She goes her Way

Tunes

Birds and butterflies
Rivers and mountains she creates
But you’ll never know the next move she’ll make
You can try, but it is useless to ask why
Cannot control her
She goes her own way

She rules until the end of time
She gives and she takes
She rules until the end of time
She goes her way

[- Within Temptation, Mother Earth -]
Accessories

Earrings: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earring Mads all linked” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Ear Lobes: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Inazuma Plug” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Piercing (Nose): Wicca’s Originals – “Jadeon Piercing” + “Tegan Piercing Set” (unrigged)
Piercing Lips 1: LittleFish – “EziliV2” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Piercing Lips 2: LittleFish – “Blair” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Piercing Lips 3: LittleFish – “Jazmina” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Necklace: Wicca’s Originals – “Orchid Necklace” – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale
Nails: V/. VoluptasVirtualis – “[Esbaa]” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No Sort” – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // April 2024

Head, Body & Tattoo
Head: LeLUTKA – “EvoX Avalon 3.1”
Tattoo Head/Neck/Chest (incl. Eyes): BodyArts – “Pandora” (LeL. EvoX BoM, Materials)
Teeth: [CX] – “Strigoi’s Fangs – Silver Type.1 ( Size E / Wider )”
Body: Maitreya – “LaraX Petite 1.1”
Tattoo Arms: Nefekalum – “Gilded Touch Sleeves (Gold) 60%” (BoM, Materials)
Poses, Props & Tools

Pose: STUN – “Alexa 2” (Bento)

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

I need you to see who I am

Tunes

Dead inside!
Revere a million prayers
And draw me into your holiness
But there’s nothing there
Light only shines from those who share
Unleash a million drones

Confine me then erase me babe
Do you have no soul?
It’s like it died long ago

Your lips feel warm to the touch
You can bring me back to life
On the outside you’re ablaze and alive
But you’re dead inside!

[- Muse -]
Clothing

Top: AsteroidBox – “Leona Tanktop” (Maitreya Petite)

Accessories

Piercings & Tattoo (Forehead): BodyArts – “Signum” (unrigged)
Earrings: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earring Mads all linked” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Ear Lobes: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Inazuma Plug” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Piercing (Nose): Wicca’s Originals – “Jadeon Piercing” + “Tegan Piercing Set” (unrigged)
Piercing Lips 1: LittleFish – “EziliV2” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Piercing Lips 2: LittleFish – “Blair” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Piercing Lips 3: LittleFish – “Jazmina” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Chest: [Cubic Cherry] – “Cupid Mark” (unrigged, BOM)
Fore Arms: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Ursula Gloves” (Maitreya LaraX) – NEW @ Kinky // March 2024
Nails (incl. Finger Tattoo): .:E.A.Studio:. – “Karma Nails” (Maitreya LaraX)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: KMH – “Hair U106 Unrigged F”
Side Lock: adoness – “”Side locks : right : blue & green”
Eyeshadow 1: BodyArts – “Winter EyeMakeUp” (LeL.EvoX BoM)
Eyeshadow 2: BodyArts – “Vesu Eyesjadow blue” (LeL.EvoX BoM)
Lipstick: BodyArts – “Ameline – Lips (grey/OldRose)” (LeL.EvoX BoM)

Head, Body & Tattoo
Head: LeLUTKA – “EvoX Avalon 3.1”
Tattoo Head/Neck: BodyArts – “Veteris Mask blue/natural” (LeL.EvoX, Materials)
Teeth: [CX] – “Strigoi’s Fangs – Silver Type.1 ( Size E / Wider )”
Body: Maitreya – “LaraX Petite 1.1”
Tattoo Body: .:Vegas:. – “Tattoo Bloom ( Medium )” (BoM)
Poses, Props & Tools

Pose: selfmade

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Engine Room March 2024 – Part IV

TUNES

Our underworld isn’t filled with fear
Just brass and copper, leather scrap, and rusty gear
You can keep your hip-hop techno-pop-rock schleppin-dub
I’m on my way to a coal-powered underground vintage pub

We’ve got a steampunk revolution
We’re tired of all your so-called evolution
We’ve darted back to 1886
Don’t ask us why; that’s how we get our kicks

[- Abney Park, Steampunk Revolution -]
Clothing

Vest: ERSCH – “Esta Vest” (Maitreya LaraX) – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024
Suit: ERSCH – “Eston Suit” (Maitreya LaraX)

Accessories

Mask: CRYPTID – “Covetous” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024
Earrings: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earring Mads all linked” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Ear Lobes: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Inazuma Plug” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Collar: *:…Silvery K..:* – “Steam Bellus Size 1”

Hair & Makeup

Hair: Usagi Society – “Rocket” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Head, Body & Tattoo
Head: LeLUTKA – “EvoX Avalon 3.1”
Eyes: REPULSE – “Post Mortem Eyes (Blind)” (BoM)
Tattoo Head & Ears: BodyArts – “Void”
Body: Maitreya – “LaraX 1.0”
Poses, Props & Tools

Pose: – sc – – “drained” (Bento, hand lightly modified)
Owl: {-Maru Kado-} – “Barn Owl_08”
Plant: Dirty Rat – “Mutant Flytrap” (taken off the furniture set)

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Engine Room March 2024 – Part III

TUNES

Skepticism might keep you sane,
but it won’t necessarily keep you alive.

[- Mima Sawsaan, Carnival Row -]

When I was at the Engine Room event today to find my next look for a blog post, I came across that amazing outfit from CHANDRA. When I saw that, I immediately remembered that cool head, which BeSpoke released at the Warehouse Sale this round.
I have no clue why, but I instantly had a “Carnival Row Feeling” – you remember that show on Amazon Prime with Cara Delevingne and Orlando Bloom? When I found a sim called “Tirna-Nog” in Second Life, I just had to go that path for my picture today!

Lately you hear more and more about AI (Artificial Intelligence) used for artwork. I have to admit, I am not yet fully sold about that, if people create pictures only with AI and kinda just put words to get a full picture. Maybe I am too old to be convinced completely, or I do have a weird mind. Iam 46 years old – I guess it was 46 *laughs* – I learned to draw with pencils and colored pencils as a kid and it took me years to learn how to draw myself on a graphic tablet/monitor (… and I am still learning that). Maybe that is the reason why I can not yet allow myself andl my brain to think about art, if everything is just generated by words and no one ever touched it with any kind of pen, pencil, graphic pens or what ever you can hold in your hand to create something. Ok to be fair, a photographer is slightly different, but in the end he caught a situation with his own eye and camera in his hands as well *snickers* I hope you get what I mean 😉

What I found interesting after I forced myself to look more into AI, is that you do not have to create a complete ready made art piece with it, but you can enhance your work with it. That caught my interest. I am always looking for new tips, tricks and twists I can learn and use for my Second Life pictures.
Lately I was kinda depressed with taking pictures in SL. It felt all the same even if I tried to learn new techniques for Photoshop to enhance my pictures as even Second Life has it’s limits – especially with lights and shadows, movement or even sometimes with posing ot what you can get to set up a scenery.
You can add things you miss, you can correct minor issues, you even can enlarge a scenery if you took the wrong size to make the perfect picture… really interesting and as well exciting. If you miss a backdrop or a background you can kinda create parts of that. I tried to make a whole backdrop first as well but the way it does look like, I decided to not do that yet, as it was too far always from the look of a real Second Life environment and I do enjoy that still a lot. So I tried just to fool around with 2 birds – to be precise 2 crows – I wanted to add to my picture. It did take me quite a while, since I just started to play with it. I had to generate one crow like 50 times until I figured out what I had to put in to have it sit, no spread wings and facing the right direction. After a while I realized, that it does even pick up the lights I had put inworld already and since I wanted to change that a little too, I had to start over again after I worked all my lightning and shadows. I did not yet know how to safe the generated birds yet, so I started over new on those again. Then I wanted to darken the background a little bit and… DANG… the generated birds again looked wrong as they pick up parts of the background as well to fit in properly. Ok… deleting the birds again and get everything else right first *chuckles*.

It was the start of a learning process I really want to look into more, even if I do not want to fully work with AI and my avatar only – Second Life is way to pretty for that and so many amazing creators, designers and sim builders did (and do) put a hell lot of work into creating amazing places for us to be there and to create pictures.

Clothing

Outfit: +CHANDRA+ – “Lucca Outfit” (Reborn) – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Accessories

Nails: V/. VoluptasVirtualis – “[Esbaa]” (Maitreya, Bento) – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: BeSpoke – “Nature Spirit” – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // March 2024
Eyes: REPULSE – “Post Mortem Eyes (Blind)” (BoM)
Body: eBODY – “REBORN v1.69.6”

Poses, Props & Tools

Pose (incl. Lantern & Keys): [piXit] – “Clementine Posepack + Props” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Location

Tirna-Nog

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Engine Room March 2024 – Part II

 

Clothing

Outfit: *:…Silvery K..:* – “Steam Abysso” (Maitreya LaraX) – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Accessories

Piercings & Tattoo (Forehead): BodyArts – “Signum” (unrigged)
Earrings: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earring Mads all linked” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Ear Lobes: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Inazuma Plug” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Piercing (Nose): Wicca’s Originals – “Jadeon Piercing” + “Tegan Piercing Set” (unrigged)
Glasses: Wicca’s Originals – “Nightshade Glasses”

Hair & Makeup

Hair: [Ginko Hair] – “#110 Hair” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024
Makeup: Rubedo – “Steffi 06” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Head, Body & Tattoo
Head: LeLUTKA – “Billie Head 4.0”
Tattoo Head & Ears: BodyArts – “Ornamentum”
Tattoo Face: BodyArts – “Faceband Wicca” (LeL.EvoX BoM, custom made – take a look at the “Vere Flores” or one of her various amazing facebands)
Teeth: [CX] – “Strigoi’s Fangs – Silver Type.1 ( Size E / Wider )”
Body: Maitreya – “LaraX 1.0”
Arm (right): Wicca’s Originals – “Tilcott Arms” (Maitreya LaraX)
Poses, Props & Tools

Backdrop: Paparazzi – “BACKDROP – Steampunk Hall 3”
Pose (+cane & pipe): [piXit] – “Clementine Posepack + Props” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024
Clock: (:ERG:) – “Steampunk Wall Clock vol.1” – NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024
Backpack: ::Static:: – “Roaming Alchemist Pack {Female} Black” NEW @ Engine Room // March 2024

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Wicca’s Originals @ NEO Japan // March/April 2024

Wicca’s Originals @ NEO Japan // March 23th – April 14th

Item: Friction Implant (left & right version seperate)
Sizes: LeLutka EvoX (Male & Female) + unrigged version // unisex // mod/copy/no trans
HUD: 10 Colors / Metals

LM: NEO Japan

I’am let you speak if you just let me breathe…

TUNES

I’ve tasted blood and it is sweet
I’ve had the rug pulled beneath my feet
I’ve trusted lies and trusted men
Broke down and put myself back together again
Stared in the mirror and punched it to shatters
Collected the pieces and picked out a dagger
I’ve pinched my skin in between my two fingers
And wished I could cut some parts off with some scissors

“Come on, little lady, give us a smile”
No, I ain’t got nothin’ to smile about
I got no one to smile for, I waited a while for
A moment to say I don’t owe you a goddamn thing

I, I keep a record of the wreckage of my life
I gotta recognize the weapon in my mind
They talk shit, but I love it every time
And I realize

I’m no sweet dream, but I’m a hell of a night
That I’m no sweet dream, but I’m a hell of a night

[- Halsey – Nightmare -]

Today I finally was able to try and learn something new I wanted to do for along time. I am playing with lights now for quite a while, but I sometimes missed a little bit of “dramatic” vibes to some more extreme lightning. So I looked into creating rim lights a bit more since yesterday. It is really exciting and as well unbelievable what you can do with Photoshop – I experience that again and again when I do look into something new I want to do, when I am post processing my pictures. I always try not completely changing my pictures as I do want to showcase the real products. So what I mostly do is playing with shadows, light, lightning and shadows most of the time and do some touch ups on edgy that are wonky. I know some use the new AI programs to work their pictures, but for me that is not what I want to have. I am a SL resident and I still want to showcase what SL has to offer – and it is a lot with all the things you have inworld already.

I snapped the original picture with the neon green lights already so I just did enhance the lights and added them on spots where the inworld lights didn’t appear right.

I used some of the new releases I found at The Warehouse Sale and Kinky.

What I would like to mention since you cannot see it on the picture, the mohawk called “No Prison” from no.match you can wear with or without the spikes. For the amazing “Xatyn Ring Band” accessory you have a show/hide menu where you can hide several parts independently for every finger. Certainly both designs come with color huds to customize it to your liking.

Clothing

Top: Wicca’s Originals – Melia Top”NEW @ FaMESHedX // February 2024

Accessories

Piercings & Tattoo (Forehead): BodyArts – “Signum” (unrigged)
Earrings: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earring Mads all linked” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Ear Lobes: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Inazuma Plug” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Piercing (Nose): Wicca’s Originals – “Jadeon Piercing” + “Tegan Piercing Set” (unrigged)
Piercing Lips 1: LittleFish – “EziliV2” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Piercing Lips 2: LittleFish – “Blair” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Piercing Lips 3: LittleFish – “Jazmina” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Piercing Lips 4: LittleFish – “Wren” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Choker: Kibitz – “Emayra’s Choker” (Maitreya LaraX) – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // February 2024
Chest: [Cubic Cherry] – “Cupid Mark” (unrigged, BOM) – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // February 2024
Fingers: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Xatyn Ring Band” (Maitrya LaraX, bento)NEW @ Kinky // February 2024
Nails: L’Emporio – “My Nails” (Maitreya, bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No_Prison (A)” – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // February 2024
Eyeliners: .{PSYCHO:Byts}. – “Seraphine Eyeliners” (LeL. HD Applier)

Head, Body & Tattoo
Head: LeLUTKA – “EvoX Avalon 3.1”
Tattoo Head & Ears: BodyArts – “Void”
Tattoo Face: BodyArts – “Faceband Wicca” (LeL.EvoX BoM, custom made – take a look at the “Vere Flores” or one of her various amazing facebands)
Teeth: [CX] – “Strigoi’s Fangs – Silver Type.1 ( Size E / Wider )”
Body: Maitreya – “LaraX 1.0”
Tattoo Body: .:Vegas:. – “Tattoo Flue ( Medium )” (LeL. EvoX BoM)
Poses, Props & Tools

Pose: So Fun – “Gabriele (mirror)” (bento)

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Born to Be Wild II

TUNES

Get your motor runnin’
Head out on the highway
Looking for adventure
In whatever comes our way

[- Steppenwolf -]
Clothing

Outfit (incl. Shoes): Meva – “Fiona” – NEW @ Mainstore (Re-Release now for LaraX)
Gloves: L’Emporio – “Fingerless Gloves” (Maitreya, Bento)

Accessories

Piercings & Tattoo (Forehead): BodyArts – “Signum” (LeL.EvoX BoM, unrigged mesh)
Earrings: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earring Mads all linked” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Ear Lobes: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Inazuma Plug” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Piercing (Nose): Wicca’s Originals – “Jadeon Piercing” + “Tegan Piercing Set” (unrigged)
Piercing (Mouth): LittleFish – “EziliV2” (Lel. EvoX, Avalon)
Glasses: Wicca’s Originals – “Nightshade Glasses” (unrigged)
Necklace: AsteroidBox – “Farren Jewelry – Female Fit” (unrigged)
Nails: [FORMANAILS] – “Stiletto 1” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: no.match – “No Saint”

Head, Body & Tattoo
Head: LeLUTKA – “EvoX Avalon 3.1”
Tattoo Head & Ears: BodyArts – “Void”
Tattoo Face: BodyArts – “Faceband Wicca” (LeL.EvoX BoM, custom made – take a look at the “Vere Flores” or one of her various amazing facebands)
Body: Maitreya – “LaraX 1.0”
Tattoo Body: .:Vegas:. – “Tattoo ( Medium ) Resilience” (BoM)
Poses, Props & Tools

Bike: MotoDesign – “Dreamcatcher – Skull – EVO”

Scenery: DRD – “Beer Stand – Collection”
Location: Bartertown

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

I disdain all glittering Gold

TUNES

My heart is pierced by Cupid
I disdain all glittering gold
There is nothing can console me
But my jolly sailor bold

[- Ashley Serena -]
Accessories

Nails: FORMANAILS – “Spiral” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: Exile – “Renee (B)”
Faceart: leLAPEAU – “Ariel Mask” (LeL.EvoX BoM)
Eyeshadow: leLAPEAU – “Ariel Shadow B” (LeL.EvoX BoM)
Lipistick: leLAPEAU – “Ariel Lipstick A” (LeL.EvoX BoM)

Head, Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLUTKA – “EvoX ZO 3.1”
Teeth: [CX] – “Strigoi’s Fangs – Silver Type.1 ( Size E / Wider )”
Skin Head: leLAPEAU – “Ariel Skin – NF Alabaster (No Brows)” (LeL.EvoX BoM)

Poses, Props & Tools

Pose: STUN – “Claudia 3”

Model, Stylist & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

Bring us back to Life!

TUNES

All of this time, I can’t believe I couldn’t see
Kept in the dark, but you were there in front of me
I’ve been sleeping a thousand years, it seems
Got to open my eyes to everything
Without a thought, without a voice, without a soul
Don’t let me die here
(There must be something more) bring me to life

[- Amy Lee, Evanescence -]
Ideas and inspiration for pictures… I get this asked a lot and often I have no idea what to answer. Many times I just unpack boxes of what I have bought and see what would maybe go together – that usually is a long process of try and error. When I am done styling, I try to find or build a scenery that in my opinion goes with that look.
The second way I come to an idea is a little more easy. I go out and take a look at some events and maybe I find something that kicks me and I do get a instant idea of what I would like to do with it.
The third possibility is I saw a picture in real life, or I heard a song where the lyrics did inspire me and I try to make my own version or my own vision of it.
Or… it is somehow a combination of some or all of those *giggles*
Most of the time I just go with the flow, let it happen and if I like the result it gets posted – yes, I do trash ready pictures if I do not like them and start over, even if I did work hours or days on them 😉
I do not know if it really is blogging like I used to do it in the past. In my personal view blogging is showcasing and maybe even review the items to give the reader a picture of what they get when they buy it. That was what I was taught when I started blogging. Over the time, that changed for me as I wanted more and more my own twist and visions in the pictures I do. Not only a blunt showcase of the item in the perfect day light, but my emotions, my feelings and.. maybe even myself somehow.
I was struggling for a while if I do still want to call myself “blogger” or if I should call myself just “digital artist”
Seeing how blogging changed in general and seeing how much more freedom bloggers do get, I decided to combine both and just have fun with it – as long as my sponsors do allow me 🙂
Today it was a combination of ideas.
First I saw the amazing Horns from Nefekalum at The Warehouse Sale and did know I do want to do something with them. They are so extraordinary in shape, textures and colors – just a must have! While was walking through the event I did see the new Hair from no.match – which I was allowed to be on the advertisement (thank you no.match and sis) – and with the shaved sides, they perfectly went with the horns!
I do not get that lucky all the time to find a whole style at one event usually but this time, it seemed to be fortune, as I found the outfit from Rokins and the cool makeup from [Reverie] at the same event, too!!!
After I put everything together, certainly with nails from FORMANAILS – my most favorite nail designer ♥ – I loved what I saw, but had no idea of what I could do with it *chuckles*
If I do not have the blink of an idea what to do, I usually jump first into my animals folder and see if I find something that calls to be rezzed out. This time it were the smelly raven friends from {vespertine} I got a while ago (sometimes things need to sit unused in my inventory until they are ready to go *giggles*). Seeing those the cool “Messenger Crow” animesh made – by [Apika] – came to my mind again. Why not doing something like “Bring the ravens back to live” like the “Messenger Crow”?
Where else than at a dark cemetery with a Gothic looking fence around midnight, dark magic could be done better?
Said – Done!
And here it is 😉
Clothing
Outfit: Rokins – Sitana V1″ (Maitreya LaraX) – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // December 2023
Accessories
Horns: Nefekalum – “Archduke Horns” (unrigged, materials) – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // December 2023
Piercings & Tattoo (Forehead): BodyArts – “Signum” (unrigged)
Earrings: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Earring Mads all linked” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Ear Lobes: .:E.A.Studio:. – “Inazuma Plug” (LeLUTKA EvoX female/human)
Nails: FORMANAILS – “Kalia” (Maitreya, Bento)
Hair & Makeup
Eyeshadow 1: [Reverie] – “Yule Eyeshadow #2” (LeL.EvoX BoM) – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // December 2023
Eyesjadow 2: [Reverie] – “Yule Liner #7” (LeL.EvoX BoM) – NEW @ The Warehouse Sale // December 2023
Head, Body & Tattoo
Head: LeLUTKA – “EvoX Avalon 3.1”
Tattoo Head & Ears: BodyArts – “Void”
Face Tattoo: BodyArts – “Faceband Wicca” (LeL.EvoX BoM, custom made – take a look at the “Vere Flores” or one of her various amazing facebands)
Body: Maitreya – “LaraX 1.0”
Poses, Props & Tools
Backdrop: Paparazzi – “BACKDROP – Gothic Gate 1”
Animal 1: [Apika] – “The Messenger Crow” (animesh)
Animals 2: {vespertine} – “Skelly Friends – Raven” (static)
Model, Stylist & Photographer