Skin Deep

Across the virtual worlds--especially in Second Life and IMVU—the avatar is made in a way that layers of graphics go over a computer-calculated mesh. Both worlds allow residents to create skins and bring them in world.

This is all a fancy way of saying we can make our faces and bodies kind of look the way we want. However, if we are not pros in Photoshop or 3ds Max, we need to live with the skins given us or purchase them from content creators in our respective worlds. Imagine me without a skin. This photo could not exist…

The skins are the most human elements of the avatar, besides the mesh shapes and animations, for avatars. They mark the difference between being a generic body and an individual persona and skin makers do fine business in both worlds. The skins create the base of the being that we inhibit in avatars and bring the poignancy of our humanness to our interactions. They make the 3D we engage in much more meaningful.

The following are the faces of some skins from Second Life. I have left the bodies off for the sake of a family-friendly rating for the blog ;)

Skin 1: Pulse Skin-Life/Tone 4 Warm m1 by Lorac Farella for Pulse Skins

Skin 2: Adam n Eve Skin - Portia - Tone 2 Dark – Rouge by Sachi Vixen for Adam n Eve

Skin 3: [LeLutka]-E/Estellelight-makeup9(D Brows) by Minnu Palen for LeLutka

Skin 4: []::Tuli::[] Bella (fair/br) VIP exclusive by Tuli Asturias for Tuli

Skin 5: *YS&YS* Adriana Lust 01 Natural EB Brown by Monicuzza Babenco for YS & YS

Skin 6: [PXL] July LT SpringRose DEB by Hart Larsson for [PXL]

Skin 7: [Bebae] Fabia > Cinna: 09 by Torie Senne for Bebae

Skin 8: *CUPCAKES - Daydream - Nutmeg – Spellbound by Rosemary Galbraith for Cupcakes

Skin 9: MIASNOW Skin - FOXY GIRL 6 by Miasnow Miriam for Miasnow

Skin 10: LAQ ~ Alison 01 [Peach] Glow skin by Mallory Cowen for LAQ

IMVU also has a wide variety of artists producing skins. Since I am not an “adult” member in IMVU, my avatar would always have the essential pieces covered. All is fine because you will see only faces here.

Skin 1: *AK* Smokgun Skin by Aloke19

Skin 2: S S.skin8 by StormieStyles

Skin 3: Clean – skin by AssassinKitty

Skin 4: *L* Bryonia Skin 8 by Lissibel

Skin 5: [W] wiiing skin 0905 by wiiing

Skin 6: (PH) Skin: Classic Goth by phoenixheart