ARE 494 Michaela Foote

1. DIGITAL
ETHNOGRAPHY
Interview with Second Life artist Lin Alsop
by Michaela Foote

2. Digital Ethnography and
Its Stages
Ethnography: The process by which one learns and creates
in a way the enables them to document an everyday way of life,
with an event, a picture, and/or another medium. (Stockrocki,
2014)
Digital Ethnography: Portraying stories, culture and
practices through technologies such as online films, platforms,
digital games, virtual worlds, etc. to gain understanding of
others’ experiences in life. (Stockrocki, 2014)

3. Digital Ethnography and
Its Stages Cont.
Stage 1: Data Collection
The stage where one collects information and data to aid in the use of research or creation. In
ethnography specifically, this collection is primarily focused on experiencing a differing perspective by
observing them and asking questions. (Zhang)
Stage 2: Content Analysis
This stage is used as a tool used to determine what the content found means, the
underlying themes of the content, and the existence of concepts. This analysis is then
used to discover the relationships and meanings between them. (Zhang)
Stage 3: Comparative Analysis
Once the content is analyzed to determine what it is and its meaning, comparative
analysis is then used to find the similarities and differences between some content
such as cultures, ethics, lifestyle, or just general data. (Zhang)

4. Context
Second Life was not even something I even knew existed
before this class. Even though I had been on games that
somewhat mimicked this idea of virtual reality, it was
something
weird to me because it was so foreign. Luckily for me, I
was able
to spend time with tutorials and
figure out the inner workings independently.

5. Context Cont.
My avatar, mfoote4, originally had dark
brunette hair and jeans with a basic tee.
Although I have blonde hair, I felt like that
starter character best represented me in my
comfort zone. However, as I started to grasp
the workings of Second Life, I decide to
branch out with a dressier look that would be
very risqué for me to wear in person. My full
transformation included wings gifted to me by
Professor Stokrocki. My avatar reminds me of
a dark angel and I imagine smells mystical and
allusive.

6. Data Collection: Interview
Process
I was able find Lin Alsop online in a group called Sir Artsalot.
This is a group where artists got together to buy, sell, and
discuss their work. Luckily for me, she was available to have a
live interview. I asked her many questions about her work and
the goals of her art.

7. The art installation I found most interesting in Lin’s gallery was The
Bronze Walkway. This was a hall of pieces she had done all in bronze.
The majority of them were of silhouettes of women’s bodies. I found this
to be the most interesting due to its beauty and the meaning behind it.
Because of this I asked her questions centered around this installation.
Link to the installation:
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Amazon%20Lodge/84/58/35
Link to Marketplace:
https://marketplace.secondlife.com/stores/61263?search%5Bcategory_id%5D=262&search%5Bmatu
rity%5D=General&search%5Bpage%5D=1&search%5Bper_page%5D=12&search%5Bstore_id%5D=61263
Cont.

8. Research Questions and Answers:
1. What inspirations that drove your art?
She loves making other people happy through her creations and making
profits, but she is really inspired by relationships and love. Seeing it in her
own life made her want to recreate it so others could see it as well.
2. How do you make your art?
She starts with Photoshop to crop and outline existing art. Some of this, like
with the wireframes, takes a lot of time because of their intricacy. She then
import them to Second Life where she mounts them on a prim and adjusts
the lighting to set up the price and put them on the wall. Lastly, she takes
them to her photography platform to photograph them for selling them on the
Marketplace.
3. Where are you from?
England
Cont.

9. Research Questions and Answers:
4. Which art is your favorite and why?
It depends on her mood. However, many times it is the bronze sculptures or
wireframes. She loves working with metal of all kinds because of the realistic
look it gives her pieces in a virtual world. Currently it is the Fantasy Wheel
(depicted top left) because it gave her a challenge and ended up looking clean
and interesting.
5. What’s the meaning behind your art?
She works mostly in bronze because it allows the meaning to come through
more effectively. For her, most of the pieces of The Bronze Walkway all add to
an overarching meaning of tenderness and endearment. She also added that
the sensuality of some of her pieces weren’t just to sell “sex”, but to show that
closeness and companionship can come in different forms such as
friendships, romantic relationships, or family bonds. The bronze added to
this concept for her because it let her work with metal, which she loves, but still
added a warmth into the piece that she felt needed to be there to display the
emotion.
Cont.

10. [20:49] lin Alsop: most everything is first done in Photoshop
[20:50] lin Alsop: Some days I love the erotica and other days I like
florals. lol
[20:50] mfoote4: I could imagine the detail being very difficult to do well!
[20:51] lin Alsop: It takes time to cut out all the edges... especially the
"WIRE ART"
[20:51] mfoote4: Yes! Especially since it's so thin.
[20:51] mfoote4: What do you do after you work with them in Photoshop?
[20:51] lin Alsop: exactly
[20:52] lin Alsop: I then import them to Second Life... mount them on a
prim and adjust the lighting and set up the price and put them on the
wall.
[20:53] lin Alsop: I then take them to my photography platform to
photograph them for placing on Marketplace.
[20:53] lin Alsop: Have you seen Marketplace for Second Life?
[20:53] lin Alsop: Marketplace store need photos to show off the art.
[20:53] mfoote4: No I haven't, I'll be sure to check that out.
[20:54] lin Alsop: it's "Lin's Art Gallery" Just like this place
[20:54] lin Alsop: I have over 1000 items there.
[20:54] mfoote4: Wow. Impressive.
[20:54] lin Alsop: yeah.. kinda... haha... I think so. Thank you hon.
[20:55] mfoote4: No problem! Well thank you so much for your time I
really appreciate it. :)
Interview Sample

11. Content Analysis Table
Comparative Analysis Interview
Real life
name and
location?
Avatar name
and
location?
What is title -
of his/her
artwork?
Why this
choice?
What is Art?
What kind of
art is this?
What style?
Why make
it?
How is it
made?
What is the
material and
process?
Collaborate
with whom?
Evolving
Question
Lin Alsop
from
England
LIN
(lin.alsop)
from Lin’s
Art Gallery
Fantasy
Wheel
because it is
detailed and
interesting in
its styling.
An
expression
of a way of
life.
2-D/3-D
Digital Art
Sculpture.
Bronze.
To makes
others smile
and make
money
Made in real
life and then
edited in
Photoshop
and Second
Life.
Originally in
bronze.
Various
bronze
sculpture
artists
How will the
material and
relationship
mature?

12. Comparative Analysis
Lin Alsop differs from other
Second Life artists because she
aims to please her buyers and
fans before herself. Although she
likes creating for herself
sometimes, much of her work is
focused on selling her pieces
commercially. This influences her
art quite a bit. She still has a
creative vision and enjoys the
artistic process. For example, in
her installation, Alsop has some
pieces that she’s not expecting
people to “get”. However, on her
Marketplace where she sells a lot
of her work, there is a lot of
mainstream art that she doesn’t
show in her installation.

13. Comparative Analysis Cont.
It states in the Sanchez and Stokrocki article, “SL can be used to promote and build
various online communities. Some people meet informally to find and discuss art
education possibilities on SL (Taylor, Ballengee-Morris, & Carpenter, 2010). Avatars
mentor, comfort each other, and create works, such as on Virtual Ability Island. Other
people congregate once a week, such as the Nonprofits, one of the largest groups on
SL. They plan their strategies for raising money and public awareness about caring for
people or the environment” (Stokrocki, 2014). I noticed that Alsop shares some of the
same values. She was willing to have me interview her and focused strongly on others.
In this way Alsop embodies this Second Life attitude. She shows compassion and
respect for one another.

14. Second Life has been a learning process that I’ve enjoyed
immensely. Between sculpting and interviewing others, I’ve grown
and been thrown into situations that I wasn’t completely comfortable
with. It gave me an opportunity to leave my comfort zone. It also let
me explore the world of technology in a way I hadn’t found
before. It also
gave me a
understanding
of how others
experience
life online. The
title shows the
end to my
journey for now.
At the end of it all…

15. Whilst interviewing Lin Alsop, I realized that it was possible to be a
successful artist virtually. In fact, she found Second Life to be a
simpler and more effective means to sell product. This is
something that has caused me to contemplate my future as a
creator and artist. I also believe that in the future, this sort of
marketplace
will become
the normal
and exploring
virtually will
be more
known as a
viable option.
Cont.

16. REFERENCES
Stokrocki (2014). Published in Miraga, C., & Smilan, C. (In
Press). Inquiry in Action: Paradigms, Methodologies and
Perspectives in Art Education Research. Reston, VA: NAEA
Stokrocki (2014). Art Treasure Quests in Second Life: A Multi-
Literacy Adventure,” Art Education, 37-42
Zhang, Yan, and Barbara M. Wildemuth. "Qualitative Analysis of
Content." IConference 2014 Proceedings (2014): n. pag.
University of Texas. Web. 18 Apr. 2016.