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Thabo Meerkat [12 Jan 2020] - South Afrifur Pawdcast

South Afrifur Pawdcast - Mon 13 Jan 2020 - 10:57

Today we have the honor of chatting with Thabo Meerkat, the host of "Digging Up Positivity". We talk about the differences between regional furry groups, the positive side of the fandom and Thabo's YouTube career. You can find Thabo on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/thabomeerkat And on Twitter here: https://twitter.com/ThaboMeerkat Find us on Twitter: @South-Afrifur, https://twitter.com/southafrifur, on Tumblr, http://south-afrifur.tumblr.com/, and on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/southafrifur Also, for more local news, check out the Zafur forums! http://forum.zafur.co.za/
Categories: Podcasts

小英當選,繪師喜開免費委託

Fur Times - 獸時報 - Mon 13 Jan 2020 - 07:19

  2020總統大選結果出爐,三號候選人蔡英文與賴清德以八百萬高票當選,改寫臺灣正副總統開放直選以來的最高票紀錄。許多圈內的繪師對此結果表示樂觀,甚至開放免費委託名額以祝賀現任總統蔡英文連任第十五任總統。

(刺刺的貼文,資料截圖)

  第十五屆正副總統選舉於上周六舉行投票。由於受到許多境外勢力的壓迫以及國內政壇的不穩定,許多人選民紛紛呼籲以往投票率較低的年輕族群在這次大選中行使投票權。圈內的許多知名獸也以各式各樣的文字、繪畫等助陣,盼圈內的獸眾能返鄉投票。也因此,這次選舉的投票率突破以往新高,來到了74.9%,而總統蔡英文的得票數也來到了817萬票,超越歷史紀錄。

  對此,支持總統蔡英文的圈內獸眾紛紛表示祝賀,其中也不乏許多知名的獸繪師。除了發文祝賀外,知名繪師刺刺(Bristle Thurder)、庫尼也在其臉書個人頁面分別開放免費頭像委託,以表示對此結果的樂觀。(2020/1/13,獸時報報導)

Categories: News

Furnicate, edited by Weasel and Sendokidu

Furry Book Review - Sun 12 Jan 2020 - 19:50
Enjoy it, while it lasts.The premise of Furnicate is to build a collection of flash furry erotica. It’s a lofty goal; with many different authors and stories making their way into the anthology, there should be something for everyone. The real challenge in this is that each author must construct a compelling narrative in a short amount of time. For my tastes, I believe that some authors might have benefited from more time as some stories felt flimsy and inconsequential. However, others navigated this challenge with ease, flaunting their literary sexual parts to great effect.“Sex-Furred Stories” by Thurston Howl and KC Alpinus is the embodiment of the challenge of Furnicate, using a mere six words to make a story. It is a collection of pictures painting several erotic situations. There isn’t much form or reason to these stories, simply beating each one into you after the other. While each is strongly sexual in its own right, I would have liked for more organization or structure for the work as a whole. It’s disorienting, and I can’t help but think the work would have been improved with more thought put into the piece rather than just the individual stories. However, these stories do set the tone for the entire collection, preparing the reader for what is to come.“Like Playing a Volkswagen” by TJ Minde depicts a group of friends riding in a bus together. The bus has a special meaning for them, since it’s the bus they ride to their gigs in. The friends are a band, by the way. The Volkswagen bus represents the band’s journey in addition to, as one member puts it, sex with a new partner. The connection was a bit weak for me, and I don’t think I’d ever go to such lengths to turn a crude joke with my friends into something legitimate. But it seemed like the boys accepted it and a new jam began. The story doesn’t have much of a destination, but it got there well enough.Tygacat paints a beautiful picture of an old couple enjoying much more than each other’s company in “Base Desire.” The barely contained desire of a lady raccoon turns into a night of sex. Even though the couple has been through their fair share of engagements, they still get a lot of pleasure out of each other. The reader is easily able to gauge the extent of the couple’s love, and the ensuing pursuit is beautifully coarse. I’m not really used to elderly couples exhibiting their love and need for each other so emphatically; in this way, the story isn’t as believable for me. However, it is still enjoyable and the age of the characters doesn’t detract from the atmosphere at all. If I suspend my own disbelief, their ages may even add to the effect.A mole enjoys a night of sexual pleasure and war-fueled trauma in Mog Moogle’s “Homecoming.” Reality itself is bent as Mog depicts a mole that has just come home from the war. Understandably, Douglass (the mole) finds it difficult to forget the traumatic experiences that appear in the form of flashbacks that blend into a sexual encounter. The result is a wonderfully disorienting merge of two realities. The story is relatable and important; one that needs to be told delicately. The challenge is handled well, and the end result is a rewarding experience. The combination of elements in stream of consciousness doesn’t overwhelm and instead places the reader in a position to better understand the central conflict. To me, it seems like the single best way this story could have been written.When I thought about how DookFiend must have come up with the idea behind “Throwing the Preakness,” I have to admit that I laughed a little. The writing is masterful and the pace starts at a fast clip. Vivid imagery places the reader right in the stall with the stallions. The story is about a horse that threw a prestigious horse race for a breathtaking sexual encounter. So you know it must be a pretty good experience. While I’d like to think about the psychological circumstances that would cause this offer to be agreeable to the horse, I don’t really think that’s the point. I can’t help but think that the entire story was written for the punchline. And it was a pretty good punchline at that. Corny, but good. For me, the ending of the story seemed a little rushed and didn’t have the same strength as the rest of the action. But, like races, stories are sometimes finished before you’re ready for them to be.“Oral Fixation” by Thurston Howl engages both the subject and the reader in a thrilling guessing game involving a tongue and several…surfaces. The scene is set as the subject is bound and deprived of all senses except for the pertinent ones. And then the tasting begins. The imagery and presentation in this story is done masterfully, placing the reader in a similar situation as the subject albeit a little more comfortable. The evaluation process as the surfaces are identified also seems real and methodical. Whoever was bound was much better at this game than I was!Stubs McGee creates a frustratingly realistic VR meeting place for animals of all kinds in “The White Rabbit.” I say frustratingly realistic because of the small ever-present annoyances that seem to interrupt at every possible moment. Whether it be broken servers or incorrectly calibrated equipment, these small reminders of reality don’t do enough to halt the hookup between the titular rabbit and a Doberman. The dialogue is just the right amount of awkward, perfect for the scene. The world that McGee creates seems like it could easily exist in the next 10 years. This story seems similar to Striking Vipers from the Netflix series Black Mirror, except with animals. And less exposition. It is told well all the same and the characters are easy to empathize with.Two carnivores meet in a room and start eating each other. No, that isn’t the start to a joke, it’s “Teeth” by Rechan. In this one, a lioness engages in dangerous play with a wolf. Involving teeth, described in thrilling detail as they come oh so close to tearing their prey apart. The extent to which these partners know exactly what they want with just the smallest signals is depicted in an exceptional fashion. It’s a delicate dance between the two, walking the tightrope between pleasure and severe pain. It is thrilling for the reader as well as the action stretches on, dangling them tantalizingly from the jaws of the story. This one runs its full course, leaving nothing else to be desired.We’ve all been home alone, wishing for the warm embrace of our significant other. Or otter, as it were. “The Third” from Riley Black has one such otter yearning for her mate. She obsessively takes pictures searching for one to elicit a response. After she sends it, the interaction goes in a direction she wasn’t quite expecting as her mate says he was thinking about her having sex with someone else all day. The “third” that was alluded to in the title. The interaction gets harried at this point as the pair presumably indulge in their liquid excitement. I have to say I enjoyed the writing for this one. The phone texts seemed forced at times, but the tension built from waiting for a response was relatable. The surprising change in direction was interesting and put the conversation in an unexpected light. Using the words lutrine and tenrec to describe the characters made me laugh as well. In the end, an enjoyable piece.“The Dare” by Ferric the Bird is pretty to the point. A group of friends tells each other about their sex lives; Lisa the rabbit had the title of “best at oral” and had to defend her title. By signing up for a slot at a local glory hole of course. She doesn’t quite know what to expect but still has her skills to fall back on. The story was alright; it spent a lot of time on the lead-up and made the actual action seem too short. It was moderately detailed and coherent but too straightforward for my tastes. Lisa’s night lasted for far longer than I was able to enjoy this story. While it’s a good thing to leave your audience wanting more, not giving it enough in the first place doesn’t satisfy.“The Precipice” from Russell Rottie is exactly that: a dizzying fall hurtling straight off the cliff of literary sanity. Two lovers are in the middle of an orgy, the goal of which is to get them to levels of arousal they’ve never reached before. Every action in the story is described with fantastic detail and clarity. Special attention was given to the sounds made and the meaning behind them and that painted a vivid picture of the ravages these two underwent. There isn’t much other than action here. The motivation is primal and the pleasure is pure. Rottie keeps the story fast paced and full of motion while keeping the reader from getting too lost. While this one does require more attention to keep up with, it is more than welcome as you’re able to fully enjoy the rollicking narrative.Furnicate’s goal is a difficult one to complete. It requires skillful writers and heavy commitment to making every word count. I believe that many of the authors featured in this anthology succeeded in that. I would have liked for a little more attention given to grammar and spelling as there were a few mistakes that took away from the overall effect; however, most of them are easy fixes. The organization was fine, I think the placement of certain stories was meant to beat you over the head with the fact that this is flash fiction. I think the beginning of this collection could have been much stronger after seeing the stories that were included in it, but the overall quality of the inclusions was satisfying.The variety of environments and situations depicted in this collection make it suitable for most erotica readers. There’s something in this for nearly everyone and, while many of the stories cut the experience short, enough of them should hit the mark to make the read worth it.
Categories: News

The Furry Cookbook, edited by Thurston Howl

Furry Book Review - Sun 12 Jan 2020 - 01:21
From folktales like "Stone Soup" to modern-day anime like Restaurant To Another World, people have been fascinated with stories based around the foods we eat. The Furry Cookbook, edited by Thurston Howl, seeks to explore these concepts through a unique lens only available with anthropomorphic characters. As Thurston puts it himself, “You get to deal with whole new elements: predator-prey dynamics, ethics of cannibalism, vegetarianism, heightened senses, and even food law.” Each of the nine stories in this anthology comes with a unique recipe you can cook yourself at home to fully immerse yourself in the works. These are accompanied by pictures with the ‘hosts’ for the book Destry Roden and Rakedu which add wonderful levity after reading through some of the darker themes within. As a fair warning, these stories can deal with erotic or other adult themes so this book is for those eighteen and older. With this in mind, let’s talk about the stories!The Flower Of CarnageIn this story, Cedric G! Bacon explores the hellscape of a war zone and the effects it can have on those that live in it. Quincy is an aging feline that was able to live through the war, thanks to the help of the shrewd Olga Koch. In a warzone, no one can be picky about what they have to eat but Quincy and Olga both end up consuming what might be considered a delicacy: The Flower Of Carnage. Quincy, now much older, is looking to try this dish with Olga one last time. This story explores some dark themes in a most fascinating fashion, an excellent story to start off the book. My attention was fully held from start to finish, and the ending left me wanting more, the greatest praise for any story!The Greatest Steak"A way to a man’s heart is through his stomach" is a common enough phrase, but does it apply to ladies as well? Alison ‘Cybera’ Cybe writes about a college-aged squirrel named Ricky trying to win the affections of a mouse that frequents the diner where he works. The story is cute enough, if a bit short. The end to this tale is a guaranteed smile however, making it a worthwhile read.The Diner’s ClubWould you eat lab-grown meat? Ever wonder how the sausage is made? Elmer is a lion working for Synth-Pro making lab-grown meats for purchase and consumption. Seeing just how his meal is made every day has made him weary of food, but a fellow lab tech named Victor knows just how to help: an exclusive dining club. Elmer quickly learns that maybe a salad is the better option after an unforgettable meal gets him wrapped up in unbelievable trouble. The idea of lab-grown meat eliminating the need to slaughter animals is a big thing to consider, and Frances Pauli explored it well. The small outro to the story he wrote was also an excellent look into what inspired this great piece of fiction. Bucking The TrendBe they smores of pudgie pies everyone has a favorite campfire meal. "Bucking The Trend" by Madison Keller not only looks at food but talks about being trans through a unique anthro experience which I found very enjoyable. Theo, the main character of the tale, ends up sharing a surprise meal with a stranger around the campfire. Good stories, good food, and good company could lead to something even better. A Slice Of A Non-Invasive Species’ LifeHow can you sustainably supply meat in a world with anthropomorphic carnivores and herbivores living together? Is it okay to let carnivores eat those that have died? What about if some animals aren’t sentient, is it still wrong to eat them as an animal yourself?In this story by Dan Leinir Turthra Jensen, when a deer and his wife invite over a wolf for dinner all these questions and more are on the table, alongside a home-cooked Danish meal. An exchange between the cultures of wolves and deer lays the backdrop for a look into what this kind of world might be like. Even with just a short story, the world is built up wonderfully. It would be interesting to see more stories in a similar setting.SprinklesA brief warning, this story by Al Song does contain rape elements as roleplay. If this is something you are uncomfortable with, this story is not for you. With this in mind, the story makes it very clear that it has a roleplay scene within and has a warning like this before it as well. Both were excellent touches.This story took a sharp turn in the middle I wasn’t expecting. The transition of storytelling style was a bit abrupt, but it led into a creative story. How do you manage to help your partner get into shape when normal personal training methods don’t seem to work? This story is a sexy look at unique ideas to do just that. It’s as enjoyable as the cookie dough recipe at the end (yes, I had to give it a try)!Blind Taste TestThis story by Kevin Miles gets deliciously naughty but does so in a thoughtful way. To anyone that has delved into the world of kinky play or BDSM, they may remember just how intimidating it could all be at first. Amanda is a mouse going through these exact feelings as her girlfriend Carol tries to help her get comfortable and enjoy herself in a most unique way. This story not only talks about proper consent and setting scenes for play but also keeps things saucy and exciting until the climax.Cedar HouseWhat if one day you could suddenly turn into an animal? I know plenty of people would love their new powers! What if however, it wasn’t your choice? Or those with these powers were forced away into havens away from normal society, how would you deal with a loved one suddenly changing and being forced to leave your side?Fenrir Black takes a look at questions like these as Rachel goes to a haven to meet her boyfriend. Her boyfriend has become an anthropomorphic Therian Lion and has been living at Cedar House the past three years. Over a picnic lunch, we learn a lot about the struggles found by Therians in this world and the struggles of trying to date and love someone quarantined from regular society. It’s a touching story filled with strong emotional conflict. This anthology took stories from the serious to sexy and combined them all together for an enjoyable read. It’s always a good sign when you suddenly realize some hours have passed that you missed as you were too enthralled to put a book down. This collection of stories is wonderful for any fan of food in general, but even more so those that like to dig deep into a story and think. The stories presented, even some of the naughtier ones, are done so with nuance providing quandaries worth considering in depth. This is the kind of anthology that sticks with you a while after reading: I would highly recommend it.
Categories: News

Splice: Conditioning, by Billi Wolf

Furry Book Review - Sat 11 Jan 2020 - 14:04
Billi Wolf’s Splice: Conditioning promises wild erotica from the very beginning, heady escapes from the characters’ lives in a world that leaves everyone suffering the effects of global warming, and the anthropomorphic dog residents as slaves. This first story in the world of Splices weaves together the lives of two pairs of Splice and human partners, in a tale that begins in a dystopian megacity, followed by fleeing to a spacious Nebraska farm start up. The Splices themselves are genetically modified dogs of varying breeds that can be bought and sold for a variety of tasks, often companions and pleasure partners. They are all human-sized with human intelligence, with very human emotions. German Shepherd Splice Kaleb is markedly different from his fellow canids, and that attracts unwanted attention from the company responsible for his creation. Another Splice joins their little harem, introducing them to the Freedom For Splices (FFS) revolution. Intense action and intrigue builds the world, and brings the heroes face to face with dangers they never imagined, intertwining their lives forever.Honestly, I enjoyed Splice: Conditioning. It felt a little clunky to begin with, but was certainly heavy on the erotica as promised by the author in the foreword. Once it gets rolling, it is an easy, fast-paced read. The characters are all likable with their own flaws and fears. Some of the anatomy is questionable in a couple of the sex scenes, but by no means does it ruin the fun. I will admit that the promise of Weredogs had me confused, as the anthropomorphic dogs in the story are full time furry. I’m wondering if that just means that with further genetic manipulation we’ll see transformation in the future.If you’re looking for a story that openly plays with sexuality, with a smattering of hypnosis and foot fetishes, you’re in for a great time. The plot, when it does happen, is icing on the cake. If you blush easily, I wouldn’t read this one in public, despite the tame title.
Categories: News

Golden State Fur Con 2019 / Pt. 2 (EP: 110)

The Raccoon's Den - Fri 10 Jan 2020 - 19:20

The fun continues at GSFC with the fursuit dance competition, parties at IKEA and more! SEE MORE AT: http://www.TheRaccoonsDen.com FACEBOOK: http://www.Facebook.com/TheRaccoonsDen TWITTER: http://www.Twitter.com/TheRaccoonsDen FURAFFINITY: http://www.FurAffinity.net/user/TheRaccoonsDen INSTAGRAM: http://www.Instagram.com/TheRaccoonsDen #TRDs8 #GSFC19 #GSFurCon
Categories: Podcasts

Kaar Segment - Solo 06 - Sharking the folfiest of ways

Unfurled - Thu 9 Jan 2020 - 21:02
Hey Guys, Here is Kaar's political segment for this week. Enjoy and send him all your questions! Kaar Segment - Solo 06 - Sharking the folfiest of ways
Categories: Podcasts

Awards Eligibility Post for 2019

Zooscape - Thu 9 Jan 2020 - 05:18

With awards season upon us, we wanted to make a quick and easy reference list of all of our stories from 2019 that are eligible for awards.

Cat of Thunder by John Taloni (3,700 words)

Bibelots and Baubles by Shauna Roberts (700 words)

New Hire at the Final Library by Laurence Raphael Brothers (900 words)

The Move by Kristi Brooks (1000 words)

¡Viva Piñata! by L.D. Nguyen (300 words)

Clyde and the Pickle Jar by Steve Carr (1,400 words)

A Warm, Dark Place in the Earth by Mackenzie Kincaid (4,100 words)

Sealskin by L Chan (700 words)

Good, Better, Best by Rachel Rodman (3,400 words)

Dragons Are Made by Searska GreyRaven (2,600 words)

Spider, Dreaming by Michelle Muenzler (300 words)

The Carnivore Queen by Alexandra Faye Carcich (1,700 words))

The Cosmic Woes of Finnigan Turtle by Hannah Montine (5,000 words)

The Farmer and the Potter by Amy Hammack Turner (2,000 words)

Saga of the Knapaleith by Allison Thai (16,400 words)

Leafless Crossing by Voss Foster (5,600 words)

The Stone Mask and the Frogs by Mark Mills (1,100 words)

‘Twas Brillig by Michael H. Payne (4,800 words)

Go On, Lick Me by Luna Corbden (800 words)

Nine Ways to Then by Diana A. Hart (2,800 words)

Categories: Stories

She Returns To Help The Dragons

In-Fur-Nation - Wed 8 Jan 2020 - 02:57

In the past we talked about Katie O’ Neill, and we briefly mentioned her award-winning graphic novel The Tea Dragon Society. Well now she’s back with a brand new sequel, The Tea Dragon Festival, that’s available now in hardcover from Oni Press. “Rinn has grown up with the Tea Dragons that inhabit their village, but stumbling across a real dragon turns out to be a different matter entirely! Aedhan is a young dragon who was appointed to protect the village, but fell asleep in the forest eighty years ago. With the aid of Rinn’s adventuring uncle Erik and his partner Hesekiel, they investigate the mystery of his enchanted sleep… but Rinn’s real challenge is to help Aedhan come to terms with feeling that he cannot get back the time he has lost.”

image c. 2020 Oni Press

Categories: News

天寒心不寒!繪師推明信片暖心送愛

Fur Times - 獸時報 - Tue 7 Jan 2020 - 22:11

隨著2020年的到來,許多繪師也紛紛舉辦新年活動,
例如模板委託或是抽獎等等,而持續時期通常僅限於新年與新春。

而奇記非商業委託則是開啟了橫渡2020年的長期年度計畫;
據文中表示本次的活動將持續整整一年,是由繪師「電子奇美拉」
在每個月繪製以靈魂動物為主題的系列明信片。

文中表示,每個月將會挑選一種動物做為代表,例如今年一月的主題為「狼」;
並會製成實體卡片並在網路上以及往後的場次設攤販賣。

據文中表示,每張明信片將會有10%的盈餘
會捐款給動物保育的相關機構或是收容機關,
讓該機構需要保護的動物們可以受到更好的照顧,同時達到公益的目的。   

相關網址如下:https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=598301760999449&id=409668456529448

Categories: News

FurTimes X 夢幻獸攝 擷取「毛」好時光

Fur Times - 獸時報 - Tue 7 Jan 2020 - 22:10

這次受邀採訪的是在獸圈中比較不被大家看到,在幕後一個人默默地為毛毛們付出,製作精美的活動影片,當然就是負責攝影的工作人員拉!
這次邀請到了夢幻獸攝來進行採訪,究竟他在攝影之路上有怎麼樣的奇遇呢?

請問您選擇在獸圈中扮演一位攝影師的原因是什麼?

  其實一開始的時候是想當YouTuber,那時候很愛看尊和一些日本YouTuber,而且我一直對探險有濃厚的興趣(雖然我好像沒有實際去探險過),想說買了攝影機的話也可以把探險過程拍下來。

  後來不太記得為什麼,應該是因為興趣改變,我改成拍攝活動紀錄和Cosplay相關(包括毛毛)的影片為主,但其實我本身對Cosplay的興趣並不大,所以沒意外的變成現在主要拍攝電競相關活動還有獸相關影片。

  獸是我最熱愛的一個圈子,當初想說既然會攝影說不定能以獸為題材拍些有趣的作品,在初期其實更像是拿獸這個題材來磨練自己的拍攝技巧,但到了現在,我更希望能透過攝影為獸圈貢獻些什麼。

也就是說您是從入圈前就喜愛攝影了嗎?

  我不太清楚確切的過程,但印象中,我在國中就已經喜歡獸或是獸這個概念,沒意外國中的時候已經會偶爾上狼之樂園逛。

  我真正開始強烈喜歡還有確定自己是獸的時候是從高中開始的
我高三的時候做了第一件獸裝(不過成果以現在來看當然是黑歷史)
跟一般不太一樣,一般可能是先進獸圈才有獸裝,我是先有獸裝才進獸圈 (?
我就穿著它去FF,那時候我還有跟毛毛互動,印象中那次有跟楓狼的毛互動過。

  FF結束之後我就上FB搜尋獸相關的社團加入,之後才正式開始跟其它獸友交流,不然其實之前都是沒有交流的,或是非常稀少。

  我現在打算做新毛裝的,但一直找不到時間去做新的,無限期擱置中

▲ 上圖為2019年獸無限活動中「夢幻獸攝」影片裡的片段

那麼請問您目前對於未來的發展有什麼計畫嗎?

  在獸無限的時候我公佈了「獸訪」這影片系列的預告,獸訪這個系列都會以採訪的形式進行,而第一集主要是向大眾介紹獸圈是什麼,我希望在第一集可以讓大眾知道「獸文化」大概的樣子,並且透過第一集讓大眾留下一個好的印象。
  然後是我一直忘記跟大家說明的「獸崛起計劃」,獸崛起計畫是一個大型的計劃,而在這個計劃底下會有許多的專案,「獸訪」就是其中之一,獸崛起計劃的初衷是「推廣獸文化並發展創新的作品」,這個計劃會比較以「向外人推廣」還有「發展特殊、具創意的作品」為主。

請問您在攝影器材方面會以品牌作為挑選的依據嗎?

  品牌啊,我自己是不清楚每個品牌在同樣一種產品上有什麼區別,雖然我對特定品牌有偏好,但畢竟錢不夠,我單腳架跟雲台都是Benro的、三腳架好像是雜牌、攝影機是SONY的HDR-CX900、穩定器也是雜牌。
  如果說相機或攝影機的話我倒是比較清楚,每家廠牌的相機或攝影機出來的畫面一定不同,而且操作介面還有機體設計都有落差。

▲ 帥氣的赤狼也入鏡了!

如果有人對攝影也有興趣,你會給他怎麼樣的建議?

  先找到自己有興趣的題材,電競?獸?風景?人文?
接下來是什麼類型,活動攝影?電影?
  確定自己要拍什麼題材、什麼類型之後,大概就會先知道自己是什麼類型的,之後就是基本該學的曝光三要素之類的。
  有件事情我覺得很重要「你必須知道別人有多強」,當你知道別人有多強之後你才會知道「自己的程度在哪」,因為我曾經學畫圖的時候一直以為自己很厲害,但「我根本不知道別人有多強」。
  當你領悟到實力上的差距之後,接下來你要做的就是不斷的提升自己,想辦法「讓自己跟別人一樣厲害」。
  我常用的學習方法就是看別人的作品,去想這個畫面是怎麼拍出來的?怎麼調色?為什麼要這樣做?這樣做會有什麼感覺?
另外我認為學習攝影必須要有一個動力去推動自己去學習或生出作品,想想你為了什麼去學攝影?它不需要是什麼偉大的原因,為了錢、為了讚數、為了獸友之間的一點誇獎,什麼都好。
像我目前就是想提升自己影片的觀看率跟粉專讚數wwww
  如果有機會進入專業攝影工作領域,一定要進去看看,我接完兩個半月的劇組工作之後,攝影能力有了非常大幅度的提升,這是非常有幫助的!
  但我要提醒,專業攝影工作不管是體力或精神上都是非常痛苦的,必須先要有這部份的覺悟,不過也有些地方沒有那麼嚴苛就是了

▲ 在2019獸無限中K-LINE家族毛毛的大合照

熱那請問您有沒有很深刻或者有趣的事情要跟大家分享的?

 說說獸訪的事情好了
  我非常不幸的(?)把獸訪這個專案抱著「寧願不畢業也要完成」的心情當成畢業專題,滿不意外的所有老師都認為我這是一個非常好的題材或計劃,因為我很清楚獸這個東西在外人第一眼看來是非常有趣的,它是一個很有趣的東西,而且我是全班少數從頭到尾,專題的主題跟目標都沒變過的組,我現在只希望我能把獸訪的第一集先做好。
  在拍獸訪的過程我跟各個受訪者聊了許多非常有趣的東西,獸圈的歷史、自己在推廣上的歷程、20年前的獸圈、獸對自己的意義等等,可惜第一集可能只有5分鐘或8分鐘,真希望這些有趣的東西都能夠完美的呈現出來,而我也會想辦法讓它被完美的呈現

看來你對獸真的抱持了極大的興趣呢

  因為我是「獸族」Therian,簡單來說的話就是認為自己擁有動物靈魂的人。
我覺得自己真的就是狼或是擁有狼的靈魂,獸圈應該有不少這樣的獸,獸族也是我未來會推廣的項目之一。

▲ 在2019獸無限活動中熱舞的毛毛們

那麼請問您在毛拍前會對毛毛們擺出的姿勢做功課嗎?

  其實我不擅長先把毛毛的姿勢想好而且拍影片的動作又更難想,然後每隻毛的特色跟個性又都不一樣,很難預先想好符合的動作,我現在都是現場看他們在做什麼再跟著拍,除非我有特別想拍什麼畫面。
  雖然是有所謂的「SOP動作」就是如果不知道要做什麼,就叫他們做萬年不變的SOP動作,但我本身不喜歡這樣就是了。

2020年快到了,有什麼想要許下的願望嗎?

那我的願望可能滿多的www
1.換台攝影機
2.獸訪順利完成而且結果不錯
3.新一代設計展順利
4.自己經常開天窗的毛病改掉

有什麼話想要對曾經被自己攝影過的毛毛說嗎?

  很感謝那些不厭其煩被我當實驗品(?)或是揮手幫我撐十秒(?)的毛毛讓我拍攝,我真的很希望自己能拍出大家喜歡看也別具特色的影片,毛毛是這個圈子別具特色的產物,每隻毛毛都跟哈雷一樣沒有一隻是相同的,每隻毛毛都有屬於自己的故事、自己的特色、自己的個性。
  當然不光是毛毛,每位參與這文化的獸友都是非常重要的存在,也都在加入獸圈的前後經歷了許多故事,大家能做到許多事情,就像我雖然只會拍影片,但我相信影片若拍得好是非常有影響力的,每位獸友都有自己的專長,這些專長說不定將能為獸圈帶來重大的影響,而當你歷經了這麼多事情、造成了這麼多影響之後,我希望屆時我能夠採訪你、聽聽你分享這些精采的故事。

Categories: News

Hindsight is 2020 — Top 20 furry news stories of last year (Part 2)

Dogpatch Press - Tue 7 Jan 2020 - 10:00

Yesterday was Part 1 of a list for articles at Dogpatch Press. These stories aren’t just from 2019. There’s some older ones that had revived or ongoing interest in the year. They’re not ordered by most viewed on top (some of them are deeper dives into brief/specific stories) — but these were the top 20 listed in a way that makes a snapshot of a subculture.

11. Mainstream crossover. Margaret Cho barks about furries, pride, and costuming on The Masked Singer.

This is right on the line drawn by queer/weird power that keeps furry fandom independent. Here’s one of the bigger names in mainstream entertainment who has openly mingled with furries. She takes pride in supporting misfits, was Grand Marshall of a pride parade, and was in The Masked Singer as a singing robot poodle. This article with her drew mainstream news to ask for furry opinions of the show. Expect more because the Australian edition has costumes built by furry makers, and the UK edition had fursuits in a sponsor’s ad.

12. Roots and influence. A furry pilgrimage to the Adult Swim Festival and the Prancing Skiltaire house.

Cartoon Network’s Adult Swim puts weird animation on TV at night and features furries on rare occasions. Their Los Angeles festival was a blast where I was the only fursuiter among thousands there for heavy metal, standup comedy, screenings and rides. Nearby was the oldest furry fan house (in California or maybe anywhere) where the founders of the first fur con show how a few fans can start something much bigger.

13. Fighting hate. The “New Paws” Hoax: How alt-right trolls piled on a disabled man to boost their failing careers.

This was THE most viewed article of the year, but furries didn’t do that (and drama doesn’t deserve #1 on the list.) The malicious hoax came from chan boards and was spread by big troll accounts. Outsiders kept googling and linking to the article, and it helped debunk fake news so it wasn’t worse. It shows how internal fandom power can be weaker than you know externally, and the same old malice keeps going since the media was mocking furries many years ago. Could there be any better argument for why there should be furry news?

14. Beating hate. Story of a Former Alt-Furry: Clouded by Clout.

Fake news and trolling is the toxic waste of social media corps. They profit from cutting out the cost of human moderation, and dump it on the public like a coal factory spewing smoke. It has a human side. Here’s how one person was caught in the haze, but gained clearer vision.

15. Problems high up. The Zaush Issue – leaked private messages make a public discussion.

Not all of the worst things in fandom come from outside. People keep searching to learn what’s wrong, and they find this article. If some of the most popular content in the fandom is borderline-illegal, creatively-empty Disney parody for profit… demand better.

16. Con security. “Confederate fursuiter” Magnus Diridian arrested at Midwest Furfest – what’s the story?

The “Confederate fursuiter” keeps coming up as a meme. Trolling isn’t just a social media problem, it’s a real life problem. It kept getting notice with threats to MFF 2019 from Milo, who turned out to be a paper tiger. That led to my story about Milo that was written by request of mainstream site LGBTQnation: The furry community is very LGBTQ-inclusive & doesn’t tolerate haters like Milo. Then at the end of 2019, Anthrocon’s long time security partners the Dorsai Irregulars announced parting ways with the con. The reason I was told was high rate of volunteer burnout. I think that’s an issue across the fandom.

17. The worst story to ever hit the fandom. Evidence of a furry crime ring emerges: Legal docs and news tie Cupid, more to zoosadism.

THE worst. With tech-enabled secrecy, an urban-legend level animal snuff porn ring reached worse excesses of human evil than could even be imagined. Failure to do anything about it was a black eye about certain parts of the fandom, from Kero defenders to con staff blowing it off. It’s not just for the cops when it comes from an exponential rise of reports way beyond their power, as reported by the NY Times in 2019. The full extent of the story isn’t out yet. However, the ringleader was hit with dozens of felony charges at the end of 2019 and faces 16 or more years in jail.

18. Corporate complicity. Youtube’s popular Reptile Channel has a history of banned animal abuse by JonahVore.

An earlier and now weaker by comparison story of animal cruelty for fetishes, views and profit. Youtube still doesn’t regulate it even when the channel is evading bans. Reptile fans who oppose cruelty cited the 2017 story for new videos in 2019.

19. Justice and safety. Arrest of Growly brings feeling of vindication for furries with safety concerns.

Long going protests about sex offenders focused on one person, but didn’t even scratch the surface of rings or profit operations. More is in the above 2 stories or this previous one: R.C. Fox arrested for child pornography, furries question fandom connections.

20. Reporting for justice. Arrest of Lee Miller (Foxler) brings a call for witnesses to come forward.

Foxler was a troll whose malice fed headlines in Rolling Stone and elsewhere in 2017. Reporting it in furry news led to a 2019 sex offense arrest. Reporting that led to the last story posted in 2019 — Furry Raiders sex crime case: Arrest for felon tied to witness tampering and Milo’s “troll school”.

These come from a margin between subculture and mainstream, where art and events thrive with excitement, misfits give and get support, abuse can hide, and ordinary people do what they can to stop it with only occasional outside help. Of course most people are just here for art, so you might not see the deep stuff unless you get furry news.

See the amount of bad stories? There’s 2 good stories shared for every negative one here, but ones that get notice are evidence that The Medium Is The Message.

For a long time i have maintained posts on a rough ratio of 2 nice/positive/informative posts to one sad/drama one. If one kind gets traffic, that has to do with what social media sorts and how users choose to boost. Make a choice to consciously counter the nasty stuff.

3/3

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) December 29, 2019

COMING UP: Crossover with the mainstream keeps making some of the most interesting stories — and commercializing will keep being a topic  complicated by stories like above. While there was uproar in 2019 about Converse sponsoring a con in Brazil, and worry about corporate takeover, I think that story was mostly a nothingburger about a brief flirtation. There was little risk to furry-made shoe business or a shoe company having a native furry userbase, and ordinary widget-selling companies can worry about backfire from mingling with a subculture, but it’s not like companies never used animal mascots before.

I think the greater risks come from within. Furries have what I would call inherent deficits of open-source fandom. It has to do with gaps in security, moderation and policing itself. It’s not going to get better by relying on for-profit platforms made for advertising and driven by conflict for views, and superficially calling things out. When that’s confined to a bubble like Twitter, it feeds the corporate monster. Real life organizing and in-depth reporting makes a difference.

An interesting comment came in at the end of the year from a mainstream journalist. Remember 2016 news about a triple murder with furries in Fullerton CA, where the full story never came out? There was a conviction right before the start of 2019.

“This isn’t old news at all – in fact, i’m working actively on this story as we speak, and I know a lot lot more than I did then, thanks to the trial in part.” – Sanjiv B, December 2019.

I’m looking forward to a good read from a fandom ally. It has to do with reporting problems for learning and improvement. That needs good media, and much more than just social media. But that’s one of those deficits of fandom that just has handfuls of hobbyists writing about it for the love of it.

Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, please follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Share news on these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for anything — or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here (it pays.)

Categories: News

TigerTails Radio Season 12 Episode 17

TigerTails Radio - Mon 6 Jan 2020 - 17:19
Categories: Podcasts

Hindsight is 2020 — Top 20 furry news stories of last year (Part 1)

Dogpatch Press - Mon 6 Jan 2020 - 10:04

By Walter Ringtail

My chihuahua was amazed when I sneezed and fireworks exploded over the city. She stopped shaking and did a head tilt, like “did you do that?”

It was New Year’s Eve, and catching a plague kept me from going out. But pets like attention when there’s scary noise, and it made time to write.

This list is for articles at Dogpatch Press. That’s not the only way to get furry news, but how easy is it to get? Trust 1132 published articles here. It takes tons of work that few will do. Or ask those who start new sites, because great intentions often only last a few weeks. (RIP Good Fur News, Jan-Feb 2019).

This site has 6 years in service because it’s about DIY power, like a little sneeze really has power to make fireworks. It starts with one fan, but it needs everyone who sends tips, support, or guest writing, and makes art and events. That’s why 2020’s plans include supporting Moonraiser’s furry blog, a regular guest roundup of furry comics, and too many projects to ever finish (the site has hundreds on file).

These stories aren’t just from 2019. There’s some older ones that had revived or ongoing interest in the year. They’re not ordered by most viewed on top (some of them are deeper dives into brief/specific stories) — but these were the top 20 listed in a way that makes a snapshot of a subculture.

1. Art business and careers. Furry artists among top highest-paid Patreon creators, but face threats to their livelihood.

This 2018 article brings traffic every week. It has evergreen topics for hungry artists, like adult art business, insecurity about rules and art theft.

2. Deep wallets and love for creators. A look at furry business with a $17,017 record fursuit auction price, July 2018.

The fursuit auction record stands unbroken since 2018, and it more than doubled in 5 years. Where do sales happen now? After the end of auction site Furbid (1999-2015), Furbuy went down in 2019, leaving only The Dealer’s Den to serve the fandom until it returns.

3. Hearts bigger than their wallets. The impact of Dogbomb on the furry fandom and charity to cure ALS.

The story of Dogbomb’s life ended in April, but his afterlife goes on. It’s not just a news story, but a movement on social media, a big chunk of all fandom charity donations, and a rare level of mainstream crossover with charity events in many locations.

4. Antidote to negativity. Meet Emma the Tiger – A Showcase of Fandom Love from BLFC 2018.

This story of bullying and positive response gets steady views from some Youtube videos citing it.

5. Fierce independence. How furries resist a commercialized fandom (Parts 1-3)

It’s a deeper dive into a story that briefly hit mainstream news — When furries attack: Zweitesich criticized for marketing fursuits as expensive luxuries. A fursuit maker had a marketing misfire and got dogpiled like an invasive outsider. It connected business and bullying, with the highest ideals of independent creators and the worst excess of social media negativity. The deep dive looks at why it happened, with complicated conclusions because both DIY power and Disney-type fandom are furry roots.

6. Shared lore. Original species of furry fandom: an overview.

Rune’s guest article talks about furries creating their own worlds and species, like Dutch Angel Dragons, Sergals, or Protogens.

7. Events with style. Galactic Camp: a furry con takes flight on the USS Hornet, Feb 23, 2019.

There was a furry con on an aircraft carrier. I called it the cutting edge of turning swords to plowshares. The cool/weird factor got high notice on Reddit with Galactic Camp sets record with 742 furries, a San Francisco Bay warship and a Soviet time traveler.

8. How to get inside. A Newcomer’s Guide To Furry Terms and Customs.

The secret is there is no secret. Being a fan means doing it organically because you love it. The story is an Onion-style shitpost/prank (the site is zine style with occasional entertainment like that). It was made to satirize boring “Furry 101” news that used to be the only kind outsiders saw. This one keeps getting mistaken for the real thing.

9. Constant Queerdness. 5 STAR VISIT: Furry gets Airbnb room in San Francisco, finds furry yiff art on the wall.

It’s goofy entertainment but not a prank. An encounter with furry yiff art “in the wild” showed the queer/weird side of fandom that helps make it thrive. You could also call it loveable Furry Trash (like fun trash movies, which isn’t an insult.)

10. Classic Queerdness. Q&A with Biohazard, artist of the infamous “Too Hot for PBS” auction video.

More of the queer/weird side of fandom that makes it thrive. Your eyes could pop out to see this artist putting gay yiff art on public TV in the 1980’s before there were furry cons. Truly part of the roots, and that’s why this keeps getting views for years.

Tomorrow: stories 11-20.

Like the article? These take hard work. For more free furry news, please follow on Twitter or support not-for-profit Dogpatch Press on Patreon. Want to get involved? Share news on these subreddits: r/furrydiscuss for anything — or r/waginheaven for the best of the community. Or send guest writing here (it pays.)

Categories: News

FurAffinity’s 2020 update

Global Furry Television - Mon 6 Jan 2020 - 09:50
Categories: News

如何用英文委託外國繪師——獸時報英文小教室

Fur Times - 獸時報 - Sun 5 Jan 2020 - 20:09

  在圈內的獸們,想必都有過委託圖畫,或是看過別人委託圖畫的經驗吧。向繪師們委託圖畫,在以平面創作為大宗的獸圈內,是許多獸用以滿足自己心願的一種方式。繪圖委託的類型有許多種,如設定圖、動圖或是一般的圖畫等,而圖畫的呈現方式更是五花八門。當然,依照個人喜好的不同,每隻獸想委託的繪師想必也不太一樣,而其中也可能包含著幾位外國的繪師。無論繪師是來自哪個外國國家,用英文溝通總是大部分獸們都會採用的委託方式。但,你知道嗎?其實在用英文委託時,也是有許多需要注意的禮節以及委託方式喔。以下,就讓我來為各位介紹如何用英文向外國繪師委託吧!

  在開始之前,首先要介紹幾個在委託時常見的英文單字:

        commission n., 委託

        payment n., 款項

        fursona n., 獸設

        transfer v., 轉帳

        receive v., 接收、收到

        這幾個單字都是我們在委託外國繪師的時候會用到的單字。

        除了熟記委託時會用到的單字外,在委託時須注意的禮節也是非常重要的喔!英文跟中文在用字遣詞上面稍微有些不同,在中文裡面的一個字,根據應用到的場合可能可以被翻譯成很多種不同的英文單字。也因此,除了最基本的禮貌問候以外,英文的用字遣詞同樣也是需要被注意到的。

        讓我們來看一個例子:

        Hi, my name is XXX. I want to ask you if you can take commission now. I want a style like this, and here is my fursona. Please let me know if you’re taking commission now, how much is it and how should I give you the money, thank you.

        這看起來似乎是很正常的詢問方式,而且文法上也沒有太大的錯誤。但這樣的問法卻有可能不夠嚴謹與禮貌,容易給繪師帶來不好的印象。我們可以怎麼改善呢?讓我們再來看一下修改過後的版本:

        Hi, my name is XXX. May I ask you if you’re open for commission now? I want a style like this, and here is my fursona. Please let me know if you’re open for commission now, and if yes, how much would it cost? Also, please let me know how you would like to receive the payment. Thank you.

        這樣的問法可能看起來沒有甚麼差別,但實際上,透過修飾了一些文句的,我們能夠得到比較有禮貌的句子,而整篇文章看起來也能夠較謙遜有禮。畢竟在委託繪師時,大部分的獸們也都是抱持著喜歡該繪師畫風的心態來委託繪師們。也因此,在詢問委託事項時能夠保持有禮貌又不冒犯繪師的態度,對有委託需求的獸們來說也是非常重要的。

        接下來,再讓我們來簡單介紹一點關於設定方面的英文吧!

        首先,我們來看看物種方面的英文單字:

        wolf n., 狼

        fox n., 狐狸

        dragon n., 龍(西方龍)

        mammal n., 哺乳類

        reptile n., 爬蟲類

        feline n., 貓科動物

        當然,圈內也有許多獸的設定是結合了兩種甚至三種以上的物種,那麼我們該如何用英文來表示這些物種呢?通常,外國人在遇到這樣的混和物種(hybrid specie)時,常會把那些物種的單字混合成一個單字。舉例來說:獅虎(liger或tigon)的英文單字就是由獅子(lion)跟老虎(tiger)的英文單字所組合而成的。

        我們來看一些比較常見的混和物種單字:

        folf n., 狐狼(或wolx, pholph, wox, wolfox, fwox等)

        wolger n., 虎狼

(參照en.wikifur.com/wiki/Category:Hybrid_species,內有對混和物種更為詳盡的介紹,有興趣的獸們可以自己前往觀看。)

        而許多獸的設定上也會有配件或是圖騰、傷疤等,我們也簡單的來介紹一下這些單字:

        pattern n., 圖騰、圖案

        scar n., 傷疤

        accessory n., 配件

        現在我們已經教完如何描述自己的獸設了,再加上前面我們交代過的委託注意事項,各位已經可以很純熟的運用英文來委託外國繪師了!如果以後在如何委託外國繪師上遇到了甚麼問題,也歡迎各位來詢問我們喔!

        獸時報英文小教室,我們下次見!

Categories: News