Students in an ARE 598 class were challenged to create art in Second Life and explore the virtual world environment. Second Life allowed for creative expression through digital sculpture, avatar manipulation, and visiting galleries. It also connected students with other artists. One student remarked that working in Second Life "forces you to think outside the box." The class had an interactive exhibit of Taiwanese art in Second Life and discussed their favorite pieces. Second Life encourages collaboration and community engagement through its nonprofit islands.

1. ARE 598
Undergraduate
Margaret Wister

2. Second Life presented a laundry list of challenges to
overcome and experience. This world offered a new
way to receive a classroom setting and approach the
artistic world. I was presented the opportunities to
create digital sculptures, manipulate an avatar to
offer an appearance close to my own, visit galleries
and other learning centers, along with other
interesting prospects. The operating system and
defects of second life were personal obstacles to
overcome, but the result was a satisfying new
program to network with willing artists and
educators. In addition, Second Life is lavish in
creative environments waiting for those whom
desire to find them.

3. “Students felt the Second Life environment perpetuated a
sense of creativity. Remarks from students show an
appreciation for the visual creative outlet afforded by the
virtual world environment. The immersive tool challenged
students and they explained how Second Life forced them
to visualize their work.” (Sanchez, J. 2007) During the
Taiwanese Art Exhibit our class of ARE 598 was
challenged to make a personal Arizona art work, or find
one we had created. We were also confronted as a class to
think creatively and constructively when we built in
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Reddit/61/133/73 .

4. “When discussing the experience of working in
Second Life, a student said “It forces you to think
outside the box, because it (Second Life) forces you
to think outside the box in order to build something
with the tools it gives, you have to use your own
ideas and adapt that with the tools you have”.
Students also mentioned an appreciation for the
challenge of representing their work visually and the
enjoyment of exploring other student’s
projects.”(Sanchez, J. 2007)

5. The interactive Taiwanese Art
Exhibit involved guest
speakers, a real art exhibit in
a virtual experience, and
collaborative classroom
discussion of favorite art
works from second life
gallery setting.

8. Second Life offers the
feature for students to
build. For example, I
sculpted a rainbow
ring type of sculpture,
my initials, and two
snowmen during an
optional building
class.

9.  “One of the strengths of social virtual worlds like
Second Life is in the ability they provide to users to
connect to geospatially disparate people with common
interests and goals. A significant number of nonprofit
organizations are located within Second Life, many of
which can be found clustered together in areas such as
Commonwealth Island and the Nonprofit Commons. As
in real life, nonprofit organizations in Second Life are
very willing to work with students on class projects that
benefit their targeted communities or the nonprofit
itself. By encouraging these partnerships. Second Life
can become a virtual world platform for real-life
community engagement. (Sanchez, 2009)”

10. http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Vassar/205/91/39

12. Touring the nonprofit
islands during quests
grew my own artistic
ideas, experiences, and
helped me find new
artists.

15. [19:57] Pooky Amsterdam: sure thing work?
[19:57] Pooky Amsterdam: anywtime is good just we do have to set it is the same
up an appointment please
Pooky Amsterdam has offered you 'To Margaret Wister from Pooky' How do you collaborate with other artists?
in Second Life. Log in to accept or decline the offer. We work together through a variety of sharing services - Skype /
[23:32] Pooky Amsterdam: The questions I have for you are: Dropbox /email / join.me / in Second Life
How does your avatar reject your artistic personality? How did you make this
My avatar doesn't reject my artistic personality [23:32] Pooky Amsterdam: artwork?
record on fraps - edit in Sony vegas - post production - after effects
What is the artwork title? and particle illusion
There are many films - I am not sure which one you mean
Describe your color scheme and light/Ambiance/mood of your work?
What kind of art do you make on Second Life? (Real or Abstract) and Depends on the film - suited to the scene and action therein
(sculpture, drawing, digital, architecture, fashion, kind music-
other___________)? What symbols are in your work and what do they mean?
Machinima films Depends on the film
Why do you make it on Second Life? What are the benefits? What story?
Great fredom to create - IP rights of ownership - Limitless virtual Same depends -
assets & environments - ability to customize in all areas The Pookymedia logo is a sun which is coming over a planetary
horizon - this represents the new dawn of machinima and real time
What kind of artist are you in real life? What do you do in Real Life? animation film making
I paint and write in real life
I am a producer of machinima in my real life - this is my business
real world
How does your art in second life correlate with your real life art

19. Sanchez, J. (2007). Second Life: An Interactive
Qualitative Analysis. In C. Crawford et al.
(Eds.),Proceedings of Society for Information
Technology and Teacher Education International
Conference 2007 (pp.1240-1243). Chesapeake, VA:
AACE
Sanchez, J. (2009). "Pedagogical Applications of Second
Life."Implementing Second Life:
Ideas, Challenges, and Innovations. Library
Technology Reports, 21-28. Web. 9 Aug. 2012.
https://myasucourses.asu.edu/@@/286D3734FB60DB
8CD413F544653FD217/courses/1/2012SummerB-X-
ARE598-ARE494-42692-
43046/content/_6584831_1/SanchezPed ApplicSL.pdf.