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Talk about and-now-for-something-completely-different: “Before humanity had successfully traveled the entire globe, it was believed that monsters ruled the oceans just beyond the horizon. “Here there be dragons…” was written on maps to denote the areas people dared not go.That is, until Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the seas, visiting foreign lands and collecting treasure. That’s what history tells us, at least, but history does not have the full tale. Monsters did lurk yonder, living on an island that still doesn’t appear on any map, and among them was the king of them all…Godzilla!” See? Godzilla: Here There Be Dragons collects the 5-issue series (written by Frank Tieri and illustrated by Inaki Miranda) into a single graphic novel. Look for it now from Random House.

image c. 2024 IDW Publishing

I’m just going to cut straight to the chase: Exophobia is a barebones metroidvania-style FPS set on a crashed ship with its main redeeming quality being its pixel art style.

MOOBARKFLUFF! Click here to send us a comment or message about the show!

Taebyn, Rayne and Bearly are joined by TickTock and Cheetaro in this episode. TickTock gives a recap of Campfire Tales and all the events that happened there. Taebyn gives us another round of PunMakers Game.  We learn that Rayne really doesn’t like Leonardo DiCaprio as an actor. Cheetaro reviews a movie and news correspondent TickTock gives a report on the rising costs of fursuits.  All this and soooo much more on this episode of BFFT! Remember spending time listening to this podcast is just like spending time listening to this podcast! Moobarkfluff!

This podcast contains adult language and adult topics. It is rated M for Mature. Listener discretion is advised.

Support the show

Thanks to all our listeners and to our staff: Bearly Normal, Rayne Raccoon, Taebyn, Cheetaro, TickTock, and Ziggy the Meme Weasel.

You can send us a message on Telegram at BFFT Chat, or via email at: bearlyfurcasting@gmail.com

Bearly Furcasting S5E5 - Train? What Train?

Another interesting graphic novel we came across: Ember and the Island of Lost Creatures, written and illustrated by Jason Pamment. “Ember is a tiny boy (literally) all alone in a giant world who longs to fit in. His dream may finally come true when his adopted guardian, Lua, a warmhearted sea turtle, escorts him across the ocean to a school for little creatures on the mysterious Puzzle Island. This hidden place is brimming with fantastical life, and as Ember explores the lush forests and deep caves, he’s filled with wonder and curiosity. There’s only one problem — his new classmates don’t seem at all interested in being his friend.” Check out the sample pages over at Books of Wonder.

image c. 2024 Harper Alley

(Content warning.)

Three stories with one cause

It was a major week of news for activists against animal abuse, especially the kind that comes from zoophile networking.

AUSTRALIA: Adam Britton was once a prominent zoologist, but now he’s a convicted serial killer of pet dogs. International media featured Britton’s August 8 sentence to 10 years in jail. Outside the court, activists protested for better animal protection, followed by a unity walk with Kiki’s Justice, an awareness campaign named for one of Britton’s victims. The worldwide shock of the case is documentary-worthy.

OHIO: Britton’s online accomplice was Lucas Vanwoert, a truck driver, furry and dog torture-killer. His wife Heather VanWoert was convicted for participating in the crimes, but released in May after a short sentence. It’s a wake-up call about abusers in the furry community. Many furries oppose abuse, but are troubled by how others enable lovers, friends or business partners involved.

SEATTLE: furry brand Slightly Furry brews cider, runs a taphouse, and has an owner named “Kompy” involved in zoophile networking. Watchdogs aired evidence at the same time as Slightly Furry ran a crowdfund and raised over $73,000 from donors to support their for-profit business. Slightly Furry refuses to respond about Kompy’s corruption — except by censoring and banning people who ask questions. Why do they refuse to explain this to the community, after taking so much support and calling their business an ambassadorship of furry to the general public? What will stop the enabling, after Pacific Northwest furries already faced exposure of a shocking abuse ring?

This is about networking, not just isolated offenses. When zoophiles organize to meet each other, this enables a spectrum of harm to animals who can’t consent, from coercive molesting to deadly zoosadism. Demand for abuse media is raised by the network as a whole — a well-known effect of pedophile networks, where participants are held responsible whether or not they did abuse themselves. (Below: more about how this works and how it gets enabled. Like: “It’s no-contact… trust me bro!”) Networking is never harmless.

Reporting zoophile networking

This news is reported by Patch O’Furr, with thanks to Naia Ōkami in Seattle. It’s the latest in ongoing coverage at Dogpatch Press:

• 2021: Introduction to Naia Ōkami — an investigator who got an abuser convicted after reporting about it here.
• 2023: Previous report about Adam Britton, Lucas VanWoert, and how the problem intersects with the furry community.
• Naia was a local customer of Slightly Furry in Seattle, until they banned her for asking questions.
• Patch and Naia live-tweeted Adam Britton’s sentencing on August 8, in cooperation with Kiki’s Justice and observers in the court room.

When furry spaces are used to shelter the networking, it doesn’t mean everyone knows about it — it means there’s a job to do — but the reported evidence has suffered poor comprehension, weak help, and backlash inside the community. (Below: much more about this and how it can change.) Of course, it’s not just with furries. It’s like suppressed abuse coming out from churches, schools, or Boy Scouts. It can be anywhere from anyone, including the most trusted people…

Adam Britton, the famous zoologist who was secretly a serial killer of dogs, is being sentenced now in Australian court. I'm watching live updates from people in the court. Adam's crimes were in a network that needs to be exposed, which made furry news. https://t.co/99HCQ9s74U

— Dogpatch Press (@DogpatchPress) July 11, 2024

Adam Britton is one of the worst and most prominent zoosadists ever reported

Britton built a successful career as a zoologist working with crocodiles in TV and movies, with the likes of National Geographic and Sir David Attenborough. Then he set up a shipping container as a torture room on his rural Australian property.

One by one, he took 42 dogs there to exploit and kill them slowly over days each, prolonging the victim’s pain for enjoyment on videos made for secret trading. While feeding the demand of a secret network, he fed their remains to the crocodiles that made his career.

In court, the torture details were so severe, that court staff and observers were directed to therapy. Kiki’s Justice is sharing suicide helplines to those who know.

It’s a glaring example for how devotion to an animal-related profession doesn’t exempt anyone from abusing. It’s commonly known that pedophiles slide into child care work and exploit the opportunity, but it’s little known that zoophiles do the same thing. Many cases overlap both things, and Britton was charged for downloading child abuse images too.

Britton calls himself a zoophile. His court defense portrayed him as helpless to control a paraphilia condition that he hid behind professional achievement. That was the excuse for his systematic, calculated deception of families trying to rehome dogs that they couldn’t keep, who got fake reassurances of their welfare after they were killed. “I can’t stop. I don’t want to”, he told eager trading partners who remain uncaught.

He submitted this apology to the court:

I take full responsibility for the demeaning crimes that I perpetrated on dogs. I deeply regret the pain and trauma that I caused to innocent animals, and consequently to my family, friends, and members of the community I affected. I let you all down, and I’m truly sorry.

I now acknowledge that I’ve been fighting a rare paraphilic disorder for much of my life, and that shame and fear prevented me from seeking the proper help I needed.

No amount of words can convey how sorry and ashamed I am, nor undo what I did. But I am determined to prove that I am better than this, that I will seek longterm treatment, and that I will find a path towards redemption.

Please give my family the space they deserve to heal. They were not aware or involved in any way.

Adam Britton

On August 8 in Australian court, watchers were breathless with anxiety that Britton might only get short jail time for each of 42 victims, to be served all at once.

The outcome was mixed. 10 years of jail was taken as too short, but relatively more than the outcomes of other cases within the limits of the laws.

Britton could be eligible for parole after serving 6 years, but with 2 served before trial. He could walk free as soon as 2028. He is supposed to register as a sex offender, and has a lifetime ban on animal contact, but it’s limited to mammals — so he might try to work with crocodiles again.

Outside the court, furious activists waved signs and spoke to media about weak animal protection laws. Then on August 10, the Kiki’s Justice Unity Walk led supporters and their dogs to a picnic with guest speakers about animal welfare.

An organizers said: “From the Adam Britton case, animal lovers have come together and stood united in their fight against those who abuse animals. Friendships have formed, from a place of absolute heartbreak. People are working together, to address social media and hold those platforms to account. And to use Adam Britton’s own words against him “We can’t stop… we don’t want to.””

Kiki’s Justice represents families of some of the killer’s victims. They plan to take out ads any time he’s up for parole. His academic work, TV appearances and online accounts are being removed. His doctorate might be next. A book will document what happened, and the activism goes on for other cases.

One observer said: “what he did far surpasses the death by neglect and killing a dog by beating, which is what people imagine dog killings to be. We must make people aware of him, and make him aware that we will never forget and will track him when he is released.”

8 years jail for Lucas VanWoert, wife gets a slap on the wrist for participating

Lucas VanWoert is Britton’s most known accomplice. He used furry name “Graves” as they exchanged 705 files of animal and child abuse and inspired each other to torture and kill. In their networking, there’s 3 things to notice about VanWoert:

• Anyone can call themselves a furry, and as far as his online profiles show, he was a nobody without special favor or influence in the community. But…

• He was far from an isolated abuser in furry. The owner of a secret trading group that hosted VanWoert and Britton was also in furry spaces. VanWoert wasn’t well hidden, with the same online handle across kink and bestiality sites visible on the web. He was also mutual followers with furry-zoophiles in a secret iceberg of thousands (covered in a previous report.) And…

• He was enabled so strongly by at least some, that his wife Heather Vanwoert also got 12 animal abuse charges.

On May 30, Lucas Vanwoert was sentenced to 97 months in prison, with 15 years probation after release. Heather VanWoert was convicted and served 6 months in jail but released in May. The light sentence caused disappointment and alarm among activists who know animals aren’t safe when predators have little consequences. That and their presence in furry shows a reason to join activists for change and transparency, and not let the opposite happen…

FRUITLESS: Seattle’s Slightly Furry dodges questions about co-owner Nick “Kompy” Charbonneau

Furries like supporting projects by each other. Seattle is a fertile place for that. Slightly Furry harvested that energy for cider brewing, and opened a taphouse, making a physical base for events and groups. That powered over $73,000 in donations for repairs — with a rotten side they can hide if it doesn’t raise sales of a for-profit business.

In 2018, shocking evidence emerged of a zoophile network in the Pacific Northwest furry community, with deadly zoosadism at its core. A few participants got decades in jail. Many had no consequences and remained active. For a time, Matthew “Cupid” Grabowsky was one of them. Dogpatch Press reported he was a convicted zoosadist at furry events, but his presence was protected by PNW organizers, until investigation by Naia Ōkami led to his new conviction and removal to jail in 2021.

Look for negligence and enabling when a known, severe problem returns with permission by organizers.

Nothing was foreshadowed in glowing P.R. about Slightly Furry in Seattle news from The Stranger. The story features three owners: Aaron “Martini” Kalin, Raymond “Spork” Araldi, and Nick “Kompy” Charbonneau (who also runs a kink event production company).

Kalin wants the taproom to feel like the first floor of a furry convention, a social space where furries can be themselves and the curious can get a taste of what an active FurCon might feel like. He even envisions the bar as an ambassadorship of furry to the general public, an important aspect of both his and Araldi’s identities.

“It’s not just for marketing,” Kalin said. “It’s me putting myself out there in probably the most intense, bravest way that I can possibly think of, saying, ‘No, this is really me, I’m not going to dial it down that much for you. So you can kind of take it or leave it.’ And luckily, as far as we can tell, the public has received it pretty well.”

The curious public might look at Slightly Furry’s “About us” page. Then they might wonder, where’s the third owner, Kompy? Why aren’t they putting him out there? Maybe something is dialed down. Here’s 3 things that they might not want to have bubble up.

THE “ZOO PRIDE” FLAG. Kompy’s husband posted selfies with this sticker on his phone made for zoophile networking. (NSFW archive / Info.) There is no mistaking photos from the source. Consider the conflict of interest this makes for Kompy and Slighty Furry’s management.

HOOKING UP WITH CONFESSED ZOOPHILES. Cenny is a furry who gained 30,000 Twitter followers and $5,000+ a month for making adult media with other furries. He has years of wide criticism for zoophile networking, including consuming real-animal media. The clout drew enabling and denial, but he proved critics right by coming out with the zoophile Zeta symbol (ζ). It’s the most obvious networking there is. Kompy and Cenny are so close that they make porn (NSFW) with Kompy’s husband. Again consider the conflict of interest for Slightly Furry’s management.

• Evidence: Cenny archive / Cenny husky is a zoo / Cenny Beware / Zoo on Cenny’s F-List
• Youtube videos: Zoophilia Doesn’t Belong in the Furry Fandom / The Cenny Husky Drama

CONFESSION BY KOMPY: Not just networking and enabling, but directly consuming zoo media and raising demand. Kompy deleted this to hide the evidence shortly after watchdogs pointed it out.

Add up three clues. Once can be a mistake… twice a coincidence… three times triangulates a location.

It isn’t Safe-For-Petsylvania. It’s not part of the Pro-Consent-letariat. You don’t need to be on moral high ground to know it’s not a place of hope or trust, if you want to report abuse and expect a priority on victims. If you want to try, don’t knock on their door. These boozy would-be furry ambassadors will be lost in the sauce or out at the zoo.

If we still give benefit of the doubt, there’s a simple way to clear things up. Ask them directly if they support zoophiles. It’s easy to say “no”.

Kompy’s Curiouscat page. Even if you want to be roofied at an alcohol venue with sketchy management, inebriated sex has no legal consent defense.

Slightly Furry owner Aaron “Martini” Kalin acknowledged a request for questions for a news story, which were ignored.

They couldn’t answer when asked point blank: “Should there be such a thing as Zoo Pride, and is it welcome at Slightly Furry?”

They also couldn’t answer if they had any safety policy or a process to report a problem.

Then on the given publishing deadline, they posted a strange Code of Conduct. It defines consent to restrict sharing evidence, like screenshots… but a Code doesn’t override law, in the opinion of a furry lawyer consulted for this:

“The appropriate benchmark has repeatedly been whether a speaker has a reasonable expectation of privacy in the environment, and most cases I’ve seen have said “not in chat rooms,” analogizing them to voicemail. It’s kind of like if a con had a “no recording” policy for panels and then tries to argue a panelist or audience member had an expectation of privacy if someone did record. It’s not gonna stand, probably because you don’t have an expectation of privacy when speaking to a large group of people.”

Naia was banned by Slightly Furry for asking questions, and thinks the Code hides “sketchiness”. (The lawyer also noticed that QR code access isn’t good for legal agreements.) Naia says:

“The obvious intention of this policy is to have a chilling effect on criticisms of the bar, its owners, its staff, and its patrons. It’s extremely bizarre that these policies are hidden behind a QR code. This can be done for a number of reasons, including their intention to possibly need to change policies again, as they have done as a result of this scandal, and not wanting to have to constantly change physical signs. A much more obviously apparent reason is to hide the sketchiness from newcomers.”

The announcement.

Then there’s the most relevant part. Slightly Furry’s Code defines community concern about zoophile networking as a personal problem.

If the abuser isn’t abusing at their place — like their participant who was convicted of deadly zoosadism — their Code says it’s not their problem.

Of course private bedroom activity isn’t public interest — but when it’s a person of community influence, a manager with power for running events and their safety — is it really our problem to address the amount of zoophile networking, demand for abuse media, and rape they enable?

Until they make it their problem too, Naia and other watchdogs like Con Staff Watch have been documenting it for them.

Based on the evidence, the well-documented Zoophile Mute List by Heika displays Slightly Furry as a zoophile supporter.

Herd denial and learned helplessness towards a zoophile-industrial complex 

Consider the general human problem, not just for furry readers. Like suppressed abuse coming out from churches, schools, or Boy Scouts.

Movies like Spotlight depicted abusive priests getting moved from church to church, letting them prey without recognition. It was buried by active shifting. The disconnection of furry spaces also lets abusers cycle freely through new groups using new fursonas. Abusers don’t need active cover to skip town with passive policies like “if it didn’t happen here, it’s a personal problem”. Different route, same result.

Group disconnection starts with being marginal, as many gay people know. They find safety in niche community. Bigotry helps set the problem up before it’s inside, and insiders get an overactive immune system towards negative attention. When Bewares get conflated with bigotry, and freedom means from transparency… in-group-ness can liberate against outside problems, but stifle ones inside.

Suppression helps abusers hide. It’s enabling when evidence is blindly blown off with the “cancel culture” or “witch hunt” cliches sent towards previous reporting. The blindness starts to change when community members get aware, inform each other, do transparent ambassadorship, and meet outside help while the general public is also getting informed.

Herd denial doesn’t just represent individual corruption, but a wide scale “nobody’s job” dilemma. It’s not just misuse of influence, it’s built into how the internet let interest communities spiral fractally into more and more granular and unregulated niches. From furries, to liberated kink, to hidden abuse, to core zoosadists, with lagging recognition and inadequate remedy. (What can a little blog do besides say it’s everyone’s job?)

In internet no-mans-land, zoophile networking starts with signaling. They use codes, flags, hashtags and personal ads to furtively meet, then propaganda like magazines, blogs and podcasts to consolidate groups, while begging inclusion like an identity with rights. Some of these studiously avoid sex. It’s a fake front.

No matter what, networking raises access for other zoophiles who claim that animals can consent. There’s no network without the touchy ones, with no way to tell the difference from the “trust me” ones. Then a spectrum of abuse grows beneath notice while animals are unable to tell. Not saying “no” isn’t consent, and animals can’t consent, any more than toddlers can, so abuse is not an identity, and rights are for victims. (This report is not directed at pro therapy that isn’t networking.)

Even when abuse is known, it’s so rarely prosecuted, that there are individual abusers with more victims than the total of American prosecutions each year. (Around 100 cases with all statistics kept “artificially low”.)

Vacancy of oversight makes easy apologism. Networking participants do hairsplitting between “bad abuse” and a “good zoos” myth — as if coercion is consent, or a pure non-contact network exists for innocent fantasy or quack DIY therapy, and “trust me” will protect victims. Then if a bad one does get caught, “good” ones deny responsibility for doing abuse themselves, after they enabled demand and opportunity. Some offer up sacrificial tokens after the harm, (in other words, throwing liabilities under the bus), and claim to make things safe by catching abusers after giving them a place to prey.

There are no safe zoophile networks. If one is visible anywhere, something is wrong, and you can show them the door. It’s certainly possible, because pedophile networking isn’t welcome in your space, is it?

“Not our job” ends up being learned helplessness. It doesn’t take police help to stop giving attention, favor, enabling, or $73,000 in donations towards a threat of zoophile networking getting influence over community management. But sex and alcohol and clout make an industry where zoophiles like Cenny make a comfortable living, and asking their friends to care gets you banned. If the community doesn’t solve its own problems, one alternative is for whistleblowers and activists to team up with outside groups, taking it beyond limited bubbles and fruitless appeals to places they can really be heard.

A few links about networking: 

• ActiveFence (Trust & Safety for platforms): How Are Pedophiles Hiding In Plain Sight on Platforms?
• Wall Street Journal: Instagram Connects Vast Pedophile Network
• Australian government report: history of pedophile networking as organized crime.

Follow the group here.

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

1. 1. Introduction
   2. Understanding Furry Anatomy
      • Basic Furry Head Shapes
      • Proportions & Structure
   3. Step-By-Step Drawing Process
      • Sketching the Base
      • Defining the Muzzle and Jaw
      • Adding Ears
      • Drawing the Eyes
      • Adding Facial Details
   4. Refining and Inking The Drawing
      • Cleaning Up the Sketch
      • Inking Techniques
   5. Coloring and Shading
      1. Choosing Colors
      2. Shading and Highlighting
      3. Blending and Finishing Touches
   6. Conclusion

Article Content

• What Is A Fursuit?
• What Are Fursuit Accessories?
• Furry Badge
• Ring
• Collar
• Piercings
• Props
• Name Tag
• Cooling Vest
• Where Can I Buy Fursuit Accessories?
• How Expensive Are Fursuit Accessories?

Introduction

Furry art, a vibrant part of the furry fandom, brings anthropomorphic animal characters to life, blending human and animal traits. The head is often the most expressive part of these characters, making it essential for artists to master.

This guide is designed for beginners and intermediate artists who want to improve their furry head drawings. We’ll cover the basics of anatomy, sketching, and refining your work, helping you create expressive and unique characters.

For additional learning, check out these resources:

• Furry Art Wiki
• Proko’s Guide to Animal Anatomy
• DeviantArt Furry Art Group

Let’s dive in and start creating your furry character!

I. Understanding Furry Anatomy A. Basic Furry Head Shapes

Before diving into the drawing process, it’s important to understand the foundational shapes that form the basis of any furry character’s head. Furry characters often blend features from various animals, such as canines, felines, reptiles, and even mythical creatures like dragons. Each of these species has distinct head shapes that influence the overall look of your character.

Canine Heads: Typically have elongated muzzles and pointed ears. Examples include wolves, foxes, and dogs.

Feline Heads: Generally more rounded with shorter muzzles and large, expressive eyes. Think of cats, lions, and tigers.

Reptilian Heads: These heads are more angular, often featuring scales and elongated snouts. Dragons and lizards fall into this category.

Custom Creations: Many furry characters combine features from multiple animals, so don’t be afraid to mix and match traits to create something unique.

Understanding these basic shapes will help you maintain consistency and realism in your character designs.

Examples of Different Animal Head Shapes 

Image via Reddit

B. Proportions and Structure

Proportions are key to creating a balanced and appealing character. The head is usually broken down into simple shapes—like circles and ovals—that serve as a foundation for more detailed features.

Head Base: Start with a circle or oval that will define the overall size and shape of the head. This helps ensure that the head remains proportionate to the rest of the body if you plan to draw it later.

Guidelines: Draw a vertical line down the center of the head to keep the features symmetrical. A horizontal line across the middle will help you position the eyes, while another horizontal line below can mark the position of the muzzle.

Feature Placement: The eyes are usually placed slightly above the center of the head, with the muzzle extending below. Ears typically start from the top or upper sides of the head, depending on the species.

By mastering these proportions, you’ll create characters that look natural and cohesive, regardless of the species you’re drawing.

This understanding of furry anatomy sets the stage for the next step: sketching the basic structure of your furry character’s head

II. Step-by-Step Drawing Process A. Sketching the Base

Start with Basic Shapes: Begin by drawing a simple circle or oval to establish the head’s overall size and shape. This will act as the foundation of your drawing.

Add Guidelines: Draw a vertical line down the center of the circle to help keep the face symmetrical. Then, add a horizontal line across the middle of the circle to guide the placement of the eyes. If your character has a longer muzzle, you might want to draw another horizontal line lower down to guide where the muzzle will begin.

B. Defining the Muzzle and Jaw

Sketch the Muzzle: Depending on the species, the muzzle can be short (like a cat’s) or elongated (like a wolf’s). Extend the muzzle from the bottom of the circle, curving it outwards slightly. Use your earlier guidelines to ensure it’s centered and balanced.

Draw the Jawline: Connect the sides of the muzzle back to the base of the head, forming the jawline. This line can be more angular or rounded depending on your character’s species and personality.

Different Examples of Muzzles and Jaws

Image via DeviantArt

C. Adding Ears

Position the Ears: Ears are typically placed on the top or upper sides of the head. Use your guidelines to ensure they are symmetrical.

Sketch Ear Shapes: Ears can be pointed (like those of a fox or wolf), rounded (like a bear’s), or floppy (like a dog’s). Experiment with different shapes to see what best fits your character’s personality.

D. Drawing the Eyes

Position the Eyes: Use the horizontal guideline to place the eyes. Typically, eyes are positioned slightly above this line, especially in more cartoonish or exaggerated styles.

Explore Eye Shapes: Eyes can be large and expressive (common in many furry characters) or smaller and more realistic. Experiment with different shapes to convey different emotions—rounded eyes for a friendlier look, or narrow, angular eyes for a more serious or sly expression.

E. Adding Facial Details

Nose and Nostrils: Sketch a small oval or triangle at the end of the muzzle for the nose. Add nostrils as small curved lines on either side of the nose.

Mouth and Teeth: Draw a line under the nose to indicate the mouth. For a more detailed expression, you can open the mouth slightly and add teeth or a tongue.

Fur Texture and Patterns: Lightly sketch fur details around the cheeks, forehead, and ears. Consider adding patterns or markings that make your character unique, such as stripes, spots, or patches.

At this stage, you have the basic structure of your furry character’s head. Next, you’ll refine the sketch, adding more details and preparing it for inking and coloring.

Commissioning a fursuit has never been so easy!

"They where extremely understanding and patient. They provided fast response times and amazing communication"

Edward

.blog-banner-button{ background: transparent; border-radius: 6px 0px 6px 6px; border: none; padding: 16px 28px; position: relative; cursor: pointer; margin-top: 0px; font-family: 'Lato'; font-style: normal; font-weight: 800; font-size: 14px; line-height: 140%; align-items: center; text-align: center; text-transform: uppercase; color: #1D022E; border: 1px solid #1D022E; width:100%; max-width:200px; } .black-point{ position: absolute; width: 16px; height: 16px; top: 0px; right: 0; background: #1D022E; border-radius: 0px 0px 0px 12px; } .blog-banner-button:hover{ background:#1D022E; color:white; transition: 1s cubic-bezier(0.57, -0.43, 0.37, 1.1); } .banner-flex{ display:flex; align-items:center; max-width:450px; width:100%; margin-right:auto; margin-left:auto; justify-content:center; } .banner-p{ color: #1D022E; text-align: center; font-family: Lato; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 800; line-height: 140%; /* 19.6px */ text-transform: uppercase; } @media (max-width:540px){ .banner-flex{ flex-direction:column; } .banner-p{ margin-top:8px; margin-bottom:8px; } .blog-banner-button{ max-width:287px; width:100%; padding:12px 20px; } .banner-flex a{ max-width:287px; width:100%; } } Build my fursuit III. Refining and Inking the Drawing A. Cleaning Up the Sketch Refine the Lines: Go over your initial sketch, darkening the lines that define the head, muzzle, ears, and other key features. At this stage, focus on making your lines clean and smooth. This will make the next steps easier and your drawing more polished.

Erase Unnecessary Guidelines: Carefully erase the guidelines you used to keep the proportions and symmetry. This will help to reduce clutter and make the final lines stand out. Make sure the final shape still looks balanced and accurate without these guidelines.

Example of a Cleaned Up Sketch

Image via Tumblr

B. Inking Techniques

1. Inking the Outline: Using a fine pen or a digital inking tool, trace over the final lines of your sketch. Apply consistent pressure for a smooth outline, but feel free to vary the line weight (thicker or thinner lines) to add depth and interest. For example, thicker lines can be used along the outer edges of the head and major features, while thinner lines work well for details like fur texture.
2. Adding Detail with Line Weight: Use varying line thickness to emphasize different parts of the drawing. For example:
• Thicker lines: Around the outer edge of the head, major features like the ears, and where shadows would naturally fall (e.g., under the chin or muzzle).
• Thinner lines: For details like the inner parts of the ears, fur texture, and fine facial details like the nose or mouth.
3. Enhancing Texture: To give the fur a more natural look, use small, quick strokes to add texture around the edges of the face, ears, and along the jawline. This adds a sense of realism and helps define the character’s unique appearance.
4. Review and Touch Up: After inking, review your drawing for any areas that may need touch-ups. Smooth out any uneven lines, and add final details where needed. Make sure the inking is consistent and clear.

Once you’re satisfied with the inked drawing, you’re ready to move on to coloring and shading, where the character will truly come to life.

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Looking for a place to meet other furries like yourself?

Click the button below and join the Fursonafy discord today! Join our Discord IV. Coloring and Shading A. Choosing Colors

1. Selecting a Color Palette: Choose colors that reflect your character’s personality and species. For example, natural tones like browns and grays work well for wolves, while more vibrant colors can be used for fantasy creatures or stylized characters. Consider the character’s environment and background when selecting your palette, as this can influence how the colors are perceived.
2. Base Colors: Begin by laying down the base colors for your character. Start with the primary fur color and fill in the entire head evenly. Use a medium tone that can be shaded darker or highlighted lighter later on. Remember to keep the colors flat at this stage—details and texture will be added afterward.
3. Secondary Colors and Markings: Add secondary colors for specific features like the inside of the ears, the nose, and the eyes. If your character has patterns or markings (stripes, spots, patches), apply them now, ensuring they blend smoothly with the base color.

B. Shading and Highlighting

1. Identifying the Light Source: Decide where your light source is coming from—this will determine where shadows and highlights fall on your character’s head. A consistent light source is key to making your drawing look three-dimensional.
2. Applying Shadows: Use a darker shade of your base color to add shadows. Focus on areas where the light doesn’t hit directly, such as under the ears, along the sides of the muzzle, and under the chin. Gradually build up the shadows to add depth, making sure they blend naturally with the base color.
3. Adding Highlights: Use a lighter color to add highlights where the light hits directly. Common areas for highlights include the top of the head, the bridge of the nose, and the tips of the ears. Highlights should be applied sparingly to avoid making the character look too glossy unless that’s the desired effect.
4. Enhancing Fur Texture: To make the fur look more realistic, add subtle variations in color along the fur’s natural direction. You can achieve this by using a slightly lighter or darker tone than the base color and applying it in short strokes to mimic the texture of fur.
5. Detailing the Eyes: Eyes are a focal point of any character, so take your time to add depth and shine. Use bright highlights in the iris and a small white spot to mimic the reflection of light. This brings the eyes to life and adds expressiveness to the character.

Example of a Completely Coloured Furry Drawing

Image via Etsy

C. Blending and Finishing Touches

1. Smooth Transitions: If working digitally, use a blending tool or a soft brush to smooth transitions between shadows, highlights, and the base color. For traditional media, blending can be done using a blending stump, cotton swab, or simply by layering colors gradually.
2. Final Adjustments: Step back and assess your work. Make any necessary adjustments to colors, shadows, or highlights to ensure the overall piece looks balanced and cohesive. Add any final touches, like small hairs sticking out or slight color variations to enhance realism.
3. Background Consideration: If you plan to add a background, choose colors that complement your character without overpowering it. A simple gradient or a soft, neutral tone can help your character stand out.

At this point, your furry character’s head should be fully colored and shaded, giving it depth and personality. The next step is to consider how you want to present your final piece, whether in a full scene or as a standalone character.

Conclusion

With these final touches and presentation tips, your furry head drawing is ready to be shared with the world. The attention to detail, thoughtful presentation, and willingness to engage with the community can help elevate your artwork and connect you with others who appreciate and share your passion for furry art.

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Author

Xege Kheiru

Jennifer is an ex-costume designer turned fursuit maker, better known by her fursona's name Xege Kheiru. Under this alias she has written extensively for the Fursonafy blog and many others on the topic of fursuit making and general information about the furry fandom.

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The post How To Draw Furry Heads: A Step-by-Step Guide appeared first on Fursonafy.

The Cryptid Kids are off and running with their first graphic novel, The Bawk-Ness Monster, written by Sara Goetter and illustrated by Natalie Riess. “Penny swears that when she was a little girl, a creature called the Bawk-ness Monster — half sea serpent, half chicken — saved her from drowning. Now, years later, she’s about to move away to a new city, and before she goes, she needs the help of her best friends, Luc and K, for a vitally important mission: seeing ‘Bessie’ one more time. But in their quest to find Bessie and give Penny the send-off she deserves, the kids stumble into a whole new problem: Cryptids are being kidnapped by an evil collector, and only Penny, Luc, and K can save them!” Available now in hardcover or paperback, from First Second.

image c. 2024 First Second Books

FurAffinity 遭攻击：网站被重定向，社交账号被盗

Ever been told you need to do better at building boundaries? What are boundaries? Why are they important?

Join the cast and guests as they explore the complex and often delicate topic of boundaries. Offer insights on how to establish, respect, and uphold boundaries in various aspects of life. From friends, family, and relationships; to enforcing limits in the workplace.





NOW LISTEN!
SHOW NOTES
Thank you!
Ashton, Basel, Timid, Sage, Eli and Sotolo for your inputs on the episode!

To all our listeners!
PATREON LOVE
THANK YOU to our patreons! You help us keep the show going!

Uber Supporter Tier



Anthallo

Tails Bursting out of Pants Supporters



Barnaby Panda, Basel the Dragon, Nuka

Fancy Supporter Tier



Black Baldrik, Lufis the Raccoon

Deluxe Supporters Tier

 

MephistophEli,, Nugs (pic pending), Plug, Tenax

Plus Tier Supporters

Ausi Kat
Chaphogriff
Lygris

McRib Tier Supporters

Christian
Ichigo Ookami
Sage Lightfang
TyR
Victor Mutt

MUSIC

Intro: RetroSpecter – Cloud Fields (RetroSpecter Mix). USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Century Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth
First Break: Hardware - Karl Casey, White Bat Audio, Creative Commons 2023
Second Break: Zenith - Aaron Kruk, Argofox, Creative Commons 2024
Third Break: Not The One - Dino Rano, Argofox, Creative Commons 2024
Patreon: Inflammatus - The Tudor Consort, Creative Commons 2019
Closing: Cloud Fields (RetroSpecterChill Remix), USA: Unpublished, 2018. ©2011-2018 Fur What It’s Worth. Based on Fredrik Miller – Cloud Fields (Chill Out Mix). USA: Bandcamp, 2011. ©2011 Fur What It’s Worth S11E9 – Boundaries - Ever been told you need to do better at building boundaries? What are boundaries? Why are they important? - Join the cast and guests as they explore the complex and often delicate topic of boundaries. Offer insights on how to establis

A dog from the future explains a pleasant interstellar society in this sci-fi audio series. This series explores the topics of transhumanism, animal uplift, space travel, realistic artificial intelligence, terraforming, and a future you'd want to live in. Allison & The Cool New Spaceship Body https://shipfolk.neocities.org/Shipfolk.html Writing & Narration: Tempe O'Kun https://www.furaffinity.net/user/tempo321/ Puplift has been nominated for a Cóyotl Award! https://coyotlawards.com/coyotl-awards-2023-final-ballot/ Merch, Sweet Tees and stuff: https://culturally-fd-merchandise.creator-spring.com/ Support Culturally F'd: https://www.patreon.com/culturallyfd Listen in on TEMPO TALKS with Tempe O'Kun https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPk-itLl1jPyIK2c7mK-LpbvfDNqfcSW Check out Tempe O'Kun's books "Sixes Wild" and "Windfall" here: http://furplanet.com/shop/?affillink=YOUTU2907 Here's a playlist of his other Culturally F'd videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIPk-itLl1jPS7tnT4hdJwBI-CeLF8Kb_

TigerTails Radio Season 15 Episode 41. Join the Discord Chat: https://discord.gg/SQ5QuRf For a full preview of events and for previous episodes, please visit http://www.tigertailsradio.co.uk. See website for full breakdown of song credits, which is usually updated shortly after the show. If you like what we do and wish to throw some pennies our way to support us, please consider sending a little tip our way. https://streamlabs.com/tigertailsradio/tip * Please note, tips are made to support TigerTails Radio and are assumed as made with good faith, so are therefore non-refundable. Thank you for your support and understanding.

Ah Genopanic. It's without a doubt the most Metroid non-Metroid game I’ve ever played. It has a lot of those same themes and elements but also does manage to stand out on its own.

And speak of the Devil… Here’s another bit of Viva Pictures news we got (again from Cartoon Brew): “Viva Pictures has signed on as the U.S. distributor of Hitpig! and will release the film theatrically on November 1, 2024. The film, adapted from characters first introduced in the children’s book Pete & Pickles by Bloom County creator Berkeley Breathed, is from British production company Aniventure, which has previously completed Paws of Fury: The Legend of Hank and Riverdance: The Animated Adventure. The animation provider is Cinesite (The Addams Family 2, Iwájú, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem).” Here’s the official synopsis: “Hitpig is a clever bounty hunting pig who catches escaped animals and returns them to their owners. His next job is his biggest yet: return a dancing elephant named Pickles to a maniacal Vegas showman, for a million bucks. The mission quickly escalates into a wild adventure around the world. When danger looms, it is up to Hitpig to save the day but he can’t do it alone.” As you can see, there’s a lot of “professional furry” experience behind this film, and we’ve been talking about it for a while now. See the trailer, too!

image c. 2024 Viva Pictures

国际兽视欢庆十周年，回顾成就与展望未来

We've got a PLETHORA of furry & animal games in the "Wholesome Games Celebration" on Sale on Steam right now! We put together what we could find  in the list of games that are currently selling at a reduced price and those that are upcoming (and with demos!) Check out the full list below!

What if we wanted to take on the climate change crisis by simply modifying our DNA so that we took on animal traits like fur so that we could regulate our body temps? Or work out medical issues that overtake our bodies with a fresh new species takeover? That’s the baseline of the story of “FixFox”, a solo game venture by Rendlike and published by Joystick Ventures. You’re a spacefaring clumsy foxy fixer-upper named Vix who is accompanied by her toolbox Tin, and you’re pulled into one last job to prove you’ve got the repairing chops to keep your job. Unfortunately, you crash land on a planet in a system that looks down on tools and fixing, and will police your attempts to solve the various planets’ problems, unless you distract them with a radio broadcast. Over the course of trying to escape the planet’s various communication and humanitarian problems, you discover a story of humanity’s past and its innate problems in the present. FixFox had a vibe & story that pulled me in and kept me engaged with its many twists and turns, and so many little unique details.

Ever since I stepped up to president in 2021, I have been proud to lead the Furry Writers Guild. It has been an absolute joy to see the talent and passion amongst the writing community.

Sadly, all things must come to an end. I have decided to step down as president of the guild effective immediately.

I have not achieved all I wanted for the guild, but I truly believe I have left it in a better place than I began. Every president has left their mark in expanding and evolving the guild, and I am happy with what I achieved. I have simply come to realise that I no longer have the time and energy to devote to running the guild in the way that it deserves.

For that reason, I will be stepping down. My VP K.C. Shaw will be stepping up to fulfil the rest of the current term, with a decision to be made in April next year to continue or to initiate an election. Over the next few days and weeks, I will be assisting Kate to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.

You will still be able to find me around the Telegram and Discord as always – I’ll be sticking around to help moderate the chats, though our wonderful members always make it so easy by never having any drama to police!

It has been an honour and privilege leading the guild these past three and a bit years. Thank you everyone for entrusting me with the presidency.

But! This is still a blog post, and that means there are markets to share! Check these out if you have a short story within you.
F/F Non Erotic Anthology – Deadline August 31st 2024
Isekai Me! – Deadline August 31st 2024
Paw Anthology: Volume 2 – Deadline November 21st 2024
Spirit of the Wolf – Deadline March 31st 2025
Indecent Exposure – Deadline When Full
This Is Halloween – Deadline When Full
Children Of The Night – Deadline When Full
Furry/Lovecraftian/Erotic/University Themed Anthology – Deadline When Full
Beyond Their Pale – Deadline When Full

Please also check out the latest releases from our members.
Squeak Thief, by Kyell Gold. Released July 2024.
The Heavens Within Our Grasp, edited by Maddison Scott-Clary, featuring stories by multiple FWG Members. Released July 1st 2024.
Far Flung, by Utunu. Released July 3rd 2024.
The Eternal Party, by DarkEnd. Released July 4th 2024.
Therianthropic Dreams, by NightEyes DaySpring. Released July 15th 2024.
Return of the Queen, by Shaun M. McGrath. Released July 31st.
Shadow Sun, by Jess E. Owen. Available for pre-orders. Released August 30th
Legend of Ahya: Broken Empires, by Matthew Colvath. Available for pre-orders. Released October 2nd 2024.

There might be one more monthly blog from me, depending on how the transition goes with Kate. If there is, I will see you then.

If not, I leave you in the very capable hands of Kate.

Thank you everyone.
Stay safe and happy writing.
J.F.R. Coates

More interesting news from Cartoon Brew: “Viva Pictures has picked up North American rights to the animated feature Grand Prix of Europe. The story of the film revolves around Edda, a racing car-obsessed young mouse, who must disguise herself as her idol, Ed, and take his place to compete in the Grand Prix to save her family’s amusement park. The film is a tie-in for the German theme park Europa-Park, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. The theme park has won the Golden Ticket Award eight times for being the best park worldwide.” Viva Pictures is also making quite a name for itself for distributing more obscure animated feature films. After finding success with The Amazing Maurice, they went on to bring us Dragonkeeper and the upcoming 200% Wolf.

image c. 2024 Viva Pictures

Welcome to Issue 21:  Offspring, the Swamp, and Upside Down Fairy Tales

The world turned upside down, and everyone went scrambling, trying to hold on to the past or find a new way of existing in the turmoil.  The world does that sometimes.  It turns upside down, and you find yourself lost in a swamp of confusion.

One of the most surefire ways of turning your own world upside down is to have children.  They’ll turn your world upside down over and over again.

I started Zooscape when my younger child started kindergarten, and I suddenly had a lot more free time on my hands.  I put Zooscape submissions on a long-term, indefinite-length hiatus when I discovered my older child needed more help getting through high school than I’d expected.

My world turned upside down, and the rest of the world got Zooscape.  My world turned upside down again, and the rest of the world had to wait to see if Zooscape would come back again or not.  Meanwhile, I made sure to store a bunch of stories up to keep you all entertained while you wait…

* * *

Frog Song by Koji A. Dae

Don’t Cry by Ian Madison Keller

The Frog Wife by Rebecca E. Treasure

The Cloak by Erin Brown

How Fred the Opossum Mobilized the Microbes and Saved the Universe by Mary Jo Rabe

If Your Child’s a Dragon by Chad Gayle

* * *

…and now that everyone has waited so patiently, we’re happy to announce that Zooscape will be re-opening to submissions on January 1st, 2025.(Note:  These plans may have changed.  Sorry for the inconvenience.)

As always, if you want to support Zooscape, check out our Patreon.  Also, you can pick up e-book or paperback volumes of our first 13 issues bundled into four anthologies, complete with an illustration for every story.

by Chad Gayle

“…it isn’t easy dealing with the problems of a troubled young dragon, as you already know. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to do it alone.”

If your child’s a dragon, there’s no need to explain your tattered clothes or the smoke rings round your eyes. We know how your eyebrows got singed, and we know you spent half an hour or more circling the parking lot because you really didn’t want to walk through those double doors. You didn’t want to take your place among us, to admit by your very presence that you’re afraid of your young dragon, nor do you want to acknowledge that the love you’ve always felt for the magical creature living in your midst is fraught, these days, with dread and disappointment. Most of all, you’d rather not divulge the secret that you’ve kept hidden from family members, friends, and coworkers for so long, the awful truth about the life you’ve been living, the fact that there have been moments, far too many now for you to count, when you’ve wanted to kick your dragon to the curb, to send them packing and to do your best, afterwards, to forget you ever loved them at all.

We know all about these feelings because our children are dragons too. We’ve felt your shame, your self-deprecating guilt, and your nauseating fear. Like you, we’ve all been burned so badly by our dragons that we thought our wounds would never heal.

And we all have our stories; mine’s probably not that much different from yours. Along with my partner, I pampered my dragon with love and affection, and together we tried to make sure she felt wanted, safe, and secure. As our dragon grew older, we told her how important it was to talk about her feelings, to learn to understand not only why she was happy but why she might be sad, and we did the best we could to help her figure out the place she wanted to occupy in this world. We tried to be there for our dragon; we did everything we thought we were supposed to do, which, as it turned out, was not enough.

What we didn’t see, or what we weren’t prepared to acknowledge, I should say, was the magnitude of the anxiety that beset our dragon as she matured. The first real sign of trouble came when we realized that our dragon had stopped attending flight school, which, as you are no doubt aware, puts a dragon at risk of becoming permanently dependent upon humans. At about the same time that we made this discovery, our dragon started smoking, and she smoked incessantly, filling our house with sulfurous fumes that kept me and my partner coughing for hours on end. Maybe you’re a member of the camp that believes dragons can quit smoking after they start. I happen to think that they can’t because I’ve spent the last two years administering anti-smoking punishments and potions and poultices to our dragon that never gave us more than a few weeks’ worth of clean air. But that’s my dragon — maybe yours is different.

Anyway, the smoking was the least of our worries. As her anxiety intensified, our dragon tore up the furniture and picked at her scales with her claws until her body was covered with sores. And she became bolder and more aggressive with me and my partner, thumping her tail menacingly against the walls or the floor as soon as we brought up her mounting absences from flight school.

Sure, it’s adorable when your dragon’s knee high and she whips your ankle with that little tail of hers, but it’s not quite the same when her head reaches the ceiling and a mere flick of that tail — which is as thick as a tree trunk — can break your femur or every one of your ribs. I don’t know if you’ve reached the point in your relationship with your young dragon where lines have been crossed and bones have been bent, but I’m sure you’ve had glimmers of how much worse it can get in the darkest of your dreams, nightmares in which you grapple with the questions I grappled with after I came home from the hospital that first time. Questions like, what if she hurts me again? What if she hurts someone else? I know these bones will mend, but how can the damage done to my heart ever be repaired?

I would love to say we worked out all of our problems on our own, that our dragon quit smoking, returned to flight school, and took a solemn oath never to strike me or my partner again, but the time for myth-making is over, my friends. As awful as it makes us feel, my partner and I had to admit that our dragon is better off living somewhere else for the time being, sheltered in a closed preserve with dragons her age where she can be monitored and privately tutored, and so we are in the process of finding a program where she can get the care that she needs without endangering herself — or us — any longer. Which isn’t to say that I still don’t find myself grasping at straws, searching desperately for reasons to keep her with us for at least a few more months, but I’ve accepted the recommendations of the wizard we consulted, and I’m committed to following through with this treatment plan because I know that we have to think not only of the health and safety of our dragon but of our own health and safety as well.

I’m sure you’re asking yourself, as you try to get comfortable in your seat, how any of this helps you, in your situation, which is different in various degrees from mine. The answer is that although our situations may be different, the problems that we face with our dragons are very much the same. That’s why we all meet here in this great cathedral every other Monday night — to tell our dragon stories and to lean on each other during times of crisis and conflict. Because it isn’t easy dealing with the problems of a troubled young dragon, as you already know. I’m here to tell you that you don’t have to do it alone.

We don’t pretend to have all the answers, but we do try to support each other however we can. We come to this sacred place from townships all over this kingdom because we refuse to give up on our young dragons, because we believe in the possibility of a better future for all dragons, everywhere. We’re dragon people, in other words, and we’re proud of it.

Well, as usual, I’ve stood behind this podium a lot longer than I’m supposed to, but that’s because I’m so happy to see all of these new faces here today. Now I want to welcome you all  and tell you how much I look forward to hearing your dragon tales and to walking the road to recovery with you. We really like to think of ourselves as one big family, you know — but, be that as it may, I’m getting that hand signal from my partner again; yep, I can put a sock in it and yield the floor.

One very, very last thing before I open it up to the new parents and give you all a break by sitting down: if your child is a gnome, my apologies — you want the green room at the end of the hall.

 

* * *

About the Author

Chad Gayle is a writer and photographer based in NYC. His speculative fiction has appeared in The Colored Lens and MetaStellar Magazine; his commercial photography has been featured in The New York Times and The Huffington Post. Husband to the world’s most talented veterinarian, he has witnessed countless stories of furry recovery and redemption that have given him a reason to believe in a brighter future and a better tomorrow for animals everywhere (humans included). He is also the proud parent of two amazing children and three rescue cats.