SHOWDOWN (Part III)

Swingtime in the Big Time Corral

 

By Rose_Blossom

 

In Parts I and II of our interview series with the designers and organizers of the upcoming extravaganza, Wild Wild West Days, we gave you a little taste into the lives of some of our most prominent and creative Therian citizens.  In the third and final episode of this series, we get a glimpse of 3 more trendsetters, if you will, who set the style and movement of the world you see around you. 

Joshua_Tree, SAVORY and Georgieanna individually contribute their unique talents and artistic skills into their items, which can be purchased in auctions.  Aside from their everyday  hectic schedules they sustain in order to produce their inspired designs for us, they have been devoting a majority of their time the last several months, to bringing us the most renowned event ever…Wild Wild West, premiering in Hula Gulch on October 22^nd! 

I was recently treated to a visit with each of these talented people, and got a peek into the lives and minds behind the talent. 

Rose:  Could you give us a little background, first about your history in There?

Joshua_Tree:  I joined there in August of 2003 (tail end of beta testing) after spending the previous 10 months in The Sims Online.  I came looking for greener pastures (or at least for a place I didn't have to keep greening).   Since then I've spent many hours in There, exploring the islands, building with my PAZs, playing cards, and enjoying all my friends I have in There.

Savory:  Well, I started on New Year's Eve of this year due to my car breaking down and not being able to go anywhere.  I loved the place so much I joined that same night. And (I) find it a real great place to be.

Georgieanna:  Let’s see, I came to There around when it first started its public beta. I was accepted in at the end of February 2003. I was previously a citizen of ActiveWorlds, and did some 3d modeling there, not anything spectacular but I did get the hang of 3d modeling to some extent. In There I soon became

pretty attached to the world, and I'm still here as you can see. After a while I did some clothes designing, and eventually some object building.  I mostly do things if the project inspires me, but I generally prefer to be a lazy bum and hang out. 

Rose: Since coming in world, did you always want to be a designer?

Joshua_Tree:  Very shortly after I arrived in There, I decided it was missing something— (my designs) so, within a few months of being in world, I submitted my first design, and it was approved.

Savory:  When I first came in world all I did was host events due to the fact that I was on dial up and really couldn't do much and deal with the lag. But I stuck with it till I got my DSL and loved it even more since then.

Georgieanna:  When I came to There I was amazed at the customization ability that was available to modify and personalize your avatar. At the time 3d modeling wasn't well learned and so it was more about paint jobs than objects. Tho Randra_Logget had the leg up on everyone since she figured out how to do it, lol. But it helped add a dimension to our world. I didn't think of being an object developer then, I had interest in doing clothes and that was about it at the time. For object building...I was kinda...bullied into it...I had the skills, but not the motivation so I got hounded by a friend to make a kiosk...and then the pool...most of the things I have made are other's ideas and my inspiration off of their base idea. I have designed a few oddball

objects on my own accord...such as a post box...simply because I could. 

Rose:  What was your first item that you designed in-world that was approved?

Joshua_Tree:  My first design was my "Casual Cotton shirt, green" and it was modeled on my typical TSO sim clothing.  Since then I've gone on and made 4 other colors of that same basic shirt. All have sold a respectable amount.

Savory:  My very first design was a wall and panel and they are the worst thing I have ever made here.  They never went in Auctions only one person in world ever saw them and ever will.....lol

Georgieanna:  Uh, lemme look it up, but I think it was a cube type object. …Ah, it was a

sign. Originally the first object was to be a kiosk, but due to having little clue what I was doing it was rejected due to me messing up the model, lol, but some signs came thru for it first that I didn't sell until the kiosk made it in. 

Rose:  Is there any one particular item that you released, and then thought,

"WHAT was I thinking???"

Joshua_Tree:  Yes. I created a pair of Henley long sleeved men's T-shirts, but when I really experienced them in-world...they just seemed to me to be too boring.

Savory:  YES the same wall and panel.....lol

Georgieanna:  Not really, I kinda like doing objects that elicit such a response from

other people. At least the oddball objects I design sometimes. 

Rose:  Do you have any particular favorite items?

Joshua_Tree:  I'm still very partial to my first submission the "Casual Cotton Shirt, green".  That style shirt has been part of my Joshua Tree persona for 18 months now and shows no real sign of changing.

Savory:  I have one particular favorite Item in world that I made and it is a picture called "Waiting Angelically" I made it a limited edition and only 20 in world still have a few in Auctions and did that so I would not see it plastered all over and have it loose its specialness to me (is that a word? Specialness)

Georgieanna:  Uh...maybe? 

Rose:  Are there any designers that particularly inspired you in-world?

Joshua_Tree:  There are so many good designers, I wouldn't know where to begin.  All good design inspires me to do a better job on my own work.

Savory:  Yes one in particular but I would rather not talk about that person. I get too melancholy about him. He holds a special place in my heart and I guess always will. ughhhhhhhhh

Georgieanna:  Not really...I kinda have a distant relation to such things. I acknowledge

their abilities but I live within my own abilities and motivations, which are often other people, and just go from there. 

Rose:  Are there any designers that particularly inspired you in the REAL world?

Joshua_Tree:  I'm not real big into fashion in the RW.  For the most part I wouldn't be able to tell who the designer of something is without seeing their logo on it. :)

Savory:  Yes, one and he doesn't even know he does. He has no clue with his determination and persistence I just think about him and get all fired up again.

Georgieanna:  Maybe, most of my inspiration is flashes of ideas that are composites of things in my memory so I can't say where the little bits and flakes come from. But I don't tend to go for a straight out emulation of something I see in real life...I tend to store the idea somewhere in my subconscious until it wants to surface in a composite one day.

 

Rose:  Where do you go for your "inspiration"?  (i.e., Movies, television,

magazines, stores)

Joshua_Tree:  For the most part, just everyday life. Much of my work so far has come from what I would want to wear in RL.

Savory:  My friends and my feeling are always the inspiration to all my work. I was told an artist shows his/her feeling in his/her work I guess in a way I do as well with all the art I bring in world by the picture and what I end up naming the picture.

Georgieanna:  I mostly just sit and ponder the idea and it tends to shape itself in my head...then I actually have to try do something. If I'm doing something themed I have to Google some resources often to get the atmosphere of the idea into my head...then I kinda...sit and ponder it...eheh 

Rose:  Can you describe your design process?  What happens when an idea "sparks"?

Joshua_Tree:  Once I have an idea, I choose a clothing item I can use to implement it.

Then it's trial and error for me. I use Paint Shop Pro for my graphic work (I'm still getting used to the new version 9 I just bought) and I create layers on layers for all the parts. Then I spend hours and hours adding/removing/changing layers and viewing the finished draft in Previewer or Stylemaker.  In any specific design class, it may take 8-10 hours for me to come up with a product I will submit.

Savory:  Well, I think I somewhat answered that in the last question I guess my feeling come out in what I choose to bring in world.

Georgieanna:  When I get something in my head that I want to actually build I usually

sketch a few base images to help get the idea out of just my head, also to help map out how many vertices I'll need to start with to form it. And I just kinda pound on it...I think I have a vague talent for it so it doesn't take me too long...but I'm fairly lazy and that could be why I try do it

right the first time ;) I tend to do a good job, without going all out, because one, I'm lazy and avoid more work, but 2, I prefer things in the 3d world to not be trying to be too realistic, or if they are to be realistic that they look good doing it...and I don't have the skill or maybe energy to do that. 

Rose:  What items do you have coming out for Wild, Wild West Days?

Joshua_Tree:  I have two basic styles of men's shirt. The JT Western shirt comes in three styles, with a white base and a colored (black, brown & burgundy plaid) yoke and shoulders.  The second is the JT Western Vest, and comes in 4 styles of vest (burgundy, hunter green, and two pinstriped versions) on top of a white dress shirt.  These designs, like all my work, can be seen at http://joshua_tree.home.att.net

Savory:  Pictures and some of the furniture were made with the Wild West in mind but only the pictures are Official Wild Wild West products.

Georgieanna:  Right now I'm working on a hotel, but I plan to see what else needs to be

done and see what I can do to help. 

Rose:  What do you enjoy doing in There during your "play" time  (HA!  IF you have

any!!!)

Joshua_Tree:  This game is fun first, designing second, for me. I enjoy spending time with my friends, and playing spades (hopefully they'll get some new games in the future). I also the occasion group event or paintball match.

Savory:  Well that is easy to answer I like to hang out with my friends and being silly and finding new places and people to "bug".....lol

Georgieanna:  I like exploring, questing, hanging out, and stalking Vash_Community. 

Thank you to Joshua_Tree, Savory and Georgieanna for their time with us, and a huge thank you to everyone who participated in this interview series.  You can find items from each of these designers on the auction pages.  (Joshua_Tree, SAVORY, Georgieanna)   

The Wild Wild West Days events are sure to draw huge crowds, so sign up for your events as soon as possible to guarantee your admittance!  Some of the links to sign up for events can be found here on The Voice at the Events Links page.  Be sure to check There Central’s Activities pages and search each day for events, as well.  You can also find updates on The There Fun-Times, The Voice of There or The Wild Wild West Events Page at www.qe4inthere.com. 

Speaking on behalf of the community, we would like to thank you all (artists, designers and organizers) for your hard work and dedication to bringing us these experiences of this scale.  If all the buzzing around during all hours of the day and night in world is any indication of the magnitude of this occasion, I, for one, cannot wait to see all the big, beautiful and amazing outfits, structures and vehicles that will be debuted.