New World Notes

Second Life Users Create Black Lives Matter Tribute Photos in Wake of George Floyd’s Death

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

In recent days, free copies of Black Lives Matter shirts and hoodies have been created and made available in Second Life -- direct teleport link here to get them.  

Since then, some SLers have used this apparel to take powerful and artful photos to show their solidarity with Black Lives Matter. Above, Nico Sorbet’s “Can’t Breathe” explicitly connects George Floyd’s death to Eric Garner’s - another unarmed Black man killed for a suspected petty crime. Petty larceny is not a capital crime yet some seem to accept police acting as judge, jury, and executioner for offenses that are less than a speeding ticket. 

Several more after the break:

Real Life Health Worker Creates Stylish Second Life Avatar As Tribute to Colleagues Treating COVID-19 Patients

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Jang Sungyoung’s self-named blog is usually fun and cheeky. But as a healthcare worker in real life, she took the time to create this image to reflect on her occupation. In the description of “Reporting for Duty”, she reveals that people have been rude to her for being a healthcare worker. She does not ask us to call her a hero or glorify her work, but just to remember that healthcare workers are at risk and so are their families:

“While we are busy taking care of our patients, we are away from our families and we are putting our very own health at risk. A simple smile, gratitude and appreciation is all we need. Stay safe everyone!”

• HAIR: I209a by tram
• GLASSES: #STOPCovid-19 Protective Glasses by The Owl at Cyber Fair
• MASK: Japanese Face Mask by Insomnia Angel

Here's another, more lighthearted fashion pic by Jang:

Somber & Beautiful Tribute to Quarantining in Real Life Created in Second Life

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Goodcross’ photo “Quarantine” is a beautiful example of how by taking away an artist can add something magical to a picture. Here the range of colors is limited, but the contrast and intensity is powerful. The interior is all in shadow and forms a frame for the avatar who looks out on New York City. It was fun to see his inspiration and how his picture differs while drawing from the original. 

More great photos below:

Cajsa's Flickr Find: Mr. Godard Makes Second Life Screenshots Look Like Old Real Life Photos

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

After a long absence, Mr. Godard has returned to posting his work on Flickr which is a good thing for all of us. He makes photos that seem so real even though they are taken in Second Life. One of the ways he does that is by adding age, wear, and tear to his pictures. For example, this snap of a motel sign and water town is given an aged look through the use of a light leak overlay that lets us imagine the picture comes from a different era. 

Mr. Godard also enjoys a visual pun. See below.

Cajsa's Second Life Flickr Pick: "Magic Marker" Makes the Virtual Look Real

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Light and shadow is everything in Magic Marker’s work. Take “Influence,” for example. Without the shadows cast by this would be a nice headshot, but with the shadows, it has a moodiness and drama. It goes from a still picture to a story. 

Shadow and silhouettes can express emotion so powerfully, as in the picture after the cut.

Cajsa's SL Flickr Pick: Watch Trixie Live Her Best Virtual World Life

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Trixie is living her best life. She’s shooting pictures full of love, friendship, and most of all joy. While jumping off a waterfall is not advised in your first life thanks to the churning turbulence that creates the tempting plunge pools that life below, you can leap off anything in Second Life and land safely, if not gracefully. 

More SL good times after the break.

How SLer Nova Frankenstein Created This Cool "Matrix Glitch" Look in GIMP

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

When I saw Nova Frankenstein’s “A Glitch in the Matrix”, I just had to ask how she did. It’s such a compelling self-portrait. In the description, she wrote, “Because I'm frustrated with all of my current photo ideas, I'm uploading this photo I did as a test edit for something else.”

As she explained it, It was one of those serendipitous moments where it all comes together. “When I did that photo, I was actually dealing with some mental health stuff while also experimenting with my editing style since I felt all of my photos looked so similar. I like switching things up, you know?” 

She was working in GIMP, trying different filters and she cannot remember exactly how she did it. She used a few adjustment layers, but the primary effect was the result of GIMP’s filter. This made me laugh because it reminded me of the best pumpkin stew I ever made. I was pulling a jar out of the spice rack and it tipped over, spilling out herbs from several of the jars. Rather than throw the herbs and spices away, I tossed them in the stew and it was amazing. I will never have it again. I wrote back sharing my best stew story, She laughed at the similarity. 

“I've had it happen a few times during editing. I love creating and it's my favorite way to pass time since it's so relaxing. And satisfying when I get a photo to look exactly how I imagined it. That one photo, in particular, was just a happy accident though.”

Click through for more GIMP details:

Beautifully Moody Second Life Images Inspired by Jazzinuf, Kudasai & JOJI

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Euphoric Distraction’s untitled picture is linked with Jazzinuf’s “Sunflower Samurai” which seems a perfect title in itself. In fact, I think his picture is better than the official video. It is artfully composed. The field meets the sky at a third of the way up and the samurai’s head is a third from the right, employing the rule of thirds perfectly. There is the slight blurring of the field creating a feeling of movement and a texture layer has been placed over the picture making the sky look as though it came in watercolor. 

After the break, a picture that we can all connect with.

This picture links to Kudasai’s “Dream of Her” — a quiet instrumental piece that suits the mood of this picture. While we don’t all have a young man’s bedroom full of youthful paraphernalia, most of us have sat in the dark with the only light coming from our computer screens.

Mind Carlberg Wins Our #NoAvatarSocialDistance Challenge With This Beautiful Tribute to a Chance Encounter in a Virtual Bar

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Congratulations to Mind Carlberg for winning our #NoAvatarSocialDistance Contest! After Hamlet and I picked out our top three, readers were invited to vote, and it was close. By a nose, Mind edged out the competition with this fabulous photo of a man and woman at a club. 

I asked Mind about his inspiration and how he created his image:

Second Life User Creates Virtual Scenes Inspired by Lyrics from Artists Like Falling In Reverse, Apashe, and TERRORBYTE

Cajsa Lilliehook covers the best in virtual world screenshot art and digital painting

Potato’s photostream is rich in color but even richer in emotional content. This picture of four friends watching TV is typical of her work. It is untitled and links to the song “Good News” by Apashe. I love that all four of them are lost in their own little world while watching TV. We keep seeing PSAs telling us that we are “Alone Together” but this picture seems to say they are together alone with the TV on or as the song lyric says, “I can never break something that ain't wrong,”

Some of her pictures can get a bit macabre, like the one right below the cut.