Aesthetics Guide
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1O6KujVNI7cIOKPPd3dslPlQ5AtWjfPer/view
Let’s Talk Aesthetics and Tack
Contents
Aesthetics
What are aesthetics?
Aesthetics are all the visual information that you utilize to actualize your avatar.
They encompass your choices, and reward those with a diligent eye for detail or accessorizing.
Construct your pallet
- 1. Avatars should generally speaking have 3 colors that they represent. Primary, secondary, and tertiary or accent.
- 2. Matching your colors poorly will result in drawing the eye away from where you want it to go.
How do I enhance what I already have?
- 1. Coordinate
- a. Many people will come to me and ask me what they could add
to their avatar to make it stand out more. The answer is really simple: Add you.
- b. Find pieces that you love, and build off them. Start with
something you really dig, wear it, and then explore the spectrum of things that could surround it. i. It can be a banging top, or even so much as a pair of bangles.
2. Learn to shop by shopping with shoppers. a. The best advice I can give you on a social platform such as SL is to utilize the ability to reach out to someone!
II. Mesh Bodies
a. Support i. The most important factor in selecting a mesh body for you is answering these questions? 1. Does it look good to me? a. The body you choose needs to fit your ideal for shape. You will be staring at that ass longer than anyone else. 2. Does it support the clothing I want to wear? a. Look at the kind of wardrobe you want. Search the body name in the marketplace and add some words like “kinky” or “latex” or “pony.” 3. Is it within my budget? a. Budget
i. So, if you find yourself in SL 2+ hours a day 7 days a week, I’d say it’s a wise decision to budget/invest in your avatar. ii. Premium membership 1. Unadvertised Perk: Getting into full sims. 2. 300L/week 3. Small plot of land b. Value of a mesh body. i. Value comes from the amount of time you are using the body for good purpose. It can be a source of compliments and it can help display you better if you are naked. c. Rebuilding a wardrobe. i. This is the biggest leaping point for most people where they decide “fuck that!” ii. Building a wardrobe doesn’t have to be overnight. iii. Utilize sales like 50 Linden Fridays. d. Shopping Events i. http://seraphimsl.com/
b. Maitreya Mesh Body i. Maitreya is my preferred mesh body, purely because of the amount of support it has. ii. Retailers typically will make a Maitreya version of their product because they know the level of adoption it has. iii. Buy-in to making clothing for Maitreya is easy and inclusive. c. Slink Physique i. Another popular option. ii. It’s cousin Slink Hourglass is great for more curvy shapes without being completely unreal. d. Other mesh bodies i. TMP, Freya, Kemono, etc. ii. These bodies are considered “niche” due to a lack of widespread support, but each of them have their pro’s and con’s.
III. Mesh Heads
a. Bento i. Bento refers to the skeleton that runs your avatar. ii. Bento is a skeleton with a lot of points of articulation resulting in a lot of detailed animations.
b. Major Brands i. Catwa ii. LeLutka c. Value of a Bento head
i. Cost prohibitive ii. Can and will be a big visual improvement very quickly.
IV. Tack Styles
a. What is Tack? i. Tack is the name given to the coordinated outfit that designates you as a “pony.” b. Naked i. This tack is defined by a general lack of clothing. The concept here is that this individual is natural, exposed, and not premised to wear clothing.
c. Shiny i. This tack is defined by the use of rubber, latex, or other reflective material. ii. An environment box can enhance a lovely piece of shiny clothing. iii. Good latex options for the MMB: DHB, MDLM, Opium Addict, Meow Fetish d. Clothed/Outfitted i. This tack is defined by any number of articles that are adorned on the body with the intent of either adding to the ponies form or function.
e. Non-Human i. This tack is defined by anthropomorphism, and generally include Kemono or actual-animal avatars.
V. Tack Pieces
a. Tack is assembled in a way that it gives the onlooker a very distinct idea of what you represent. i. In many cases around this sim that might be a “pony” but that’s not really a limit you should consider. In fact the only limit to your tack is your imagination. However, for the sake of the audience, we’ll be assuming that we’re building a pony. b. Building a Pony i. Tail 1. Your tail is the item that will immediately draw the eye of someone watching you move. It will serve as the cornerstone of your look and it does NOT have to be any one thing. a. Your tail should match something else on your body i. Typically speaking, your tail should be an accent piece to your normal hair, and ideally the same hair color. ii. However, in some situations you may want a tail that operates off your secondary or tertiary colors.
2. Plug a. Unless you’ve decided to cross into the non-human territory, you’ll likely need a way to make your tail stick out of you. This is ideally done with a plug.
3. Natural
a. There exists a number of wonderful non-plug tails out there that are bento rigged that look amazing. i. Vendors: Aii, Caboodle
4. Popular tail vendors a. MD (Mesmerize Dungeon) ; Peachy ; Xcite
ii. Restraints 1. Your restraints are what make you the helpless creature that you are meant to be as a pony. Your restraints represent the amount of control someone or several someone’s have over your avatar. 2. Arms/Hands a. Ponies in general do not grab things, and that’s why arm restraints are an important part of your tack. b. Popular Options i. MD Cuffs, RR Cuffs, Shi Armbinder, R-D, KAS
3. Face a. An iconic item for all ponies is that they have a bit in their mouth that keeps it open and allows the rider/controller to attach reigns to the creature to control it. b. Popular Options i. RR, MD, KDC c. The impact of Bento on the face i. Bento has introduced a number of options to allow avatars to look like their bit is in a logical and realistic place.
4. Body a. Generally speaking you have sensitive bits that need protecting. In our attempt to create an immersive environment we should address that not all ponies need to be naked. b. Harness i. The harness is the most popular option for this and it represents a binding bit of gear that serves to enhance the ponies natural features such as breasts or abdomen. ii. Popular Harness Makers 1. Glutz, Aisling, Voluptas Virtualis, Empire, Asteria
c. Corset i. The corset represents a level of control and discipline in making your avatar project an air of kinkiness. Corsets in SL can either have a secondary function (i.e, locking mechanisms, or RLV controls) or just purely visual. 1. Visual Corsetry a. Moyet, Erratic, Voluptas Virtualis, The Forge, Elegance Boutique, Addams
2. Functional Corsetry a. NGW (New Gates Workshop), DHB , Sophie’s, KAS
iii. Hooves 1. Your hooves are the second thing that anyone will immediately draw their attention to. These things represent a very animalistic connection to the ground. They are generally heavy, thick, and look like they can gain some serious traction. 2. Your hooves may tell everyone what kind of a pony you are. Long thick rubbery boots might indicate you’re a carting pony while small dainty hooves might be better suited for a dressage pony. 3. Popular Hoof options a. KAS, KCreations, NGW, DHB, De’Ville.
iv. AO 1. Your behavior is the final piece in creating the “pony aesthetic” and the most important behavior you will emanate is how you move. 2. Sassy Pony AO is the option that 90% of ponies use, and that’s because it’s fucking great.
VI. Ingenuity/Creativity
a. Everybody starts from somewhere, and it’s important to note that not everyone will be creative. However, I will say this: You should be the thing you wanna be. Don’t let someone tell you that you have to wear this or that, as long as you get the basics down. Something on your face, something on your arms, and something up your butt. b. Pony variants i. There exists a number of ponies out there that represent a different take on the pony genus. ii. Popular examples are: Neko/Cat + pony (Poneko); Demon Pony (Demony? Ponemon?); Unicorns; pony drones; Cow +Pony. iii. Don’t let your imagination get the best of you, and always reach out if you have an idea and what to realize it. Again, this is a community!
VII. Editing
a. The last thing to cover is editing. b. Editing stuff is a skill that takes time to learn. But a well-edited look can make or break your aesthetics. c. The questions to ask: i. Does my stuff fit? 1. Clipping, hovering ii. Does my stuff match? 1. Color consistency 2. Shine consistency
