Joker & Jolli

It's been ages, but remember my Mardi Gras Masquerade? I've been sitting on my event masks for that party, working on colors and tweaking them mercilessly.

I like to do traditional Venetian masks for Mardi Gras, and this is no exception.  This year, I decided to do Joker and Jolli masks!

The jester motif is a popular one amongst mask makers.  It's playful, ornate, and beautiful but irreverent.  It's based on the medieval tradition, the crest emulating the classic "ass's ears" hats of jesters.  They often have a chin piece as well that emulates a pointed collar, however I felt it would be awkward when actually worn by an avatar so I didn't bother.

The male version was a pain in the ass's ears!  I completely remade this guy from the ground up after the party.  I had a lot of trouble balancing the exaggeration and stylization I wanted with my natural instinct to try and make things more realistic and flattering.  The first mask I didn't take far enough, and some other pieces that ended up on the chopping block went too far.  This, I feel, is a good balance.  I wanted it to be sly, mischievous, almost evoking a goblin.

Both of these masks easily change from being playful and whimsical to rather mysterious and sinister with the "eye blanks" I put in.  I made it so you can have the option of blacking out your eyes, and it makes for a spooky effect:

I went overboard on the colors for these, doing nine colors for each color accent (gold and silver) as well as three extra colors each which are mixes, like gold, green and purple for mardi gras!

I especially love how the texture for the crest came out.  I printed on that luscious damask with alphas in Zbrush and it was so worth it.  I also utilized specular and normal maps to bring up the details so the damask shimmers a little and the metallic trim on the mask shines when the light catches it.  Have I mentioned how much I love having specular and normal maps?

Anyway, the mask is currently available at Fantasy Faire, and on the marketplace.  It'll be out at my store on Carnivale after the faire is over!

Out now at the faire
On the marketplace:
Joker: 550L
Jolli: 550L

Unseelie Mask

In my Unseelie Masquerade post, I posted teases of the mask I wore that was subsequently awarded to Lady of the Unseelie, Yukio Ida.  Now I can happily present to everyone the mysterious and otherworldly mask of the Unseelie.

Creating this mask was an exercise in overcoming a creative block.  I pulled it like a stubborn weed out of my head, and it fought me every step of the way.  Fortunately, with my friend Selos and the freedom of Zbrush's Dynamesh feature, I put together every permutation I could until I found something that I loved.

The Unseelie mask is inspired by the delicate leather masks of more modern mask makers, and inwardly I've always associated the intricate tendrils and airiness leather allows with dark fairies.  I came up with the basic shape of the mask very quickly, but put it aside as it lacked the regal complexity I was after.  However, after trying a dozen other ideas that I didn't like anywhere near as much, I came back to it.  I decided to try and jazz it up more, but I still liked the original's sinister simplicty.  I realized with a very easy adjustment I could compromise and have both the version that was fit for the royalty of the Lady of the Unseelie and the more conservative base.

I separated the mask into two pieces, a mask and a headpiece.  They fit together so that when both are worn, it looks like one fabulous mask, but the pieces can be separated if need be to have a simpler mask or a delicate diadem.  They compliment each other but look lovely apart.

This mask is just one of the two I made for the party, but unfortunately I'm having a bit of a creative fit over the male mask.  Usually, I release the two together, but seeing as how this one is ready to go and the other still needs work, I decided not to keep you waiting.  Plus, this mask is unisex, and certainly holds well on its own.

Out now at the store
On the marketplace

Volto Altezza and Altezzoso

When mesh first went into beta, I wanted to give it a try and see what I could do with it. The first thing that came to mind was a volto mask, because I have never been happy with my attempts to make a full face mask with sculpts. I had a lot to learn.

For about eight months all I did to play with mesh was mess around with a volto. I made literally dozens of them, starting over and over again until I could sculpt a pair of decent lips in just a few minutes. Every time I did, I learned a bit more about topology, how the polygons could work together and what to aim for.

The evolution of my topology, from left to right

You can see how the picture on the left has a lot of points and lots of "snags", parts where the lines aren't neat squares. That's the sort of thing that would get ugly if you tried sculpting on it, and would prevent a smooth and consistent surface. I finally got the hang of getting rid of those and managed to figure out how to make neat loops and keep my detail where I needed it most.

So believe me, this mask has been a long time coming.

After so much tweaking, revisions and refinement and then finally another round of neurotic scrutiny, I am very proud to share this mask with you. The Volto Altezza is an ornate and elegant visage, with a proud crown of coque feathers. Altezza is Italian for "loftiness", and "sua altezza" is an equivalent expression to "your highness". With the refinement and detail of the delicate metal work, no one will doubt that you're worthy of the title.

We can't have a fine lady without an escort though, and so a worthy gentleman had to be produced.
The most notable difference aside from the features is that he doesn't have customizable lips. I found it just far too feminine on him, so I hope you'll find the feather crown enough color. Speaking of, I've made the mask and crown separate. If you like, you can wear just the crown or just the mask, and I've even included an option for just the crown with no feathers if you want to wear something in your hair.

For the first time, I used Photoshop brushes as alphas for the details on the crown and center mask. I had to, to achieve the detail and intricacy I hoped to. I'm happy to credit the incredibly talented Coy Dreamer. I used selections from her Decorative and Floral sets as imprintable patterns on to my high detail model. I doubt I could achieve such a beautiful effect without her efforts.

When you try to create a neutral, beautiful face, it's amazing how much of a challenge it becomes. There are so many little details that our minds are especially attune to being able to detect the slightest error in, and they end up needing scrutiny and heaps of patience to fix. After all this time I'm finally happy with my work, and I have something I can be proud of for hopefully a long while. I hope to use this mask a base for other patterns and variations in the future, and I look forward to seeing where I end up next.

Out now at the store: 450L
Volto Altezza (f) on the marketplace
Volto Altezzoso (m) on the marketplace

Mythic Masks

They're finally ready! The event masks for the Mythic Masquerade are finally completed. I ran into a lot of problems and hurdles but after a few weeks they're finally ready. I ended up redoing a lot of things several times over but it was well worth it.

If you recall, I gave a preview of the mask a couple weeks ago. So, if you've seen that then you can see what an improvement this is.

The Mythic Masks are regal dragons, with crests of bone and outswept wings. The two versions have distinct personalities, and even though they're labeled as "male" and "female" please don't let that stop you from trying the opposite gender. They're made of mesh, so they're one solid prim. However, they're not weighted, so they can still be moved, stretched and modified just like a sculpt.

With these masks I wanted to really experiment with color. I've been pushing myself to go beyond my normal "hue+20" approach and branch out and explore the depths of gradients and accent colors. There are eighteen colors available for this mask, separated into two sets. The "Dark Dragon" colors are mainly black with colored highlights in my usual red through purple selection. But the "Elementals" are what I'm really proud of:

There are nine different elemental dragons, ranging from Ice and Fire to Gold, Silver and Twilight. I hope that when you look at these you can see what took me so long. A lot of fiddling with layer masks, gradients, brushing and filtering to bring to life such vibrant and varied options. I'm more proud of these than of any other texture or color selection I've done. I can't even pick a favorite! (Twilight might be an obvious choice but the Golden is so captivating...)

Please do come by and try out the demo, and see these colors for yourself.


Out now at the store: 600L
Dragon Queen Mask on the Marketplace: Buy it now
Dragon King Mask on the Marketplace: Buy it now

King & Queen of Carnevale

So you might have taken a peek at the preview from my last post, and I hope I had you intrigued about this year's event masks. Every year I release two new masks (male and female) for my masquerades, and I like to make them something special.

The King of Carnevale is a luxuriously detailed and regal mask. Taking a closer look is rewarded with delicately unfurled wings and a crowning flourish. In the center is a single gem, able to be changed to any of the twelve colors offered in my jewelry.

The Queen of Carnevale offers some subtle differences... fit for a softer face and with a less imposing profile, it's no less grand. The wings at the corners of the brow are spread, and the shape is more tapered and elegant. Together, they make a a pair that is undeniably regal.


I hope you'll come by and try them on, as always scripted demos are available at the store :)

Dama and Primo di Carnivale

My event masks are always my chance to do something truly outlandish, and work freely without worrying about going back and doing colors. Usually I'm conservative about the amount of unique textures needed for a mask, since for every one I do it increases the amount of total colored textures exponentially. Event masks like the King and Queen of the Dead are my chance to go all out and create an art piece. Unfortunately, this sacrifices their versatility and sometimes their popularity, as I'm less likely to please everyone if it's not available the way they want it.

With these masks, I couldn't let myself condemn it to only one day a year. I found myself wanting it in my own colors as undoubtedly you will when you try it on.

My first Volto in years, this is probably the best I'm going to be able to do for a full face mask without meshes. The lips are still a separate prim, but now blend better than ever. However, SL's object shading will still make the seam visible, but not if you have a no-shader WL setting (a setting that removes the lines on your face, like a face light did back in the days). If your computer can't handle WL settings, setting the mask full bright can work as well. But honestly, it's not really that bad.


These masks are the first event masks to be scripted, and they include the same palette of colors as my more recent masks. The lips change to complimenting colors, but you can also choose contrasting ones if you like, and play around with different effects. The white base of the mask is the only part that does not change, for the sake of better blending with the lip prim.

I've been wanting to make a lot of little changes everywhere, like my blog header and profile picture etc, and just freshen everything to feel more current. You might notice that I changed my vendor template a little. Nothing drastic, just a little touch up, but I think it seems cleaner and fresher. I eventually want to redo my entire store build, but trying to not do anything extreme yet!

These masks are available now at Carnivale for 375L each :)

The King and Queen of the Dead

For the past few weeks, I have poured more time and effort than ever before into an event mask. I had a rough idea what I was in for, but even planning ahead and allowing extra time ended with me finishing them a mere four hours before the masquerade began. For the past week I literally woke up, worked on this, (grabbed a snack), and fell asleep.

I had a vision of not only a skull mask, but an entire skull.. and not just a skull but the neck as well. I wanted its beautifully asymmetrical and jagged vertebrae raw and exposed for all to see. This did mean tackling invisiprims, which are a kludgey, glitchy, and sometimes hideous thing to deal with. People tolerate them on their shoes, but would they tolerate them in a more visible spot, like the face? I'd have to make it worth their time.

I've been learning both new sculpting techniques but most especially texturing, which has allowed me to delicately paint and utilize sources in new ways, which allows me a whole new level of realism. I didn't want a perfectly photosourced look (I don't think it works too well in SL), but I adore the detail it brings to my already smooth and stylized textures.
The differences between the male and female masks might not be immediately evident, it's mostly in the collar, the jaw, and the shape of the invisiprims. I wouldn't suggest trading genders in the case of these; the shapes are quite specifically formed to the respective meshes.

Amusingly, you can wear hair with these, which can sometimes work out wonderfully and sometimes disastrously. I suggest you experiment with different styles, if at all, because obviously it works well on its own.

Another option you can try it with is just with the neck piece, which I've been quite enjoying. Sometimes you want a touch of the macabre, but don't want to hide that gorgeous face you spent so long tweaking and finding the perfect skin for.

If these go well I might consider doing other skeletal pieces like hands or an arm. The issue here is where are people willing to tolerate invisiprims? They're not the best solution, but they're currently the only ones.

I'm also so exhausted from this month I think I'm going to go crawl in a hole for a little while.

Les Roi et Reine du Mardi Gras

On Saturday Juana Manuel and Khamudy Mannonen were awarded with the two event masks, and the title of Mardi Gras King and Queen for being the most fabulously dressed of fabulously dressed folks.

For the design, I decided to do something a bit more contemporary. I've been loving being able to use torii for each mask half, as well as oblong sculpts, and so I was able to meld the two together into something elegant, modern, fun and interesting.



When names fail you, head to the translator :P I didn't just want to call it "Mardi Gras __ 2009", so I went for the next best thing. Next year I'll probably be forced to make it Italian!

Anyway, enjoy these, they should have some of the best fits of any larger masks, and beware of feathers getting lost in hair.

Goblin King and Queen

So on Friday night, as always, the two best costumes at the masque were awarded with never before seen event masks, made especially for the king and queen of the masquerade. In this case, the Goblin King and Queen





In the case of the Goblin King, I wanted something inspired by the mask that Jareth wore in Labyrinth. I did know I didn't want to deal with the challenge of a handled mask (aaaaaaagh animations!), but I knew I wanted horns and a skeletal hand incorporated in it. A bunch of joints and a delicately made human hand later, I was starting to play with it. I brought up one of my mask bases and started playing with carving out shapes in the forehead and eye area, with a space for the horns, and then brought it all together in world. It was a lot of fun moving the hand around and seeing how I wanted it, when I found that the thumb moved so well into the eyebrow groove I knew I'd found how I wanted it.

After that, I knew immediately how I wanted the queen, looking like she had her head in her hands but also looking out almost from a cage of bones. This one, if I was ever to make a handled mask work, would be the first to be converted.

Despite the names of King and Queen, I tried to make sure that both would fit on either gender, unlike my other event masks. So if you're a guy and you don't mind wearing something with "queen" in the name (you'd sleep on a queen sized bed right?), you're welcome to wear it!

Revised Release of Remade Relics

I've been quiet but far from idle. I've just been holding my cards to my chest, and by cards I mean masks!

First up, my very first "event masks" made especially for the Midsummer's Night's Eve party of last year (speaking of, I need to set a date for my next party, that's coming up, sorry to keep you waiting). The originals used the old civetta and columbina bases which were rough and ill-fitting, and so have been remade with the latest base masks and fit much, much better. Also tidied up the textures, neatened up the details, tightened up the tiny prims and tweaked their royal little heads.




These are still unscripted, as I like to preserve my artistic vision in these with a specific look and color. That's the way I like to keep my super special event masks, my chance to play picky artist.

Next up are a couple of blasts from the pasts, from the very first retirement sale. I also apologize for not releasing these sooner, I really have no excuses.


Not much structural tweaking needed, just some texture work to again, tidy up, neaten up, and make them cleaner. The Swan Mask used to have seams for goodness sake! And the clockwork mask was all one texture, just tinted differently! That's been changed, and definitely for the better. The Swan Mask is now available in black or white, while the clockwork mask is available in that nice warm copper color or cold silvery steel.

Lastly, for my list of lovely remade treasures, the Bauta is back! I know how much everyone loved this one, but there was a lot wrong with the old one. Stiff movement, rough textures, prim overlap problems and a sort of awkward look at times in the shoulders. Not to mention, it was historically innacurate. Being the daughter of a history buff who helped make it a past time to point out anachronisms in movies I simply couldn't let that stand. So the new Bauta is New and Improved: Now With Lowered Innacuracy!

The real Venetian bautas are actually completely closed, and not a lick of hair or clothes would show. It truly was the ultimate disguise, and you could truly be anyone at all under there, all that could possibly reveal you is the quality of the material of your cloak and hat, or perhaps a pair of shoes. I've also now included a female version, which has a larger base to give the illusion of a dress underneath, and has more slender shoulders than the broad male cloak. As you can also see it also has a "guise" piece, which attaches to the skull and completely covers your hair, and includes the hat and covering scarf piece. The mask also has been tweaked from the original, to have the sharper more prominent features and the square shape that is just so distinctive of them. There's also a fun little tidbit I didn't mention on the vendor board (but it's on a notecard included with the set) that if you type "/5" before something you want to say, it will make you speak as the "Mysterious Cloaked Figure". Just for that extra oomph of perfect anonymity!


I know that there are some people who will be missing the line and amount of coverage that the original bauta cloak provided, which is why I am planning on releasing a "highwayman's cloak" that will have an open front and hopefully the same amount of flare. Still working on more piratey goodness, but I'd like to put it out all at once.

Now at least you know I've been spending my time well!

Mardi Gras King and Queen

I could have danced all night! Oh wait... I did. And I was so tired the next day I didn't have the energy to post pictures, or post at all!

But now I'm awake! The party was truly epic in the hyperbolical sense. It raged on for ten... whole... hours, driven on by the insatiable Avery and Norathiel, who grandiosely claimed that my parties were their life. They certainly gave no evidence to the contrary. The party was set once again in the sumptuous event hall, which was hung with purple and green banners and the floor turned solid gold. The masqueraders arrived in the highest style, many of them (the majority actually) having planned their costumes from the day the party was first announced! I, of course, as the host, had to have a costume properly show casing the female event mask. In this case, the Mardi Gras Queen mask:


Yes, I made the hair. Yes, I'm selling it soon, haha!! No, it won't have the chunk of gold in it, sorry, that was just for me. Siyu is wearing the luscious Nicky Ree gown "Kelly", modified and mixed from the purple gown and the green gown. I also made myself gold body paint (which you really can't see), and a gold necklace that matches the mask.


The Mardi Gras Queen mask was awarded in the costume contest to the beautiful Sparkle Skye, and its counterpart, the Mardi Gras King was awarded to the unique styling of Belmakor Pintens... although apparently we have his date, Scar Ayres to thank for it!

Belmakor Pintens and Scar Ayres, Belmakor having been voted the King of Mardi Gras for Illusions '08

Sparkle Skye and Dominus Skye, Sparkle having been voted Queen of Mardi Gras '08 and taking over the title from the exotic Tomoyuki Batra

It was a very, very tricky vote. The costumes were creative, delightful, colorful and wild, everything they should be! But I doubt anyone could deny that the winners certainly earned their titles (after all, you voted for them!). I sent a notecard of various party pictures that I captured to the guest list, and I've posted some of my favorites here for the world to see the lovelies that graced my humble fete.Sai Pennell and Bats Mertel enjoying an elegant waltz

Candy Flanagan breaking it down clockwork style, with other dancers in the background

Docsisle Magellan in a beautifully modified mask, with others (and me! Hi!) in the background

When I first dreamt of the Mardi Gras mask I knew I wanted sumptuous golden accents, beaded edging, and a high crest, just pure luxury in prim form. It's an absolute devil getting masks to "nest", I'll just tell you that much. The effect of having one mask over the other, and having the crisp clear lines of not doing it in texture is well worth the effort, yet oh geeze the upload fees I spent getting both of these masks' nesting masks right.

As you can see, I had similar plans for the male version, simply in a reversed color scheme and with the usual larger, sharper feature accomodation. I also went for a less feminine look around the eyes. With all of the trouble I went through getting these masks to nest properly, you can bet your favorite pair of Shiny Thing shoes that these won't be the last masks you see like this... So keep your eyes peeled! (or open, which sounds less painful.. or better yet, "on this blog", which sounds the least painful of all of them!).

The Midnight Masks

The Midnight Masquerade is over, and so I present you with the elegant and beautiful pair of Midnight Masks, Nacht and Nuit:



Both "nuit" (pronounced noo-ee) and "nacht" (nahkt) mean night, in French and German respectively. The Midnight Masquerade demanded an elegant, regal and commanding pair of masks for truly resplendant party-goers... with over 50 people having wanted to come to this party and having had 2 months to get ready, I had to have something worthy of them.

I'm very happy with Nacht as a male mask, and I think you guys out there will not be able to complain that I don't have any masculine masks. I finally have a proper male shape (thanks to Polly Pavlova) to fit Nacht to, however I'm not sure how it will fit with other male faces so I will be listening for feedback about him. The mask shape on this one has a more pronounced brow, as well as a larger nose, and should definitely have a much better fit than my other ones. It's stark, yet ornate, and stern yet romantic. I'm really proud and happy with how it turned out. But it's sadly overshadowed.

Oh with Nuit... where to begin. I'm having a love affair with this mask, but then again it makes me feel like Princess Amidala. But then it's so gorgeous. But then I can't wear it with too many hair styles... Such is the curse of the truly fabulous mask, hair choices become far slimmer, and so I suggest you have a rudimentary knowledge of modification when it comes to hair before you buy this mask. The detail and stunning effect of this mask is worth the work though, and it definitely as a powerful effect over one's avatar. If you'd like to try before you buy, that's actually possible, as I have demos out for these two beautiful masks, and I'm working towards having demos for more of them.

It really made me happy to make these, and with them and the beautiful feathers by Jen you can expect more, including hopefully some remakes of old classics, as well as just a new dazzling array of plumed masks. I'm really looking forward to them, especially now that I've just completed two very large projects.....

Titania and Oberon

It took me long enough! But I was determined to get these out the day after the Masque, and so I did.

I am proud to give to you, the next in a glorious future of sculpted masks... the rulers of the Seelie and the elfin worlds... Titania and Oberon, the King and Queen of the Fae. Presented for the first time at the totally awesome Midsummer Night's Dream Masquerade to the King and Queen of the evening, they can now be yours, and after a unanimous vote... forever yours. People couldn't bear the thought of having them be a limited edition, and so please enjoy, and may they ever reign happily in my store ^.^ Seriously, not a single person wanted them to be limited edition.




I've been taking pictures of them, literally all day, and yet they were all... too artistic for use as a vendor photo. So I apologize if these are not the best in contrast or in composition... All of the really good ones I couldn't keep my hands off of. I have a very strict policy about shooting all of my items under the same conditions, with the same background, and same lighting. It allows complete and total honesty... and yet as I took pictures of these masks I craved to play. So I shall be sharing my Flickr pictures with you as well as the vendor ones :)


As they say... pictures say a thousand words.