First Fursuit- I need help along the way!

[Andy]

Working on my first fursuit, modeled after this guy:



and so far, I have this:



It's not what it should be and will take a ton more tweaking. He doesn't even have a bottom jaw 

this is the vision I have for it. Anyone else care to give me some pointers? I don't really know what to do to make it look better. 

[Nori]

It looks really good so far! My foam head I had to completely take off the muzzle and lop off a chunk because it was too long
Can you post a profile pic of the head? The ridge connecting the brows and muzzle look good, but a side view would help show more of it!
Maybe smooth out the tip of the ridge (by the brows) to fade more into the head? And will you be adding cheeks after you put the jaw on? ... ooo and what expression are you going for? There's a few good diagrams for different expressions I can post for you!

[Andy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9y3NsoB7gk4 <moving demo


progress so far!!

[Nori]

That looks awesome!!!! Maybe widen the band going vertical near the outside of the eye/cheek and connect it to the band going toward the muzzle, but other than that, it looks good! The fur hides a lot of stuff anyway, so you can always just pull the fur over parts that aren't quite smooth

[Andy]

updates: where should I go next?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SY-WhyCo5Qs
camera died in the middle of that video but 1 second is better than 0 i guess


I want to give him follow me eyes and change the ears. What other methods for ears are there?

so this isn't the best picture but he also has no chin!!! I don't know how to remedy this because his chin is so close to mine that I worry it will make taking the head on and off difficult.
Also, mouth! Where do I even start? I was going to use cardboard with pink fleece, but now I'm leaning toward a model magic mouth with sculpey and epoxy teeth. What do you recommend?

[Nori]

Maybe smooth out the edges now, adding bits of foam here and there to smooth up the cheeks and whatnot. And I just used foam for the teeth and glued fabric over those, since it's lightweight and the same material as the head Don't use cardboard for any part of the head; it will get soggy, even if it's the teeth and they're covered up, and they can grow mold, which is very bad for your health.
I just lined the inside with black felt and sewed a tongue with two pieces of fleece.

A thing for ears could be to put up a pace of foam uncut, and trace where the ears should go while its on the head, with the ear curve and whatnot. I saw a tutorial online, just search ear for fursuits
Mot suits I've seen don't have a chin, since most animals don't have one It's just the neck right after the head ends.


It looks great so far though!!

[Andy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XxKRGCLW6I


put in my eyes! Gotta mess with those some more, and I'll be sewing myself a mask underneath and a removable moving jaw mechanism. I'm going to take off a lot of his snout and the foam around his eyes and rebuild it.

[Nori]

The eyes are fantastic! Yeah I had to do the same thing with mine, I'm sure it'll look great after you snip snip!!

[Ventus Fall]

Cool job with the eyes, it's really starting to get shape!

[Andy]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jl5ITxW4ON0&feature=youtu.be


hey friends! Just made an update video ft Shitty Camera Mic and Me Mumbling About How Bad It Looks. If you could watch it and give me some feedback that'd be great! I'm almost done, I'm going to be buying the fur soon but I feel like it still needs some work.

[Nori]

     Here's a good read for carving/padding a smile: http://fursuit.livejournal.com/5614799.html  maybe add more of a ridge along the bottom of the eye, slanting upwards a bit. (I'll edit with a picture showing where I'm talking about when I have the time )
     Foam jaws don't move nearly as much as resin ones, but if you're able, maybe put another thin layer of foam where the jaw touches your chin. It'll be a bit more sensitive, but be careful that you don't tear the jaw by padding it too much!

      It doesn't look too canine, I just google searched images of feline foam bases, I'm sure it'll look better once you smooth it out! https://www.google.com/search?q=feline+foam+base&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=643&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiq8533xKfNAhVBL1IKHXJjAaIQ_AUIBygC

[Ventus Fall]

May I just say: Your eyes look amazing. (Of the fursuit head, if anything xD) They are proper follow-me-eyes. As you say in the video about the mobility of your moving jaw, I agree. As for what I -personally- know about foam fursuit head, is that the mobility is indeed less than, say resin based heads.


I think what makes it look rather canine at the moment is its nose. The base/build is pretty feline for the rest though. I think it you start furring the head pretty soon, and there is less attention to the nose, I think it will be fine. I think. But not sure ^^;



Personally, the ears seem fine to me.



(Aaaand I just read Nori's reply Seems we agree on the moving jaw part )

[Nori]

(brain sync )
Here's how mobile my resin head is after padding the lower jaw a bit under the chin. They aren't really -that-  mobile unless you exaggerate your jaw movements, which is what most people do anyway to get that effect, at least what I've seen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXSj3k1Pjk4

[Andy]

I ripped off the nose this morning and am planning on doing some sort of foam+felt thing, or embroider it on after fur, wider and of course more cat like. I've got a foam holder there for the time being, not sure if that's what i'll use finally or not. I trimmed the ears a bit and have been filling in holes and gaps and trying to make it as smooth as possible (not sure if that's even necessary, i just am doing it for fun at this point). I'll post pictures tomorrow (hopefully. just started a big art project and i want to finish that).


I also ordered my jacket today! http://www.ebay.com/itm/251690618077?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&var=550597233628&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT got the black and red. I'm going to try to embroider the Caravan Palace logo on the breast just as a personal touch.


I also starting trying out a smile. I plan on having two sets of eyebrows which i can velcro on and off, for a smug look and a happy one. If I do that, I'll also make removable felt eyelids to go with my smug eyebrows, since I feel like that'd be more in character.

[Nori]

That jacket looks awesome! The eyebrows sound neat, I think More Fur Less does a similar method, just flipping the eyebrows under and moving them a bit for different expressions. Good luck, it sounds neat!!!!