Saturday, January 31, 2009

Follow Koinup updates on Twitter


You can follow Koinup updates, featured sims and member's interviews on our official Twitter Profile! Follow us here

On Twitter, we will keep you updated about the Koinup updates, on the blog interviews and overall on the most interesting things happening on the website!

Keep updated now!

A new rural scenery for your SL landscape photos


Zero Style is a perfect rural scenery to take fantastic Second Life landscape photos...

I suggest to visit that place, walk around, find the perfect angle and take tons of photos.....If you look at the Zero Style pool on Koinup, you can already find a great number of photos

Here is the Zero Style widget
(customize the widget, grab the code and install on your blog)


Koinup: Your <a href="http://www.koinup.com/">Virtual Life</a>


The image above is by Mamaz

Friday, January 30, 2009

Relax your avatar in a beautiful italian style sim


Kijiji is a new hangout for second life citizens....

On Kijiji, that is part of the Club VisiWa Islands, you can have a lovely time, walking in a beautiful italian-style environment and take photos to the amazing builds....

The sim has been discovered by the undefatigable Liqueur Felix and many other members followed Liqueur, by publishing amazing photos visible here

Here is the widget! (Get your own Kijiji widget!)


Fragrant mushrooms for World of Warcraft players

World of Warcraft is filled with fantastic spots, to relax (if you won't be killed) or just to admire incredible naturalistic landscapes. Today I introduce you these adorable Mushrooms shooted by Arowhena

Mushrooms
(click the image to view larger)

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Koinup Interviews: Poid Mahovlich, from burning life to art installation in Second Life


Poid Mahovlich is an eclectic second life artist. She is involved in the machinima scene, in the amazing second life architecture community and she also is one of the main co-ordinators of the Burning Life project

Poid is quite active on Koinup since some months and she use to share some fantastic places she stumpleupon in the grid, each day.... Have a look at her stream here

Here's the Interview

Q: What is your main activity in SL and your fav artistic activity while you are in the grid?


A: I have a varied selection of activities that I do grid wide, I'm mainly involved in Arts development - My current fav activity at the moment is making machinima , here's my page on Youtube
My first one being life is a bowl of ... followed by The Hotel Dare room 9 - both machinema films also show some of the most recent work that I have been building on the grid, most of which is ephemeral - so to document it both via SL snapshot photography and machinema makes both sence and is also a creative way to continue working - I use a space navigator, fraps and sony vegas to create and edit with. I have been involved in machinema making for the last year or so but I wanted to start to make my own all by myself - so that is the task I set myself for this first half of the year.

little bird

Q: When you're creating new artworks, where do you draw ideas and inspiration from?
A: I'm inspired by people, situations and captivating places, like photographers are - I Have a weakness for the unusual and I like to create illusions by way of telling a story with my images. I like the mundane day to day simple things which I randomly come across, which stand out in silent brilliance, and as already mentioned the odd & strange - I was one of those kids who collected bugs and played with fire.


Q: What advice would you give to beginners with Second Life and Second Life artistic tools?
A: Jump head long into tools and experiment with all you can get hold of - find your own way around and try to capture what moves you, affects & inspires you. Visit a new sim as often as you can and have a good look all around you as you never know what will be above or below. Windlight settings is a fun and very easy way to change perspective on the world around you. If you don't know where to start, Torley Linden has some great online tutorials available just google his name.


Q: Tell me two Koinup members you should recommended for the next Koinup Interview?
A: bark - - simple stunning gallery!
sabrainsl - - I love how this makes me feel I'd be intersted in what each had to say.


Q: If you should bring a friend of you into the Metaverse, what places you would love to show him?
A: Tough question as there is just so much to see in Second Life and always new things springing up but it would have to include tp trips to The Wastelands where I have my own home base feel free to drop in anytime - Junkyard (slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/The%20Junkyard/212/151/73 ) would definately be a place I would show, also Alexander Beach (slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Alexander%20Beach/127/127/25 ) would be another as the arcitecture by Scope Cleaver is the best I have seen in Second Life by far.
Hosoi Ichiba (slurl: http://slurl.com/secondlife/Japan%20Kanto/221/175/30 ) I would also show - that would do to start with :)


Q: What are your upcoming projects in Second Life?
I am continuing to work on the Burning Life project with the 2009 event coming up later on in the year - I'm working as an art director/curator for this event which I am looking forward to greatly. I have a smattering of other varied and diverse projects also in the pipeline they will evolve throughout the year ahead one by one. Steady as she goes :)

Monday, January 26, 2009

Memory of the 2nd life: Bkiddo

Tattered Memory has been suggested as one of the most fav Koinup pics during our Koinup Interviews. Created by Bkiddo this image goes beyond the standard snapshot and/or postcard, because it depict a memory or a dream-like atmosphere...

So it is a representation (a memory image) of a representation (second life avatar) and it make us think to some philosophical issues like the reality and un-reality of virtual worlds, or the real meaning of our virtual lives, etc...

Tattered Memory

click the image to view it larger

Scribble, where nature and surrealism meet


Second Life and other virtual worlds are a great opportunity because they usually make possible what is not possible in real life.

Today, I like direct your attention to this amazing surreal and naturalistic "at the same time" Sim, called Scribble

Scribble is one of the new favorite hangouts for Koinuppers and we have already dozens of photos spread from this amazing sim

I invite you to have a look at the Scribble stream and then teleport in world to see that with your eyes!





(image above by Liqueur)

Friday, January 23, 2009

How do you make your Second Life Masterpieces?


New World Notes Hamlet Au just posted on his New World Tableau weekly column a "Before and After" piece about Cala Rossini (Trixibelle) Contemplation.

Hamlet, quoting the author, explain how Cala made her masterpiece and post both the unedited raw pic and final result "Contemplation"

If you want to feature on the most important Second Life Journal, you should consider to post on Koinup your masterpieces and also the unedited versions you started from and add a quick tutorial explaining your steps....
Read More

Once you have posted, don't forget to contact Hamlet Au on his Koinup Page

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Koinup Interviews: MedeAthena, creativity beyond virtual world borders



MedeAthena, from Italy, is actually a "benchmark" for the Koinup artistic archive. Her pieces are getting hundreds of comments from all over the community.
She is well know Sims Artist, but started recently to work also with Second Life, with some remarkable results

Here's the Interview with MedeAthena

Q: When you're creating new artworks, where do you draw ideas and inspiration from?

A: Usually everything starts from my mind, like a light switched on…often just a song lyric, a sentence from a book or an emotion I’m feeling are enough to inspire me a pic. In the last months I’m drawing a lot of ideas from role playing games developed as Sims contest…so, much of the merit goes to the players that write stories and dialogues with me, linking their characters with mine ( for example, Mika with Will and Sam, Kady with James and JD, and so on)

Pain

Q: What advice would you give to newcomers and beginners with The Sims Art and photography?
A: The most important thing? Having fun! The photos express the spirit of the artist, and for this reason everyone has a value and deserves to be appreciated. And above all…try always to be original! The most beautiful aspect of art is that it allows you to express thoughts and emotions through your own conception of the world, that is unique and irripetibile…do not waste it conforming to models that are not yours and you don’t feel yours. It's your chance to  show your soul...

Q: What are you favourite tools for editing? Is there some cool tricks about editing and your style you'd love share with friends ?
A: First of all, I use a screen-capture software called Fraps to take images in high resolution. Then…I really don’t have my own technique, it depends on the final result I want. I always try to round the shape of the sims with the Fluidify tool…I hate to see my characters’ edges so squared! I suggest to try also to use textures and play with the layers options, they can do amazing effects to the pic. But I always say that my favourite technique is…randomness!

Q: Tell me your absolute 3 favs on Koinup and why you love them?
Only three?! It’s so hard to choose…well, I think that my top favs are
A: I’d like to say farewell with a smile By Violentdoll
Malice looks like real and alive, this pic can tell you more than a book…

B: Bride of love By Kady, one of the best compositions of lights, shadows, colors and feelings I’ve ever seen!

C: There was no pain By Magggg, beyond the unbelievable artistic side, it’s so full of emotions that really touches me every time I watch it.

Q: Two Koinup members you should recommended for the next Koinup Interview and why?
A: Only two?! There’s so many artists I love and I appreciate: first of all Kady, Magggg, Mika_Chan, Sour_Tea (she's a genius!), Kira_87, Shanti_Ashtangi and Lithea for The Sims, Panteleimon-Aeon, Angel_Ronmark and Tessybaby for Second Life…
I'm sure I forgot someone...they are really a lot! I didn’t mentioned Violentdoll, Trixibelle, Eves_Rodenberger and Icarus Robbiani only because they already had their interview (follow the Koinup interviews here), but they are in my favourites.


Q: What are your upcoming artistic projects?
A: I don’t have real projects, I always work with the inspiration of the moment…but I have 2 or 3 pics in my mind, one of them leaving the dark atmospheres and more on the fantasy side…I like trying always new sceneries for my pics.

Q: Along with The Sims, are you exploring and testing other worlds as tools for creativity?
A: Yes, I’m on Second Life since a month and I really love it! Especially, I adore the lot of different places I can visit and the effects I can apply on the environment with the windlight effects, so I’m thinking to use often SL pics as background for my sim characters. I’ll never thought I could have such fun taking landscapes shots before Second Life.

Browse all the MedeAthena stream here

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Beyond SL Photo, with Marie Lauridsen

Some members on Koinup are raising the bar of the self-expression, they are bringing virtual worlds creativity beyond you usually expect to find it....

Today I wanna direct your attention to this amazing work created by Marie Lauridsen

Marie joined Koinup only some days ago, but she has already a valuable gallery
(browse here more Marie Lauridsen works)



click the image to view in the original size

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

New World by Eves Rodenberger feature on the New World Tableau

The Koinup partner New World Notes recently featured "New World" by Eves Rodenberger on the column New World Tableau. Eves has been also recently interviewed for the Koinup Interviews.

Click on the pic to view in the original size or read the story on the NWN
New World

Golgothica3 by Sebcaen

Sebcaen (also known as Seb Ulysses) is one of the most appreciated photographers in Second Life

Here's one of his most recent photos: Golgothica3

Golgothica3

click on the image to view it in the original size

Monday, January 19, 2009

Photo Sessions. Learn Second Life photos tricks with Panteleimon Aeon


What a better way to become a skilled photographer than learning from the best?

Meet us, Tuesday 20th of January, on Orange Island at 11AM SLT for our monthly Photo Session co-hosted with Koinup. We are very proud to welcome one of the most popular and talented artist on Koinup: Panteleimon Aeon

Read more on the Orange Island blog



Photo Sessions is a project brought to you by Orange Island and Koinup. Photo Sessions goal is to provide Second Life photographers with a confortable place where discuss, share and have good time while sharing their art!

The most popular Second Life sites of the month


The Second Life Directory of Places is featuring more than 2000 sites.
This month the most popular Second Life Places are:


Amorio Isle

Scribble
EDO Kanda
RMB City 1
Alvensleben


If you instead prefer browse some of the latest discovered, maybe you can be interested in:
Frankfurt Ost
Nimue Isle
Avendale


The image above "impression" is by Karro Lean
(taken in Scribble)

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Butterflies Avatar

Suggested many times during the Koinup Interviews, Dream of the Butterflies is one of the most popular (coolest) works on Koinup! Thank you very much Panteleimon Aeon for sharing such incredible photos!

Dream of the butterflies

(click the image to see it in the original size)

Friday, January 16, 2009

Koinup Interviews: GTXXTG, The Avatar Graphic Artist


Picked by Mario Gerosa as Winner of Avatar Art Contest in the Traditional Art and Post Kitsch Style, GTXXTG is relative new artist on Koinup, if though he has a very long experience with creative tools.
Working mainly in IMVU, GTXXTG is really an unique IMVU Graphic Avatar Artist!

Here's the Interview

Q: When you're creating new contents and photos, where do you draw ideas and inspiration from?

A: In the beginning I started with ideas related to architecture, like you know I'm a big fan of the mexican architect Luis Barragan and also of the Belgium architect Horta. After 7 restarts in IMVU I made a avatar could Louis Barragan. I had alot of friends. To reward them for their friendship and kindness I made for some a pict with there avatar in (Herma collection No. 1 & 2, Terra collection No. 1 & 3) , as a sort of a gift.

Terra collection No. 2

Q: What advice would you give to newcomers and beginners with IMVU art?

A: To newcomers on IMVU: Take your time, go visit some rooms, meet people, make friends, make fun. To the beginners of IMVU art: Steal with your eyes from others, they did the same thing at there beginning. Go to find the answers on the internet you don't find in IMVU. Learn to controle some important applications (like PhotoShop) to create pictures with. There are alot of groups in IMVU where you can sign in for free, with alot of professional members who can help you to become better and better. I had no need to that because I'm a professional grafical designer/painter in my country. I'm working with PhotoShop 1.0 from the beginning (02/1990).

Q: Your 3 absolute fav works on Koinup and why you love them?

A: This is a very difficult question, because there are alot of designers who are making fantastic works, so 3 works out of 345 fav works?

(1) T-shirt by Stessanie: tinny and little pic, high quality made, superb idea.

(2) Romina pf by Stellina89: Stellina has made it so simple, so warm, so naïef, so virgin…

(3) Emotional Abuse by Violentdoll: like the Mona Lisa… is she laughing or not, here eyes going straite through you, she's playing with you, she wanted you… for what? Great work!

To all the other artists in Koinup… congratulations for all your works.



Q: Tell me 2 Koinup artists you should recommended for the next Koinup Interviews?

A: Stellina89 and Violentdoll


Q: What you most love to do while you are in IMVU?

A: To make a big database from all different kind of avatar models with special dresses and to use some in my pics to please all of you.



Q: Are there some places/room where you love hangout?

A: The Dressing Room, to be creative with dresses, hair, shoes, models, etc.


Q: What are your upcoming projects in IMVU and with the IMVU Art?

A: Some new pics for the Barragan collection, a total new collection and a picture for the Terra collection who is nearly ready.


Q: Are you exploring other virtual worlds for creative ventures?

I have deep wishes to explore oneday Sims2 or maybe later Sims3, but for the time being, I have everything in IMVU to be happy with, good friends and Koinup Art Colleagues (or maybe to be a member with a Acces Pass in IMVU).

Browse all the other works of GTXXTG here or read the other Koinup Interviews

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Pathfinder, 4th round results!


We are ready to announce the winners of the Pathfinder Contest (forth round competition)!
The theme of the week was "Sci Fi Sims" and some members discovered (and posted) some amazing science-fiction based lands.

The winners are:
Liqueur Felix (Liqueur)
Pagura
Poid Mahovlich

Here are some of the most exciting Sci-Fi sims shared on Koinup by the winners
Byss
Meincassel
Insilico West
Dead Realm
Cormac
Eden Valley

The winners are invited to contact us at editor@koinup.com , letting us know their sl names and claiming the prizes

I remember to all of you that the prize of this week is a set of FreshPoses, the amazing poses kindly supplied by Ana Lutetia

Ana Lutetia, the well known Second Life fashionistas, blogger and poser, recently joined the crew of Pathfinder as a Partner Developer

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Koinup Interviews: Trixibelle, Real Emotions in Second Life


"For me inspiration comes from emotions. These can be emotions I feel from a piece of music, a personal emotion, an emotion inspired by something someone else is going through or even the feeling I get on a sim."

Trixibelle is one of the most active and long time member on Koinup, her works are usually visible on the Second Life homepage. What she is working the most is trying to capture something real behind the pixel of the avatar.

Some weeks ago, she won the Orange Winter Hunt with a fantastic piece called Peace at Last, shooted in the sim Cu Mara Moreover, her works recently featured in the Map of Avatar Soul (open forum project on Koinup blog)

Here's the Interview with Trixibelle (also known as Cala Rossini in SL)

Q: When you're creating new art and photos, where do you draw ideas and inspiration from?

R: For me inspiration comes from emotions. These can be emotions I feel from a piece of music, a personal emotion, an emotion inspired by something someone else is going through or even the feeling I get on a sim. If I don't get a buzz when I see it I really can't do a good photo.

Dream on

Q: What advice would you give to newcomers and beginners with Second Life art and photography?

A: Firstly to just enjoy it, if you don't then it becomes a chore rather than fun. Explore and don't be afraid to play around with your windlight settings. The best pieces come from tweaking!! Also to make the most of inworld resources such as dedicated artist/photography groups, they are great if you want to ask a question of any sort. Finally I would encourage anyone new to try to "buddy up" with an experienced photographer. Most of the Koinup crew love meeting new people and helping out, and its a fantastic way to learn, just spending an hour taking snaps of a sim with someone beside you to ask questions to. Invaluable.


Q: Your 3 absolutely favourite works on Koinup and why you love them?

A: Well like everyone has said already this is a hard thing to narrow down but there are a few I keep going back to for another look so they must capture something for me.

1) ninja angel by Angel Ronmark

This is still my favourite Koinup picture of all time. Just seeing it again gives me goosebumps. The lighting, expression and colours just all blend to give an amazing feel of this beautiful woman caught inside a costume & role that has become her life. Now she knows nothing else. (yep deep I know, but that is what I feel when i see it)


2) Solie 2008 v.2 by Jade Collins

Jade Collins says the model just turned her head and he caught the moment...and that is exactly what you feel. She draws you in with a look of natural seduction, just her expression. And I love the lighting.


3) Carp by Ashanti

I just love the surreal image.


Q: Tell me two members you should recommended for the next Koinup Interview?

A: Hard again. There are so many amazing photographers. But I think you would get really interesting interviews from Venk (Stephen Venkman) and Lano (Lano Ling). Stephen has done a huge amount to encourage & support artsists in Second Life. Lano is one of the best photographers in sl.


Q: If you should make a reportage from the Metaverse, what places you would love to photograph and share with your friends?

A: I am not very good with architecture, so I tend to head for the sims that are closer to nature. I still love Templum ex Obscurum, it gives massive scope for photographers of all levels. Las Arenas sims are always lovely to visit and are relaxing too! I would also love to be able to take a decent shot of Golgothica, I have seen some amazing pieces from there.


Q: What are your upcoming projects in Second Life?
A: Its looking like I may be getting more involved with the Orange photo sessions, time permitting.

I will be opening my own pose and shape store, hopefully within the next month or so. I still hope to create a gallery dedicated to Koinup folk and would like do more to encourage and help new artists.*



Q: Are you already exploring other worlds for creative ventures? What have you found there?
Nope but having seen HarryMonk WoW pieces and I wouldn't mind taking a look at that. I have accounts in IMVU & Lively but I have too much going on in rl and sl to really look around.

Browse all the Trixibelle Stream


*(let me add that Trixibelle has been the mind behind the Mentor Project, read more here)

Open Forum: Is there a soul behind your avatar. The Map

Some works suggested in the Avatar Soul Open Forum, if you run into other works that capture the real emotions behind the avatar, suggest here on the comments or here on the other Open Forum
(click on the pictures to view in the original size)



















Monday, January 12, 2009

Open Forum: Is there a soul behind your avatar

Joy
Looking at this work by Raul Crimson it seems that we should reply "yes, definetely avatars are a true representation of our souls...."

If you stumbleupon some other pics that are depicting the soul behond the pure appearance, please leave the links here on the comments and I'll put them on the next posts....

I'm most seeking for portraits, or self-portraits that try to capture the emotions there is behind a gesture or just capture a sensation......

Icarus Robbiani's "Trigger" featured on NWN

TriggerSays Icarus Robbiani To Hamlet Au: "I have duplicated the background layer to create the frame effect," and continue "then I used first a glow effect and after the 'Soften Portrait', finally I have applied with a new layer the texture 'Antique Texture' with blending mode 'Overlay'."

Trigger is one of the most fashinating photos by Icarus and you can read the story behind this pic, here on NWN

New World Notes use to feature Koinup Works on the New World Tableau Column so I suggest you to let Hamlet knows about your works, and contact him on his Koinup profile (SL Hamlet)

He is most interested in Second Life and Open Sim pictures...

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Koinup on Tonight Live With Paisley Beebe

This Sunday at 6:00pm (SLT) me (and my avatar Koinup Burt, of course) will seat at the Tonight Live show run by Paisley Beebe. Along with Koinup Burt, Paisley Beebe will interview China Tracy, author of the RMB City and well know Second Life Artist

Paisley Beebe will ask some questions, running from "why is it different to Flickr?" to "what are you planning for the future upgrades?"

You can read the presentation of the show here on the Tonight Live With Paisley Blog

If you want to be part of our audience in Second life for the live taping of this show make sure you come claim your seat at 5.30pm before we kick off at 6.00 (this is the direct slurl). The show will also of course be broadcasted live on SLCN.TV and then the archive goes up on SLCN the very next day.

All the info here

The Amazing Sculptures of Bryn Oh


It was a perfect tour at Immersiva, yesterday for the NPIRL Safari

Bryn Oh the creator of the sim and of all the contents, you can find there, guided us in this fabolous place. He showed us all the hidden parts of this sim.

We saw her melancholic robots, her surreal sculptures and her thinking rooms.



Below is a detail of her sculpture Ferrisquito (photo by ThessWriter)
Ferrisquito

This is an other detail of a Bryn Oh sculpture (photo by Poid Mahovlich)
Bryn Oh - Poid Mahovlich

If you have some photos of the tour, please post them (and remember to add the slurl:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Immersiva/128/128/0 )
All the photos will be visible in the Immersiva Pool


Bark is publishing a fashinating reportage from the Tour, here

Thanks to all the guys which took part in the show!

Saturday, January 10, 2009

NPIRL Koinup Safari: Bryn Oh will show the Photogenic Immersiva


Today, January 10th at 11:00am SLT, and awaiting on the other side of your teleport (directly telepor from here) will be Bryn Oh. For an hour, this talented content creator will give an intimate and informative tour of one of the most photogenic sims on the grid: Immersiva.

Read More on the NPIRL Blog

As right said by Bettina Tizzy, lead of the NPIRL group: "Immersiva is emerging as one of the truly great sims on the grid" ......and you can't miss this NPIRL safari!!!!

Once a month, NPIRL and Koinup are offering the NPIRL Safaris - with many of Second Life's best content creators, exposing the participants to new sims, new content, and new ideas that are leaving the old world behind and breaching the future.

The Not Possible IRL (NPIRL) and Impossible IRL (ImpIRL) groups are dedicated to identifying and sharing well conceived and realized content creation in Virtual Worlds which would not be possible in Real Life: architecture, landscaping, art, animations, fashion, particle effects, building tools and scripts... show me, I'll show you.

The image above, shooted at Immersiva, is by Karro Lean

You can browse other Immersiva Pictures

Friday, January 9, 2009

Koinup Interviews: The Metaverse Paintings of Icarus Robbiani


Second Life Photos are more than trivial screenshots, some of them look like paintings. Icarus Robbiani bring the SL Photo scene a step further and depict amazing landscapes, sceneries and visions.
He's using the SL Photo Medium like a painter can do.

Here's the interview with Icarus



Q: When you're creating new artworks, where do you draw ideas and inspiration from?

A: Directly from the subject of my pics, both if they are avatars or landscapes.

Usually I try to made a Second Life Snapshot thinking that is in real world, one of the best rules in that case is to try to made the pic at our best, forgetting that I have the possibly to postprocess it later... In that way I force myself to find the best angle and / or the best windlight setting.

Behind a land well builded or on a tidy avatar, there is always passion, attention, often also poetry. My first thought is to show on my pics all these aspects.

Surely my biggest satisfaction is to transform the hard work of a builder into a painting, a big part of the lands that I had visited are really well builded and that is the best starting point for made a good snapshot.

Lost World

Q: What advice would you give to newcomers and beginners with Second Life art and photography ?

A: First of all: Download the Torley's Windlight Settings and Presets!!!

Second: Take a deep look at Koinup's Second Life Places Directory and bookmark all the places that could be interesting, both to photograph landscapes and avatars. ;-)

Third: When you arrive in a new place, before taking snapshots, try to made a tour of it, the risk to lose some interesting glimpses is very high.

Fourth: Once decided how to made you snapshot (distance and angle), try to be patient and take severals snapshot of the same subject, with different presets.

Fifth (and last, lol): When you have tried all the possibilities in post-production to improve the quality of a snapshot and you aren't satisfied of the result, don't delete the original, maybe you can find the inspiration for the next shoot.


Q: What are the 3 most interesting works on Koinup and why you love them ?

A: Is very difficult to choose only 3 works on all the pics available on Koinup, this community has lot of talented artists :-)

I think that in Second Life is more simply create good artworks than in other worlds, probably is for this that my preferred pic is "Illuminami..." ( ) of Magggg. It's not a simply artwork, it's pure poetry :-)

Then... other two works... I have a lot of works on my mind that can be picked, eheh...

"Dream of the butterflies" of PANTELEIMON-AEON. You can feel all the magic atmosphere of a fairy wood :-)

"From child to woman" of Trixibelle. Another great example of poetry :-)


Q: Tell me two or three Koinup artists you should recommended for the next Koinup Interview?

A: Surely the three artists of my preferred pics, Magggg, PANTELEIMON AEON and Trixibelle (known as Cala Rossini in Second Life)... but also Winter, Karro Lean, BBeau, MedeAthena, Kady, Marty86, Mika_Chan... just be spoilt for choise ;-) (I didn't mentioned Eves Rodenberger just because you have already intervisted her ^_^)

Q: If you should bring a friend of you into the Metaverse, what places you would love to show him?

A: First an empty place. I will ask him to build his dream and I will come back later for take some pics ^_^

Then... choose places is like choose the interesting works, too many possibilities, lol.

But, if I have to reduce the choise at only some places, I think I will show him:

- Golgothica
- Las Arenas Rosadas with all the near sims
- Tempura Island
- Tainted Hearth
- Beguile
- Other 40 different sims (the list is very long...)


Q: What are your upcoming projects in Second Life?


A: On the next weeks we will open, with Morgause978 (known as Morgause978 Merlin)that is another talented artist (both with sl and rl pics), a permanent gallery in Bunny Bay. For this I have to thank a dear and true friend, Paol Oh, that has builded for us the skybox where we will show our artworks :-)

When we will define the exact day for the inauguration, I will publish the invitation on my pics

Then I have also in project to organize a new exhibition, after the success of "What a Wonderful World" on WDT Planet. This time I'd like to try with the portraits, for the moment I can't explain more, the only thing that this new exhibition will have similar with the previous will be the 3 W on the title (but for the moment it's a secret :-P). Surely, before organize it, I want to improve myself on the portraits, I want to capture the essence of each avatar and if is possible also of the person behind it :-)

Browse more Icarus Robbiani Photos!

Thursday, January 8, 2009

The Evocative Avatar Portraits of Jenn Villota


Jenn Villota is a quite new artist on Koinup, but her Second Life Portraits of Avatars are some of the most appreciated by the community. Probably because she is trying to capture the real emotions behind the avatars....or to move the bar in avatar sensibility.
Have a look at the fantastic Jenn Villota photo stream

sex type thing

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Woods and Waterfalls in World of Warcraft


World of Warcraft is filled up by amazing hotspots, woods, trees and landscapes or waterfalls. You can go there for gaming or just like an explorer looking for beautiful hotspots to shoot!

On Koinup you can find amazing pictures depicting such beautiful environments

Yet another waterfall in Schol...
Above you have two amazing World of Warcraft Landscapes by Harrymonk

Monday, January 5, 2009

Koinup Group SL Photo shooting


All Koinup Members are invited to the Koinup Group SL Photo Shooting at Unintended Water (direct slurl here)

Following is the press release by Thess Writer and Eves Rodenberger

"Uninteded Water proudly presents the unmatched Toilet Pyramide created by Thess Writer and shown first time in Unintended Water.

We would like you to join us on the 6th January at 6:30 AM SLT / 3:30 PM Central European time (4:30 PM in Greece) for a Group picture, we have about 18 seats.

Some tips to be memorable in the shot!

Dress code: B&W clothes, preferably tight

Women: ready for Pole dance so Pumps and stocking
Men: in cuffs and gas mask handy

Well kidding but it will be a funny installation :))

We are looking forward to see you all :)) "

If you'd love to get a memorable shot of your Koinup and Second Life life, you should absolutely attend the group shot!

The image above "broken smile" is by Angel Ronmark

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Opensim creativity. From Art to Photography and Building

Rezzable Private Alpha Grid (P...
Taken by Vint Falken in the new Rezzable Private Sim this photo show the potential you already can get with the Open Sim Photography and Building tools.
Plants & lighthouse depicts a vegetal sculpty in a perfect windlight environment.....you can browse other similars Open Sims photos here

The metaverse photography is expanding in new worlds and realms! Browse more Open Sim Pictures here

Friday, January 2, 2009

A Steampunk Second Life Documentary

Recently reviewed by New World Notes, BoingBoing and other excellent magazines, Pipedream @ Hambone Flux has been welcomed as one of the most fashinating Second Life documentaries of the last year (2008). Created by Mescaline Tammas (Mescaline on Koinup) this machinima depict a surreal steampunk scenery setted in the amazing sim China

Enjoy this Machinima!
<a href="http://www.koinup.com/mescaline/work/100747/">Pipedream @ Hambone Flux</a> - a <a href="http://www.koinup.com/in-second-life/on-videos/">Second Life Machinima</a> by <a href="http://www.koinup.com/mescaline/">mescaline</a> on <a href="http://www.koinup.com">Koinup</a>

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Most Visited Second Life Places on 2008


New World Notes journalist Hamlet Au just posted a great article featuring the most visited and popular Second Life Places of the last year (on Koinup, obviously)


They are:
Creamshop a fantastic hurban environment...

Cu Mara a snowing and dreamy landscape

Gion a perfect remake of the traditional quartiers of Kyoto

Rez
a desolate and surrealistic view

Mao the China Great Wall building

Tempura Island
a beautiful naturalistic japanese environment

Wales Springs
the new enchanting vision by AM Radio

I invite you to read all the article on New World Notes or read here how to contribute to Second Life Places directory


The image above is by Prad Prathivi, Mao