Image Designer Archive

It's been a week or so since I hit Novice Image Designer. In that time, I've tried out some new hairstyles, facial hair and eye colours on friends. Once or twice, I took care of acquaintences. I've been getting lots of /tells as soon as I turn on my Image Designer title and, honestly, I've been leaving it off purposefully as much of the time I have to turn people down as I can't handle their needs yet. Last night, however, I had my first few 'real' customers.

The first was easy. A nice Trandoshan came into the med center while I was practicing on my doctor friend. He initially wanted hair but I later set him up with a new ridge pattern and altered his eye colour to blue. He felt he looked 'less evil' and seemed rather happy with it. Better still, he's going to visit my friend who I share a house with to get outfitted with new clothing. So that turned out well.

The second and third customers were a pleasant surprise. Soon after arriving on Talus I met Gisi, a dancer who appeared frequently in Dearic. I went to the opening of her bar and grille a week later and had a blast. When I first hit Novice, I asked her while shopping for clothing (she's a tailor) if there's anything she wanted. She told me she was happy with her looks but asked if I could work on her friend Trilana who was not as happy. Trilana wanted her mouth adjusted, something I could not do at the time. I told her to keep me in mind and I would contact her when I could do what she wanted.

Last night (and thank you again!!!) my mentor Coreina trained me to master hair stylist and I made inroads in body and face. I realized I had access to "mouth" so I sent Trilana an email. Soon after, she agreed to meet me close to her home which is near Gisi's home and workplace.

I met her and got to work. For SOME reason, her mouth and lips were both as small as they could go, yet they were rather strong features on her face. I tried adjusting her cheeks a little but I get the feeling there are some facial features that I can not do yet that would have helped in the process. In the end, we ended up giving her a new hairstyle (#38 on swg.warcry.com) which drew attention away from her lips and then we lightened her lipstick to help with that effect. All in all she was pleased. This is where things started getting fun!

So...A cheek job, a new haircut and some cosmetic work. That's about 3,000c according to the pricing list I borrowed from Coreina. I ended up being tipped 5,000c and Trilana, who is a bio-engineer, also tipped me the most adorable baby Bantha who I've yet to name. I can't wait to get my tailor Chaowyr to train it for me!!!

Then Trilana tells me that Gisi (Remember, the girl who loved her look as is) wanted an advanced lekku style and was heading right over when she heard that I had it. I gave her what she wanted and she dashed off. Minutes later she returned with a patterned slip skirt matched to my own lekku highlights and lipstick and a pair of matching shoes. Could this get any better!?

So that was my first night as an image designer. I stayed up far later than I should have, but I made two people very happy and I was generously compensated for my work and time.

I'd like to thank Coreina again for mentoring me. I'd also like to thank Inday who kindly offered to train me when I couldn't find my mentor for a night or two. I'd still love the opportunity to meet with other image designers on other worlds for a chance to meet and introduce myself. Thanks for listening, folks!

Trea
Master Hair Stylist/Novice Image Designer
Radiant/Talus/Nashal

Awesome! Sounds like you had a blast You must have agreat rapport with your customers

Kwee,

Maybe I just got lucky and had good customers.

Now if only I can think of a name for my business for the sign on the house in Nashal. Something classy without being pretentious

Glad you enjoyed it Trea, I have as well. And if you organize with other image designers on your server and standardize prices, as it appears you have, then it can bepretty profitable.

As for the part where you say that her mouth and lips were both as small as they could be despite being prominent on her face, I believe you ran into one of our worst bugs Many/most of the facial changes are presently bugged so that when the slider comes up as you change them they always default to the leftmost (smallest) value. Worse still, even if you cancel right there without applying the change or if the customer refuses the change, you'll continue to see the feature as the new (small) value until you relog.

It makes it nearly impossible to do good facial work. People will ask, "Can you make my lips a little fuller?" And when you pull up the box they're reset to thin, so you have to guess how full they were to begin with and then go a bit further. Then if they refuse and ask you for "just a bit more" you'll face the reset box again, so you have to guess what you just offered and increase it...

The bug sucks . But for the most part I'm enjoying ID, glad you had fun.

Najadim,

Bugs aside I've been having a real good time with this. Since I have just started, I haven't found many people who've been expecting service for free. Though I'm sure its bound to happen.

Heres a recap of my avg night as an image designer

I image designed an architect, and he tipped me a small Naboo house. How's that for a generous customer.

Kirika,

That's awesome! Being an ID is really good for contacts as well.

The girl I imaged designed was also an architect. As a BE she asked me if my doctor character could supply her with crates of medical components (so that's a buyer), then as an architect she said she could make me a deal on the factory and the power generator.

No complaints here

Thea

Thea, I am SO glad you are enjoying your work! I think that your friendly and open personality will make you a very profitable and sought-after Image Designer!

Someone mentioned getting a consistent pricing list together. I cannot speak for all ID's on Radiant, but a few weeks ago I worked out (with a few other ID's) a pricing list that I use as a GENERAL rule of thumb with my clients. Since then I have passed it on to many new Image Designers that have come to me for advice. I find that most of my clients can afford my prices, and I do warn them in advance if they ask for one of the more expensive items like skin color or torso adjustments. Most of the time I am tipped beyond my suggested price.

I very rarely get people that assume I should work for free. Almost never.

Coreina,

Yes, and thank you. I still need to apply this list to my Examine properties as you have. I thought I'd wait 'till I hit master so that I could handle all of the services out there.

Oh! I achieved all the apprenticeship XP I need for master now. I was really worried about that. I went to Theed and a few people graciously helped me by learning skills they really didn't need, then unlearning them as they weren't using the XP anyway. There was a gentleman, a Bothan on Theed who's name I can't recall that I'd like to thank. On Talus, Frkjerm was a huge help. And then I changed Frkjerm's tattoos and eye colour, expecting nothing in return as helped me greatly with my apprenticeship dilema, and he tipped me anyway.

I still love this job =)

Thea

Image designing is great fun. Grats on the good fortune in your practiceTrea !

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