The H20 Edition July 2010
M e r m a id R e e f : The Elusive Mer Unveiled
E xplore the
7 S e a s Making Waves:
Water Scenes for Water Photography
MANAGEMENT Topaz Joubert
CEO/Stylist
Nox Deigan
Managing Editor
AtomicSparkle Skytower
Photography Editor
Gymmie Katscher Lead Designer
:: Production Team :: Elissiana Caproni, Layout Designer Deepthinker Oh, Proofreader
:: Writers :: Carey DeCuir, Cierra Emor, Deepthinker Oh, Rhi Rossini, Sami Kutanaga, Sherrie Shepherd, Zoey Greybeard
:: Photographers :: Barney Roundel, blackLiquid Tokyoska, Carey DeCuir, Eira Juliesse, Eve Petlyakov, Hawk Perenti, Maddy Michalski, Valeria Endrizzi
:: Bloggers :: W e b s i te http://www.ManieraInc.com
More Ying (Magazine), Rouge Anthony (Agency), Tonya Coppola (Magazine)
MANIERA MAGAZINE is a fashion and lifestyle publication in Second Life速 and is the property of Maniera Inc. We are located in world at Viana Islands S 184, 224, 21 and online at http://www.ManieraInc.com. All issues of MANIERA MAGAZINE can also be 7 viewed at ISSUU.COM/MANIERA. 6
G r eet i ngs D ea r Reade r s ,
fun, creative and interactive with fellow residents.
When we first brainstormed this issue several months ago, we wanted to do an undersea theme but wanted of course to put our Maniera spin on that. From that first idea our concept expanded.
Water Scenes for Photographers, where Maniera takes our readers on a tour of some of the most spectacular water photoshoot locations on the grid.
Many of you have heard what is going on in the Gulf of Mexico regarding the oil spill and the devastation which it is causing to marine life. Now, I am not going to get political but it did make me realize how valuable water is to us, not only for nourishment, marine life and leisure, but to our survival.
So let’s all pour a tall glass of H2O and give a toast to the beauty and mystic of water.
Photography by Barney Roundel
This month we decided to give tribute to one of the most precious natural resources known to mankind - water. In this month’s edition we have 3 fantastic awe-inspiring features: Suki Hawker, creator of Mermaid Reef. Suki not only designs fashions for mermaids and mermen but lives her art. Her passion for Mer life comes through her designs as you will see from the stunning images shot by Eira Juliesse. 7 Seas Fishing Game, developed by Seven Shikami, Jen Shikami and Meissa Thorne epitomizes what Second Life should be:
Topaz Joubert Maniera CEO 8 7
J U L Y
The H20 Edition
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Adding to the Fantasy in the Summer Sun Showing a little skin on the beach? Might want to think about what your suits actually say about you.
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The Elusive World of Mer Unveiled Mermaid Reef Photoshoot.
Fashionably Yours Sally takes a cue from a lost, watery world to become a nymph.
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Mani Style: Ter-reef-ic Tropicals
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The Tail of Mer: Mermaid Reef The Mer may be elusive, but Mermaid Reef holds the key to the transformation.
Landscaping your beach vacation get-away. 20
7Seas Fishing Game You’ve probably seen it. It’s in shops, homes and private resorts -- 7Seas connects the water fronts of Second Life with social gaming.
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Veronica Krasner’s Atlantian Beauty Veronica, Maniera’s first model hire, shows her ocean soul.
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Water Photography Three mind-blowing places to go for water-based photography.
Cover Model: Veronica Krasner Cover by Eira Juliesse
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Topaz Joubert
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Sa il t he 7Sea s: Soc ial Game S weeps th e Sh ore
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he 7Seas Fishing game is more than just a game. It's also a social and cultural experience. Not only do you compete by catching various aquatic prizes, which can then become wearable pets, but you join a wider community of aquarium enthusiasts, entrepreneurs and game developers. Seven Shikami, Jen Shikami and Meissa Thorne designed the 7Seas fishing game to be a form of group or cultural experiences, rather than a game only for individuals.
By Carey DeCuir Photo by AtomicSparkle Skytower
You begin the fishing game by purchasing a rod; L$1 for a demo or L$250 for a pro fishing rod pack. If you want to be a serious fisher-person and compete for larger prizes, you buy some bait. Casting your bait into a tank can result in capturing a rare fish or you may snag some valuable Salvage.
The Salvage can be collected and converted, via a Blueprint, into prizes, such as boats, games or many other treasures. There is a lot more inforSeven and Jen, who are RL brother and sister, mation about the game at . . . first tried Second Life ® in 2003, but it was not http://7seasfishing.com, as well as a list of hununtil they bought an island in 2006 and set up a dreds of places to fish. “coin operated” retrogaming arcade that they really became engrossed in the virtual world. Low-prim aquariums are available to house the Seven developed the code for all the retro fish you catch. You can feed your fish and keep games, and Jen helped out with the graphics. the tank clean, or disable the simulator features The fishing game evolved from the arcade ex- and use it purely for decoration. You can also periences because Seven and Jen wanted a game “wear” your fish which will then swim around people could play outside. Since their island you where ever you go. was surrounded by beach “fishing seemed like Continued on next page a natural fit.” They looked around for fishing games, but found nothing that appealed to them. So, they decided to create one that fit exactly what they wanted. Jen and Meissa were interested in creating the fish, and Seven used his game coding experience to create the fishing game. Initially, Seven and Jen were not thinking about selling the fishing game. But eventually they decided “to set up the franchise system that has Staff image submitted by 7Seas allowed 7Seas to grow into the game it is 48 today.” 21
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ATLANTIS BEAUTY :
Veronica Krasner Res Date: 1/06/2007 What inspired your entry? The Atlantian Fashion and evolution theme was really an inspiring one, so I went with a magical mutated creature look. For me it was an undersea mermaid, dressed in an outfit featuring particles, tentacles and spikes. It was fun, and I enjoyed styling it and taking the picture, making a whole scene with it. How Long HaveYou Been Modeling in SL? I started modeling as a part-time model in September 2007, but in September 2008, after attending my first modeling school, I decided to make modeling my main SL activity, and I enjoy it very much. What type of model are you? I am a trained runway, print and live (store and event) model. What is your modeling philosophy? I just try to be myself; the same person I am in real life. I try to be original, unique and not to copy anyone else’s physical features or style. I try to be friendly, drama-free, easy to work with, punctual, determined, responsible and reliable. Greatest Accomplishment: I am extremely delighted to work for several prestigious agencies of Second Life, very proud of the honor I’ve achieved this month, getting to the Maniera Magazine Cover, and also happy to make it as an Official Miss Virtual World Candidate 2011. Greatest Aspiration: After almost three years of modeling in Second Life, my greatest aspiration is to be able to continue working in what I like the most in Second Life As a model, being able to showcase the amazing creations of many talented SL designers. I would love also to be able to do more print work, such as vendors, store ads or magazine spreads. Interests (Non-modeling related): Spending time with my husband, sisters and friends,going shopping,visiting new sims and places,attending parties and weddings :) Advice for Print Modeling Contests: Read well the guidelines of the contest you’re applying for, try to mix and match items, skins and accessories to achieve the look they could be looking for, but above all, be yourself and let that show through your avatar and picture :) 26
Photo By : Valeria Endrizzi
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Ocean Song: T h e Ta i l o f Me r
Written by Deepthinker Oh
Photos by AtomicSparkle Skytower
I am swimming under the sea using a metallic blue tail instead of feet and trailing bubbles from my mouth. I swim past fallen pillars of sunken Atlantis and through schools of fish. I am a mermaid today, visiting Airithia, home of Mermaid Reef, to interview Suki Hawker.
Becoming a mermaid was an easy process for Hawker. “About 4 months into SL, I just saw one when I was randomly TP’ing about SL, so did a search to see what came up, picked myself up a free tail and gave it a go.”
Using our tails to gently sway with the ebb and flow of the sea, I observe that Hawker’s mermaid costume is a lovely work of designer art, and she is almost topless.
At first, there were few mer sims, and Hawker visited “scuba diving areas, then Pirate sims. Mermaid Reef was one of the first but I was not the first. Bonny Cove was about and they sold a quite a few tails but whenever I saw a mermaid place the tails were all so expensive. I wanted something nice to swim about in, so had a go at making my own and went from there.”
“Well, a lot of mers are just topless, but I do like having a bit of kelp,” She comments. “Each sim has diff rules, in some mers have to be topless, and at others Hawker began designing “just very everything has to be covered so teens simple tails with simple textures, but I added a script to the fins so that people and younger ones can swim.” 32
could interact with them. I had seen this done in Neko ears and such and applied it to mermaid tails. I was one of the first to make scripted mermaid tails.” “The AO I give away is just a simple one to get people started, because a lot of designers just give you the tail on its own, which is not much good without an AO. I made all but one of the animations because there was no place to get hold of full permission animations, but as I said it is just a simple AO to get people swimming to see if they love being a mer as much as I do.” Hawker’s business, Mermaid Reef, grew from that first tail. “My friends kept saying I should try selling them. I was also making fish tanks that were low prim and that was what I mainly sold; the mermaid tails were a sideline. The shop was in a clubbing area not water related at all, but then I got my second shop at Mermaid Temple and that’s when things started to take off.” “I had a few requests from friends for tails for mermen because most of the tails that were out were all very girly. Mermen were few and far between, so whenever I made tails from that point I would either make them unisex or make a male version. It was my mission to convert as many of my male friends into mermen, but once they got the tail on, they liked it,” Hawker said with a laugh. Commenting on the mer world mystique, Hawker says, “I just love the freedom of swimming about, riding around on sea animals and having lots of fun. Under the water is such a beautiful place it makes you wonder why you would want to be on land.” “It is a very erotic/romantic world, in all the legends and stories of them luring in sailors there is something very alluring about merfolk, something secretive and forbidden, and what better place to romance than under the waves?” 34
The Elusive World of Mer Mermaid Reef Unveiled Fashion Photospreads by Eira Juliesse
Maniera Models: EnchantedDreams Bebb and BurningB
Bright Nightfire. For Stylecard, please see “INFO” tab.
Maniera Model Jessie424 Zapatero and Maniera Talent
Latesha Spiezel. For Stylecard, please see “INFO” tab.
Maniera Models Ches Seriman and Glitter
Bolissima. For Stylecard, please see “INFO” tab.
Maniera Models Melonie Romano and Sky
Silvansky. For Stylecard, please see “INFO” tab.
Maniera Model Apollo Call and Maniera Talent
Sazzy Oh. For Stylecard, please see “INFO” tab.
A dding to the Fantasy . . . Written by Sami Kutanaga
in the Summer Sun
In an article a year ago, I stressed how mini-van driving soccer moms come to Second Life® and dress in ways that would make their own 16 year old daughters blush. This is never more evident than when I went to hang out at one of Second Life®’s more popular beaches. I remember when my father yelled at me sitting at a pool when I was a teenager for wearing “butt floss” but what I saw would have forced my dad to lock me in my room ‘till I was 18. Yes, ladies we pay a lot for skins; yes, we want to show them off; and yes, we look better in Second Life® than we could ever in real life. There is a big but to that, and I’m not talking about the butts on the beach. There is a point of silliness when you have a Photoshopped pen line drawn up the butt cleavage and then around your waist to a small patch of textured fabric with a pattern can’t be seen. Many of the bikini tops have less texture than the pasties I have in inventory. There is however one major difference in Second Life® swimwear compared real life: we can change our shapes to match our suits. No more worries about muffin top bikini’s that look like sausage in a tube. We just go into appearance and then no more dreaded shopping for swimwear. We make us fit the swimwear, and that’s just wrong! As one model friend told me, she had a shape for dresses, one for pants, jeans, lingerie, so I guess one more for bikinis wouldn’t make a difference, or would it? Doesn’t one lose their sense of style when clothes fit them and not the other way around?
Photography by Valeria Endrizzi
they do swimwear. Wow, what a hint! Why would a woman have corsets with stockings in the bedroom but then wear a next to nothing in public? Ladies, you need to face facts. Second Life® isn’t much different from real life. You need to find what works for your shape and less does not equate to more sexy. Just because you can run around naked doesn’t mean you should or even want to. To make my point three lovely Maniera models have put on swimsuits that many here would never consider wearing in Second Life® but shows how sexy more can be. The pink and purple one piece is not for everyone, it’s a young color and works well for tall long bodies. Models are, for the most part, seven foot. One piece suits help bring that in to proportion. The black and white is a convertible halter suit but once again helps hide a model boyish rail thin figure. One problem with being in a tall, lean shape is when a woman moves her avatar can break a little, a one piece peek-a-boo like the back and white suit help hides it. Lastly, the bikini shown is a very classic light blue set off with a translucent cover up. Classic colors for women who don’t want to look 18 again add so much to how the suit sets them off and helps explain the success of Sex in the City 2.
Choosing a swimsuit is a lot like trying to find a husband: lots out there and only one or two fit just the way you want. Some are just down right abusive to our bodies. Finally, less is not Just like real life, we need to know our bodies always more when it comes to sexy. Just as in and start by looking at the lingerie we wear. the bedroom, there needs to be something to Most women wear less revealing lingerie than add to the fantasy.
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