angeles to see my oldest sister and her husband. Disneyland ftw!

10. Who was your first best friend and do you still talk?
Krysti was my best friend since we were 8 or 9. We still talk, but live 800 miles apart now.

11. Where was your first sleep over?
I was probably 5 or 6 and it was at a friend’s house down the street. I remember waking up super early and being walked home because I missed my mom. And my own bed.

12. Who was the first person you talked/will talk to today?
Dion. <3

13. Whose wedding were you in the first time?
I’ve never been in a wedding, in RL or SL.

14. What was the first thing you did this morning/first thing you will do when you log in?
The first thing I did this AM was go to the bathroom and brush my teeth. >.< The first thing I did when I logged in was add Dion to my land group.

15. What was the first concert you ever went to?
Carman at the SuperDome when I was 12.

16. What was your first record/tape?
The Monkees “The Monkees” album was my first cassette tape.

17. First hospitalization?
When I was 5. Tonsils removed, tubes in the ears.

18. First foreign country you’ve been to?
None.

19. First movie you remember seeing?
Cocktail when I was 6. I know. >.<

20. When was your first detention?
6th grade, for saying “fuck you” to this RAGING asshole schoolmate.

21. Where did you first meet your spouse/partner now?
Second Life via Flickr.

22. Who was your first roommate?
A REALLY ANNOYING, stuck up, airheaded chick in college. To this day, I still can’t believe she got huffy when I asked her not to smoke pot in the dorms when our room was three doors down from the RA’s. -.-

23. What did you do with your first paycheck?
Paid my phone bill.

[16:55]  Danny Bourne: better spend your time rezzing the latest version instead then More fun the re then here with me Collen ( I DO appreciate your constructive comments thought, seriously, or I would not even bother updating my prefabs )
[16:56]  Colleen Desmoulins: wow, you’re being really defensive Danny, I dont like that one bit. I didn’t imyou to argue or anything like that. I thought I was being pretty nice about the entire issue.
[16:57]  Colleen Desmoulins: I didnt im you tod eman my money back, I even sent soem of my friends to buy which they did.
[16:58]  Colleen Desmoulins: taking 9500 for misaligned prims and horrible texture work is unfair.
[17:01]  Danny Bourne: call me defensive,…you are being offensive,,even cvalling my texture work horrible, lol, , Have fun in the new version, I enjopyed making it and I hope you will like it alot also.
[17:01]  Colleen Desmoulins: I wont be using it. Goodbye
[17:02]  Danny Bourne: cunt
[17:02]  Colleen Desmoulins: lol..wow really?

Now, anyone that knows who Colleen Desmoulins is (the talented creator behind The Loft (SLURL) furniture and prefabs) knows that she’s a remarkably talented, honest, fair and kind-hearted person. The few times I’ve had the pleasure of speaking with her, I have never been given any other impression. She’s a bit quirky too! Which I think is fun. I have absolutely no doubt that, as a content creator herself who has built her business name in prefabs and furniture in Second Life, was doing nothing more than offering objective constructive criticism in her communication with Danny.

Danny Bourne, the man who owns reBourne (SLURL), is the less well-known guy, currently feeling attacked, belittled, and cornered by the overnight flashmob that has taken his hard work and put it under the microscope while he claims innocence. Okay. Fine. I get that you feel cornered, Danny. I won’t excuse the use of the word “cunt,” but I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt and run with your claim that it was an emotional outburst.

Now… for those of you that have absolutely no idea what’s going on – I’ll sum up for you. Kenzie Craven of Kenzie & Co. (SLURL), another respected content creator with years of experience under her belt, purchased a prefab from Mr. Bourne and was less than satisfied, citing claims (and snapshots) of misaligned textures, prim seams and gaps in the build. When she asked for a refund, she was denied due to the fact that the build is no-transfer. To the best of my knowledge (though I may very well be wrong) there was no offer to amend the build nor exchange it made by Mr. Bourne either. It is speculated that, after multiple pressing IMs, Danny has “fixed” the problems in the build. Read the full story over at SCD.

Taking that into account (I’ve already established that reBourne’s likely not a place that will ever get my Lindens, simply for calling a paying customer a cunt – cornered outburst or not), I decided to at least give the guy the benefit of the doubt, head over to the store, and see for myself what was going on in his rezzed demo homes. I took a look at 3 houses: The Manhattan Loft (single version), The Red House, and his latest prefab, The Asian Dojo. Here are my findings (again, these pictures are of the REZZED DEMO homes). I did my best not to look “too closely” or to “nitpick”. I simply tried to show what I, personally, look for when deciding to buy a prefab. Some pictures below might be able to be clicked for larger size.

THIS IS A *VERY* PICTURE HEAVY BLOG POST. And my cuts aren’t working soooo… I apologize in advance. >.<

The Asian Dojo – $5500L ($21 USD)

First, I will say that the Asian Dojo is actually quite a lovely build. The textures used are remarkable and the attempt at creating atmospheric lighting is very well handled. However – for $5500L, I would expect problems such as these to be nonexistent:

The Red House – $7500L ($29 USD)

I imagine this was an earlier home build for Danny. Again, the textures used are nice, but the number of texture misalignments are not “oh I can just ignore that”-able for $7500L.

Note: There are multiple instances of this texture alignment issue with the floor texture, all around the house.

The Manhattan Loft (Single Version) – $7500L ($29 USD)

I believe that this was the original skybox in question over at SCD (correct me if I’m wrong though — I couldn’t get to the KingSize one as the teleporter was down when I was at the store an hour ago). If I am right, then these pictures come from the demo home that has been modified since the incident occurred. Again, I tried not to look “too closely” and checked only for things that I personally would look for when looking-to-buy.

Woo! That was a lot of pictures.

To Sum Up…

I have no doubt that Danny Bourne’s got an eye when it comes to knowing what textures to use and how to make his builds look realistic. It is clear he puts a lot of time and effort into his work, and is proud of what he does. However, neglecting to fix the GLARINGLY obvious problems, expecting people to pony up $5500-7500L, and then not even offering to mod it or exchange it for them if they are dissatisfied — that is unacceptable. Not mentioning that the build does not come with furniture is also a no-no. This is real money you are dealing with, and with real money comes real responsibility. If you are not willing to ACCEPT this real responsibility, then content creation is probably not the best field for you to be in. No one likes to feel like they have been cheated.

And just for the record: calling a paying customer a cunt, whether you are frustrated or backed into a corner, or not – is the FASTEST way to get yourself put under a microscope. Ultimately, the people that buy your products can and WILL make or break your business in SL. Word travels fast in these Internet times — as I’m sure you’ve noticed over the last day or two. If you intend to continue building a name for yourself and your business, I suggest you brush up on your customer service skills and grow a thicker skin.

I, by all means, encourage everyone with doubts or speculations to get over to reBourne (SLURL) and decide for yourself if they are builds you’d like to purchase. Like I said, the guy is not without talent. However, while I am on the topic of prefabs, let me suggest some of my favorite ones – perfect texturing, excellent prim counts, and flawless customer service in my experience. Not to mention oodles of scripted options in some of them! (OMG the Xeniversity Canal Street Loft is *especially AMAZING*…)

The Xeniversity Canal Street Loft (SLURL)
Price: $2000L
Prim Count: 119
Review post by Gorgeous Yongho of JuicyBomb

This little baby’s got touch texture change for the window scenery AND the walls. Not to mention FLAWLESSLY rendered lighting.

Ravish Tyne’s Lodo Loft (XStreet / SLURL)
Price: $1500L
Prim Count: 121

There are more pictures on Xstreet of this one. I fangirled this build AGES ago, and it is still EASILY one of my favorites. Multiple window choices, scripted art displays on the walls, removable lighting, and copy mod (EASILY made bigger).

The Contempo Modern Skybox from Pre-Fabulous (Xstreet / SLURL)
Price: $995L
Prim Count: 298 fully furnished (furniture included)

I lived in this skybox for a good long while and can vouch for just how awesome it actually is. The windows and shades are also scripted for privacy! And the FURNITURE IS INCLUDED! Seriously, for a skybox of this quality and furniture included at $995L, you really can’t beat it.

The Cube Skybox (Xstreet / SLURL)
Price: $4999L
Prims: 140-190

I lived in this skybox for a long while too, and it is DEFINITELY one of my favorites. The floors are reflective, there are multiple choices of window scenery, and there is a VERY cool tucked-away cubby behind the bookcase! The textures are also gorgeous… flawlessly baked and rendered. Very cute, very romantic home.

He has made us laugh, cry, our jaws drop in wonder, and our minds scream, “What the hell is WRONG with you?” He was a legend, a revolution. And he’s gone.

In his memory, I will be having a 50% off sale at my Exodi main store only (SLURL) — and all proceeds (100%) will be donated to the Make a Wish Foundation, a charity that Michael Jackson openly supported. Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation® has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. The Foundation’s mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish® experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire communities.

The sale will run for one week, from July 25th to July 3rd again at the main store only. Shiloh and Eden Gen2 skins, shoes, shapes, eyes, clothes and jewelry are all included in the sale.

Rest in peace, Jacko.