MisguidedWolf
New Member
Wow, nice tut. Alot of useful warnings for fursuiting noobs like myself |3. I wanna get one soon as I get the money.
Fursuiting Guide
- Thread starter Fay V
- Start date
dinosaurdammit
White Devil
I don't remember seeing any tips about not approaching cops- should be common sense though I'd put it in there for good measure. I don' think a cop would like a huge fuzzy thing coming up to hug them- you might get tazed.
KarabinerCoyote
Steely-Eyed Rocket Guy
Headless lounges usually have jumbo straws and cold water available so you can get a drink without removing your headpiece. Also some PVC pipe apparatus for drying gloves, furboots and heads. It might be a good idea if disinfectant wipes--like those used on shopping carts at the grocery store--be available to wipe the dryer part before placing a mask/headpiece on it.
Fay V
Lost to this world
I'll add a note
good advice. I always spray antibacterial spray into my head.
if you want to do it right. It seems like a lot but most of it is pretty small.
Jeter
Rural legend and raconteur...
From a newbie's point of view: THANK YOU!! On a side note, are there 'universal gestures' that fursuiters have adopted in common? I know that you mention suiters and their handlers working out a system of signs to communicate, but say if one is at a convention and suiting solo, are there basic signs that any fursuiter would recognize?
Thanks again for posting such a great guide!
Jeter
Thanks again for posting such a great guide!
Jeter
Deo
The hatred of FAF personified
Deo
The hatred of FAF personified
They are specialized between suiter and handler and they vary greatly. At cons this rule can be put off a bit as a con atmosphere is much more protective and helpful towards suiters.
Fay V
Lost to this world
Yes somewhat. I am not the master of gestures, in my experience the very important stuff can be pantomimed whatever you do. "I'm in trouble" flailing tends to be understood.
I know a few common things I see all the time.
1. Hug- Face person, hold your hands out wide.
2. handshake- don't want a hug? hold out a hand fingers unfolded (you know, like wanting a handshake out of suit)
3. I need help- The first one I know is to stand still and hold your hands up. This helps because you can be in a crowd and can't see. So your handler can see you and help you out. Holding still helps from being bumped around. (I've seen variations where the suiter stands with arms crossed. This can't be confused for something else while the hands up can be extreme excitement.)
As I said before, flailing can also be "I need help". the thing with this is you need a gesture that isn't also mistaken for "I am having fursuit fun!"
4. I need water- usually I just see people mine drinking.
5. I am hot. either mime taking the head off or use a head to mime fanning the face.
As deo said it's specialized between suiter and handler. Those 5 I will use with other people as it is easily understood, especially the "hug" one.
However with my handler I like to use a bastardized ASL.
Fay V
Lost to this world
Yeah. I started TAing again.
Deo
The hatred of FAF personified
You're crazy. Are you a grad student by the way?
Fay V
Lost to this world
No I would like to be.
Mem
Im not guilty but Im use to it
Thanks for this guide.. I also didn't know about the handler thing until now! i have a question, have any of you that suit ever dealt with people heckling you as in pushing you around, trying to fight? I've wondered about this but I guess it also goes into the thing about having a handler.. I can't wait to get my suit however one thing I'm scared of is being ganged up on. I'm a 100lb girl, no idea how I would defend myself especially while wearing a costume. I just worry about getting shoved around, people trying to pull the suit off. Maybe I'm thinking too much into something bad happening but has something like this ever happened to any of you guys?
Fay V
Lost to this world
This is something that both researching and handlers take care of. A good handler will be able to scare off any people that want to get physical. People that mess with suiters or mascots know you are vulnerable and are essentially cowards, just having someone around will help.
If you are at a con, there is con security, not to mention all the people there.
If you are suiting for a function the people running the event will help you.
Research where you will be suiting. If you feel uncomfortable with the kind of people in the area, or so on then just don't do it.
By the by I'm a girl and pretty small as well and never had to worry because I've always done this work.
Jeter
Rural legend and raconteur...
I'm not sure if this should go here or as a new thread (if I need to move it, please let me know!). What is the general opinion of letting another person wear your fursuit? Some of the posts/journal entries I've read mention this. As for me, I'd consider a fursuit to be like my toothbrush: NOBODY else uses it. Coupled with the fact that most seem to be custom-built and I wouldn't think they would fit another person easily.
Are requests from people to wear your suits common? Has anyone ever gotten snarky about being told no?
Again, I'm a newbie to the fandom and I've just commissioned a fursuit so these questions are swirling around my brain....Thanks one and all!
Are requests from people to wear your suits common? Has anyone ever gotten snarky about being told no?
Again, I'm a newbie to the fandom and I've just commissioned a fursuit so these questions are swirling around my brain....Thanks one and all!
Fay V
Lost to this world
It is a very personal request and entirely up to the suiter. It happens sometimes, a suiter lets a friend that is roughly the same size and maybe they will lend the suit, but it is a personal decision. Some suiters are okay with it, some are not. Generally because it's personal it's just something they allow to friends.
I would never suggest you go to a suiter and ask to put their suit on.
As an example. I have let friends and family try my head on before, but that is it. I've never had a stranger ask. I don't think that is common at all. If you do get someone that gets snarky about being told no then they obviously do not understand this is a personal item, heck it's like a stranger asking to wear your clothes, so they are probably a bit socially inept. If that happens it will be rare.
It's less rare for people to ask to look at parts. Not to wear but to see how something is made. This is your own discretion as well. I've been told shown the inside of heads, I've been told no an dropped it. This is less intimate because you don't really have to let them even touch it, but you might get someone feeling snarky. For this I'd say, just deal with it. It's yours, if they feel entitled then screw them.
Mem
Im not guilty but Im use to it
Thanks! I was a bit worried about finding someone to be my handler but my boyfriend knows I'm into this and he said he wouldn't have a problem helping me out. He's like 6:3 and twice my bodyweight lol. We're gonna go to morphicon and check it out to get an idea of what goes on, I know its a smaller event but I think it will still be fun. I probably won't have my suit till Anthrocon and by then I imagine I'll be more read up on the subject and have an idea what to expect. Also just today I called the childrens hospital i've done volunteer work at in the past (just organizing crafts/games for the kids) and they said when I get a suit together to give them a shout and they could probably work it into an event/fundraiser that they often do so I'm pretty super stoked about that. anyways thanks again!
I know a couple of sign-language things. They're not as much for cons, as useful for when you're just on an outing. Atleast, it's how I've come to see it.
1) Grabbing tail and stroking it- nervous / vision isn't good
2) Make fists with paws, run one up and the other down (like you're doing the monkey sorta)- fix my (insert piece here).
3) Tummy rub- hungry
4) Throat touch- thirsty
1) Grabbing tail and stroking it- nervous / vision isn't good
2) Make fists with paws, run one up and the other down (like you're doing the monkey sorta)- fix my (insert piece here).
3) Tummy rub- hungry
4) Throat touch- thirsty
Fay V
Lost to this world
I've heard 3 and 4 for never 1 and 2. That just goes to show that you ought to be sure the handler knows what signs you're using.
glad to help
Oh, can I add one more thing? I remember seeing someone in a deer suit once (complete with antlers) and they were like.. doing the head scrape thing at random people. But the vision was obviously terrible.. he was getting really close to hitting some of those people. Just because you have something on your suit that you can use... doesn't mean you randomly start trying to engage people with it.
First thanks for a very informative thread, Ive always have been curious on how it feels inside a fursuit and this was a great way to get some inside info on the subject. And I didnt know that it was so important having a handler around you, know if I could only found one among my friends...
Now my question is that if you go to a location, say a con or a mall or something would you normaly change to the suit while on the location, or suit up at home/youre hotel?
Thanks again for a very informative thread, specialy for a newbie like myself, Rhasp.
Now my question is that if you go to a location, say a con or a mall or something would you normaly change to the suit while on the location, or suit up at home/youre hotel?
Thanks again for a very informative thread, specialy for a newbie like myself, Rhasp.
Deo
The hatred of FAF personified
No malls. Malls are generally a bad place to suit, especially if you do not call ahead and get clearance beforehand (which most malls will not grant). Most malls have rules against wearing things that cover the face completely. And in my younger furfag years I experienced this firsthand. No mall shopping for me for a year (total ban from all Simon operated malls in the U.S.). :c
I took it as an example off a none con enviroments, would amusement parks be an better example?