Question about clothing design...

It's hard to make clothes in SL that aren't skin tight or skirts. Women look good in these clothes, whereas men, generally, do not (or just won't wear them). Designers make the best of what they are given by the interface.

Alternatively...

(1) More female avs than male in SL

(2) Designers make more female clothing than men's

(3) Men can't find decent clothing, and drop out of SL
OR Men perceive that all there is to do in SL is shop for women's clothes, and drop out
OR Men start playing female avs to get something decent to wear

(4) Go to (1)

*Sniffles* aww that is seriously one of the nicest compliments I have had!!!! Iam really glad you you like them (oh and let me know which hat you like and ill find ya another colour... everyone needs variety).

Bah in fact. Any guys who read this pop into my shop and pick something out and drop me a notecard in world with what it is.

Im in a good mood

In regard to the demos I think they are a great thing. I have demos of most of my items avaliable for peopel to try out in my store (which reminds me i need to update some).

However I have them out for free not for L1. I honestly think the L$1 demo is a tacky. I can understand it when peopel do it for limited time dollarbies as usually they paid to upload the textures etc (i tend to onlymke them L1 if they are my normal stock i reduced for soemthing special cos the script i use wont let me have it for L0 ... or it is a limited time dollarbie which will never be sold again like i did for my birthday). However a dem is to try to get someone to uy that item. As long as it is good they are likely to pay you for the item anyway so do youreally need that L$1. I mean they liked it enough to try the item on from the picture.

About 80% of the time if i try on a demo i will be buying it.

Thanks for the input people... I'm making my demo's free I don't want to look like I'm there just to make money.

Now AVPainter... One, I cannot draw with the second mouse button. I saw now option to change it to the first too. Second, I tried to draw a neckline and it was horribly wonky see I have ultra unsteady hands which is why I would hav preffered those black templates you can sometimes buy. They're far easier for me to use... I just can't find any for men... Any tips?

I use a "tablet" to draw with, this is much steadier than use a mouse.. (although, once you get a good technique with a mouse, I still use one to do minor touch ups etc).

You can get "mice" that attach to your finger like a pen/pencil and it uses an IR beam, so it will move like a mouse, but it feels like a pen... they're rather inexpensive compared to a decent tablet.

Get yourself a decent art package (i think a good free one is GIMP, and there is a plug-in which makes some of Adobe Photoshop's more famous functions easily accessible).
You need to understand your graphics package too, tyring to "draw" a neckline would, IMO, be silly... when there is a pen tool that creates perfectly straight lines for you. You can then grab the centre point and choose it to curve/straighten etc to make it more realistic.

You will also need a good set of UVs (try Robin Hoods). Look at that link to the Mermaid Diaries website I posted further up the thread..... lots of very high quality and easy to understand tutorials there.

I've only been on SL a few days, and been learning the clothing industry too... i know it's going to take a while, but I had the advantage of knowing my Photoshop package pretty well.... Just take some time, and experiment.

Also get the SLCV (i think that's right... Second Life Clothes Viewer) or something similar [it's one of the first stickies under the textures thread].

Like I've already said, read tutorials and experiment.... Also check out the quality of clothing that is already out there! I was fortunate enough for a member of these forums (Sassy) to show me aroud... if you would like to visit the places I went to (to check out the quality of work already available) drop me a PM and when I get online tonight we'll teleport to a few places.

Good luck!
Amnesia

Yeah I have in the past tried a tablet but i had tons of trouble getting the pressure right I still actually have the tablet so I might try giving it another go. Oh I know my way around photoshop just fine I was trying to draw a line on that AVPainter thingy hehe IMO it's easier to play in photoshop. I have gotten myself Robin Hoods templates as per your wonderful advice and I'mm going to spend some time trying out tutorials on Mermaid Diaries.

Thanks Amnesia you've been extremely helpful.

That is cool for me Avpaint helped me see the fabrics I make in 3d easier then
on 2d template.

I personally do everything drawing wise either by hand or by mouse myself with few PS effects. I have no clue how the drawing tablet features work with avpaint or PS.

I wouldn't worry about getting the pressure right too much. Remember that the pressure (Depending on how hard you press) will only go as high as the diamteter that you set on the brush.... so even pressing down really down using the pen, might still only create a thin line if the brush is set to (for instance) 6px...

I use the tablet (in general, not just necesarily for designing clothes) for evening edges, softening parts, or drawing an intricate design or set of lines etc.

Get down to the texture forum on this website and ready the stickies, there are tonnes of other posts there too. So read as much as you can, then put into practice.

I use tutorials as a reference point, to gain ideas/hints/processes etc.... The only way to learn is to try what you want to do, then seek help (if you can't put the stuff you have already learnt from previous tutorials etc).

I missed the post are still looking for tips with AVpainter?
Here some to ignore or use.
You have to pick the gender if in one of the screens where you select the brush
sizes in Avpaint.
It takes pick to get the hang of it you can also deselect like skirt layer, and lower torso
if you choose.
Also trick that Amaranthim turned me on to is when you make layers i.e fabrics in PS
for Avpainter make solid contrasting color behind the fabric layers save either as 512 or 1024 pixels upload file in Avpaint, then you can have different work layers, that you
erase, add more layers for shadows,etc.
Also when you're done its going to want to merge layers and it may change the effect
so if you can remember save each section from the Avpainter.
You will have PSD, TGA file one will be 1024 the other 512 pixels.
Use the 1024 pixel one for any tweaking over your UV layers if you want in PS
then when you ready to save to upload resize to 512.
I personally prefer png, I can't get handle of the tga alpha with complex designs so gave it up tga alpha right now.
Cool thing about making your own fabric layers in way mentioned is you get also
idea how the fabric is going to work in world on the avatar.
I have no clue about you tablet with Avpainter I don't own one.

I don't make clothing inworld but have been looking into it. I can post a few links for tutorials on here i've been following, most are for Photoshop.

I will warn though there is one link i am going too post that leads too IMVU Forums, there is a section there that has loads of tips and tricks using photoshop, some are more based around making things for IMVu but you can translate the tips for Second Life. anyway here you go.

http://www.imvu.com/catalog/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpbb2&file=viewforum.php&f=32&topicdays=0&start=0

http://www.goreanforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=132&t=2121

http://9tutorials.com/2007/11/06/realistic-denim-jean-texture-from-scratch.html

http://dendrebenelli.blogspot.com/2007/05/how-to-make-lingerie.html

http://www.mermaiddiaries.com/2006/11/build.html

http://www.sluniverse.com/php/vb/content-creation/

http://www.imvu.com/catalog/modules.php?op=modload&name=phpbb2&file=viewtopic.php&p=2924113#2924113
(This is a specific person on IMVU that has many decent Tutorials including on doing a PVC look)

/327/ac/274749/1.html
(Read this thread aswell, many great tips on opening up a business in SL)

Hope these help and good look too you hun

I love AVPainter but I don't try to paint on it. I draw the clothing onto templates in PSP, when they are most likely done I upload them to AVPainter and tweak them, checking all my seams, shoulders, etc. Sometimes when I am just starting something I will upload the outline to AVPainter to make sure my lines all meet up before I start a project.

When I upload to AVPainter for the last (hopefully!) time, I save from there, it automatically saves in Targa and gives me a 512 with alphas I didn't have to do

I wonder about doing it that way for just like outline,etc where to put things.
Yet I often end up use Avpainter to see how complex pattern
textures or to draw details in 3d way then tweak it more in
It helps me see the seams and get the neck and shoulder areas right.
Only issue I have that I haven't figured out totally how to resolve is
Men's jockstraps whatever I draw out I always end up with fabric in between
my thighs in wrong place.
I wanted to try to do the shadows where male privates are showing too but
I haven't figured out how to get the detail exactly right.
What I need is antomically correct male UV to get it right got some ideas but
not exactly sure how to put in new UV layer templates in Avpainter.

Serina- I followed your link to the groeanforum which some how lead me to this:

http://slink.mmoportraits.com/?p=119

I am having a major Eureka! moment- go look at this tut- yes you may have see the info before- but this is so clear and easy to understand!

FD- since the person who made up AVPainter is one of us- ie a Resident, maybe try contacting him? It may be something he could add to subsequent releases.

I tried to contact them one time about their groups about tips,etc no response but
they did respond when I couldn't get my password thing working.
It is woman I think.
I don't remember.
There is option I think to put in new uv layers you but I couldn't figure it out.
Yet I did find these 3d male body googling I was going to trace out but not sure if
the male privates are in the right place that I found.
And I am not sure if it would translate well and I am not sure exactly how to do the
3d male body details I need yet with borrowing base image spending endless
hours trying to paste it in the uv layer or trying to figure out how to do 3d mesh
in blender which may take me centuries.