# Fursona Creation Process



## Hooky (Nov 14, 2013)

This thread is not just for me but for any new user on FA Forums without a fursona. 

As a furry, a fursona is essential to having fun, right? And I'll just assume that your fur shares traits with you. However, I think there may be more to this than just immediately creating a good character that fits you perfectly. So my questions, if you choose to answer them, are: You have a fursona. What techniques did you use to come up with them? What do you share with your fursona. Also, what are the most and least popular species, to your knowledge?


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## DrDingo (Nov 14, 2013)

To me, my 'sona is just a cartoon. I chose an animal I liked the look of and drew an anthro of it. I know that people often put more effort in, dying the fur and making a backstory and factfile, but I just wanted to keep it simple. 
Think of mine as a symbol to convey that I'm a furry.


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## benignBiotic (Nov 14, 2013)

Having a fursona definitely isn't essential to having fun. 

In response - To come up with my slothsona Java I sat down and said "What's my favorite animal right now?" Sloth. Then I decided how he would be and I decided 'the opposite of how I am.' So while I'm down-to-earth, goal oriented, and specific my fursona is an emotional and artsy idealist.
- I mainly share interests with my fursona. Taste in movies, video games, etc. Personality-wise we'd be very different.
- *Most Popular*: Wolf, Fox, Dragon, Cat. *Least Popular*: Obscure species like moles, insects, or crustaceans.

When it comes to a fursona just do what you like.


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## Dire Newt (Nov 14, 2013)

I have literally no reason as to why my fursona is a newt.

Most popular: Fox, wolf, dragon.

Least popular: Probably some species I've never heard of.


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## Kitsune Cross (Nov 14, 2013)

you don't need a fursona, all the cool furries don't have fursonas :v


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## Antronach (Nov 14, 2013)

I went with wyvern cause my personality was sorta in line with a bat and a dragon. So I put the two together and volia. The liquid latex body and purple skin was added cause it looks pretty neat. Wrote him in a way to be reminicent of me but enough off so it'd be like a different person, but like me so much so that I can relate to.

Most fav animals: Bats, dragons, snakes, sharks and other aquatic and reptilian animals.

Least fav animals: Not really since good art would balance it out. Or should, at least.


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## Icky (Nov 14, 2013)

Hooky said:


> As a furry, a fursona is essential to having fun, right?



Nope.



> And I'll just assume that your fur shares traits with you.



Personality? Sure. Physical traits? Hahaha no.



> However, I think there may be more to this than just immediately creating a good character that fits you perfectly.



...No, that's really all there is to it.



> What techniques did you use to come up with them?



_*ICKY'S PATENTED FURSONA-MAKING METHOD*_

1) What animals do you like?

2) What do you want it to look like?

3) That's it.



> What do you share with your fursona.



bread crusts Personality, mainly. Inquisitive, moderately good-natured, a little snarky (okay, more than a little).



> Also, what are the most and least popular species, to your knowledge?



This doesn't matter at all. If you want to pick a popular species because they're popular, don't do it. More importantly, if you want to pick an unpopular species because they're unpopular, _don't do it_. Just pick whatever you feel like fits your personality or the personality you wish to emulate the best.



...Actually, scratch that. *BE A BIRD*.


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## Herbie_Horse (Dec 17, 2013)

My fursona is a horse because I've always loved horses and been around them since I was a kid. They're smart (sometimes), graceful (sometimes) and they love to play (nearly always).  It was just natural to pick a horse, I can't imagine my fursona being anything else.


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## Deo (Dec 17, 2013)

Having a fursona isn't essential to being in the fandom or having fun. Cake on the forums is just a piece of cake as an online representation of himself, and Smelge has Blockfox, both prove a fursona isn't srs bsns.


As far as coming up with my fursona, Deo the Tasmanian devil, I made a list of aspects of myself I wanted to represent. And then I made a list of animals that had those aspects. Then I chose my favorite. Aspects I wanted: sort of ugly, fat, short, loud, and really aggressive. Other species I considered: wild boar, bison, hyena, alligator, rhinoceros beetle, hoary bat, tahr, rhinoceros, lobster, and bullet ant.

Most popular species: wolves, foxes, dogs, tigers, lions.

Least popular: Insects, crustaceans, arachnids, reptiles, avians.


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## Ozriel (Dec 17, 2013)

Perhaps I should make a badger fursona and be like the badger lords in Redwall; calm one moment and raging balls of destruction the next.


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## Schwimmwagen (Dec 17, 2013)

Having a durrsona is by no means essential to have any sort of fun in the fandom, only go ahead with it if you actually want one. Your fagsona doesn't _have_ to share traits with you. He can be just a character you make up like your dude (or lady) in something like... Skyrim, or Dungeons and Dragons. He _can_ have your traits (which in most cases ends up in incredibly dull and boring fursonas flooding the fandom HUEHUAEHUAEHUAE).

I have a fagsona. There was no "technique" involved in creating him. I liked foxes, put my dress sense on him, and had him as "me". I later warped and changed him a lot and now he is no longer me, but a massive caricature of me/independent character altogether. Now I can do all sorts of horrible things to him, and even throw him to the wolves and see what happens. Either they eat him or they fuck him, this is the fandom, anything is possible, unfortunately.



Deo said:


> Aspects I wanted: sort of ugly, fat, short, loud, and really aggressive.



but deo u r beautiful


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## Willow (Dec 17, 2013)

I get bored, start creating characters. If I like them, I keep them. That's basically it. 

Most popular species are wolves, foxes, cats, and dragons
Least popular species are insects and fish I guess


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## DarrylWolf (Dec 17, 2013)

You know at first I was scared what people might think but then I got bold and realized nobody was stopping me. Now, I see becoming my fursona, a black wolf as more like going to a foreign nation. After spending some time reading Garvey, Carmichael, and Cornell West, I realize just how true that was.


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## Icky (Dec 17, 2013)

DarrylWolf said:


> You know at first I was scared what people might think but then I got bold and realized nobody was stopping me. Now, I see becoming my fursona, a black wolf as more like going to a foreign nation. After spending some time reading Garvey, Carmichael, and Cornell West, I realize just how true that was.



...The fuck?


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## Deo (Dec 18, 2013)

Gibby said:


> but deo u r beautiful







SO MAGESTIC


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## Fawna (Dec 18, 2013)

The most popular fursonas would definitely have to be wolf, fox, dragon (as everyone else has said before me).  I don't get why people would choose such a plain fursona when there are literally thousands of more unique choices... but everyone has their own feelings about it. 

My fursona has some vague personality similarities... deer are very skittish and nervous and so am I.  I've always found deer to be graceful and lovely creatures, but I don't see myself as graceful at all!  Deer are one of my favourite animals too, so it just fits... that's how I chose her.

Some of the most uncommon kinds of 'sonas would have to be birds, deer and other hooved animals, sea creatures and insects. I don't think I have ever seen someone with an insect or arachnid fursona, ever!


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## Athaina (Dec 18, 2013)

I saw a character in a game I liked (Charr/Guild Wars 2) gave it my default gaming nickname and there you have it, my fursona. Her traits are the polar-opposite to my own. I am shy and introverted, my 'sona is brave, outspoken and confident. A reflection of who I'd like to be I guess... 
The only thing my sona and I share is our love for longbows, heh...


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## Schwimmwagen (Dec 18, 2013)

Fawna said:


> The most popular fursonas would definitely have to be wolf, fox, dragon (as everyone else has said before me).  I don't get why people would choose such a plain fursona when there are literally thousands of more unique choices... but everyone has their own feelings about it.



It's not what you pick, it's what you do with it.

See: Protagonists that are white, male, average build, and have brown hair.


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## Deo (Dec 18, 2013)

Gibby said:


> It's not what you pick, it's what you do with it.
> 
> See: Protagonists that are white, male, average build, and have brown hair.



Well, with animal character I do think there is some connotation with what you pick. You can do a creative take on a fox, but it will be hard and take some serious writing/drawing/designing ability to make it stand out as remarkable or memorable. For instance Blacksad is a black cat. No markings to really put him past any other black cats. But the story the author made is interesting, the art is captivating, and the character design really defines Blacksad as an original concept.

And lot of animals already have a schema, bears as big muscle and fat, dogs as friendly loyal, cats as noble, etc. Picking a lamb and making it a serial killer could be a funny reversal, but it would take a lot of creative effort to make it taken seriously by the audience and not facetious/comical.

To digress, another half of the reason I chose Tasmanian devil was so I could make devil jokes and say I'm a devil and the connotation of "being a devil" and the societal conceptions of Lucifer/Satan/devils. It's also why my user name translates to "God". I'm God the Devil. (Because I love reversals and name puns). Not that I picked it for it's rarity, but picking more out there characters does a lot to distinguish a person's character design and makes it a lot easier to sort them by social connotations that some species hold.


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## Ozriel (Dec 18, 2013)

There's also a way to narrow your choices down.

Foxes: Sluts and dumb blondes; Wolves: Dogfuckers and otherkin; Dragons: Asspies and otherkin :V


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## gorgonops (Dec 18, 2013)

Gibby said:


> It's not what you pick, it's what you do with it.
> 
> See: Protagonists that are white, male, average build, and have brown hair.



That's the reason I haven't nuked mine from outer space, pretty much. She's a repurposed older character, stripped of her (terrible) backstory but keeping her basic personality in tact.

When I first created her, I made her a wolf because I liked wolves. I've kept her because I still do. But at her inception, she was chronically depressed and drank a lot. When I came back to art, and furry art in particular, and was digging around in my memory for _any _characters to draw (I was already _making _myself draw despite not feeling like it, I didn't feel like making an entirely new character to boot), she struck a chord with me since I've been more or less the same myself for the past few years. And since I just kept drawing her doing things I would do or moods I was in, she's just started kinda serving as an avatar. (Plus, I like drawing her as a wolftato.)

The mood may strike to make a more unique stand-in for myself later, I dunno. "Dime a dozen" is understating it when it comes to wolves in the fandom, but there's something about her character specifically that I enjoy drawing that I'm not sure would translate to a different species, because she is what she is.

If I were to pick something new, I dunno, I'd probably go with an anxiety-riddled deer or some extinct critter or other.


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## Deo (Dec 18, 2013)

To expound on Ozriel's post:
Kangaroos are foot fetishists and horses are heavily compensating for what they lack in real life.


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## Ozriel (Dec 18, 2013)

Deo said:


> To expound on Ozriel's post:
> Kangaroos are foot fetishists and horses are heavily compensating for what they lack in real life.



And Bears are pedophilles. We can do this all day.

Also, there are other mythical creatures to make a fursona off of that's not a dragon or Unicorn. Look into different mythologies and draw inspiration from there too.


I am going to make a Krampus character because I find that bad people should be whipped and boiled into a fine paste to fertilize my tomatoes.


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## Deo (Dec 18, 2013)

Skunks are all super creepy people with bizarre fetishes.


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## Ozriel (Dec 18, 2013)

Deo said:


> Skunks are all super creepy people with bizarre fetishes.



I'll PM you the thread I made a while back. lol


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## Deo (Dec 18, 2013)

Ozriel said:


> I'll PM you the thread I made a while back. lol


I luv u


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## taras hyena (Dec 18, 2013)

Hyenas are just rad because:

-They're dirty, filthy, kinda ugly, kinda feline creatures that look like dogs; abominations
-They're the scoundrel/underdog of the Savannah
-They're disgusting by nature
-They make up clans that are run by Matriarchs
-I saw one that was missing the side of it's face and still alive (thanks NatGeo) and that was pretty boss

If I had to imagine what animal would fit the bill for a typical degenerate, the hyena would be it. It's just sad that I chose it, fell in love with it, and stopped being a degenerate.


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## Ozriel (Dec 18, 2013)

taras hyena said:


> Hyenas are just rad because:
> 
> -They're dirty, filthy, kinda ugly, kinda feline creatures that look like dogs; abominations
> -They're the scoundrel/underdog of the Savannah
> ...



....You don't want to know what I think of Hyenas. :V
But they are GID.


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## taras hyena (Dec 18, 2013)

Don't tell me what I want! >:C

You're not my employer!


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## Ozriel (Dec 18, 2013)

taras hyena said:


> Don't tell me what I want! >:C
> 
> You're not my employer!



Now you are Employed into my Death Corps. Now go get me my coffee!


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## taras hyena (Dec 18, 2013)

Can I also commit atrocities and war crimes under the umbrella like safety of the Death Corps structure? =I


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## gorgonops (Dec 18, 2013)

Ozriel said:


> ....You don't want to know what I think of Hyenas. :V
> But they are GID.



... can I be terribly obtuse and ask what "GID" means in this context? I googled it and apparently GID stands for many things, leaving me none the wiser.


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## Deo (Dec 18, 2013)

I like the direction this thread is going. Need I send my resume of pillaging and salting the earth to apply for a position in the Death Corps?


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## Dire Newt (Dec 18, 2013)

gorgonops said:


> ... can I be terribly obtuse and ask what "GID" means in this context? I googled it and apparently GID stands for many things, leaving me none the wiser.



Gender Identity Disorder. With hyenas, the females have penises too... sort of.


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## gorgonops (Dec 18, 2013)

Dire Newt said:


> Gender Identity Disorder. With hyenas, the females have penises too... sort of.



Ahhh. I done learn'd a new thing on the internet today.


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## Icky (Dec 18, 2013)

I see everyone is not birds yet.

You're all awful.


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## Dire Newt (Dec 18, 2013)

gorgonops said:


> Ahhh. I done learn'd a new thing on the internet today.


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## Schwimmwagen (Dec 18, 2013)

Deo said:


> Well, with animal character I do think there is some connotation with what you pick. You can do a creative take on a fox, but it will be hard and take some serious writing/drawing/designing ability to make it stand out as remarkable or memorable. For instance Blacksad is a black cat. No markings to really put him past any other black cats. But the story the author made is interesting, the art is captivating, and the character design really defines Blacksad as an original concept.
> 
> And lot of animals already have a schema, bears as big muscle and fat, dogs as friendly loyal, cats as noble, etc. Picking a lamb and making it a serial killer could be a funny reversal, but it would take a lot of creative effort to make it taken seriously by the audience and not facetious/comical.
> 
> To digress, another half of the reason I chose Tasmanian devil was so I could make devil jokes and say I'm a devil and the connotation of "being a devil" and the societal conceptions of Lucifer/Satan/devils. It's also why my user name translates to "God". I'm God the Devil. (Because I love reversals and name puns). Not that I picked it for it's rarity, but picking more out there characters does a lot to distinguish a person's character design and makes it a lot easier to sort them by social connotations that some species hold.



I totally get that perspective! Though I chose foxman because I _liked_ it. But nowadays I struggle to think what animal he should be, I'm just too happy with the look, shame on me.

I think he should just be human. I can't think of animals that reflect his traits. Cunning/wit/sex appeal are just not for him in the conventional sense.

The guy himself is incredibly unlikeable. He is oblivious to just about every part of social convention and is unwilling to make any effort to fit in and adapt to the world around him and is convinced that everyone but him is the problem in all his interactions. He'd be good-looking if he took an effort to take care of himself, but his incredibly narcissistic personality stops him from bothering, being somewhat more-than-content with himself as he is. He actually is intelligent and innovative, yet his extreme stubbornness and laziness prevents him from learning anything new. He does have a splash of wit about him that manifests itself as being a cheeky bastard to such a degree that his wellbeing is often in danger. He's not afraid to speak his mind - this frequently becomes a problem. 

He takes inspiration from characters like Homer Simpson and Mr. Bean and exists as a parody of racism, sexism, ableism (all kinds of isms really), and willing stupidity and ignorance found in many, many people.

He's so dislikeable that he's entertaining to watch.


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## Cootie (Dec 18, 2013)

Anytime I've tried to sit down and be like 'okay I'm going to make a fursona' the characters always ended up being their own entities with maybe some little part of them being an exaggerated aspect of my personality. :L Cootie is the one that's remained the most similar to me so I guess she'll do. I have a hard time calling her my fursona though because she's really more her own character.

Point is, you don't need a official fursona to enjoy the fandom, or you can have a million of them if you'd prefer. Whatever works!


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