There is a 14,304m2 public sandbox run by the Public Sandbox Group with a two hour auto-return set. It is abused heavily with sales signs and megaprims and on one occasion I couldn’t even enter it because some dickwad had boxed the whole area. In general though this is the best combination for new resident starting points, a space to set as home and a nearby public space for meeting and creating. It’s too bad the Lindens don’t provide these spaces, forcing residents to fight for land and then pay to host it.

Right next to the Infohub itself are a number of horrible sub-512 shops and one sub-1024 fireworks spot. All are littered with prims, some with garish noises, rotating signs and other annoyances.

Close by is a nice waterfall area called aMauve Falls owned by the Mauve Group. At almost 10,000m2 this adds another decent chunk of public land to the region and is well designed. I will look for this trend of region-named groups as I continue my survey.

Overall the Infohub itself is nicely designed if a little esoteric in its information dispersal, but a little on the small side. The other public spaces provided by residents are a bonus and help offset the small parcel shop abuse. Mauve is also a +/-40 terraforming region so watch out for hideous inappropriate mountains.

 

If you are interested in having Saturnine do photography or design work for your project check her classified information below and contact her directly as the owner of Habernine Photography or visit the in-world office linked below.

Habernine Photography

“Capturing the Imagination”

That is  the goal and passion of Habernine Photography.

I specialize in high resolution photography and graphics.

Whether it’s personal or for  business, I provide hundreds of poses, background options  and custom graphics.

Weddings, Portfolios, Web Design, Graphical Design, Portraits, Couples, Artistic Nudes, Group Photos and more.

Contact Saturnine Dryke or visit me at Habernine Photography Studio.

Please see “Picks” for more information about the Studio.

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Weddings, portraits, invitations, profile photos, photos, profile, graphics, design, portfolios, nik naks, radio station, freebies, shoutcast, servers, streams, streaming, houses, vendors, club supplies, prefabs, photography

Visit the in-world office by clicking here.

 

The center of the region is a giant mall under construction called simply “Hyles”, taking up over a quarter on the region’s space. Other spots in the region are nearly bare but despite being a water-based Atoll location the morons have seen fit to raise the land above water revealing the hideous Atoll land textures.

I’m sorry, this region is a disgrace. While the tiny Infohub rez spot is an average build, the larger area is a disaster. That new residents could get their first real glimpse of Second Life here should embarrass Linden Lab. Based on tales of the Telehub days, it looks like Hyles is shaping up to carry on that pattern: small, worthless rez area dominated by giant shopping spot. Disgraceful.

 

If you are interested in hiring Milk for your photography work check her classified information included below and send her an instant message, notecard or drop by her office through the link at the bottom.

MM Photography

Only the best photography in Second Life for model portfolio’s, events, weddings, fashion, profiles, vendors, advertising, sim advertisement and just for personal use. Landscapes, fashion, models, weddings, anything you want I’ll be able to do.

Visit the store and pick up a notecard for more information, prices and examples.

Photography, photographer, photos, modelling, portfolio, landscapes, portraits, profiles, pictures, pics, camera, models, model.

Visit the in-world office by clicking here

Visit In-World Now

 

The Infohub itself is dug deeper to form sort of a pit. A bonfire sits near the middle surrounded by what appears to be discarded furniture. Numerous freebie-dispensing items surround the perimeter and a map of the Mainland continents is easily visible. A nearly collapsed stretch of railroad track lies to the south including some rail cars. Next to this is a weathered dock with a connected ship. There is plenty to explore here away from the Infohub rez spot, and even more free items to be found.

Rail Mall & Grand Calleta Terminal takes up an additional 13,776m2 of land and features a bustling train yard with sounds and particles indicating the trains are ready to go. The Rail Mall appears to be the twelve-story skyscraper, but as it is wholly empty it doesn’t make much of a mall. A nice elevator let’s you ride to each floor and even the roof where a helicopter sits on its pad.

On the east side you’ll find Rags to Riches, another hobo-themed build. The Bodega Supermarket has plenty of items to give away, making sure new hobos can smoke away their homeless lives. As the land description states, “Hobo Created Store for your every needless thing.” The Hobo Pawnshop is stocked with freebie vendors.

As a build Calleta is average to above-average. The other region parcel owners seem to be following the theme. The hub itself is fairly massive, but I’m not sure how well the rez area does at encouraging new residents to explore the neighboring train and dock areas which are more interesting designs. As an Infohub Calleta has an interesting theme that is well executed. How good a decision to initiate new users through the “bum milieu” is certainly debatable.

 

Printed below are Alizarin Goldflake’s notes describing the various levels of the Studio as part of the walking tour.

Digital Art

(West Piazza)

OK, to start, there is an immersive art sculpture over the fountain called “Whispering.”  It is made of  a number of linked sculpties with animated textures, and it has a rotation script in it as well.

On the walls of the building there are a couple of digital drawing landscapes from RL.  They were drawin in a program called Corel Painter using a Wacom digitzing tablet and stylus.  I use Painter for making 95% of my SL textures.

Also be sure to notice the digital  banners flying from the corners of the garden trellis.  With the exception of the Linden plants, all of the textures throughout the atelier - art, furniture, and buillding - were digitally drawn by me (more about that at the end).

Let’s walk  east into the ground floor gallery.  And feel free to stop me anytime with questions.  Please ask your questions in chat, not IM, because as you can see I am in Busy Mode so that I can give your group my full attention.

This is a display of 2-D digital collages made in RL based on a creative approach I discovered making art in Second life.  The approach is called process art, and the main characteristic of it is the fact that the end result is not envisioned at the beginning but arises from combining and composing visual elements spontaneously.  The textures were drawn in Painter, but a lot of the collaging took place in Photoshop.

In the central atrium is another piece of 3-D immersive art “Neriad.” It is made of sculpties, spheres, textures, scripts, and particles.

(East piazza)

Here I have a skating rink with vendors offering freebie ice skates. This is a seasonal installation. You are welcome to come back and skate later on.  There is a winter-themed immersive art globe and some more banners, too. And some Tokoroten sculpty evergreens.

My TPs are brightly colored boxes located on the walls on every floor.  Let’s continue the tour over here by taking the bottom red TP to the second floor.

Art & Meditation

This is a meditation alcove and along the walls are a selection of black and white digital drawing imported from  RL.  One from this series won first prize at the Butler Midyear in RL this summer!

Maybe this would be a good time to describe digital drawing, also known as digital painting, in a little more detail.

Digital drawing is done just like traditional drawings except that I use digital tools, including the software program called Corel Painter 10 and a pressure-sensitive digitizing tablet and stylus.   As I draw, the tablet and stylus electronically translate the motions of my hand into strokes that look as though they were made with the drawing tool I have selected (charcoal pencil or pastel, for example).  I see these strokes occurring real-time on my monitor.   I work with reference photographs but none of the photograph pixels end up in the drawing - it is 100% drawn by me by hand. In RL I print these drawings out as limited editions of ink jet prints on fine art paper.

The Particularium

Up here you will find 3-D art made from sculpty line drawings embellished with particles and animated textures.  You can pick up a LM to The Particle Laboratory near the TPs.  I got interested in particles thanks to classes run by Rezago Kokurin of the Virtual Artists Alliance.  It is a great group!

Particles are a lot of fun to play with.  And guess what - lots of effect and no extra prim count!

Sky Studio: Night

Here the main display of immersive art begins.  It is called immersive art because the viewer is meant to enter the work either with one’s avatar or camera.

The art is made of nested prims, digital textures, and scripts.  Many of the builds have sit  poses in them and many have sounds as well.

The point of the art is the kaleidoscopic interaction of the textures, as well as the different  moods expressed in the pieces.

This piece is called “Night Light” and has a floating avatar pose in it than many find very relaxing.

Be sure to notice the great white fish!  He is scripted to move with the SL wind, as is the seaweed.

From the red and white box you can pick up a freebie fish lapel pin made from the same texture.

The newest piece is this pink cube over this way.  It is called Sunrise Sunset.  If you take one of the seats inside and wait, eventually you will see the sun rising or setting.  There is also a dance pose ball in the middle.

If you zoom way out, you can see everything in this gallery from the outside because the walls are transparent.  It’s a neat view - sort of like looking at a dollhouse.

Sky Studio: Day

Last and perhaps best of all is the Sky Studio: Night - the dark blue TP at the top.

Again this is all immersive art.  I have chosen the pieces here because they glow in a dark  environment, and I find the effect magical.  You will notice that some of the sculptures emit extra large particles, which are actually highly detailed digital drawings.

Over here is a piece called The Maze.  (A prize was given to the first one who makes it through to the back.)

OK!  Let’s go relax on the balcony.  And besure to touch the sign to the right of the door  if you want to be added to my mailing list to receive invitations to my shows

Out here there is fruit and some more champagne.

Please help yourselves.

There are seats to the left.

About Atelier Alizarin

Located in a wooded park in Huntsman, Atelier Alizarin is the Second Life studio of digital artist Alizarin Goldflake. There are three floors on the land and two in the sky. On the land, the first floor features a piazza with a pool, sculpture, digital dawings from RL, and digital banners. With the exception of the Linden plants, all of the textures throughout the atelier - art, furniture, and buillding - were drawn by Alizarin (more about that at the end).

In the ground floor gallery, there is a display of 2-D digital collages made in RL. In the east piazza, there is a skating rink with vendors offering freebie ice skates. On the second floor, there is a meditation alcove and a selection of black and white digital drawing imported from RL. On the third floor in The Particularium you will find 3-D art made from sculpty line drawings embellished with particles and animated textures.

Next stop is the Sky Studio: Day. Here the main display of immersive art begins. It is called immersive art because the viewer is meant to enter the work either with one’s avatar or camera. The art is made of nested prims, digital textures, and scripts. Many of the builds have sit poses in them and many have sounds as well. The point of the art is the kaleidoscopic interaction of the textures, as well as the different moods expressed in the pieces. Last and perhaps best of all is the Sky Studio: Night. Again this is all immersive art. Ali has chosen the pieces here because they glow in a dark environment, and she finds the effect magical.

All of the art at Atelier Alizarin depends heavily on the artist’s RL digital drawing skills. Digital drawing (or painting) is done just like traditional drawing except that Ali uses digital tools, including a software program called Corel Painter 10 and a pressure-sensitive digitizing tablet and stylus. As she draws, the tablet and stylus electronically translate the motions of her hand into strokes that look as though they were made with the drawing tool she has selected (charcoal pencil or pastel, for example). She sees these strokes occurring real-time on her monitor.

Alizarin has been a professional visual artist in Real Life for a long time. She shows in several prominent galleries, and her work is included in many museum, corporate, and private collections.

About Metaverse Explorers

Metaverse Explorers is a group in Second Life held by the Orange team that regularly experiences guided tours of various new and interesting places in Second Life.  The group is free to join and open to everyone.  Ask Jade Lily for details.