The artful Alchemy of Wicca Merlin – VERSUS Magazine Spring/Summer 2019

I had the great honor of being the cover and the cover story of the actual VERSUS Magazine. I do work with VERSUS as a model, stylist and photographer since the very first issue, the more I felt honored and happy about being asked if I would like to be on the cover!

I remember very well, how speechless and overwhelmed I was when Shena told me, that she planned me, my photography/blogging and our store for her next cover story – I nearly was fainting!

I was sent some wonderful questions for the interview by Sita Writer, in my opinion one of the most talented writers I met in SL (actually I do have  2 favorites only *grins*). Anyways, I was super happy when I saw, that Sita did not only pull the usual mainstream questions and it really was fun to answer them. If you want to see the full article you can find it HERE or you can pull an inworld Magazine at the entrance hall of our Mainstore!

And as if that would not have been enough already… Shena surprised me again and left me speechless! When I turned in my pictures for the Mother Nature theme I was assigned this issue, Shena went totally crazy about one picture and wanted to take that as the cover for the magazine… MY picture as cover for a magazine!?! that never happened before, I never was allowed to do a picture for a magazine cover!?!

I really have to say thank you for a wonderful article, as well as such a great honor, to Shena, Sita and the VERSUS Magazine staff for that incredible opportunity and experience! VERSUS always felt like home and family to me and that, even made that bond tighter than ever before.

Why I am posting this today, away from that I am so proud and honored, is that I got asked so often in IMs about the style I was wearing for the cover and so I will put my style credits below this post.

THANK YOU VERSUS FAMILY!!!

VERSUS Magazine Spring/Summer 2019 https://issuu.com/versus.sl.magazine/docs/versus_magazine_spring_summer_2019

Clothing

Dress: Legal Insanity – “Camila Dress” (Maitreya)

Cloack: Astralia – “Danaus Spring cloak” (Maitreya, Gacha, Rare)

Accessories

Headpiece: Astralia – “Danaus Spring Crown (orange)” (Gacha, Common)

Flower (mouth): Astralia – “Danaus Spring Flower (orange)” (Gacha, Common)

Bracelets: Gemini – “Sis Bracelets” (Maitreya)

Rings: *elise* – “Diana” (Maitreya, Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: [e] – “Juniper”

Makeup 1: Zibska – “Ventura Eyemakeup” (LeLutka Applier)

Makeup 2: Zibska – “Tamia Eyemakeup” (LeLutka Applier)

Lipstick: Zibska – “Flore” (LeLutka Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.3”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Lashes: alaskametro<3 – “Slay” (LeLutka Applier)

Poses & Props

Pose: Foxcity – “Long Grass” (VIP Gift 6-17, Bento)

Wand: Astralia – “Danaus Spring Scepter” (gGacha, Special Prize)

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

 

Phoenix – A Modern, Steampunk Interpretation

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Sometimes the mind takes off and you just go with the flow…

That happened again after I got the amazing “Lavi” makeup from Slackgirl. I wanted to do something special as the makeup itself looked very different to me.

First I tried something simple, as I wanted the makeup to pop out, but what ever I tried, it never did satisfaction to the makeup to my feeling.

That usually is the point when I put things to the side and wait until the creative muse kisses me with the right idea. But for what ever reason I could not do it this time without again and again thinking about it.

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With the amazing shine of the makeup, I came across the idea to use the wonderful “Asgard Wings” from E.V.E Studio, that come with the matching head wing parts. So I slowly got a basic idea for what would like to go for. Wearing the cool head wing parts I had to find some hair, that go well with them without hiding too much or looking too funky. The ” Tommy” hair is the perfect choice to match my vision, which grows more and more in my mind 😉

With the beautiful detailed top from the “Scarlett” lingerie – made by Salt & Pepper – I had the arms free for the awesome “Elowen” arm pieces from Wicca’s Wardrobe. The shorts with the cool garter straps come from Asteria and are named “Mady”.

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With the cool “Lavi” makeup and the “Asgard” accessories the vision of an steampunk Phoenix was born in my head… I can’t tell you why but it just got tsuck in my mind :p

For the set, which I built at my studio I used the incredible “Propelling Gears” together with the “Rosina’s Undergeound” and the “Eye of the Storm” made the perfect ambience for what I was looking for 🙂

Now.. simple runway poses would not do justice to the Phoenix idea. I was trying quite a few but nothing really would work with my idea and finally Gryphon Vendetta, creator of Poseidon poses saved my life. I ran into Poseidon via Gryphons amazing flickr stream and his incredible pictures. I totally love them and drooled more than once over his pictures 😉

He does very dramatic and expressive poses which are perfect for exciting pictures and moods. I rarely saw such motion looking poses, which still look human and not distorted for the limbs. It looks like that he has poses for every occasion you can think about whether it is weapons, running scenes or flying moments. Sometimes he even has props coming with them like the one I used for the dark bloody nurse post not too long ago (https://wiccamerlin.de/something-evils-lurkinin-the-dark/).

I really got kinda an addiction for Poseidon poses since I tried them first and with all those possibilities he offers, I guess that will not be the last post I used them :p (I spied a Harley Quinn set too and I LOVE Harley Quinn*grins evil*)

But for now I hope you enjoyed my person vision of a modern steampunk Phoenix 😉

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Details

Pants: Asteria – “Mady Garter Panties” – NEW

Top: Salt & Pepper (S&P) – “Scarlett Top” (part of the Scarlett outfit)

Shoes: Reign – “Monarch”

Wings & Head Parts: E.V.E Studio – “Asgard Wings & Headpiece” – NEW

Hair: EMO-tions – “Tommy”

Makeup: Slackgirl – “Lavi”

Collar: Elysium – “Shena Collar”

Necklace: Asteria – “Celine Necklace”

Arm Parts: Wicca’s Wardrobe – “Elowen” (Gacha)

Poses: Poseidon

Set: E.V.E Studio – “Propelling Gears Clock” + “Eye of the Storm” + “Rosina’s  Undergrowth M01” – NEW @ Enchantment

Model & Photographer: Wicca Merlin