Best Skin/Shape combo?

Hey all:

I am looking for the best (most realistic) skin/shape combo. Where do you suggest I go to look for one, and can someone tell me the approximate price/if there are demos.

I am female BTW and looking for an adult, tall shape.

Thanks!

You have asked possibly one of the most subjective questions one can ask. "Realism" is in the eye of the beholder. Do a search on skin or skins and just start visiting these places yourself until you see something you like. Many of them have demos available. Don't limit yourself to the first page.

Oh, and my vote goes to Skin Deep, though I think they recently changed their name to something with Body in it. Max and Polly are amazing artists and very helpful.

Edit: Body Politic I think is their new name.

Check out the Naughty Island Mall, they have lots of great skin, shapes and hair. BTW, you can have a custom made photorealistic skin at secondlife-skin.com, if you can affod it.

As the previous poster said, this is all subjective, however I would suggest visiting Gala Phoenix at Empyrean Emporium and the new Celestial Studios Skins for ETD. Those go for about 1K a skin. PanJen has very nice skins as well, leaning to the fantasy a bit more with their skins though, but very cute and reasonably priced at L$350 (I think) for a change of pace from "real" skins.

As far as shape, make it yourself. There's nothing different in what shape makers do than if you'd make one yourself. It just takes patience and perseverance to tweak it to what you think is YOU in SL.

Good luck!
Jacq

PS. do NOT buy skins without buying demos first, especially expensive ones.

Thanks for the quick replies. I asked the question because I have been shopping around for skins/shapes for probably a week now and I have found some, I just wanted to see what everyone else is buying

I have been using the search for skins, and it has been interesting traveling around to see the skins...lol I think I could write a book now, just about SL skins!

Some of my thoughts - By Far not all encompassing theres a lot of newer designers in SL im less familair with.

Highly Photo - Realistic Skins
Exotica
Chip Midnight
Naughty Designs
Second Skin Labs

If your looking for a skin of African decent - Chips would probably be the best since his arent dark tints of a caucasian model

For Asian skins I think they are harder to find Photo realisitc in that those Ive listed dont offer them. I beleive the owner of House of Blade Mall sells Asian skins though.

Shapes - Well tall if realitive. If you are looking for Realisitc human tall your probably looking at what most people would call medium height in Second Life.

Id stay away from all the Long long leg places out there. A lot of Shape places cater to the Big breast/ tiny waist/ big hips / long long leg - Barbie look , becuase its popular.

Torrid Midnight and Haver Cole have realisitc looking shapes I think.
I try to as well.

Quite a few Shape designers will do a custom shape for you that might be more realisitic than their normal for sale items as well.

The most realisitc looking shape will be tinkered to look realisitc under the Photo Skin you choose.

Edit - As the previous poster said - You can also do your shape yourself. It takes patience though. If your trying to look realisitic it will take more pateince, Realisitic proportions are something a number of people in Second Life cant really achieve (or to be fair want)

Some skins do not go well with some shapes so be sure you get a shape that is mod so that when you buy your fav skin you can shape yourself to your liking.

Check out X2 Skins, very detailed skins IMO and very pretty faces and if you have a shape that is mod you can shape your face to not look like so many that are also wearing X2

If you do a Search for skins in the Resident Answers forum, you'll pull up a number of lengthy threads discussing favorite skins. It's a topic near and dear to the heart of many of us, and you'll find that the answers are very subjective. Also, skins that work well with one shape, look dreadful on another.

If you want to shop for both a shape and a skin, find the shape you like and make sure you buy the skin that was used to market that shape (it will be mentioned in the styling notes). The skin and shape go together to create a certain look, and changing the skin can have a drastic impact on the shape's appearance.