# Question(s)



## iciewolf (Oct 5, 2008)

Ok. I have a question or maybe a few.

I want to atleast get a partial fursuit done for halloween. I want to be able to make it into a fullsuit afterwards for FWA. I just want to know how to go about doing that. What will I need to attach it?

Um. Is it better to put a zipper/velcro/or snaps in the front, side or back? Which is easier and less noticable?

Is a balaclava better then cross stitch canvas?

Should I use long sleeved gloves for fur paws or make the furpaws from scratch(tracing my hand/arm)?

Ive looked at every tutorial on the internet possible. All the ones on youtube and livejournal and this site. There are so many video tutorialsthat should be made like how to do lips, eyelids, moving ears and tail, footpaws, and how to stitch without gettin fur stuck under the stitches.

Eh, yea. Any suggestions, links, etc????


----------



## Rimbaum (Oct 6, 2008)

Personally, I made my handpaws by directly tracing my arms. I used a buffer made of duct tape for my hands, and then just did some basic measuring for my upper arms. They fit pretty well, and the buffer made the hands look more pawlike and cute... but since my character is meant to be adorably cutesy and girly, that might not be exactly what you're looking for.

As to the balaclava/plastic mesh/foam question, it all depends on personal tastes and budget. I couldn't find a pre-made balaclava hood in my area that wasn't going to be unbearably warm, so I went with an all-foam method. No big deal to me.

Since I plan on eventually doing a fullsuit of this character in the future, I made an extra set of handpaws that were more like gloves than fuzzy sleeves. I can make a bodysuit with unattached handpaws and footpaws, and a slot in the back for the tail. Personally, I plan on using a zipper on the front to get in and out of the suit, with a flap to cover it.


----------



## NoxTigress (Oct 6, 2008)

If you haven't seen it already theres a fursuit LJ community that might be of a lot of help to you.  Link is here - http://community.livejournal.com/fursuit
Even if you don't have an LJ account, definitely take a peek through their memories section.

If you've never done it before, you might find yourself a bit crunched to make even a partial in time for Halloween now, but that's not to say it can't be done.  Especially if you have plenty of free time to use.

And while I probably won't be of much help for most of your questions, I will say this.  Using a glove as a pattern at least for the 'fingers' of a hand paw is probably the better way to go over tracing your hand/arm.  Because obviously human thumbs don't sit totally flat, like the rest of our fingers.  So for comfort and ease of movement I'd probably recommend using a glove for a pattern.

Anyway, best of luck.


----------



## Trpdwarf (Oct 6, 2008)

Rimbaum said:


> Personally, I made my handpaws by directly tracing my arms. I used a buffer made of duct tape for my hands, and then just did some basic measuring for my upper arms. They fit pretty well, and the buffer made the hands look more pawlike and cute... but since my character is meant to be adorably cutesy and girly, that might not be exactly what you're looking for.
> 
> As to the balaclava/plastic mesh/foam question, it all depends on personal tastes and budget. I couldn't find a pre-made balaclava hood in my area that wasn't going to be unbearably warm, so I went with an all-foam method. No big deal to me.
> 
> Since I plan on eventually doing a fullsuit of this character in the future, I made an extra set of handpaws that were more like gloves than fuzzy sleeves. I can make a bodysuit with unattached handpaws and footpaws, and a slot in the back for the tail. Personally, I plan on using a zipper on the front to get in and out of the suit, with a flap to cover it.



I have a problem finding the right balaclava's in my area too.

So I order them from online. I found the correct non-warm ones on Amazon.com for around....what was it? 12....14 USD?


----------



## iciewolf (Oct 6, 2008)

Rimbaum said:


> Personally, I made my handpaws by directly tracing my arms. I used a buffer made of duct tape for my hands, and then just did some basic measuring for my upper arms. They fit pretty well, and the buffer made the hands look more pawlike and cute... but since my character is meant to be adorably cutesy and girly, that might not be exactly what you're looking for.
> 
> As to the balaclava/plastic mesh/foam question, it all depends on personal tastes and budget. I couldn't find a pre-made balaclava hood in my area that wasn't going to be unbearably warm, so I went with an all-foam method. No big deal to me.
> 
> Since I plan on eventually doing a fullsuit of this character in the future, I made an extra set of handpaws that were more like gloves than fuzzy sleeves. I can make a bodysuit with unattached handpaws and footpaws, and a slot in the back for the tail. Personally, I plan on using a zipper on the front to get in and out of the suit, with a flap to cover it.


 
I found a cheap and easy way of making a fursuit head on youtube but instead of a mask  I was going to use a balaclava. Seems to hot so I think I will find another alternative.



NoxTigress said:


> If you haven't seen it already theres a fursuit LJ community that might be of a lot of help to you. Link is here - http://community.livejournal.com/fursuit
> Even if you don't have an LJ account, definitely take a peek through their memories section.
> 
> If you've never done it before, you might find yourself a bit crunched to make even a partial in time for Halloween now, but that's not to say it can't be done. Especially if you have plenty of free time to use.
> ...


I have plenty of spare time nowadays. I will be sure to use a glove. I was thinking of using the long sleeve gloves and attaching fur to them. I think they are called evening gloves.



Trpdwarf said:


> I have a problem finding the right balaclava's in my area too.
> 
> So I order them from online. I found the correct non-warm ones on Amazon.com for around....what was it? 12....14 USD?


 
*searches Amazon* =)


----------



## Trpdwarf (Oct 6, 2008)

The one I found is by a company called Schampa Iciewolf....there were called Skinnys cool skin fabric, and they are tagged as BLCLV015....

Yay....I found the link: http://www.amazon.com/Schampa-Techn...4?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1223331915&sr=8-24

There you go! I was wrong...the price was lower than I thought. These ones, I've ordered and gotten in already don't have that cotton later inside that some balaclava's do. These are a good way to go if you don't want to spend the time stitching a plastic frame together.


----------



## iciewolf (Oct 7, 2008)

Trpdwarf said:


> The one I found is by a company called Schampa Iciewolf....there were called Skinnys cool skin fabric, and they are tagged as BLCLV015....
> 
> Yay....I found the link: http://www.amazon.com/Schampa-Techn...4?ie=UTF8&s=automotive&qid=1223331915&sr=8-24
> 
> There you go! I was wrong...the price was lower than I thought. These ones, I've ordered and gotten in already don't have that cotton later inside that some balaclava's do. These are a good way to go if you don't want to spend the time stitching a plastic frame together.


 
OMG! *glomps* thankyou! I could not find them for nothing last night. =)


----------



## Trpdwarf (Oct 7, 2008)

iciewolf said:


> OMG! *glomps* thankyou! I could not find them for nothing last night. =)



;yelps; I have been glomped....

You are welcome. I'm happy to have been helpful.


----------



## nedded (Oct 8, 2008)

My advice is to avoid using plastic mesh on any part of the suit. While it is a cinch to put together, it will break down over time and start to snap and crack. It's a good thing to use if you're just building a suit for Halloween, but not so good if you intend to use the suit again later.


----------



## Trpdwarf (Oct 8, 2008)

nedded said:


> My advice is to avoid using plastic mesh on any part of the suit. While it is a cinch to put together, it will break down over time and start to snap and crack. It's a good thing to use if you're just building a suit for Halloween, but not so good if you intend to use the suit again later.



That is only a problem if you build an entire head out of it. If you use it sparingly, and it places that won't get a huge amount of wear and tear, it's pretty alright to use.

The only thing I don't like about it is that it tends to warp very badly if apply even a slight bit of hot glue, or in the case of the jaw, I found that any attempt at using brads and springs or brads and rubber bands to make a movable jaw out of a plastic mesh head ended in a crooked jaw because the plastic mesh itself was warping. So I abandoned the "Whole mesh" thing all-to-gether unless someone wants a really cheap head for a one to to time use.

There are some rather cheap brands of plastic mesh that will break down very easily. There are also some better brands too. The stuff from W-Mart it cheaply made, and not as flexible as one might want it. If I go down to Micheals, I can get stuff made better, that gives me the flexibility I want, and doesn't break down as well. It feels different when you touch and work with it.

In any case, any sort of technique you use will break down over time. That comes with wear and tear on a costume. It's up to people to use their costumes reasonably, and also to keep good upkeep on them.


----------



## NoxTigress (Oct 8, 2008)

iciewolf said:


> I have plenty of spare time nowadays. I will be sure to use a glove. I was thinking of using the long sleeve gloves and attaching fur to them. I think they are called evening gloves.



Yeah, that'd be evening gloves.  At the very least, use them to get a pattern, though you could just attached the fur to them instead.  But it will probably make them a bit warmer to wear going that way.


----------



## Trpdwarf (Oct 8, 2008)

NoxTigress said:


> Yeah, that'd be evening gloves.  At the very least, use them to get a pattern, though you could just attached the fur to them instead.  But it will probably make them a bit warmer to wear going that way.



I remember trying to do something like that once. In the end I got fed up with it being so time consuming so I resorted another method, where I trace my hand, and my arm....and ended up with my black paw w/sleeves that is part of my Maned Wolf costume.

It took a few times though to get it right, but I bought extra material just for that purpose.


----------



## iciewolf (Oct 8, 2008)

nedded said:


> My advice is to avoid using plastic mesh on any part of the suit. While it is a cinch to put together, it will break down over time and start to snap and crack. It's a good thing to use if you're just building a suit for Halloween, but not so good if you intend to use the suit again later.


I was thinkin about using it just in the mouth region to give the jaw some uh...strength? and I guess sturdiness. For the head I was thinking maybe using flexible wide metal to frame the had structure but also using the balaclava to have something to have the fur attach to.Does that make any sense?



Trpdwarf said:


> That is only a problem if you build an entire head out of it. If you use it sparingly, and it places that won't get a huge amount of wear and tear, it's pretty alright to use.
> 
> The only thing I don't like about it is that it tends to warp very badly if apply even a slight bit of hot glue, or in the case of the jaw, I found that any attempt at using brads and springs or brads and rubber bands to make a movable jaw out of a plastic mesh head ended in a crooked jaw because the plastic mesh itself was warping. So I abandoned the "Whole mesh" thing all-to-gether unless someone wants a really cheap head for a one to to time use.
> 
> ...


Same as stated above I was just thinking of using flexible wide metal and a balaclava for the head (with foam) and use plastic canvas for the jaw only to make if sturdy.



NoxTigress said:


> Yeah, that'd be evening gloves. At the very least, use them to get a pattern, though you could just attached the fur to them instead. But it will probably make them a bit warmer to wear going that way.


 
I didnt think about that. I did have one thought of furring all the way up to the knuckles and then leaving the gloves's fingers out since they would be black. Makes for better grip. Is that a good idea?


----------



## iciewolf (Oct 8, 2008)

Trpdwarf said:


> I remember trying to do something like that once. In the end I got fed up with it being so time consuming so I resorted another method, where I trace my hand, and my arm....and ended up with my black paw w/sleeves that is part of my Maned Wolf costume.
> 
> It took a few times though to get it right, but I bought extra material just for that purpose.


 
Was that with or without a sewing machine?


----------



## Trpdwarf (Oct 9, 2008)

iciewolf said:


> Was that with or without a sewing machine?



Without...because I'm not yet willing to spend a whole lot of money on an expensive machine that can keep up with the material I work with. I can do things by hand anyway, it just takes longer.

Note I said "Similar". It doens't mean I tried exact same thing I was references.


----------



## NoxTigress (Oct 15, 2008)

iciewolf said:


> I didnt think about that. I did have one thought of furring all the way up to the knuckles and then leaving the gloves's fingers out since they would be black. Makes for better grip. Is that a good idea?



Hmm, that I'm not sure about.  You'd probably have to gradually shave the fur down so that it's not blatantly obvious that the fur just suddenly stops.  And there's also the fact that even in regular gloves you'll still have a bit of an issue with grip.

I'd probably suggest furring the entire hand, and then adding in pawpads made from any material that would provide a better grip than fur alone would.  Latex would be a good place to start, but there's probably another material or two that will give you a similar grip.


----------



## iciewolf (Oct 15, 2008)

NoxTigress said:


> Hmm, that I'm not sure about. You'd probably have to gradually shave the fur down so that it's not blatantly obvious that the fur just suddenly stops. And there's also the fact that even in regular gloves you'll still have a bit of an issue with grip.
> 
> I'd probably suggest furring the entire hand, and then adding in pawpads made from any material that would provide a better grip than fur alone would. Latex would be a good place to start, but there's probably another material or two that will give you a similar grip.


 
I think I will do that. Anyway to make it look gud without glueing the pads directly to the fur?


----------



## NoxTigress (Oct 15, 2008)

iciewolf said:


> I think I will do that. Anyway to make it look gud without glueing the pads directly to the fur?



Depends on the material used for the pads.  But chances are glue will be your best option for the pads if they're not made of any type of fabric (IE - if you do go for latex ones.)


----------



## iciewolf (Oct 21, 2008)

OK well I got set back on getting fur and foam. Im a little pissed about but it gives me more time to beat self over the head about a few things.

I should did a poll on this thread but yea oh well.

So....which do yu prefer?Why? Pros/Cons?

1.All foam method
2.Balaclava/Hood method
3.Stitching canvas method
4.Plaster mold method
5.Paper mache` method

And then the pros/cons of partial or fullsuit


----------



## NoxTigress (Oct 22, 2008)

I can't answer for the first bit, because I've not done a fursuit head before.

Pros and cons for partials versus fullsuits I can give a bit of help on, from the view point of a wearer over a maker.

~Partials~
- You don't have to worry about making a body suit to fit, because you'd primarily be using clothes from your own wardrobe.
- On a similar note to the above, you can change your 'look' whenever you feel like it, just by changing clothes.
- Partials give more options on how you wear the suit.  If you feel like wearing your own shoes, instead of footpaws, you can.  Or if you just wanna wear the head and tail you can.  Or whatever combination of parts really.
- For a maker, they are slightly less time consuming to make, in that you don't need to create a full bodysuit.

~Fullsuits~
- You most likely won't ever have to wonder what to wear with it (clothing-wise).
- It aids in showing off the species you are portraying more clearly (if it's not already blatantly obvious by the look of the head, etc.)
- There is more fur to chance getting dirty, and fur can be a pain to clean sometimes.


That's all that comes to mind at the moment, but it's probably a decent start that other suiters can add to with their own opinions.


----------



## iciewolf (Oct 22, 2008)

NoxTigress said:


> I can't answer for the first bit, because I've not done a fursuit head before.
> 
> Pros and cons for partials versus fullsuits I can give a bit of help on, from the view point of a wearer over a maker.
> 
> ...


 
Thats very insightful. Thank you.


----------



## Trpdwarf (Oct 22, 2008)

> So....which do yu prefer?Why? Pros/Cons?
> 
> 1.All foam method
> 2.Balaclava/Hood method
> ...


I can only answer for 2 and 3.

The pro for 2 is that you get lighter smaller heads, and the material inside wicks away sweat. The con is that they are tighter than other heads. There is little room for a fan.

As for the 3rd....The only pro I can think of is it is roomier. The con is that it is more time consuming, more prone to warping, can break down easier, and it is hard to make small petite heads with this technique.


----------



## iciewolf (Oct 29, 2008)

Thankyou very much for all your help. I shall keep you updated on my progress =)


----------

