Avatar Galleries

Avatar galleries are a great way to find your unique virtual representative in Second Life. Second Lifers use avatars to communicate and maneuver around the virtual environment. Don’t be stuck with a generic avatar – construct and download the wildest and hippest avatar around if you feel like cutting loose in a way you are unable to do in your real world. Don’t go for the typical human supermodel avatar, second life is full of perfect faces and bodies; try to be original!

Avatars

Second Life is dependent on avatars. Without an avatar it would be impossible to meet people, join groups, sell your wares, go dancing and participate in other virtual activities.

The avatar you choose to represent you in the game should reflect your personality, but you will build upon the basic foundation after creating the initial ‘you’. Upon joining Second Life you are asked to choose the starting look of your avatar. Once in-world, you can customize your avatar’s body physical features and your clothing, using a group of predetermined options included in the “appearance” module of the second life viewer/interface.

Other Options

Many users want original avatars. This is where galleries come in handy. A gallery is an area where Second Life users can search for new and unique avatars designed by other users and professionals. You will find free avatars and avatars for sale at the gallery. You can also ask a professional to make a custom-made avatar for you following your wishes.

As you stroll up and down the streets of Second Life you will see incredible avatars of other members at many sites. Great mythical beasts, funny cartoons, anime characters, and fashion divas walk alongside elves, famous stars, furries, and sci-fi robots. Many of these avatars come from avatar galleries.

Once you have visited avatar galleries you will have a general idea of what is available. Think about the persona you want to present to other members in Second Life before making your purchase. You want your avatar to make a great impression on other Second Lifers. Your avatar’s look will also depend on your second life objectives; it’s obviously not the same an avatar for role-playing games or one for managing a virtual shop.

Another option is to visit avatar galleries and build your own avatar using the templates and other resources provided. This is very similar to the original Second Life avatar design module but has many more options. You can choose your body, your hair, your eyes, your clothing, and other attributes from a wide and varied range of virtual body parts and fabrics.

Many new members choose the attributes they wish they had or they pick ones simply for fun. With a second life account you can have as many avatars as you want, keeping them all in the “inventory” of your second life viewer/interface. You don’t need alternate accounts, unless you want to use more than one of your avatars at the same time.

When you visit avatar galleries take time to enjoy all of the different avatars available and select the one you like. Many users have their mind set on a certain avatar and might miss out on the avatar that is perfect for them. Remember, the first time other Second Life members see you they will be seeing your avatar – first impressions count!