The Other Group, Dandilion Fluff & Foam Feet

I got a commission to make a mascot, and it has introduced me to a whole new sub culture. I did tons of research before starting the project, including attending a fur convention. I was a bit unsure to start, but the more I get involved with the community, the more I learn how fun it all is. Forget CSI and other social media's portrayal and think more about Disney's Robin Hood or Lion King. It's all about people who want to be cute and fluffy.

For those interested in the topic, I will label the posts with Dandilion Fluff (yes, the spelling is on purpose) and fursuit. I created an account on Fur Affinity (which happens to be the best place to discuss the craft and find business in the community), and Sew Honeybee just didn't sound like a fursuit maker's name. I decided that Dandilion Fluff would be more fun. I am planing on making a logo with the i as a dandelion. The above lion is my mascot, drawn by the talented Amanda. She also made a cute face shot for my avatar and business cards as well.

One of the first things I tried was the feet. I did both sets of shoes at the same time (one for outdoors and one for inside). I began with plank foam.

Then I added in high density upholstery foam.

Then I spent time carving, mostly with scissors and a bread knife.

At this point, I thought they looked pretty good and posted them on FA, but then someone suggested I try a different approach to make it easier to walk in and a bit less clompy.

So I redid the carving and ended up with a lot narrower feet. I did have to make them a bit longer to hide the shoe in the toe crack.

The next step is creating a pattern and gluing on the fur. I also have some claws to add. But I changed my tactic and moved to the head while there was already foam all over my craft room. More on the project later.