I tried a few demos of male skins, but they all changed me. I spent a good deal of time tweaking my avatar. I don't like the majority of male avatars - many look like caricatures, using Conan the Barbarian and the Incredible Hulk as role models. Grossly oversized chests on ridiculously small hips - muscles exaggerated as well. The market for male skins seems to cater for that - hairless chests and shiny "sixpacks" dominate. However my shape is rather small, with realistic proportions. Peter Stindberg is a fragile avatar with a subtle maleness - not a bodybuilder.
What made me most reluctant however was how a skin changes your face. I like my face, I like the expression of softness, affection, empathy and curiosity with a subtle smile. All the demos I tried ruined this.
My favorite elf and wonderful friend Elusyve pointed me towards Hart Larssons PXL Creations and urged me to get some demos of the new "Jude" skin. I tried the demo and my mouth fell open. What I saw was me, but in a new, enhanced version! The face stayed the same, the body features stayed the same, but all of it had a subtle enhancement, a fresh polish.
Well, enough words, let the images speak:
The chest hair (which I like despite any fashion trends) is much finer than on my old skin. The pubic hair is a bit strong, but usually invisible anyways.
Extremely important for me is the face. I remained the same unshaven look. They eyebrows are more defined and my eyes come out more prominent.
The butt on my old skin was a bit more contrasted, but then again the shadow in the butt crack was a bit too strong. With the new skin the shadow might be a tad too subtle though. The arms and back of the hands are more defined.
The skin came at a whopping 2000 L$, including a set of 15 different body-hair options, but only one face. Since I only ever wear the same body hair, I would have preferred a pack which would include all 10 different face options. I might spend another 2000 L$ and get the clean shaved pack.
Despite this minor issue, I am extremely happy with the skin. It is still me, does not change me, subtly enhances my characteristics and features. Thank you everybody who encouraged me, who gave feedback - and thank you Hart for such a beautiful skin!
10 comments:
*aplauds and welcomes the updated PStindberg 2.0 release*
It's wonderfully suitable. It's hard when you don't change your skin often to remain you but benefit enough from a skin to merit changing in the first place.
This skin remains wonderfully you but an 'enhanced' version of you, I love it :)
I have always admired your look, Peter. As you said, your appearance conveys a gentleness of spirit and vulnerability. I'm so glad that 2.0 does not chang that. nor that impish and playful smile.
Yay! Bun approves.
I really don't understand the logic behind having multiple body hairs and no facial variations. men are not changing body hair often, but having different variations of facial can be handy from day to day.
ty for the nice post :)
I try to make skins that not destroy the shape but follow it as much possible so is difficult to see around clones over clones :)
for the all face 1 body option mmmmh need to think over it lol
was a long work and i spent days over the creation of all the skins in world (boring work)
Hugs
Hart
"Peter Stindberg is a fragile avatar with a subtle maleness - not a bodybuilder."
Oh god, that left me giggling.
It's nice you find a little update. When I looked at the pictures I wasn't sure which one was the old skin and which is the new. I guessed the one in the front is the new one. The hair is indeed more subtle. I like it.
You already know my commentary as I shared it via IM... but for the public record:
1. I love the post
2. I relate - I find many female makes ups too much and too hard - and prefer a softer looking face. I always feel a bit off in a different skin though I've been playing with skins more of late. I still have the first non-newb decent skin I bought.
3. I do like Hart's skins and got a male one the other day myself - I am pretty much always female but sometimes need to test in male form or want a male form for a picture and I hated having a newbish looking one. I love his female skins too but I still have not found a 'default' replacement skin for mine yet.
With skins I really want something soft and natural for my day to day that doesn't de-moggs me... but to play I want something with exotic crazy makeup artist type make ups and they seem just as hard to find (Lion Skins does a few and then there's the goth/undead ones) but still ... not a lot of variety.
Great post.
I understand how hard is to change your classic skin, it almost like changing the way you define yourself (I tend to use three skins, and each one is associated to a kind of mindset).
About your new one: absolutely cute! I like much more its soft lines, more cuddly and real; the previous looked too musculated.
*hugs*
Personally i think this one looks much better, i know is hard to change skin, my first change was after a year and was traumatic, lol
I change my avatar's skin all the time, probably at least twice a session if not more. For me, it's just like RL, I want my makeup to suit different moods and outfits. I simply couldn't wear one makeup all the time.
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