Do you know where Riyoko Ikeda ripped the idea for that picture from?
It is the very La liberté guidant le peuple(The liberty leading the people) by Eugene Delacroix.
(Oh I was looking thru my art books, and found Delacroix posing nude in Gericault's study for "The Raft of Medusa". You really can't tell on the final oil painting version, though.)
Back in the day, the intellects of the time are gathered frequently at each other's places and other venues, exchanging ideas and also indulging in debauchery as well.
Those orgies(not necessarily limited to sexual activity, but used as synonyms to the private party) were documented in many correspondences, journals, literatures and memoirs. They discussed politics, arts, literatures, reading of their own latest creations, debated the merits of feminism and atheism.
Oh the drama they suffered thru all 19th century was no comparison to what we are going thru in this pixel world. *smirks
Anyways, I always love that century.
So much bloodshed and emerging of idealism to the practice, inspired so many of them to experiment in all facets of humanity. It was not limited to artistic expressions but all social activity, including politics and religion.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Friday, April 25, 2008
Exchange of Idea with other designer
(Illustration by Riyoko Ikeda (C)1972-2008)I was catching up with Japanese friend who happen to be really famous in world, as always, she passed me the brand new item from her collection just off the rack.
(I do this to my friends, too. Good practice should be passed on. )
She does not take custom orders publicly, but she always asks me if I have any request or custom modification. Most of the time, I am happy with what she has and hardly ever needs any modification.
Today, I had request in mind, and fortunately she was available to chat with me.
What I had in mind is this *military uniform inspired jacket/costume*.
In Japan, we have hugely popular shoujyo-manga called "Verssaille no bara" -The rose of Verssaile, which has been adapted to movies, TV cartoons and all female cast revue.
I think it was first appeared in weekly comic books back in late 70s.
Anyways, the story is blatantly inspired by the opera,Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss, If you know those sorta things. For those of you unfamilier with opera and plays of 19the century with cross-dressing heroines, I will explain them to you.
The hero of the manga Oscar Francois de Jardjais, first appear as lieutenant of French Imperial guard, assigned to the newly married Dauphine of France, Marie Antoinette. Oscar is in fact a young woman(well, 15 years old , same age as Marie Antoinette) who raised to be military officer, because her father did not have male heir. She is in disguise, or to the point, she never been brought up to be a woman.
Anyways, the story progresses are the French history, to the most part. Oscar falls for Count Fersen who is also a clandestine lover of Marie Antoinette. Oscar advanced to colonel as a officer in charge of Imperial guard attached to the Queen of France, yet she starts to see the reality of the people in France is facing.. the poverty and all that.
ooh, I just remembered, the creator put the story of the knight of Black Rose, who is basically the revolutionary version of Robin Hood. LOL He later turns out to be the real historical revolutionary in disguise. (laughs more)
Oscar leaves Imperial guard and joined as a commander of French Army where there is no member of aristocrats are serving. yet, she experience the changes of the time and end up commanding the force, storming the Bastille on the fateful day , 7/14.
Her loyal servant who grew up with her as her valet, has been in love with her for all his life, yet never confessed to her his true feelings, till the night before of 7/14. He has been hidden his loss of his vision from her for a long time, yet despite the plea from the soldiers who knows his blindness he took on the duty to guard her. As a result, he receives gun shot and dies in the combat.
Oscar also dies as a revolutionary. (I think its better than she guillotined like other aristocrats.)
After the death of Oscar, the story is totally mundane. Basically the manga version of French revolution.
******
Anyways, historically speaking, the costume is a bit inaccurate. The uniform is more like Napoleon Era, after the French Revolution. But this is totally an artistic liberty or form of poetic justice. Oscar looks great in that uniform.
My special request was that I wanted the open front version of the coat with sheer shirt. We discussed which of her current selection can be modified to make the image possible in pixel outfit. We selected several of her existing collections so she can modified to make an outfit.
This is not just my own whims. Apparently she tried to make similar costume recently. So there are some understandings of some inspirations not to mention she is fully familiarized herself with the manga itself.
Exchange of idea is sometimes really fun and very interesting to participate in creative process of well known designer. :)
I am sure it will be on the store front pretty soon.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Enterprise Level... hmmmm
Check this out.
Then, check some popular brands who are paying up to 1500$ US per week for just classified ad in world... 6000$ /4weeks, 78000$/year.
I guess those ppl are making that much profit at least...but good for you if you like the pixel world so much.
(I just can't rationalize in engaging that much amount of transaction in pixel world. I'm sorry, I can't. There are better way to earn money than this, with same or less amount of workload and investment/risk factor... But thats not the point of this article.)
Why not move into enterprising arena? Establishing corporation, obtain trademark for your brand, if you selling unique products, obtain industrial design patent...etc etc
Pay the company 25000 $US a year, and get your own surname in world.
Get the support you need. (So many of the self proclaimed business owner just rant in every single Official blog entry...)
Money talks.
Since paying that much money into some company that doesnt provide basic support, why not pay 25000$ up front and get what you deserve...
Then, check some popular brands who are paying up to 1500$ US per week for just classified ad in world... 6000$ /4weeks, 78000$/year.
I guess those ppl are making that much profit at least...but good for you if you like the pixel world so much.
(I just can't rationalize in engaging that much amount of transaction in pixel world. I'm sorry, I can't. There are better way to earn money than this, with same or less amount of workload and investment/risk factor... But thats not the point of this article.)
Why not move into enterprising arena? Establishing corporation, obtain trademark for your brand, if you selling unique products, obtain industrial design patent...etc etc
Pay the company 25000 $US a year, and get your own surname in world.
Get the support you need. (So many of the self proclaimed business owner just rant in every single Official blog entry...)
Money talks.
Since paying that much money into some company that doesnt provide basic support, why not pay 25000$ up front and get what you deserve...
Daini Ken ? What is that mean?
I am planning a brand makeover...sounds really funny, but that is what I am working on.
I am not going to tell you what I am doing, but this is a great opportunity to go into the meaning behind my brand.
***
Daini Ken Designs by Frederic Prevost © has been very eclectic in brand image since the founding of itself, partly, it was intentional on my part.
First of all, I made the brand name in Japanese. I am Japanese and exotic sounding brand can be always trendy and unique. Not to mention it will not risk everyone else just starting out unintentionally or intentionally pick the same or similar generic and quite boring/un-creative name such as *darkside* *The Darkside* * Dark side*--- (is it a fan site of commercial blockbuster movies? Is it owned by a fan of pink floyd?) Or made it with two letter initials, looking like abbreviation of some geeky game.
"Daini Ken" is the common Japanese literature translation of *The second circle* in La Divina Comedia - Divine Comedy by Dante. My favorite verse from Divine comedy is Canto V, and the scene is set in the Second circle of Hell.
And of course, you can't forget the word *second* has that there is a tongue in cheek relation to the pixel world we are in.
Daini means literally *second*. Ken means geographical *area*, such as Shuto Ken, (Tokyo metro and its suburbs).
So, even if you are Japanese, you have to know Japanese translation of Shinkyoku(Divine Comedy) to know the word and meaning of Daini Ken. You just can't use dictionary or babel fish to translate *The second circle* into Daini Ken.
Anyone can pick *Inferno* as a brand name, meanwhile it could be the title of the movie, or Inferno from Divine comedy, or even can be disco inferno... It is, again boring. Not to mention there are whole bunch of Inferno, Purgatory in any areas of brand name, titles and trademarks etc etc. It is not even unique.
There is no depth in selection process.
Divine Comedy is dark, crude, harsh yet wickedly honest, tender and intelligent. There is no such literature to this day which can be put next to this book, let alone the fact that this would be the first depiction/visual description of hell in the literature in the known human history.
It does not confine the idea to just Hell or wicked human nature, it gives some hope as Dante discovers the universe with the guidance of Virgil.
And *By Frederic Prevost* completes my signature that I am the designer/ owner and there is no *we* . From the item name, package, to the prim placement, hues of the textures, I am the one who is responsible, which means even if I use the script or parts made from open source, I change it fit my products and it will never the way they are lying on the creator's inventory.
blah blah... so. There you go.
(want to read Divine Comedy? I recommend Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Translation, if you are interested. You should be able to find it around $10. Well, worth the money spent.)
I am not going to tell you what I am doing, but this is a great opportunity to go into the meaning behind my brand.
***
Daini Ken Designs by Frederic Prevost © has been very eclectic in brand image since the founding of itself, partly, it was intentional on my part.
First of all, I made the brand name in Japanese. I am Japanese and exotic sounding brand can be always trendy and unique. Not to mention it will not risk everyone else just starting out unintentionally or intentionally pick the same or similar generic and quite boring/un-creative name such as *darkside* *The Darkside* * Dark side*--- (is it a fan site of commercial blockbuster movies? Is it owned by a fan of pink floyd?) Or made it with two letter initials, looking like abbreviation of some geeky game.
"Daini Ken" is the common Japanese literature translation of *The second circle* in La Divina Comedia - Divine Comedy by Dante. My favorite verse from Divine comedy is Canto V, and the scene is set in the Second circle of Hell.
And of course, you can't forget the word *second* has that there is a tongue in cheek relation to the pixel world we are in.
Daini means literally *second*. Ken means geographical *area*, such as Shuto Ken, (Tokyo metro and its suburbs).
So, even if you are Japanese, you have to know Japanese translation of Shinkyoku(Divine Comedy) to know the word and meaning of Daini Ken. You just can't use dictionary or babel fish to translate *The second circle* into Daini Ken.
Anyone can pick *Inferno* as a brand name, meanwhile it could be the title of the movie, or Inferno from Divine comedy, or even can be disco inferno... It is, again boring. Not to mention there are whole bunch of Inferno, Purgatory in any areas of brand name, titles and trademarks etc etc. It is not even unique.
There is no depth in selection process.
Divine Comedy is dark, crude, harsh yet wickedly honest, tender and intelligent. There is no such literature to this day which can be put next to this book, let alone the fact that this would be the first depiction/visual description of hell in the literature in the known human history.
It does not confine the idea to just Hell or wicked human nature, it gives some hope as Dante discovers the universe with the guidance of Virgil.
And *By Frederic Prevost* completes my signature that I am the designer/ owner and there is no *we* . From the item name, package, to the prim placement, hues of the textures, I am the one who is responsible, which means even if I use the script or parts made from open source, I change it fit my products and it will never the way they are lying on the creator's inventory.
blah blah... so. There you go.
(want to read Divine Comedy? I recommend Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's Translation, if you are interested. You should be able to find it around $10. Well, worth the money spent.)
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
How to deal with in-world currency exchange.
(heh, this subject can be difficult without mentioning the actual game. lol)
*Second Life (TM) is a property of Linden Research Inc, and I am not associated with nor sponsored by them.
*******
With my helpful personality, I tend to give away great tips to my friends generously. (And usually they take it and run... thats how I keep the good company. :P)
However, this is something I am compelled to share with public, because many seems to be depend upon their *great sales profit in-world* in RL.
(Well, who is bluffing and who is not is besides the point. lol I don't discriminate ppl.)
Educate yourself with basic currency exchange system is the way to go. Many might think that their small transaction does not apply to the RL economic procedure, but that is dead wrong. That, I am sure.
How many of you travel outside your home country and know what is the best way to purchase/use foreign currency?
How many of you have ever checked the currency exchange rates of other country on daily basis?
I bet that there are only few. Or very few occasions. (I do this, just because rates between US$ and the Yen affects my life.)
However, you must have looked at/participated in US$( or maybe Euro) versus in- world currency exchange rates more times than you do in RL currency exchange.
****
So, if the fact is established, I shall begin discussing the merit of learning currency exchange.
I know many of you bought in world currency one time or another. The pressing blue button on the browser? Tsk, tsk...
That is the most wasteful way to purchase currency. Not to mention the game makes exorbitant amount of money just by selling their made up monopoly money to you and *gasp* charging you their commission (to print out paper money? oohps we don't even have paper money...)
So unless you are very inclined to pay them a lot of money and get little in return , please do not use the blue button every time. (I have never done it personally. )
For those of you, rather take time to save yourself some hard earned RL money, proceed to learn Lindex and SL Exchange currency exchange policies.
(I do not recommend e-bay n other private currency exchange services. )
The basic scheme of things is this~ You buy more, you save more.
So here is what you can do:
1. Try buying in world currency the least time a year. If you are buying every week, try every four weeks. If you are buying every month, try every quarter. so on .
You must know how much you can spend in game per month or even a year. I find it budget every quarter or so is very convenient even if it is not a exact prediction.
2. learn *limit buy* system. This is basically bidding in the actual market. You name your own price, instead of the rates with huge inflated rates set by the company.
If you are making reasonable bid (carefully read the market condition before you bid. You will see the pocket of rates which had been filled immediately and the rates which the backorder starts. There, you can play by bidding low to get filled fast or bid high and wait for desperate seller. ) the orders should be filled within a day or two.
There are always residents who are anxious to sell their linden currency with discount, because their RL life depend upon it. Therefore, your price might be very attractive to those anxious sellers.
TIPS: I find that SLex has way better rates than Lindex. That is just the fact. If you compare it once you will know the difference is hard to ignore. Downside is that mostly you have to deal with paypal... I really dont like paypal.
It may be looking very cryptic to some. But I am driven not to let the company make more money on me, therefore I never bought with market rate.
You only get about 250L per dollar?
For those of you who has to deal with thousands of RL currency will get a better deal, simply because of the basic law of economics.(And probably they don't need my advise I am sure. If they do, they better off hiring accountant.) But then again, those ppl are paying the commissions every time they deal with exchange= paying a lot of money to Lindex/Slex frequently.
My idea is *NOT TO PAY* more than I need to.
Economics is fun, because its not a mathematics. Your individual situation (micro economics) affects your decision process and there are no right answer.
If you don't have credit card or paypal/bank account, or can only spend 5$ at a time, you have no choice but to use blue button. The company makes money by providing you the convenience.
And god forbid, do not sell your inworld currency buy 10$ at a time... You probably end up paying the company more than you make money at the end.
*Second Life (TM) is a property of Linden Research Inc, and I am not associated with nor sponsored by them.
*******
With my helpful personality, I tend to give away great tips to my friends generously. (And usually they take it and run... thats how I keep the good company. :P)
However, this is something I am compelled to share with public, because many seems to be depend upon their *great sales profit in-world* in RL.
(Well, who is bluffing and who is not is besides the point. lol I don't discriminate ppl.)
Educate yourself with basic currency exchange system is the way to go. Many might think that their small transaction does not apply to the RL economic procedure, but that is dead wrong. That, I am sure.
How many of you travel outside your home country and know what is the best way to purchase/use foreign currency?
How many of you have ever checked the currency exchange rates of other country on daily basis?
I bet that there are only few. Or very few occasions. (I do this, just because rates between US$ and the Yen affects my life.)
However, you must have looked at/participated in US$( or maybe Euro) versus in- world currency exchange rates more times than you do in RL currency exchange.
****
So, if the fact is established, I shall begin discussing the merit of learning currency exchange.
I know many of you bought in world currency one time or another. The pressing blue button on the browser? Tsk, tsk...
That is the most wasteful way to purchase currency. Not to mention the game makes exorbitant amount of money just by selling their made up monopoly money to you and *gasp* charging you their commission (to print out paper money? oohps we don't even have paper money...)
So unless you are very inclined to pay them a lot of money and get little in return , please do not use the blue button every time. (I have never done it personally. )
For those of you, rather take time to save yourself some hard earned RL money, proceed to learn Lindex and SL Exchange currency exchange policies.
(I do not recommend e-bay n other private currency exchange services. )
The basic scheme of things is this~ You buy more, you save more.
So here is what you can do:
1. Try buying in world currency the least time a year. If you are buying every week, try every four weeks. If you are buying every month, try every quarter. so on .
You must know how much you can spend in game per month or even a year. I find it budget every quarter or so is very convenient even if it is not a exact prediction.
2. learn *limit buy* system. This is basically bidding in the actual market. You name your own price, instead of the rates with huge inflated rates set by the company.
If you are making reasonable bid (carefully read the market condition before you bid. You will see the pocket of rates which had been filled immediately and the rates which the backorder starts. There, you can play by bidding low to get filled fast or bid high and wait for desperate seller. ) the orders should be filled within a day or two.
There are always residents who are anxious to sell their linden currency with discount, because their RL life depend upon it. Therefore, your price might be very attractive to those anxious sellers.
TIPS: I find that SLex has way better rates than Lindex. That is just the fact. If you compare it once you will know the difference is hard to ignore. Downside is that mostly you have to deal with paypal... I really dont like paypal.
It may be looking very cryptic to some. But I am driven not to let the company make more money on me, therefore I never bought with market rate.
You only get about 250L per dollar?
For those of you who has to deal with thousands of RL currency will get a better deal, simply because of the basic law of economics.(And probably they don't need my advise I am sure. If they do, they better off hiring accountant.) But then again, those ppl are paying the commissions every time they deal with exchange= paying a lot of money to Lindex/Slex frequently.
My idea is *NOT TO PAY* more than I need to.
Economics is fun, because its not a mathematics. Your individual situation (micro economics) affects your decision process and there are no right answer.
If you don't have credit card or paypal/bank account, or can only spend 5$ at a time, you have no choice but to use blue button. The company makes money by providing you the convenience.
And god forbid, do not sell your inworld currency buy 10$ at a time... You probably end up paying the company more than you make money at the end.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Monday, April 14, 2008
Goth Cowboy Hats *Basic 4 color pack sampler
In Main store now! (Slurl will open in your browser.)
Black, Dark Tan, Gray, Taupe
500L for 4 hats
Same great detailed construction you expect from Daini Ken Designs. Rattlesnake band has subtle but embossed brushed silver loop details in front and back.
The classic colors for any occasions, or every mood.
This will be your wardrobe staples.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Second Life Down 4 days in a row... or more
Official Linden Blog closed comment after only 3, pointing out that how many times they announced in world issues last 7 days.
The way describe the issues are very deceptive. As if the problem does not really affects normal operations with minimal troubles...?
COME ON.
IM not working, Contact list not working, Inventory loss or database loss, textures not loading, avatar not loading, transaction timeouts...
And the blog entries..
They sometimes delete the entry altogether after the issues were resolved (! if such event exists..). yesterday morning, I saw transaction time out entry, advisory not to make monetary transactions in official blog. After awhile, it was combined into the previous *in-world issues*.
The word *various in world issues*, is a blanket term of "Second life is not working properly since yeasterday and the day before and the day before that..."
I have to say I am really lucky i had 2 sales transaction, while I am not able to log on at all for half day or more.
The way describe the issues are very deceptive. As if the problem does not really affects normal operations with minimal troubles...?
COME ON.
IM not working, Contact list not working, Inventory loss or database loss, textures not loading, avatar not loading, transaction timeouts...
And the blog entries..
They sometimes delete the entry altogether after the issues were resolved (! if such event exists..). yesterday morning, I saw transaction time out entry, advisory not to make monetary transactions in official blog. After awhile, it was combined into the previous *in-world issues*.
The word *various in world issues*, is a blanket term of "Second life is not working properly since yeasterday and the day before and the day before that..."
I have to say I am really lucky i had 2 sales transaction, while I am not able to log on at all for half day or more.
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