Silence: An Artistic Journey into the Essence of Silence by Magda Schmidtzau

Silence: An Artistic Journey into the Essence of Silence by Magda Schmidtzau

In a captivating artistic exhibition titled “Silence,” Magda Schmidtzau takes spectators on an extraordinary journey into profound reflections, representing silence in all its facets. The event took place at the renowned LA MAISON D’ANELI (owned by Aneli Abeyante), a historic art gallery in Second Life, where virtual art merges with the emotional power of silence.

silence 001

For Magda, silence is not merely the absence of sounds but an intricate labyrinth of meanings. Her exhibition outlined silence as a multifaceted experience, from silence as self-listening to silence as a form of restraint and omertà. With mastery, the artist captured the essence of this theme, reminding me of the famous words from “The Sound of Silence,” a song that has the power to evoke deep emotions.

Magda Schmidtzau proposes a vision of silence that reflects the current journey of humanity. From silence understood as omertà, she leads us towards silence as a form of self-observation and inner listening. In an era dominated by transhumanism, where technology loudly asserts its presence, silence becomes a cry to remain human—an invitation to rediscover the connection with ourselves amidst the digital clamor.

silence 005
silence 006
silence 002

The exhibition, composed of images crafted with Magda’s distinctive mastery, places women at the center of her artistic world. The queen of her images, the woman is depicted with competence and skill. Magda demonstrates a mastery of artistic techniques, transitioning from colorful images that inspire renewal and personal growth to black-and-white images that reveal the duality of silence.

silence 007

The black and white images serve as an indictment of the darker side that silence can represent, emphasizing the often overlooked and darker aspect of this experience. However, surprisingly, she also captures the subtle and evocative aspect of unspoken words. These images forcefully and determinedly convey messages beyond words, highlighting the communicative essence of silence.

silence 008
silence 003

In conclusion, Magda Schmidtzau’s exhibition “Silence” at LA MAISON D’ANELI is an artistic journey that explores silence in all its facets. Through masterfully crafted images, the artist captivates the attention of spectators, guiding them on a reflective path on the complexity and power of silence. A work that will leave a lasting impression, inviting each individual to reflect on their relationship with silence and the necessity of preserving their humanity in an increasingly technological world.

References

“Silence” by Magda Schmidtzau

Mastering Green Screen Removal and Creating Captivating Mirror Effects in Photoshop

Mastering Green Screen Removal and Creating Captivating Mirror Effects in Photoshop

This article that will guide you through Grant Valeska‘s latest video, a renowned tutorial creator for Second Life users. In this video tutorial, Grant shares valuable tips on effectively removing the green screen and creating captivating mirror effects using Photoshop. If you are passionate about virtual photography and want to enhance your skills, this article is tailored for you!

The Significance of Green Screens in Virtual Photography

Before delving into the details of this captivating tutorial, it is crucial to understand the significance of green screens in virtual photography. The green screen allows digital artists to create realistic and stunning virtual environments. Properly removing the green screen is a crucial step in achieving high-quality and professional-looking images.

Precise Green Screen Removal Techniques

Grant Valeska provides valuable insights on effectively removing the green screen using Photoshop. In the video, Grant demonstrates the use of the quick selection tool to precisely crop the desired image, eliminating unwanted shadows on the face and hair. This step allows for astonishing results and a more realistic image.

Refining Edges and Creating Fusion Effects

In the next section of the video, Grant shows how to refine the image’s edges using the two-pixel contraction tool for better clarity. Furthermore, he explains how to verify the image edges using a black layer beneath the green screen. Grant also demonstrates creating fusion effects by painting on a green background and using transparent colors for a stunning outcome.

Adding Shadows and Highlights to Enhance the Mirror Image

In the subsequent section of the video, Grant demonstrates how to blur images for a more natural effect using the blur tool. Additionally, he illustrates using the burn and dodge tools to create shadows and highlights on the nails. These added details bring depth and definition to the mirror image, creating an alluring result.

Achieving Realistic Reflection Effects

In the final section of the video, Grant shows how to add a reflection to the images using editing software. This step involves adding a simple background image to avoid overwhelming the main image. Grant also explains how to correct details such as shoulders, skirts, and hairlines. Finally, he creates a reflection by duplicating the image layer and applying a transformation to make it symmetrical, also adding a slight blur to enhance the realism of the effect.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Grant Valeska’s video tutorial provides invaluable guidance on effectively removing the green screen and creating captivating mirror effects using Photoshop. By following his advice and utilizing the techniques demonstrated in the video, virtual photography enthusiasts can enhance their skills and create astonishing, high-quality images. Do not miss the opportunity to learn from the best—Grant Valeska will guide you toward success in virtual photography!

Second Life Abandons Jira!

Second Life Abandons Jira!

Dear iLoveEvents readers, today I bring you important news that involves one of the essential tools for managing Second Life: the migration from Jira. Linden Lab has announced the transition from jira.secondlife.com to a new community engagement portal, feedback.secondlife.com, along with Github Issues.

Jira.secondlife.com has long been the venerable repository for Second Life bug reports, development tracking, and new feature requests. However, with the discontinuation of Jira Server support, it is time to migrate before support ends in February 2024.

New Feedback Portal – feedback.secondlife.com

During this migration, LL is excited to introduce the new feedback portal, feedback.secondlife.com. This site will be the new home for feature requests, bug reports, and will replace the public BUG project on jira.secondlife.com.

You might wonder, “Where will my reports go?” Rest assured, all your reports will be preserved and not deleted. Jira will remain operational until all reports are migrated to Github. Further details on the report archive will be shared in an upcoming article.

Features of the New Feedback Portal

feedback.secondlife.com uses canny.io, a platform designed to receive and respond to community feedback. This will ensure a better experience for both users and the development team, thanks to features such as:

  • A public roadmap: LL will provide a public roadmap of user-suggested features to be implemented. Increased transparency and accountability from SL to deliver what they promise.
  • Multiple boards: The new portal offers boards for different areas of Second Life, making it easier to view reports related to our areas of interest.
  • Board features: Ability to format text using a simplified version of Markdown, merging reports, trending posts, and more.

Process Improvements

LL has acknowledged that some of its processes on Jira were not community-friendly. With the new portal, they claim to be addressing these issues:

  • Open conversations: Comments will be allowed throughout the entire life cycle of the request, unlike Jira’s behavior.
  • Knowing when an idea is implemented: Reports will be directly linked to internal development tickets, automatically closing when the change is implemented.

Open Source Collaboration

With the transition to Github Issues, LL will facilitate collaboration with open source contributors. Canny, the platform behind feedback.secondlife.com, offers convenient integration with Github Issues, opening new opportunities for contributors.

Timeline and Migration Details

Access to Jira will end in early February. Meanwhile, LL will back up, migrate existing reports to Github, and allow the community to use and provide feedback on the new engagement portal.

jira migration
“The image is courtesy of Linden Lab.”

In conclusion, this transition is a significant challenge. LL asks for patience as data migration is underway, as they create documentation and refine tools and processes. These updates are part of a broader initiative to modernize Second Life development. Stay tuned!

[BREATHE] – Nado Heels for Collabor 88

[BREATHE] – Nado Heels for Collabor 88

Breathe has recently launched its latest collection of high-quality shoes in Second Life, featuring the cutest chunky heels at Collabor 88.
Embracing the “Snow Bunny” theme, these adorable shoes are designed with sweet bows, bunny ears, and tail, adding a touch of charm to your winter fashion. The shoes also come complete with short socks for extra appeal.
Available in Maitreya, Legacy, Kupra, eBody & Maitreya LaraX sizes, these shoes cater to a wide range of avatars, ensuring a perfect fit for everyone. Whether you’re looking to step into winter fashion with style or simply want to add a playful touch to your wardrobe, Breathe’s latest release has you covered.
With attention to detail and a focus on quality, these shoes are a must-have for fashion-forward avatars in Second Life. Step into the season with these adorable chunky heels and make a statement in the virtual world.

Collabor88 on iLoveEvents Calendar



Firestorm: The Evolution of the Second Life Viewer

Firestorm: The Evolution of the Second Life Viewer

Introduction

One of the most popular third-party viewers for accessing this platform is Firestorm. In this article, we will explore the current update of Firestorm to Physical Based Rendering (PBR) and the latest news regarding the development team.

Firestorm and the Transition to PBR

Firestorm has long been a benchmark for Second Life users, offering advanced features and an immersive gaming experience. With the goal of further enhancing the visual quality of the virtual world, the Firestorm development team has decided to implement support for physical-based rendering (PBR).

PBR is a rendering technique that realistically simulates the interaction of light with materials. This means that objects in Second Life will appear even more realistic, with more accurate reflections, shadows, and details. The update to PBR will significantly improve the visual experience for users, making the virtual world even more engaging and immersive.

The Preview (Beta) Version of Firestorm

To meet the excitement of Firestorm users, the development team has made a preview (beta) version of the viewer with PBR support available. This preview version can be downloaded and tested in the Phoenix-Firestorm Preview Group inworld. Users can thus experience the new features in advance and provide feedback to further improve the viewer.

Change of Project Manager

In conjunction with the update to PBR, Firestorm has also announced a change of Project Manager. Jessica Lyon, who has held the position of Project Manager for many years, has decided to pass the torch to Beq Janus. This change of role does not affect Jessica’s position as CEO of Firestorm but allows Beq Janus to bring their experience and vision to the development team.

FAQ

  1. What does PBR stand for?
    PBR stands for Physical Based Rendering, which is a rendering technique that realistically simulates the interaction of light with materials, improving the visual quality of objects in Second Life.
  2. How can I access the preview version of Firestorm?
    You can download the preview version of Firestorm in the Phoenix-Firestorm Preview Group inworld.
  3. What are the advantages of PBR support in Firestorm?
    PBR support improves the visual quality of objects in Second Life, making them more realistic with accurate reflections, shadows, and details.
  4. Who is the new Project Manager of Firestorm?
    The new Project Manager of Firestorm is Beq Janus, who has taken over from Jessica Lyon.
  5. What will change with the new Project Manager?
    The change of Project Manager will bring a new vision and new ideas to the Firestorm development team, but it will not affect Jessica Lyon’s position as CEO.

Conclusion

The update of Firestorm to Physical Based Rendering (PBR) represents a significant step forward in enhancing the visual experience for Second Life users. The preview (beta) version already available in the Phoenix-Firestorm Preview Group allows users to test the new features and provide feedback to further improve the viewer. With the change of Project Manager, Firestorm is preparing for an even brighter and more engaging future.


References:

  1. Physically Based Rendering – Wikipedia
  2. Firestorm Official Website
  3. The Importance of Graphics in Video Games
  4. The Future of Graphics in Video Games

Pin It on Pinterest

×