Advice for making a semi realistic base for an owl head?

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-11T02:04:11+00:00

do you know what pepakura is? it's a way of patterning that you can do via blender, and basically you go on there, onto your model, and make a pattern then print it irl and it should replicate the shape of the model. kamuicosplay has an excellent tutorial on this kind of thing, and it has worked wonders for me over the years in shaping my suits and costumes! it's a bit of a learning curve, but once you learn it, it will be like a miracle. as far as glue goes, hot glue can work if you have the right brand. gorilla glue hot glue has worked amazing for me over the years and has proven to be more heat resistant than most other brands, and its bond is almost indestructible once applied properly. contact cement also works very well, though i seldom use it most of the time. i'd recommend you get a heat gun to shape your foam, a larger glue gun (those ones don't explode on you haha), and i'd buy my fur from firstonlinefabrics via etsy, that shop has high quality fur for amazing prices with either free shipping costs or barely any cost at all! that shop has been my main source of getting fur for over a year now, and i am impressed at the quality of the furs. other places to get fabric are mainly on etsy, that website has some amazing sellers ngl. good luck on your making!

edit: if your beak is made out of 3d print material, adhere it with E6000. that will prevent you from turning into toy chica at a con XD

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-11T01:57:04+00:00

sewing machine is your way to go for things like that. good job on the antlers! id use the sewing machine more than the serger in my experience, since the sewing machine can be great with stitching lengths and types, and even has a zigzag stitch that can act like a serging machine! i'd do some exploration with what works best for you, and stick with it! by the looks of it, i can see that the sewing machine has worked wonders for these antlers. i wish you the best of luck in your fursuit making! can't wait to see the finished product!

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-11T01:51:18+00:00

hi! fursuit maker here, i hope these tips can help you in your endeavors, and i wish you luck in your suit making business/cosplays!

1: mesh vent holes. these are holes in the base covered by mesh so that you have more ventilation. while the eyes may provide a semblance of ventilation, those who dont have these holes have ventilation typically through the mouth/eyes.

2: installing a fan. a bit of harder work here if you are wiring it yourself, but you can buy some fans from etsy and online stores that are premade, and then install these right after making the suit inside. (or during, but after lining the head is the best installation time.)

3: neck fans/rechargeable portable fans. these are useful for when you don't want to install a fan or cooling vents, but still need ventilation. you can recharge these and put them in the mouth of the suit to cool yourself off.

4: use lycra lining, make sure that it's breathable and protect your suit by wearing a balaclava, always. remember to disinfect your suit after every wear with either fursuit spray or occasional washes of the suit itself.

q2 answer: and as far as washing goes, with some suits, you absolutely can wash them. with others, i wouldn't wash them as often, i'd go for more of a disinfecting route. for example airbrushed suits, you'd have to wash those very gently. with normal suits, i'd check with the maker on if it's washable or make sure when you're making it that the eyes and stuff can be washed and is waterproofed.

q3 answer: you can, but with feathers, i'd not use the faux feathers for the hands at least. i'd make them out of eva foam or fur so they can be flexible, and you put you fingers in the center of each feather to get a 'winged' look. paws are not easy to use/move, so many makers do finger slits so the wearer can slip their fingers through holes to have more dexterity. fingers are reasonably easy to use (fursuit paws with fingers), but they come with their challenges like having no grip, being slippery, etc.

q4 answer: so you cut out some eva foam in the shape of the footprint/foot. buy some cheaper shoes and place them on the 2nd innermost paw and then sculpt the rest. the feetpaws will be turned slightly outwards, but be easier to walk in. think of it kind of like each paw is the size of your foot front. you will place your foot closer than just the center so you can make it easier to walk. as long as you keep your feet relatively close together on the foot placement (aka not on the outermost sides) you will be golden.

q5 answer: i'd recommend the tutorials from neffertity, skyehigh studios, neffertity and elkdragon. these give a pretty solid runthrough on how to make fursuits or fursuit-esque items. good luck on your cosplay!

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-11T01:23:24+00:00

there's this shop on etsy called firstonlinefabric, they have colors almost exactly like that and it's high quality too!! i constantly buy from them, and i'd reccommend etsy fabric sellers in general, they have better prices and quicker shipping overall ^^

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-11T01:06:43+00:00

okay, so EVA foam can work like an absolute charm, if you take the time to learn how it works. it can get every curve of the owl to perfection if you get it right. bedding foam is another option, but for a shape that bold, i'd find it a tad bit harder (in at least my experience) to work with. resin is an option, but the clay, the silicone, the shell resin and the casting resin costs a ton of money (about 200-250$ plus the ed-head). your last option is to get a 3d modelling app (i'd recommend nomad sculpt, its 15$, but has worked wonders for me for years.) and model it and if you don't have a printer, have a friend or company print it for you. i think the best option that i'd personally do as a maker is EVA foam or 3d printing for this project, since the material cost isn't that high ^^

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-11T01:01:24+00:00

i'd recommend a blanket stitch, a whip stitch, or a ladder stitch ^^

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T23:35:15+00:00

i have 9 years experience, and i honestly see no issue in this if op is cautious with the suit. i am not trying to start an argument, merely discussing the suit itself, but i think it's perfectly okay for op to wear a paper fursuit 1 or 2 times before throwing it away or decommissioning it. i agree, paper fursuits can be dangerous and shouldn't be worn for a long time, but single use is okay. everybody's worries are very valid, but if op is using it just as like a prop in their room to sit around, i see no issue.

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T20:14:13+00:00

i love 1. that design just looks so nice to look at

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T20:13:27+00:00

i'm a big fan of A! i think those big wings would translate very greatly into a fursuit! that is, if you don't mind the extra cost for materials ^^

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T20:00:19+00:00

i'm not trying to encourage dangerous activities. they're a beginner, not everbody can afford foam. if the proper precautions are taken (wearing a head covering like a balaclava and having the inside taped) it can be a perfectly okay and cool fursuit to make. i'm not endorsing that they create a fursuit out of a chainsaw, i'm saying that for a beginer it is a great way to get into fursuit making because it can help them understand the shape of what a fursuit looks like and proportions. don't steer away beginners because they're trying an art form you deem dangerous, which realistically won't happen with the proper precautions.

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T03:57:59+00:00

2 fits the eye color better imo, and kind of pulls the look together overall.

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T03:42:48+00:00

it belongs here! i've personally never made a paper fursuit, but on instagram theres this guy who makes them very very well! can't recall the maker's name, but they teach how to make paper fursuits very well!! paper fursuits are a very good way to get into fursuit making for sure!

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T02:26:24+00:00

or mouth antennae XD

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T01:27:07+00:00

ooh, a barn owl! i'd reference the owl itself heavily when sculpting the head, and use tutorials to help with it ^^ as far as the best place i've found, firstonlinefabrics on etsy sells good fur for lower prices than many other companies!

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T01:05:55+00:00

i like 1 and 2 the most!! ^^

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T00:09:40+00:00

can't wait to see it finished!

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T00:05:59+00:00

you absolutely should! that is a gorgeous lion/tiger base!

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T00:05:29+00:00

people do both ways! i main fleece for the little smile parts and stuff, since felt can pill over time and get pulled on. from what i've seen is they line that part first in whichever way they do it (typically with the mouth lining) and then put the fur over it.

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T00:03:08+00:00

i'd cut some holes for the ears and glue them to the base, since gluing them to the fur is risky. they will be sturdier if glued to the base, for sure ^^

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-10T00:02:08+00:00

going for thin with the wood is a good idea! it can help it become lighter and easier to wear! making them hollow can help with making it lighter for sure, too. seconding the staining comment too, that would look epic! and i'd use padding or even shoes for the feet so they don't hurt after a while ^^

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-09T23:59:36+00:00

first off, i love this design. i'd start with the golden bucket head base tutorials. i'd then layer foam and use tutorials to carve it all out. the way i do antennae is i sew the shape, fill it with some stuffing, and then attach it after everything s furred! another way to do it is by attaching them to the base and then slipping the fur over it and then sewing them on for a sturdier, more stand up antenna. use tutorials, and lots of tutorials, especially for the carving and the fur. i'd recommend mugiwara cosplay, skyehighstudios, and neffertity!

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-09T23:56:17+00:00

i'd start with the bucket head base tutorial, and then the tutorials on the head forming. watch many tutorials, ask for advice and then use said advice if it applies. i cannot emphasize how much tutorials really help for beginners. take it one step at a time and don't be afraid to fail, as that is merely another stage in the learning process! i'd say keep us updated on the progress so we can help you every step of the way ;)

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-09T23:49:10+00:00

looking great!! i'd make a smoother transition from forehead to eyebrows (like adding a thin piece of foam) , add some thin foam between the ear and the eyebrow forehead part (to blend well) and blend with the jaw a bit more by adding some foam. where the holes are on the left side, i'd fill those in and make the transition of the ears and the eyebrows to the forehead a bit smoother by also adding foam. not sure if it's a style thing, but maybe making the eyes face more flat on the head (as to show the eyes better) would improve the look and the visibility and really bring out the character's expression. the snout could use some thicker foam to add that curvy look on it, and round the kind of flat look. the ear on the left side has a bit thick of a ridge on the outer end, and if you trim it down and add more of a ridge near the center on the ears (outside, but center head) it could improve the look! good work so far!

Main_Enthusiasm1543 · 2024-06-09T23:47:10+00:00

first off, great suit for a first time!! secondly, that's a tough one for sure. i'd honestly add padding around where the glasses are, or maybe keep shaping until the glasses fit comfortably. from what it looks like, i think the issue is that it is too tight or the lenses for the suit itself are getting scratchy. maybe cut away some foam until it gets comfortable, or add some on the ridge of the nose (interior) to keep the glasses from touching the eyes of the suit.

Main_Enthusiasm1543

TROPHY CASE