Hey! So, in the near future I'm hoping to take another shot at a suit with digi padding. I'm going for a slimmer look, something more just to illustrate a different than human leg shape, but not thunder thigh town either. Don't get me wrong, I actually really dig suits with huge plush proportions, it's just not the look I'm going for with this guy. I want him to look more delicate, and tiny in general. I'm kind of cobbling together what I think will do for the leg shapes right now. Taking a bigger foam piece I used for a previous suit, as reference, but altering the shape a bit to size it down a bit so it won't be as bulky. In theory. I'm kind of going off a couple different digi references and like a faun leg tutorial thing. I liked the idea of trying to make my pattern contour somewhat to my own leg shape (though I don't think I'll be attaching these to leggings like I see a number of people do).
What I'm thinking is putting them in like padding pockets, which I've also seen done. I really like that idea because in my mind, it makes everything easier to store and wash. I can pull out the pillows, (which I also plan on adding zippers to so I can wash the sleeves and fluff the polyfil out when needed).
So, I'm just wondering does it matter what material the pillows are made from? I've got tons of extra fleece lying around so I was planning on using that, but not sure if that's a big deal or not? Also, does anyone have pics of installing the pillow pockets? I think I wanted to add them to a suit and then decided against it because I was having a hard time figuring out how to pattern them in to fit right, so the padding goes where it's supposed to go, and stay in place. So, I guess material suggestions for the pockets would be great too. If I HAVE to I can fix the pillows in place to leggings, I'd just rather do it the other way if I can figure it out.
ALSO I plan on making a rather large tail (4 feet long give or take) and I've been doing a lot of research on construction techniques because I haven't really seen a tail like how I want to make it on a fursuit before. I'm sure it's been done but I haven't been able to find any pictures close to how I picture this tail to be. My thing is I want the tail to be fairly long, but to stand upright. I'm trying to figure out how to do that, without going crazy with rods and things like that, because I'm not sure I have the means both physical and mental, to deal with all that. I think something could possibly be achieved through patterning, but I fear a tail the size I want to make would be extremely heavy if it were stuffed solid, and not sure it would stand up without some kind of crazy support system.
So, I came across foam core tails and this tutorial here.
http://fursuit.livejournal.com/5997649.html?view=65558609#t65558609
The tail would be for his little guy http://www.furaffinity.net/view/20158160/
and I'd like his tail up like in the picture, but perhaps held closer to his body so I'm not smacking people all the time. I feel like a foam core like in the tutorial above would be the best way to tackle this (that I might actually be capable of doing) because (in my mind anyway) the foam core would be less heavy than a purely stuffed tail and solid enough to support itself and keep its shape. My question is (is one am I kidding myself on whether or not this method will actually work for a tail of this size) and two.... foam density and cutting out the foam. Right now I'm considering using "standard" foam like the type I use for heads. I'm leaning against using the super soft that's recommended in the tutorial, because I feel like I don't want a super hard foam obviously, but I want one that's going to hold the shape I want and the weight of the tail and be able to stand mostly upright. A little curve is fine, I just don't want it flopping, bending, dragging on the floor, being weird/moody in general.
I sitll would like, if possible though for the tail to have a little swish and not be completely stiff/lifeless. So, I'm thinking if I follow the tutorial and carve some of the tail out that should help. I don't need it like wildly swinging from side to side, just enough to maybe flick here and there now and then, and have a natural sort of sway. So, anyone have a foam to recommend? Or does the standard foam seem okay? I'm going to use the two 3inch blocks like in the tutorial. I'm also wondering if how much and how to carve the inside out? Should I do it in sections? Any kind of quick sketches as to how the sections might look/be spaced out would be super helpful.
Otherwise I was thinking about just carving out triangular shaped sections down the entire length of the tail, just not sure if that'd be the best bet or what?
Any help in these areas would be lovely! Thanks!
What I'm thinking is putting them in like padding pockets, which I've also seen done. I really like that idea because in my mind, it makes everything easier to store and wash. I can pull out the pillows, (which I also plan on adding zippers to so I can wash the sleeves and fluff the polyfil out when needed).
So, I'm just wondering does it matter what material the pillows are made from? I've got tons of extra fleece lying around so I was planning on using that, but not sure if that's a big deal or not? Also, does anyone have pics of installing the pillow pockets? I think I wanted to add them to a suit and then decided against it because I was having a hard time figuring out how to pattern them in to fit right, so the padding goes where it's supposed to go, and stay in place. So, I guess material suggestions for the pockets would be great too. If I HAVE to I can fix the pillows in place to leggings, I'd just rather do it the other way if I can figure it out.
ALSO I plan on making a rather large tail (4 feet long give or take) and I've been doing a lot of research on construction techniques because I haven't really seen a tail like how I want to make it on a fursuit before. I'm sure it's been done but I haven't been able to find any pictures close to how I picture this tail to be. My thing is I want the tail to be fairly long, but to stand upright. I'm trying to figure out how to do that, without going crazy with rods and things like that, because I'm not sure I have the means both physical and mental, to deal with all that. I think something could possibly be achieved through patterning, but I fear a tail the size I want to make would be extremely heavy if it were stuffed solid, and not sure it would stand up without some kind of crazy support system.
So, I came across foam core tails and this tutorial here.
http://fursuit.livejournal.com/5997649.html?view=65558609#t65558609
The tail would be for his little guy http://www.furaffinity.net/view/20158160/
and I'd like his tail up like in the picture, but perhaps held closer to his body so I'm not smacking people all the time. I feel like a foam core like in the tutorial above would be the best way to tackle this (that I might actually be capable of doing) because (in my mind anyway) the foam core would be less heavy than a purely stuffed tail and solid enough to support itself and keep its shape. My question is (is one am I kidding myself on whether or not this method will actually work for a tail of this size) and two.... foam density and cutting out the foam. Right now I'm considering using "standard" foam like the type I use for heads. I'm leaning against using the super soft that's recommended in the tutorial, because I feel like I don't want a super hard foam obviously, but I want one that's going to hold the shape I want and the weight of the tail and be able to stand mostly upright. A little curve is fine, I just don't want it flopping, bending, dragging on the floor, being weird/moody in general.
I sitll would like, if possible though for the tail to have a little swish and not be completely stiff/lifeless. So, I'm thinking if I follow the tutorial and carve some of the tail out that should help. I don't need it like wildly swinging from side to side, just enough to maybe flick here and there now and then, and have a natural sort of sway. So, anyone have a foam to recommend? Or does the standard foam seem okay? I'm going to use the two 3inch blocks like in the tutorial. I'm also wondering if how much and how to carve the inside out? Should I do it in sections? Any kind of quick sketches as to how the sections might look/be spaced out would be super helpful.
Otherwise I was thinking about just carving out triangular shaped sections down the entire length of the tail, just not sure if that'd be the best bet or what?
Any help in these areas would be lovely! Thanks!