New World Notes

These Pics of Avatars on Zoom Calls Capture Who We Are in the COVID Age

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

Valentina Kendal suggested this picture from Flit Ulrik in a comment last Thursday. She’s right, it really is a great picture capturing what has become normal for so many people all around the world since the pandemic. Although we can congregate in large numbers in virtual worlds, it’s natural that our Second Life will reflect our first. I love how beautifully this captures the COVID zeitgeist. 

So I got to wondering if anyone else had created avatar Zoom-call pics.

Cajsa's Choices: My Favorite Second Life Blogs of 2020 Beyond Fashion -- Arts/Culture, Tutorials, Fiction

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

For my end-of-the-year rundown of favorite blogs, I want to feature those that don’t fit into my usual fashion and decor blog highlights. “Through Owl’s Eyes” by Owl Dragonash is a blog that focuses on Second Life arts and culture. She has her own art gallery which she promotes, but also promotes the work of other people and other blogs. It is the blog of a generous person whose goal is to amplify other people’s efforts. 

More fabulous posts ahead.

Cajsa's Choices: My 5 Favorite Second Life-Based Flickr Picks from 2020

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

It’s really hard to choose the best pictures of the year. Right now I have 30 pictures open from which to winnow. This picture from an April column featuring Kitty Sixpence is an easy choice, though. This is, of course, subjective, but I love pictures that turn reality on its head or maybe, on its side, and give us a different perspective. 

The next is one that got me to stop writing and go in-world to check it out.

Cajsa's Choices: Favorite Art Images I Want to Share Before 2020 Ends

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

The art on the walls in my first life is mostly abstract or amazing infographics. So Mark Noack’s “She Blinded Me with Science” blows me away. He begins with a SL screenshot or two or three and adds layers from stock sources. This is amazing. Even with the many layers, you can see the leading lines of the path toward the upper right. You can see more of his Second Life work here.

More art that didn’t make a feature but should have. 

Cajsa's Choices: My Favorite Virtual World Landscape Photos of 2020

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

The Far Away has long been a favorite of SL photographers. I immediately fell for this picture from JoAnna Kitten because it is a picture of one of my favorite places in SL and also so reminiscent of home. I grew up in the North Woods at the edge of the Red River Valley, the ancient Lake Agassiz lakebed that flattens North Dakota and western Minnesota. Skies last this were a sign of bad weather to come, the kind that can flatten a wheat field. Let’s hope it’s not a tornado. I like how well she utilizes the rule of thirds. 

Next, you could swear this was drawn by hand:

Huckleberry Hax's Poem of Hope at the End of 2020

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

Second Life blog posts don’t usually make me cry. This one did:

Hope
is a four letter word
that we learned as children
meant our dreams just might be heard.
That the world just might not end,
that the nukes were absurd,
and that ‘truth’ was relative
and that ‘truth’ would get stirred
and spread across the globe
so that boundaries got blurred.
We thought hatred would be beaten
and the powerless heard...

That’s all I have to say. Go read the rest.

Screenshot Post-Processing Tips from Virtual World Artist Suzen Juel

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

Suzen Juel’s photostream is full of pictures she has taken at Second Life art installations. Some of the time she interacts with the installation as in “Bridge,” the picture above from Cica Ghost’s installation. I asked her for her favorite photo and she chose this one, explaining, “I LOVE Cica Ghosts work and had a chance to visit her sim. The lighting was already bright and warm so this one wasn't as complex as I can get with some.” 

I love that she chose this one with her playing music as Suzen Juel is also known as Juel Resistance, the musician who performs live music in Second Life. She also has some of her own art in SL that she calls Inkies. You can check out her SL and RL art on her website.

Suzen explains what tools she uses to edit after the break.

These Postcard-Perfect Christmas Pics Were Actually Made in Second Life

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

RyanTailor has a fun photostream is full of Christmas right now, so I thought it would be a great one to feature. “Baby, it’s the best time of the year” has a vintage feeling thanks to the slightly yellowed and aged tone. It has a simplicity that I love. 

More modern and sardonic takes on Christmas ahead. 

Virtual Holiday Shopping Ideas Beautifully Depicted by Blogger Vitor Takeda

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

Takeda is the self-named blog of Vitor Takeda.  “This Christmas”  is a charming blog post featuring Takeda’s signature ability to create a narrative with a picture. He’s relaxing by the tree, playing with his cats, both of whom are dressed for the occasion. As a cat owner myself, I marvel at the cat with antlers. My cat would have that off in 2 seconds. Do you remember “Not Possible In Real Life?” We really did not need elaborate constructions, but just a cat wearing antlers. 

SCENARIO

• [REZZ ROOM] - Pack European Cat Adult Christmas Animesh @SantaInc.
• DISORDERLY - / Presently Xmas @SantaInc.
• .peaches. - Reagan Upholstered Table and Bulbs @SantaInc.

by Vitor 

• Shirt: -ODIREN- - Garry Sweater @TMD 
• Pants: {COLD-ASH} - Mens HOLLOWAY Ripped Jeans
• Shoes: EQUAL - Lee Sneakers

Vitor does steampunk next.

Artist Creates Amazing Virtual World Images Illustrating 5 Senses & 4 Elements

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

I love it when SL artists tackle a personal photography project to explore an idea. You can find these projects by checking out an artist’s albums where they collect photos in a set. Skye Donardson created a fascinating album featuring the five senses as tchotchkes on a table, or perhaps more accurately, specimens in a museum. One fascinating feature of the tableaux is that her avatar is represented as a head in a bell jar whose use of that sense is blocked. For “Hearing” she wears sound-suppression ear muffs. For “Taste” she wears a ball gag and so on. Do check out this album, it was a genius idea and brilliantly executed. 

Next, Skye takes a look at the elements.