Making Up Your Basic Avatar

Making Up Your Basic Avatar

Time to make your basic body.  To do this we will make extensive use of the My Appearance and Edit My Outfit features.  On the LL viewer these are found by right clicking on your floating tag above your head.  Before we do that we need to make up our basic avatar outfit.

Step 1. - If you haven't already done so, please read any instructions or documentation included with your mesh body and mesh head.  Remember in most cases your head and your body are 2 different meshes with 2 different HUDs to control such things as skin, nails, and makeup.

The first thing you need to do is remove everything you are currently wearing.  Get rid of lashes, brows, eyes, tattoos, make-up, hair, everything.

Find the folder for your mesh body.  In my case I have Lara by Maitreya.  Lara is packaged with 5 different shapes.  The first step is to wear the shape of your choice.  In my case it was #5.  You also want to 'wear' the HUD and finally the body.

Depending on the body there may be other selections you want to add at this point.  It's probably better not to add anything that you won't want to wear all the time.

This is a good time to go into 'edit my shape' by right clicking on you tag and adjusting any sliders available if you have a fitmesh body.  Not all sliders can be used with every mesh body, so check your documentation.

Also take a tour of your mesh body HUD and find out what things you can change.  Some will have the ability to hide or show socks and gloves.  Lara has 3 clothing layers that can be activated, tattoo, underwear, and clothing.  This is also where you can select your skin color, nail color, and alpha cuts.  Again read your documentation.

Step 2 - You need a good head on your shoulders so next comes the head.  I have Karin by LeLutka.  My head allows for using my system eyes or I can use mesh eyes.  If that is the case with your head you may be offered 2 alpha layers one with eyes and one without eyes.  Select the one that applies and wear it.  You will want to add your head as well as the HUD.  Now is the time to adjust your make-up, hair tattoo, and make sure that your skin color matches the skin on your body.  Karin was made to work with the Lara body, so matching neck size and skin color was simple.

Step 3 - Your body should be complete at this point.  If you wear the same hair all the time you could

also add hair  but most of us are always changing our hair, so if that is the case make the hair a part of your clothing outfits instead.

Right click on the tag above your head and go to 'edit my outfit'.  Then 'save as' and give your avi a meaningful name such as 'basic mesh avi' then save.  That's it you have now made your basic mesh avatar.  Remember if you have forgotten something or want to adjust something else just go to back and edit by right clicking on your tag, then 'edit my outfit'.  You don't have to start over.

As you can see, getting dressed can be quite a chore with a mesh avi.  It's much easier to start with a basic avatar outfit. To create a new outfit you will want to wear a new basic avatar each time, rather than save over your old one.  Add applier clothing, mesh pieces, accessories, shoes, hair, make-up, tattoos, jewelry, whatever your like then save your new outfit under a unique name that is meaningful for you, and getting dressed is a snap and can be  done in 2 seconds.

I hope you found this information helpful!!