Creating different avatatars is a lot about texture and skinning. I often use drawings for textiles because i feel it gets to be more living.

The picture on the left is a avatar with a dress from Second life designer Donna Hedges and the Av i did.

One of the many problems with doing a life like AV is doing the skin. Its very sensitive for highlights and shadow. We all of course know what people should look like, so we see all errors.