Designer Spotlight: September 2009

How to Turn the Spotlight On

The idea here is to highlight items by designers that aren't necessarily free, but to give extra exposure to designers who consistently offer free stuff to avatars. i.e. this space wont' be for pointing out where good free stuff is -- it will be a place to showcase other works by those designers in the hopes of generating them sales so they can stay in business.

Criteria is this:

1. Designers consistently offer quality free items. These can be via
group gifts, lucky boards or chairs, MM Boards, items in their
stores, because they participate in hunts. (Being part of the DSN
network does not count unless they also offer in-world free stuff.)

2. The free items are not creator logo driven.

3. The free items change periodically -- offering up even a generous
starter pack that never changes isn't enough to be spotlighted unless
they offer free or "dollarbie" type promotions.

Posting requirements are:

1. Full credit (as much as is possible) of everything you have on
(skin, hair, clothes, shoes, jewlery) and prices or
price ranges.

2. Slurl links somewhere in the post to the store(s) of the
highlighted designer.

3. Posters here must contribute at least one post a month to the Free Finds For Men Blog. If you are interested in posting to either blog, contact Raeyn Sirnah in world or at raeyn.sirnah@gmail.com

Say hello to Guen!

Fall's jumping up in front of us and people -- including a good many of your freebie guides here at Designer Spotlight -- are going to have other obligations. We're constantly looking for contributors and Guenevere DeCuir stepped up to the plate to give us a hand.

Guen's a friend and coworker and great person all around. She's got an eye for style and a wicked sense of humor and a been in SL for a couple of years now. She's got a hefty SL Resume; She's a jewelery and tattoo designer and owns the shop [.:coLLisions:.]. You can find her around the grid DJing at Sanctuary Rock, Lounge of Dreams, or other venues as her schedule allows.

Guen maintains a blog for .:coLLisions:. and another at Crimson Flow, her personal SL blog. She also contributes to the blog for Sanctuary Rock, one of SL's oldest rock music and dance spots.

She's got some hunts in her pocket and already has her eye on men's goodies for this year's Jewlery Faire, but she finds herself tripping over freebies in places that most of us guys aren't likely to visit on our own.

So, say hi to Guen and make her feel welcome.

Gear Up for Steampunk

The Steampunk Hunt runs through the 20th. There's not as many clothing items for men, but clothes aren't everything and you never know when you might need a flying Hansom cab or a coal barge...alternative transportation is all the rage now anyway.

Steampunk items tend to be a little on the high side of prims but the detail is also incredible -- precise pieces, really interesting textures and a level of realism that is hard to accomplish without layering the prims. But I find myself wanting to put these things out anyway, just because they are so cool looking.

Hopefully the pictures will tell you what you need to know. This is the first batch, through about stop 30 or so. (For the ladies who read, there is plenty of goodies for you too, from Victorian clothing to your own steampunky accessories.) You are looking for a rotating wooden gear at each stop.

Most of these shots were taken with an assist from [Atomic Owl's] changeable steampunk scene, which is a gift along the way. (Click pictures for larger.)

A few shops have dropped or aren't displaying signage even though they are listed. The hunt organizers are doing their best to keep up with it so be patient. It's a circular hunt so you can skip if you need to. There is a hunt group and if you run into problems, contact the organizers, Perryn Peterson and Kashya Bellic not the store owners.

Your first stop on the hunt is the [+DV8+] mainstore. They offer up this Outlander Mask in leather and brass. Read the resizing instructions before you size it -- recall my earlier comment about the textures most steampunk designers use so make sure "stretch textures" is checked off in your edit box.

I coupled it with the [#4 Peterman, Ltd.] Engineer/Pilot ensemble. It's a fawn-colored leather set with brass details and comes in a tucked and untucked version of the jacket so you can wear it with or without the apron. The add copy touts it as unisex, so, ladies, don't hesitate to grab it.

Next is [#5 Capalini Fine Furnishings] who provides you with a handy wingback and side table to take a break on for tea when you get weary on the hunt and a very cool Globe Clock so you'll know when it's time to get going again -- even if you are exploring the mysteries of Egypt on your hunt. The chair has three sits and the clock has a kind of mesmerizing animation to it and is a really beautiful piece of work.

And in case you meet anyone really interesting on your journey and need to smuggle them past the port master, [#6 Rusty Rhode] has this clever (and large) trunk in which to hide your clandestine passenger. Or barring a passenger, it's big enough to double as a travel bed. Sleeping quarters and clothing and equipment storage all in one!

[#7 Atomic Owl] is the next stop on your journey and gives you the very cool scene backdrop you are seeing in these pictures. It's built like a small 10x10 shed, with interiors fixed in place and the changeable part is the view out the window which can be altered by touch. It doesn't make a bad little workshop, although the stool has no sit, but that's easily fixed and it is big enough to hold both the trunk and the chair and table from prior finds.

To keep in touch with your fellow travelers, [#9 Cleanslate Emporium] has a telegraph output ticker (complete with vintage sign). It might not be quite as efficient as your cell and text messaging but you never know when you might lose your cell phone, (not to mention the roaming charges are likely to be hell on your wallet.)

[#13, To-A-T] wants to make sure you travel in style, prepared for any event or social gathering with this Industrial topper, complete with it's own steam release at the top in case you feel your temper rising discussing the various fluxes and applications of your latest tesla coil creation with a colleague).

The topper goes remarkably well with [#24 NachtMusik's] brown leather work suit. The suit itself comes with more formal tails to wear as well in case you absolutely must attend a ball or a lecture by a prominent engineer. Being a thermodynamic genius does not excuse you from all social obligations, professor.

Lest anyone mistake you for anything other than a pre-eminant Steampunk Officianado, [#27 Troubled Rebel] has this simple yet unmistakable badge of Steampunkability in their gem centered gear necklace in gold -- or brass. That should quiet any doubting Thomas's among your acquaintances. Hmmph.

Since most social appointments occur at night, [#19 Yellow Jester] has these NightVision Spectacles to assist in navigating all those dark corners and narrow byways. They come with or without visible beams of light.

To minimize the time you have to spend traveling between your workshop and the university or local pub, [#18 Munro Imaginary Motors] has designed this Flying Hansom Cab for you (and a couple of your friends) so that you can be on time and carpool.... flypool... cab pool...in style and comfort.

After your soiree or lecture, you deserve a well-earned cuppa and [#20 The Home Store] has the most modern of appliances ready to brew it perfectly, Katey's Whistling Tea Kettle in copper and brass, pressure gauge letting you know exactly when your water is ready for your cup.

So settle back in your wingback chair and enjoy the mini lightning of [#33 Rasetsukoku's] Nevarian Tesla Rose, while you sail home in your coal barge from [#21 SteamMonks].