Iris Ophelia's ongoing review of virtual world and MMO fashion
I'll admit to being a very late-starter when it comes to Minecraft. I tried it a year or so ago but it didn't really hook me until I tried it again last week. I'm not sure what changed in the interim, but now I just can't get enough of its sandbox survivalism. But of course no matter what game I'm playing I always have to have the most chic and adorable avatar possible, so I've been searching for the cutest Minecraft skins out there to share.
The first is this ultra vibrant Kokeshi doll skin by the_soup which you can download here. Space is very limited on the Minecraft skin template, which is why the pattern and design of this avatar's kimono really stands out to me. They've made excellent use of every pixel to perfectly convey a floral printed fabric with a bit of an ombre effect, not to mention the obi detail around the waist. The downside of this skin is that the detailed kimono looks quite odd when it's half-covered by armor, but if you don't mind living a little dangerously without any armor you're guaranteed to stand out.
This next skin should look familiar--this Alice in Wonderland avatar (download her here) is a good example of how much of a difference a couple of shaded pixels can make to a skin, in particular around lighter areas like her apron and socks. Careful shading, even if it's just a couple specks here and there, can add a lot of depth to a skin and make it stand out. This kind of shading isn't terribly easy to do on this scale, but there are a lot of Minecraft skinmakers who have this technique down to an art!
As much as I adore this Sailor Moon skin, it isn't my last pick so much as the artist who made it is. I stumbled across her thread in the Minecraft forums during my search for the cutest skins out there and just about fell in love with her work. She's not only done Sailor Moon, but also Wonder Woman, Xena, and oodles of princesses, warriors, and schoolgirls--even a super sexy lady cyborg. Although she's no longer adding new skins to the thread it's still an excellent resource if you're looking for the perfect ultra-pretty, uber-feminine minecraft skin to wear while you punch, dig, and build your way through Minecraft!
Iris Ophelia (Janine Hawkins IRL) has been featured in the New York Times and has spoken about SL-based design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan and with pop culture/fashion maven Johanna Blakley.
I have really no idea what´s so fabulous about these Lego-like skins ... and certainly not the hype around this game. Can somebody explain what there´s to like about it?
Posted by: Luci Koenkamp | Friday, June 01, 2012 at 12:07 AM
Plenty of people say the same thing about Second Life all the time,the avatars look cartoony and weird, what is there to like about it? What do you even do?
It's just a matter of what you're personally interested in and what appeals to the way you want to play a game. You may not like the pixellated style but it's just that, a style. It's nostalgic for some and adds to the appeal in their eyes.
Yes, the game itself is very lego-like. Like SL much of the appeal is building, but there's a survival element that makes it more of a challenge.
SL isn't for everyone, and neither is Minecraft.
Posted by: Iris Ophelia | Friday, June 01, 2012 at 08:29 AM
Luci, look up "Spriting" or "Pixel Artist" you will find there is an entire genre of art devoted to this style.
Posted by: Adeon Writer | Friday, June 01, 2012 at 08:49 AM
I think these are absolutely some of the best Minecraft skins!
Posted by: John | Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at 07:35 AM
Careful shading, even if it's just a couple specks here and there, can add a lot of depth to a skin and make it stand out.
Posted by: soundcloud downloader | Friday, August 31, 2018 at 12:01 AM
THANKS
Posted by: William | Friday, April 05, 2019 at 09:17 PM