# Fursuit build log



## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 4, 2016)

this is so far two weeks of work. There isn't a balaclava attached, or ears, or a lower jaw.
Don't have fur for it yet.
Thoughts, comments?
Any tips for building the ears?
Tried 1/2" foam curled into vague approximations of ears, but they looked like pigs ears, so I tore them off.
I'll get a side view tomorrow.


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## Zrcalo (Mar 4, 2016)

I think your cheeks need to be smoothed out onto the body a bit more. Otherwise, that's a great muzzle you got going! and the eyes look good too! Do you have a side picture?
Here's a great example of how to get the cheeks to fade into the head.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 4, 2016)

Side view here. (Don't mind Metroplex)


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## Zrcalo (Mar 4, 2016)

hmm. you've got a nice muzzle going on.. but I think the cheeks need to be back more and add structure to the head. As it stands right now, the forehead is too high. so I would probably add more slope to the bridge of the nose inbetween the eyes and start fleshing out the sides of the head. You're looking good so far!!

like this:


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 4, 2016)

I see.
Perhaps I should start from scratch (never really liked the bucket method)

From that side view, the snout is far longer than I thought it was when I cut it out of the block.


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## Zrcalo (Mar 4, 2016)

Strangeguy32000 said:


> I see.
> Perhaps I should start from scratch (never really liked the bucket method)
> 
> From that side view, the snout is far longer than I thought it was when I cut it out of the block.



I've found with the bucket method, you can shave off a good part of the top of the head. But yeah.. I've used that method before.. you kinda have to make everything really big and toony to make up for the amount of foam that makes up the bucket head.

that being said... I used the bucket method for my first fursuit head:  I made the same mistake with the large forehead and narrow muzzle.but I fixed that by moving the eyes up and adding see-through material where the eyes used to be.. so I actually saw out /below/ the eyes.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 4, 2016)

I think once my styrofoam head form comes in (whenever the hell THAT happens) I'll cut about 3/4ths of the snout off and install the build on a balaclava (I HAVE a head form, but it's too small to best emulate my head's circumference, so building on it would be a mistake)


Eh, what the hell, I'll take your advice, ZRCalo.
I've cut it up a bit more to have a more snug fit and later I'll build out the cheeks, bridge, and the eyebrows.

Still don't know how I'm gonna do the ears or lower jaw.


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## Zrcalo (Mar 4, 2016)

Strangeguy32000 said:


> Eh, what the hell, I'll take your advice, ZRCalo.
> I've cut it up a bit more to have a more snug fit and later I'll build out the cheeks, bridge, and the eyebrows.
> 
> Still don't know how I'm gonna do the ears or lower jaw.



When using the bucket method, you put a slit where your mouth would be, and then build the mouth around that. So you have a moving jaw and can have circulation. I've never built a head with a removeable jaw.. so... maybe look at beastcub tutorials?

The best place to recieve info about making fursuits and getting critiques is to go here:
fursuit.livejournal.com: How DO you make those Animal Costumes? (Fursuits)


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 4, 2016)

Am I doing it right?




No it looks like I am not.


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## Zrcalo (Mar 5, 2016)

It's coming along! Dont give up!
@Strangeguy32000


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 10, 2016)

More work done!
Front View




Left side




Right side





Yeah, it's uneven. But this is the first time I've ever done this.
I'm thinking I'll try connecting the lower jaw (seen in the background) to the rest of the head with strips of 1/2" craft foam.

I'll figure out how to do the ears yet.

God bless DeWalt Tools breakaway utility knife.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 15, 2016)

Got some work done on Dack today.
He now has a jaw








I've also affixed the new soles on the Feetpaws, but it's just an AF mat cut to size and glued to a pair of cruddy old skate shoes with canid toes on the front, nothing to write home about.


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## Notkastar (Mar 15, 2016)

Huh, Honestly I didn't know people made them from scratch before.
Good on ya for going the extra mile =)


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 15, 2016)

Yeah, I can't justify spending $1000+ on a costume I'll only wear on special occasions, so I looked into all the tutorials I could find, and set to work building this thing.

It at least gives me something to do other than waste money on shit I'll never actually appreciate.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 16, 2016)

We've got ears, say cheers! (I just blatantly stole that from Mickey Mouse)




My little brother helped me design them (of course I did take a little inspiration from other Fox fursuits)
Now to trim a few key areas, maybe add a few leftover teeth from the aborted Foxy build, and I'll be ready to tape this sh*t up for the Fur pattern.

How much Fur should I order for a partial, folks?


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 20, 2016)

Got the buckram I need for the eyes, and the eyes started. Got the head pattern almost finished (I've removed much of the tape at this point) I did up a Con badge on cardstock (I figure all it needs is a background) and intend to get it laminated at a local office supply store on my day off Tuesday, got two yards of Purple faux fur coming in by end of next week (I'm going to order what else I expect I'll need on Thursday) hoping to have Dack the Fox, as a partial fursuit, ready for AnthrOhio in May (and I have a design in mind for a water bottle I can use discreetly while in my fursuit)





Am I doing the Con Badge right? The only convention I've ever been to was Marcon 41 almost a decade ago, and I've only ever seen a few furry con badges (though not in person)


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 22, 2016)

Got the nose built, the "eyelids" installed (foamies FTW!) and started making a tongue.
I'll get the mouth's interior lined with black felt and started on the teeth tomorrow.
I also got the Con badge laminated, but I'm not gonna post it today.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



Should I keep the earrings? They don't look like how I want, but then again, I haven't furred this thing yet, so I can't tell how it'll look when finished.


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## Raptorre (Mar 23, 2016)

You've made A LOT of progress from when you've started omg. Dack's coming out wonderfully! I think the earrings look nice and tbh, they're a good touch on most suits I've seen. 

A few things: Some of the foam still looks a little blocky. You want rounded edges and smooth transitions like from the cheeks to the back of the head. The eyebrows look like you've done that transitioning pretty nicely!

Also, the eyes look a bit sunken. It might just be the picture, but if you could bring them out a bit more, that might be good. 

This is all coming from an ameteur who's just finishing her third partial, so most of the things I'm pointing out are simply coming from mistakes I've learned about along the way.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 23, 2016)

The eyes are, indeed, sunken, but I really don't want to change that (and if I do, I'm gonna have a hell of a time seeing). I _have_ since redrawn the eyes so they aren't looking upward in a goofy manner (had to redo them from scratch because the paint I was using was utter garbage and the eyes didn't look right) and installed the mouth lining as well as the tongue. Tomorrow after I install Dack's teeth (what few I'm going to install), I'll take a photo before heading to the store after an Amazon Gift Card that will hopefully enable me to order the rest of the fur I expect Ill need (two yards orange and one purple, and one tan oughta do me for a head, feet and handpaws, tail, and sleeves in addition to the two yards purple I've already ordered, right?)


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## Raptorre (Mar 23, 2016)

That should be enough for a partial, plus wiggle room I believe. I got 3 yards of yellow fur for Rapt which was more than enough for a head, neck, arms+feathers, and a MASSIVE tail (hands and feet used fleece). I'll prolly have enough to make another head (thinking of a cockatiel!) At least, if that gives you any sort of an idea?


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 24, 2016)

Here we go.




Basically all I need to do is fur this thing, And it'll be ready.

The teeth are made of Crayola Model Magic

I will eventually do a 2.0 version of Dack, but I'm otherwise happy with how this, my first real foray into the world of fursuit making, turned out.


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## Raptorre (Mar 24, 2016)

Ahhhh he looks so cute! One more little thing-the nose should be brought down a bit across the front of the muzzle since noses aren't on the very top of the muzzle.

I might actually see you at anthrohio! I didn't realize that was a con until I got on these forums actually. I'm just a few hours from Columbus and take day trips there like once a month.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 26, 2016)

The first Yard of Fur arrived today! 




Sure is a lot of it here.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Mar 30, 2016)

So I've got one footpaw and one handpaw made.
Got a picture of the footpaw


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 1, 2016)

Got one side of the tail done. Twenty-nine inches. orange into purple and ending with tan. 
Side two of tail cut out.
Face furring proceeding as planned.
Right footpaw started
No pictures at the moment. Will snap photos later.
Deadline: Thirty-five days.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 1, 2016)

Completed the tail.





To think, twenty-four hours ago, this was six pieces of fur.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 3, 2016)

I've officially passed the one month mark 




A month's worth of work.


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## Riot_the_Canine (Apr 3, 2016)

Wow, that's some nice work there. It came out great for a first suit. I have a question though, how much did it cost you to make it yourself? Is it cheaper than buying one already made?


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 3, 2016)

Riot_the_Canine said:


> Wow, that's some nice work there. It came out great for a first suit. I have a question though, how much did it cost you to make it yourself? Is it cheaper than buying one already made?


It's definitely cheaper. All in all, I'd say this has cost me about $200 so far. 
I figure the equivalent commissioned work would run me around $500


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## Riot_the_Canine (Apr 3, 2016)

Strangeguy32000 said:


> It's definitely cheaper. All in all, I'd say this has cost me about $200 so far.


That's a crazy deal then! Maybe I'll toy with the idea of trying to make my suit by hand. At least version 1.0, I'm sure years in the future I'll want a better one.


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## Gharn (Apr 3, 2016)

really great stuff dude!! will you be shaving the head or leaving it with the long pile??
also i love that purple colour x


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 3, 2016)

Gharn said:


> really great stuff dude!! will you be shaving the head or leaving it with the long pile??
> also i love that purple colour x


I do plan to shave it down (least on the face) as it currently is, the pile is reducing my visibility. I would have preferred a brighter purple, but the contrast from the dark purple to the bright neon orange is starting to grow on me

Got permission to use my mom's Sewing Machine and I got one of the armsleeves done in addition to a handpaw I haven't photographed. That's two days of work done in two hours.




I plan to finish the Feetpaws and make the other armsleeve tomorrow. I'm supposed to connect my sleeves with Elastic, right?


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## Gharn (Apr 3, 2016)

Strangeguy32000 said:


> I do plan to shave it down (least on the face) as it currently is, the pile is reducing my visibility. I would have preferred a brighter purple, but the contrast from the dark purple to the bright neon orange is starting to grow on me
> 
> Got permission to use my mom's Sewing Machine and I got one of the armsleeves done in addition to a handpaw I haven't photographed. That's two days of work done in two hours.
> 
> ...


Yeah i believe people attach them around the back? haha that looks great! nice one with the sewing machine, i dont have one but im dreading doing sleeves!!


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 4, 2016)

Feetpaws and both armsleeves are *done*. 
Pictures will be taken/posted tomorrow when I get off work.

Final stretch!


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 5, 2016)

As promised: 
Here's what's done on my Dack fursuit;




Mission History;
Armsleeves: 
*>complete*
Tail: 
*>complete*
Feetpaws: 
*>complete*
Handpaws: 
*>complete *(to the extent that I can compete them right now. Need paw pads)
Head:
*>In Progress
*
Yes I stole the format from the Halo 2 Trailer.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 6, 2016)

Got one of the ears furred 




Now the shower curtain ring earrings are installed, with color, it doesn't look bad.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 9, 2016)

Work was done today 
Just got the left side, back, and lower jaw to do, as well as a thorough shave, and Dack Remus Applewold will be ready for AnthrOhio


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 17, 2016)

Been about a week since I posted any progress on Dack, so here we go!





Basically done.
Got a spot under the back of the right cheek needs fur, gotta trim the fur and add hair and Dack will be ready for AnthrOhio!

What does everyone think of the nose?

The eyes have been modified


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## Xandor (Apr 18, 2016)

The nose is actually really good, it sits where it should (some people dont know where to put the nose), but the way its more toward the mouth is something you might want to change if your going for a smaller nose.


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 18, 2016)

And I'm calling this finished


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## MakTheFurry (Apr 18, 2016)

That just looks amazing, wow!


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## Strangeguy32000 (Apr 29, 2016)

After wearing the head for an upwards of ten minutes at a time, I've decided the version 2.0 will have a fan in the head. Not because it gets crazy-hot, but because I can't freaking breathe even with the accidentally articulated mouth.

The eyes are still gonna be set hardly a quarter inch from my actual eyes (the way they were before I "fixed" them), but The eyesockets are gonna be shallower so my depth of field is increased. (as it were, if it's not directly in front of my eyes, I can't see it with my head on. It's like looking through binoculars that don't zoom in at all)

The head is gonna be built around a plaster cast of my actual head since my nose and jaw are larger than those of my styrofoam head. The fit is uncomfortable. Like wearing a muzzle made of upholstery foam.


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## QueenIsolation (Jul 8, 2016)

Hey I've been having trouble with my fursuit it looks great from the side but terrible in the front


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## Strangeguy32000 (Jul 9, 2016)

I dunno, I actually kind of like the way it looks from the front. It's got a cartoonish look to it. Like goofy.


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