fursuit frendly designs
WHAT ARE fursuit-friendly designs?
I haven't really seen many people talk about fursuit friendly designs online, so I thought I'd write a page to explain what I mean when I reference "fursuit friendly design" on this site and why it's so important.
A fursuit friendly design is a character design that can be easily translated into a costume. Not having a fursuit friendly design can impact the chance of your character being chosen for a commission slot and could decrease the durability of your costume in the long run. It is extremely important, especially if you plan to move a lot or dance in your costume. Trying to make an unsuitable design may increase production time greatly as well.
If you're unsure if your character is fursuit friendly or not, or you don't know how to simplify a character that isn't fursuit friendly, you can ask an artist or fursuit maker. You can also find an artist that does fursuit friendly references, for example Neonslushie, who specialises in fursuit-ready references. I recommend that you have a reference that involves simple "T-pose" character art with a front and back few at the least, like this example of my own work!
“Roxy” reference image by me!
As you can see, Roxy’s reference has their front and back views, their tail, and a side-on headshot showing their teeth! Their colours and species are also listed.
Common “unfriendly” features
Lots of small details or fine lines
Having a lot of small details, such as a lot of spots, can compromise the durability of the suit. These details are too small to machine-sew, so must be hand-sewn, and seams could pop easily if caught or put under stress. They are also extremely time consuming to do!
Tattoos
Tattoos on characters are common, but some aren't possible to sew into a costume, especially if they have a lot of small details. Tattoos on costumes don't work the same as drawing them onto a 2D image, they can be difficult to sew and the fur's length can distort the image. Different fursuit makers have different limits on how detailed they’re willing to go with tattoos and small details.
Gradients
Gradients typically aren't fursuit friendly because they are difficult to achieve and difficult to maintain due to the amount of airbrushing that would be necessary. Some fursuit makers may be able to achieve gradients on heads, though be sure to ask first!
The Neutral Ground
Some design features may be neither fursuit friendly or unfriendly, and may require you to have further discussion with your fursuit maker.
Unusual or Rare Colours
Not every colour exists as a faux fur colour. If you have a lot of tones or non-standard colours in your design, you'll need to discuss further with your fursuit maker about fabric. You may have to alter the colours in your design or settle for something that's close enough with your maker.
Excessive or Unusually-shaped Extra Features
Excessive or unusual features (for example, large or unusual horns, multiple eyes or mouths, a lot of piercings, multiple limbs, etc) are a grey area as they're often not listed as something that makers offer, and would require discussion. Don't be afraid to contact a maker direct and ask whether they'd be comfortable making what you're looking for.
How can I make my character easier to turn into a fursuit?
Making your character more fursuit-friendly can be easy! Different makers have different standards for what they're comfortable with, so check their websites and check what they've made before. Chances are, the projects they choose show what kind of things they enjoy making. If you have the option to, contact the maker directly and ask whether your fursuit is too complex for them.
Here are some examples of what you can do to simplify your character:
Check faux fur websites to see what colours are available. The most common websites for faux fur are Big Z Fabrics and Howl Fabrics. I recommend noting down the colours you choose and giving them to your maker when you apply for a fursuit.
Reduce the number of spots or stripes on your character. Make them bigger if you need to.
Allow your maker to have some artistic liberty over spot size, amount and placement if that's something you are alright with.
Translate any gradients into block colours.
Remove or simplify tattoos or small markings.
Ask a fursuit maker or artist who makes fursuit-friendly character designs for help.
