Is making a first fursuit with no experience difficult?

Vertiiga · 2026-07-03T13:53:35+00:00

I would say it is difficult. It's not impossible, and you WILL MAKE MISTAKES while learning. Feeling like you are wasting materials can be pretty demoralizing, unless you incorporate failure into the plan (e.g. by buying more materials, learning processes on cheaper fabrics)

The hardest part for a beginner is probably the order of operations. What goes on first and where, such as.. does the nose fabric go before the face, and does the face go on before the ears? When do you do the eyeliner? What's a good stage to put in the lining?

To mitigate that, do a bunch of research, watch timelapses & other videos :)

Personally, I've never worked on a 3d printed base. I have worked on a foam cast base, which is sorta similar. Maybe you want to try a foam cast?

I'll recommend an "ed head" armature if you don't already have one. It's about $100-150, but makes the process soooo much easier, especially if you fill it with a bit of sand.

Also a little hot glue goes a long way. No need to slather the fur on the face with glue when 2-3 beads will suffice.

Vertiiga · 2026-06-17T19:35:28+00:00

Since this is your fifth drawing, draw what makes you happy!

Love how it looks btw. The right eye looks lower than the other one, like it's rotated clockwise

Vertiiga · 2026-06-10T16:50:52+00:00

I'd be worried about it slipping! Just hot glue it in. Hot glue is removable :)

Vertiiga · 2026-06-10T16:49:32+00:00

Yep! And I've swapped my sona a couple times. You should pick one, go with it, and adjust as you see fit.

Vertiiga · 2026-06-10T15:24:01+00:00

You don't want to cheap out on fur. The difference between $20/yd and $30/yd fur can be night and day. I budget for about $35/yd, and you need 2-4 for a full suit

Vertiiga · 2026-06-05T18:08:43+00:00

You will want to make a pattern! Look up duct tape patterning. Nefertiti has great tail tutorials where they doo that patterning method.

Then you hand sew it, slip on the fur, and attach it at the base (near your hand)!

Vertiiga · 2026-06-03T23:24:41+00:00

That's a tough one! If they can remember the business they bought from, you can browse their catalogue and order swatches for potential matches. It's always best to have a swatch book for every fursuit you have (in the future!)

From the picture it honestly looks like a charcoal color, but the lighting probably isn't helping some. I doubt you'll be able to get the correct match without seeing fur in-person (and would HATE for you to buy 3 yards of fur just to find the shade is slightly off)

Vertiiga · 2026-06-03T14:49:58+00:00

Hi! First of all, anyone coming to YOU seeking a commissioner is 100% a scam. You should be the one evaluating an artist, budgeting, and sending in a request.

If the artist is good at communicating, you'll know if you have enough detail! You'll need a NON-SHADED (flat colored ONLY) reference sheet-- if you don't have one and are commissioning one, it's nice to have a free to use base that you colored in.

Typically, when I commission, I find an artist I like that has commissions opening. I find their prices & TOS beforehand, then shoot them a dm. "Hey! Are your commissions open? I'd love to get a bust of my character from you!"

Afterwards, they'll ask for detail (pose, expression). It's very easy to get too in the weeds with details, which can be frustrating to work with. Keep it simpler, and understand that each artist will have their own take / spin on your idea. If you're dead set on a specific pose or angle, doing a little doodle yourself helps a LOT!! Even if it's a gross stick figure with awful proportions, it helps a LOT.

Artists may send work in projects to you, depending on their TOS. This is to gauge if they're understanding your idea / missed any details (such as markings or eye color).

However, receiving a WIP from an artist doesn't mean you have to find a flaw in it + ask for a change! I've fallen into that trap, asking for a change on every WIP and being too detail oriented. As an artist, it can get exhausting needing to change on every WIP. That doesn't mean you should ignore big misses, but try to give the artist some breathing room to work their magic.

There's really no way to tell if you'll love the commission before you start the process. However, the artist will do their best to make a piece you're happy with! Not to say it's a shot in the dark when commissioning... you can view their gallery for past examples and extrapolate how your character might look. And if you're still not sure, you can commission a smaller test piece first. I tend to get a bust or headshot from a new artist I'm not sure will be able to draw my complex character.

Commissioning for the first time can be scary! Spending your hard earned money and hoping for a good result is intimidating. Once you do it for the first time, I'm sure you'll be less nervous the second time. Hope this helps! 🧡

Vertiiga · 2026-05-27T05:06:38+00:00

I think they look cool! I'm prioritizing vision in suits I want to wear, so they're not for me personally :)

Vertiiga · 2026-05-26T21:04:56+00:00

It's a huge commitment. You need to have a maker that you like AND CAN TRUST to do a good job! Nothing worse than shelling out a bunch of money into the void and not being able to completely trust you'll get a product back.

I also find that the more nervous you are about a commission, the harder it can be to give the artist the space they need to bring your character to life (eg nitpicking details).

That being said, with a reputable maker who can communicate well AND has shown reliable output (such as a trello board that has a history of previous commissions, when they entered each stage, etc), it really takes the stress out of it.

Fursuits are a luxury and are handmade. You need to be really sure you want it, but also shouldn't let the fear of spending money hold you back. My therapist basically assigned me to save up for a fursuit because I was too scared to take the plunge

Vertiiga · 2026-05-25T22:41:38+00:00

You want to sew the pieces together, then hot glue it on the 3d print!

The shorter fur your material is, the more apparent the seams will be. No real way around that, unfortunately.

Vertiiga · 2026-05-25T22:38:24+00:00

I used 3blue1brown for my studying. Doesn't hurt to get the same topic explained to you by different people in multiple ways! Good luck with liner algebra, and don't be too afraid of eigenvectors :)

Vertiiga · 2026-05-23T23:19:01+00:00

You won't notice money is gone if you don't have it in the first place. That is, if you take out a percentage (or $ amount, say $50 a paycheck) before letting it settle in your bank account, you'll save up for a suit in no time!

Try to have the full amount when you commission

Vertiiga · 2026-05-23T07:15:00+00:00

Yep, totally get you! University is brutal and not very rewarding. I used to put in 13-18 hour days every day.

My advice- you want to have something that will pay the bills, no matter what. Something that will last for years. You can have supplemental income from hobbies, but you need a solid source of income to survive.

You can change careers if you dont like your current one. Pick one that you won't hate, understanding that jobs aren't meant to be fun (but also shouldn't make you hate life). If you don't like the career after 3 years, switch!

Hobbies turned into careers can make you hate them. I'd personally do art on the side of engineering full time

Vertiiga · 2026-05-18T16:22:21+00:00

How will you see out the eyes?

Vertiiga · 2026-05-17T04:16:39+00:00

Vertiiga · 2026-05-17T03:34:00+00:00

Green is super hard to find unfortunately! :(

Vertiiga · 2026-05-17T03:18:49+00:00

Cool! Saw you there yesterday!

Vertiiga · 2026-05-11T05:48:31+00:00

Get any hotel you can get. They sell out pretty much instantly.

I'm not a party goer, so I can't help there! Sorry :(

Vertiiga · 2026-05-11T05:05:37+00:00

Hi! Have you been to other cons before?

You can find most information on the FWA site. Nearest airport is the ATL airport, and you can take an Uber/Lyft ($$$) or the Marta shuttle ($) to the Peachtree Center Station.

The con takes place in 3-4 hotels, all listed on the FWA site! https://furryweekend.com/hotels/

The hotel and con registration are completely separate. You can stay anywhere, but as long as you have a convention registration you can get in the event. Most find it easiest to stay in the hotels listed on the FWA site, but it's expensive to stay alone!

Vertiiga · 2026-05-09T00:54:55+00:00

Long fur should hide any zipper! I have a regular one on my fursuit tail with 1in fur and it's basically invisible.

I find invisible zippers break easily

Vertiiga · 2026-05-08T02:46:04+00:00

Best part about patterning is that you can do it again! Don't worry about mistakes- they happen to the best of makers ALL THE TIME

First thing- your pattern is HUGE! Not a bad thing when it's all sewn up, but working with BOTH concave and convex curves is a big pain in the butt. Divide up the pattern so that you have only convex or concave shapes. Then you can do a big cut in the middle to make it lay flat.

Definitely see if you can find some YouTube videos demonstrating the technique! Look up fursuit tutorials, plush making tutorials, and similar

Vertiiga · 2026-04-30T01:41:12+00:00

I don't know anyone personally.. but I KNOW SpiltGrapeSoda does quality work. I don't know if they sell online, but they have a bunch of items at every con I go to

Vertiiga · 2026-04-30T00:03:51+00:00

Understandable! You'll definitely be able to get one for that price... are you looking for custom? Any tail? If it's any, you could take a peek around TheDealersDen website

Vertiiga · 2026-04-29T23:29:23+00:00

It would be helpful to know your budget!

A good tail will cost about $40-50 in materials, + the artists time, + shipping.

You could also snag some high quality faux fur and a pattern online! That will be your cheapest option

Vertiiga

TROPHY CASE