MY THOUGHTS ON CREATING WHAT I THINK OF AS ART by Susy Morpork

I read with interest Dorothy's article about upgrading her avatar. I am always looking for tips and help and i found the article good.

I would like however to add some of my own experiences with updating an avatar.

1. I always start by using the default shape supplied by the head creator. Not cos i will end up using it but cos i take various slider settings and jot them down.

2. I then add the new head to my body. I also wear my own shape and use a proportion rig to get the body head size correct... I use NanoGunk AV Shape Proportions Rig for this act and admit i have found it invaluable once i got used to it. This lets be make head size fit body and i not left with tiny head and extra long legs.

3. Once i got the proportions right which btw always have to be done with no hair and flat feet then i add my demo skins and start playing around with head sliders, i am constantly tweaking and altering and i usually get about 3 or 4 demos and see which i like best with the new head. I usually get demo skins from It Girls, Nuve, Moccino Beaute or Velour. I also try and get a skin that has been created for the particular head i am using but as i alter so much from the default shapes it is not a major "must have". I do tend to keep my skin tones with in a fairly tight colour range but again that is just my preference.

4. Once i got a "rough draft" so to speak I get the skin i have decided upon and add it , it is amazing the difference not having lines or demo written on the skin make , sounds obvious but creator usually manage to place the word demo or grid lines in the most distracting places and when you get the actual skin without those distractions i usually have to tweak the sliders again. I also use the proportional rig all the time as every time you alter your head stretch or chin depth it alters your proportions.

5.By now I have my basic shape, head and body proportional and now is time to play with eyes, nose and mouth. This for me is the time consuming bit and it very much a personal do i like or not thing again i compare the default slider settings to the settings i am creating all the time, This phase usually involves numerous cups of tea, step back and look alter, step back and repeat laughs.. I am also adding and trying various tattoo layers at this point such as freckles, moles, contour shading , shadow concealers until i get what i want and it becomes me and not a standard skin body.

6. Add hair and i often have to alter the head size by a couple of sliders here as some hairs make your head look way to big but that again is my personal preference and as i alter my hair all the time i can be constantly altering my head size. I also always use a hair base despite the newer hairs having one, again it is just a personal preference but it often just creates a better line.. I use either truth or Doux hair, again a personal preference.

7 Some one once called me "Anal" with the amount of time and effort I put in to an ava but I enjoy it and the ava becomes my art.