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May Your Art Be Beefy
And yet more designer toys, clothes, and art, this time from an outfit known as Beefy & Co. “Established in 2011 by designer, illustrator, modeler & animator Menh Voong, ushered a new fusion of iconic art. Inspired by generations of comic superheros, animations and illustrations merging with today’s Pop Culture, the passion is instilled in each limited piece of artwork. Artistic and collectible, the new age of art influences dominate the brand Beefy & Co.” You heard it here folks. Check out their latest designs at www.beefyco.com.
image c. 2013 Beefy & Co.
How to best describe your character to someone else.
As an artist I am occasionally asked to make character reference sheets from scratch. It has become increasingly obvious that some people are good at describing their character for me to draw, and some people are so vague and confusing that it takes me twice as long just to decipher the text and then have to ask an additional 20 questions.
Communication is key when designing a fresh character sheet. The following things can happen if things are not communicated properly:
The client is left with something they don't want due to an artist not wanting to take the time to correct things.
The artist is forever correcting things because the client is never sure exactly what they want.
The commission is cancelled completely due to the frustration of either party.
Whether the lack in communication is derived from the artist or the client, someone will always be left unhappy. That is why it is essential for both parties to be clear, continue contact and ask questions where questions are due. However I would like to suggest ways to avoid the need for excessive questions and complaints using things that have come up in my personal experience. The following tips will not be able to cover every single issue with every single character, artist or client but I hope this will help. The advice is mainly aimed at clients who need the describe their character because that's where the communication begins. I'll follow up with a little note on how best to find your artist and what to avoid.
Firstly put all your character's information in dot points. This way it is far easier to read, each step is laid out and you can revise and easily see if you've missed anything. Paragraph descriptions are wordy and it's very easy for you or the artist to miss something. (I know I have.)
Be specific about your character's species. If it is a hybrid be clear about which animal is prominent in which areas (tail, ears, muzzle etc.)
Mention you character's physique. Are they muscly, skinny, fat, somewhere in between? Is any part of their body exaggerated or smaller than usual? Also feet.
Fur/scale/skin/feather colour. Start with the basics and if you can, link colour examples so the artist knows exactly what colour to use. Simply type 'colour chart' into google and you'll get things like this, then all you have to say is the number. There are heaps of options and variants, don't just say "dark brown".
Markings. These are not just the little stripes and things. For example if your character has a lighter colour on its belly and cheeks, where exactly does that colour extend to? Under the cheek? Only on the chin? Up to the eye? Try and find examples of other characters with similar markings to yours OR look for helpful charts like this. The more examples you give, the better off you'll be.
Another thing about markings is that it's much clearer if you list each one individually. Each dot point should be a new part of the body or a different coloured marking. Think about if you were drawing it, what order would you draw the markings in? What connects to what and should be mentioned together? List them in that order and leave the smallest things 'til last.
Have a specific pattern or marking in mind that isn't a basic shape? For the love of god PLEASE have an example or rough sketch. Descriptions of swirly swirls that go over there and around that arm but only just over the shoulder blade but not near the neck with spots that are only on the rights side that follow... ow, my head.
Things that are often forgotten. I understand when you're describing something it's hard to think of everything because it's in your head and not on a page. Things I find are often forgotten are: eyes, inner ear fluff, tail tips, paw pads, hooves, horns, claws and even the inside of the mouth can be helpful. Plus genitalia for the NSFW refs. You'd be surprised how many times I've needed to know what colour certain... uh... body parts needed to be. If you can see it, it needs a colour.
For accessories and clothes it's also good to have examples. Google images is honestly good for everything. If you can describe it to an artist then you can just as easily type it into google, link the image and just say "That... that there! They wear that!"
If all else fails. If you think your character is just far too difficult to describe grab a blank template (female male, or find a species that suits you. If you can't find your species in a blank one, just use one of these and specify to the artist that it's a dragon/bird/cat... thing), jump on Paint or whatever you have available and fill it in yourself. Draw in rough tails or wings and whatever else you need and give that to the artist. Visual references beat words on a page any day. Do whatever you can to make things clear and easy to understand.
THEN, and this is the most important thing, ask/pester your artist to provide you with a version of you character with all the markings, colours and whatever else marked out BEFORE they finish it. Make sure you ask for this from the beginning so that you're able to change anything you don't like before the work is done. Most artists should offer this anyway and they should also give you multiple updates on the progress of your character, but we all know some artists are grumpy bums in it for the money and won't make the effort unless you bug them. So bug them! There's nothing worse than putting in all that effort to describe something and at the end of the day, walking away with something you hate.
Always remember the character is yours and you should get exactly what you want. Don't let the artist make artistic changes based on their own opinion unless it's already been agreed upon. Don't get pushed around. They're happy to work for you (most of the time) and do exactly what you say, so don't be afraid to say it.
Finally if an artist doesn't have a terms of service or isn't willing to lay out the exact process of designing a character and staying in contact with you... avoid them. New character sheets can often be a difficult thing and no matter how well you're prepared the artist may not be. Look for experience. Someone who's already made plenty of sheets for themselves and preferably others as well. Finding other happy customers is always a good sign.
In summary: Dot points, species, body appearance, colours, markings, revise (make sure you haven't forgotten anything), clothes and accessories, visual examples, you're in charge, pick a reliable artist AND COMMUNICATION IS KEY!
I hope this helped and wasn't a whole blah of ramblings. If anyone else has some suggestions based on their own experience please feel free to comment with them. Plus I've tried my very best not to be artist biased here... if I have been, sorry but I can't help it... I am an artist after all.
submitted by StubbornClaws[link] [29 comments]
Ex-furry checking in. How has the furry fandom (the art/community/cons/anything else) changed in 5 years?
Hey fluffy friends. Ex-furry here. I used to be pretty involved with the everything furry-related, and went to conventions up until 5 years ago, then kind of "grew out of it". (That's not a dig at furries, it's just how I think of it - I changed) Anyways, I'm curious if/how the furry fandom has changed in the last 5 years. Has it grown much? I know a lot of new cons seemed to be popping up around the country every year, is it still growing in that aspect? What about on the artistic side of things? Technology has evolved a lot in 5 years.. has there been much in the way of amateur computer animated furry art? Have the type of people that are heavily involved in the community changed much? I know furries are a very diverse group, but also that the general make up of communities like this can change over time.
So, what changes has everyone here noticed about furry-ness in general over the last 5 years? Minor or major, statistics or opinions, art/community/anything-else-related... anything goes!
submitted by canix-lupus[link] [31 comments]
A little self-advertisement. I don't draw a whole lot, but that's because I don't have a lot of incentive. Begging for watches plz~
Could someone do a request for me based on a picture I found?
I do not own this picture but it reminded me of my fursona and since I don't have any pictures of my fursona I was wondering if someone could draw something similar for me. I can give extra details to anyone interested, but I can't pay so if that dissuades you then I understand.
submitted by RainbowRaptor96[link] [5 comments]
A little something an acquaintance of mine is working on. (Second Life sure has come a long way)
Her Mate Seems Bored with Her and Wants Her to Get a Sex Change Operation
But...it has been a while now. Tables have turned. To start out, we had a perfectly equal relationship. But slowly my compliments have been outweighing hers... The response to my “I love you, my dear” is now reduced to a simple “you too.” Also ... those days of me being cute and beautiful are gone. I'm always holding her... I have to kiss up to her to even get her to let me hold her. Asking to be held is a no no. She just gets annoyed when I do. I have to beg her for kisses. I have to plead for affection... I put all of my effort into making her smile and be happy. I guess you could say that I am a romantic suck up...and she just takes and takes it... No return or acknowledgement that it had even been done for her.
With sex... it started out we were both each other’s first ... and from then on our sexual relationship was even. But now ... I work my ass off to please her... I do oral because that is all I can do to get her off. She never returns the favor. Not even a rub. She just goes to sleep after... Last night I saw her on her phone the entire time I was down there.... I feel so ... embarrassed.... She has told me it’s amazing and she cums .... but. I am not sure if I am boring her.
Perhaps the scariest part of this all is that I am totally and utterly whipped. She has gotten me to stop liking a lot of things ... and to start liking others. Also .... since the change in roles of the relationship .... she... or I ... have convinced myself to get a sex change ... to be a guy.... I feel like the only thing she wants from me now is a boyfriend that worships her and will fuck her... I feel useless. She wants a man... and I love her so... if I have any hope of making her happy I must become a man.
I feel like I'm trapped even more because the slight bringing up of we need to talk makes her roll her eyes... She gets insanely angry when I ask to talk about us. Its a no no, too....but I love her so much.... I was going to commit suicide before I met her. I was happy at first...but now the thoughts come back.... I know she loves me... but I do not know what I am doing wrong.... can you help me?
Lunar
* * *
My Dear Lunar,
You are doing nothing wrong, except apologizing for your mate’s actions by trying to appease her. Your mate has pulled a nasty switcheroo on you that is completely unfair to you. I don’t know if it is because she has become bored with her relationship with you, or perhaps she is discovering that she is bi, or her tastes are simply changing, or she has fallen out of love with you, but whatever the reason might be, you are now clinging to a love that once was and not to the current reality of your relationship.
I understand that she helped you get out of a very dark place and you are grateful for that. But she is different now. And you can’t fix it because she won’t even talk to you about it without getting angry. I mean, to talk on the phone while you are making love??? What is that? To not return your affections, to make you feel like a slave? But, worst of all, to want you to change your gender for her??? That is as extreme a request as they come!
Please promise me one thing right now, Lunar. DO NOT go through surgery of any kind just to please your lover. That is something for YOU to decide. It is YOUR body! You would be putting yourself through a lot of pain, hormone therapy, a lot of expense, a lot of psychological adjustments.... and all for someone who now treats you like a used up tube of toothpaste? You need to get a hold of yourself.
If you have a sex change operation to please her, here is what will happen:
1. She might get really turned on at first. The flame will reignite, and there will be a period of time when you are once again the light in her eye and the lover in her bed.
2. But, inevitably, she will get bored with you again and you will be right back where you started.
3. Well, not right back where you started. You will now be a man with a lousy mate rather than a woman with a lousy mate.
You say “I know she loves me” but she sure doesn’t show it. How do you know? Doesn’t sound like she loves you much the way she treats you, and you are very unhappy about the way it is now, and you SHOULD be. However, that you are once more having thoughts of suicide is horrifying!
Here’s a hint to all my readers out there: If your mate treats you so badly that you want to kill yourself, you need to get a new mate. That should be obvious, but many people get so tangled in their emotions that they lose sight of the obvious.
If you were a man, I’d say you need to grow some testicles. Well, do the feminine equivalent. Don’t stay with someone out of a feeling of obligation to them or because they may have once loved you. Be grateful for the past, learn from it, but do not be chained to it. If she will not talk to you about your needs, then write her a letter, hand it to her, and walk away and let her read it. The letter, in essence, should say, in part, “You no longer treat me the way you used to and I feel you no longer love me. You make me feel like a servant rather than an equal partner, and you won’t even talk to me about how this is making me feel. Also, I have no desire to get a sex change operation, so if you want to have a boyfriend go find a male. I’m a girl. At one time, you liked that, but now I guess you don’t or you are bored with me. I’m grateful to you for what you did for me in the past, but you’ve changed to the point that I don’t think I can stay with you any longer unless you decide that you can love me the way you once did. I still love you, but I can’t live this way any longer. It’s gotten so bad I have thoughts of suicide again. If you really still love me, then show me you love me. But if you don’t, then don’t ask me to live trapped in a lie.”
Hard words, yes, but you can’t go on like this, sweetie.
Please let me know how it works out.
I wish you love and happiness,
Papabear
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advice for a fellow (younger) fur...
I'm twelve. And I have considered myself a furry for about 4 months as of this writing. I have a Furrafinity and I enjoy looking and drawing anthro characters. As there is some darker sides of the fandom, I had a little thinking to do before I even consider talking to my parents about it. Finally, I talked to my father about it, and he was cool with it. He says he wants me to be who I want to be (yay!) But then, there is my mom and my step dad. I talked, and then they mention yiff, and CSI. They think if i'm a furry, then I will change my whole sexual orientation. But even if I were to change, it wouldn't be a problem. They also think that I will look at porn and such things (I do have a thing for fat and chubbier characters, but not as a sexual thing) I understand things like to be weary of people on the internet, and other common sense things. I understand that my mom and step dad can be nervous about me being included in something of this sort. But I just don't understand why there not buying it. any advice???
submitted by FACEpalm160[link] [19 comments]
r/furry digital artists, what program do you use?
I'm curious to see what you guys use, since photoshop gets tedious at times.
submitted by grifthesniper[link] [18 comments]
