Meeting Ewan McIntosh again yesterday, this time in Second Life?, I wanted to pay tribute to his home and heritage, by wearing a kilt. It’s not an article of clothing that I really understood, until going to Scotland and seeing big brawny men playing really loud bagpipes — in kilts and knee socks.
Anyway, I shopped around in Second Life for some free kilts and didn’t find any for less than the L$188 I had left. So I tried making my own, using the SL Appearance tool and came up with nothing that I was satisfied with. So I decided to take a stab at making my own kilt.
I’ve read much about success stories, youngsters and adults, who make money and a name for themselves, by making close for sale in Second Life — and I always figured that it would be far too involved for me to delve in to. Plus, there is so much free clothing there — if you don’t mind wearing T-shirts and Levis…
Anyway, I found a tutorial, downloaded some templates and set to work.
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Figure 1 [click to enlarge]
Figure 2 [click to enlarge]
Figure 3 Figure 4 
Figure 5 Figure 6 [click to enlarge] I downloaded the template file, a zipped folder with several files, including one for a skirt (see figure 1). The templates are PSD files. So you have to have Photoshop or Photoshop Elements, or some other graphics program that will edit PSD files.
- Basically, you draw or paste what you want in the back (left) and front (right) of the skirt within the template lines. I found the O’Brien tartan on the web, downloaded the image and then sized it over the templates as additional layers. (see figure 2) You can then elevate the outline layer on top of the fabric and cut away the extra material, so to speak, using the polygonal lasso tool. I guess it’s a lot like making real clothes.
- 3. For the sporran, the purse worn in the front of the kilt, I went to Flickr and did a creative commons search, finding a photo of the Northern Constabulary Pipe Band, with a very clear view of a Sporran. ((Conner, Dave. “Northern Constabulary Pipe Band – Bass Section.” Conner395’s Photostream. 19 Jun 2007. 8 Sep 2008 <http://flickr.com/photos/conner395/571507480/>. )) I took the photo to my images folder and then into Photoshop Elements to cut out the purse (see Figure 3). Then moved the purse onto the kilt image, positioning it over the front side (right).
- Finally, I saved the file as a jpeg and then went to Second Life to import the skirt.
- From Second Life, I went to the privacy of my office, and uploaded the skirt (File/Upload Inage). It costs L$10 (Lindens) to upload. When it’s uploaded, you go to appearance (right-click on myself and select [Appearance]). Then I clicked [Skirt] and the button indicating that I want to create a new skirt.
- When my Inventory appears, I select the “New Skirt,” and I find images of my avatar wearing all arrangements of a skirt (scary). Here I can lengthen, shorten, widen, or narrow my kilt (see figure 4). When it’s achieved the optimal shape, I clicked the fabric box and select my graphic kilt from Photoshop Elements. It integrates into the skirt with satisfying results (see figure 5)
- After finishing the kilt, and can remove my levis — best done in that order (see figure 6).
Now there are two points to this blog article. One is that I learned something new. Between not knowing how to make clothes in Second Life and knowing how, there is a wall. You can’t see through it from the side of not knowing, and it appears to be a high and impenetrable barrier. However, once attempted, using basic search and evaluation skills, I was able to easily find instructions. If I’d wanted, I could have searched for and chosen from 23 video tutorials from Youtube. Getting on the other side of that wall and looking back through the transparent side is what we all need to have the courage to do and demonstrate that courage to our students.
The second point is that I had to do some more research so that my kilt would be as authentic as my limited time would allow. I know now, from the little I learned, that I could go much deeper, choosing from styles and accessories. I’d love to have had a dirk hanging from my belt. Students, at such point that workable virtual worlds become much more accessible to students, they might be asked to create period costumes, furnishings, buildings, and landscaping for a variety of knowledge-building illustrative activities. their objects could then be traded and bartered to other students, or…
The other day, I was talking with a grad student in New York, who was working in a project to create a Rembrandt world in Second Life, where visitors could view the works within the context of the artist’s world. She commented that they hoped to find someone would would make period costumes for free.
A Market!
A Market for Learning!
I attended the session yesterday also (Mellie Bookmite) and wondered about the kilt – so thanks for the explanation. I’m new in Second Life, so I may have a go at creating clothes after reading this. Thanks for sharing!
Ooh! You gotta be careful, Dave! Some Scots are a bit precious about the whole wearing of tartan thing. I knew a Scots who met and married an English girl in London. The couple wanted the best man to wear a kilt to match those worn by the groom’s family, but the groom’s family threatened to boycott the wedding if he did. They weren’t having him in their tartan! In fact, there weren’t having him in any tartan at all, since he (as the bride’s brother) was English.
Apparently, having had a Scottish great grandmother entitles me to wear the Anderson tartan, but I don’t like it, so I don’t bother!
My O’Brien connection goes back to the middle 18th century. He fled Scotland after losing to King George II at the Battle of Colloden. His son, however, fought King George III in the American Revolution, and the outcome was different. I still think this is why my luggage gets lost everytime I fly into or through London 😉
— dave —
Is this a market for learning or seeking out a digital sweatshop who will go through the tedious process of making you a virtual quilt?
Gary, I do not see anything about sweatshops in this…
It was a joke. I’m not sure you found a market for learning as much as a desire to have a kilt. In a marketplace, someone would fill that need and probably compete to do it cheaper than others.
It was an interesting market place — and some of it freaked me out big time 😉
— dave —
Dave,
Great job on the clothes. I am new to SL and was in awe. I wrote about this experience on my own blog. I have never been more engaged in my own learning! My highlight was of course the post conference where we were able to speak in a small group. I forget his name, but the Help desk guy is outstanding!
Bill
The best tartan in my unequivocal opinion is the Lindsay. I think I need to find a family connection that entitles me to it.