“The cavern cracked and groaned. Dirt, rocks, and glow worms rained on their heads. With a wave of panic, Andy swung around and dashed into the next cavern. “Run!” The ceiling collapsed. Behind him, Medusa laughed, her snakes still hissing.”
[A.P. Mobley, The Helm of Darkness]

Finally my favorite season arrived… October is here!!!

Now I can be freaky, scary and dark without being asked if I am ok or being called weird and a freak – not that I do really care during the year, but these days I can feel “normal” *giggles*

So the first one today – kinda my annual brake-free – features some new releases from Salt & Pepper and Nefekalum Tattoos and some of my long time favorites like CURELESS[+], UTOPIA@Design, Avanti and one of our latest releases, as it did fit in so nicely.

First I wanted to do a scary Medusa typical picture and the Salt release her “Guardian” for the Salem event. I t looked so cool, that I could not wait for another post and so I gave myself the challenge to find an idea, how I could use both. The result was the vision of a gatekeeper for an old, mystic cave with lots of cobwebs and spiders.

Recently I love to play with lights and projectors, as well as with new Photoshop tricks a lot. The result is, that I tend to use a plain dark background, to be able to add in some layers and basically try create the background in Photoshop. With additional lights and my new drawing pad it is a lot of fun to play with different brushes and as well even draw parts of it – even if iI really need more practice with that damn pad and pencil. Sometimes It feels even more easy to draw with the computer mouse, even if that sounds ridiculous for those who have more experiences with it.

I always loved strong contrasts. With many of my past pictures I wanted more depth as Second Life had to offer and now finally I found a way how I can do that with some tricks I found in Youtube tutorials. It took a while until they did what I wanted, but for me it was worth the time and I really found new inspiration and motivation with learning new techniques. It felt like unlocking new doors to have more possibilities to achieve what I was looking for a long time. I am still practicing and with every new picture I come closer to what I desire.

I lately was talking to a sweet lady, which I recently feel like a good friend. She does the wonderful sweet and smooth art, which I tried a lot of times but never could do – maybe it just isn’t in me or I did not yet find it… it always feels awkward when I try to do this kind of pictures and moods. She helped me with my tribute for Autumn Rose a lot, as that required exactly that way of art (HERE).

In the past it felt like I would have to have the ability to feature all kind of styles, but the more I turn into my personal favorite direction, the more I feel secure and my pictures do have way more impact – at least it does feel like that!

I am not saying I will not still try other things, but I took the pressure of myself that I HAVE TO do so. For now I will do enjoy the dark season as much as I can and hope that I can get all my ideas done in time, before the cozy Christmas times will start… or maybe the dark times turn into dark scary “Krismus”? *eyes “The Nightmare before Christmas” DVD over there in the shelf*

Clothing

Outfit: Scandalize – “Nicole Harness” (Maitreya)

Gloves: Wicca’s Originals – “Ryn Gloves (Scales)” (Maitreya)

Stockings: .:Avanti:. – “Ripped Nylons V2” (Maitreya Applier)

Shoes: UTOPIA@Design – “Halloween – V2” (Maitreya)

Accessories

Dragon Skelleton & Spider Legs: Salt & Pepper (S&P) – “The Guardian” – NEW @ Salem

Collar: [CX] – “Hell’s Harbinger (Black Out+Gold)” (Maitreya)

Tounge Piercings: LeLutka – “BDYART-TBRBL” (Bento)

Hair & Makeup

Hair: Salt & Pepper (S&P) – “Medusa Head Dress” (Part of the Outfit Medusa) – NEW @ UBER

Faceart: Nefekalum Tattoos – “Shaman Series – Fire” (Omega Applier) – NEW

Makeup: alaskametro<3 – “Impressionist” (Omega Applier)

Lipstick: Izzie’s – “Black Lipstick” (Maitreya Applier)

Body & Tattoo

Head: LeLutka – “Simone 3.4”

Body: Maitreya – “Lara 4.1”

Eyes: CURELESS[+] – “Seerees Eyes”

Poses, Props & Tools

Poses: Poseidon

Face Animation Tool: LeLutka – “Axis HUD Face 1.1”

Model & Photographer

Wicca Merlin

“Visionaries and dreamers have always been dusted with a little oddity.”

July 29, 2019 by Wicca Merlin

“The key to success is to risk thinking unconventional thoughts. Convention is the enemy of progress.”

[Trevor Baylis]

Today probably is the last chance to visit this incredible, awesome sim if you not yet did! Cica Ghost did it again… she amazed me with one of her installations and over exploring her newest built, I again forgot to take pictures and when she said it will only last a few more days, I really had to make something!

I really think that our RL affects our SL, especially in the creative department. I was kinda paralyzed the past few weeks. I never ever had experienced mobbing at one of my working places before and now, being over 40 I have to learn about that. I still have no clue what the motivation for those people can be, but to me it is just a senseless power game for no reason. Probably just because they can and they are bored in their own little life. A mixture of disappointment, anxiety and anger did really throw me out of place because of that and I had a hard time to be creative while all this bullshit was going on. Now that I do have holidays and started to sort myself again, some creativity seems to come back even if it is weird. Yesterday I already had those weird thoughts about that poor little octopus and today I had the strange vision about taking my goldfish out for a walk. Certain the “Dogwood by Cica Ghost” did parts of that too as I loved the idea, IF iI should take out goldfishes for a walk it does have to be in a super dry and dusted environment to make it even more surreal :p

Both of my quotes, the title and the one below the first picture are from Trevor Baylis. I recently discovered him and I do have to admit, many of his quotes hit right into my soul. He was an English inventor best known for the wind-up radio (LINK). With thinking a lot about myself and the world in general the past weeks, I read a lot of biographies and just let my mind flow over the world wide web finding some really interesting people that I never had heard of before. Reading some of their statements about certain things, really changed my personal visions and thoughts a little. Most of them were not actual celebrities but older ones or some that lived in past centuries, but still their visions do apply to the present tense. I feel weird saying it did help me but some of their thoughts really made me think about myself again and I was able to step out of that weird mood that RL and my work situation had put me in.