Home

Previous Entry | Next Entry

Mini Tutorial #3 - Duct Tape Head Furring

  • Nov. 17th, 2006 at 3:47 PM
beetlechristmas
My Third Mini-Tutorial. This is is about using a duct tape pattern to fur a fursuit head (w/photos).


</td></td></td></td></td>


Here is the finished head before furring.

It has eyes, nose, moving jaw, and everything else complete except for the fur. The ears are already made and attached. The horns are missing, but that is only because they are not finished yet. Otherwise, they would also be attached.



Here I have layed the duct tape on over the whole head. I did not tape the very top of the head, because I will be putting a different length or fur on that spot after the rest is furred. I have already cut off the duct tape around the left eye.


I used a felt to draw arrows showing the direction I wish the fur to lay, and lines where I will cut out seperate pieces of fur.


Where these lines should go depends on the exact character and intuition. If unsure, I will often just hold the head and stare at it or I may cut it off only on the obvious lines, and cut the rest after it is flattened out.



Here are two pieces of the resultant pattern (side of the face and top of the nose). After you skin the duct tape off, lay it (sticky side down) on a rug so it will not fold up and stick to itself. Try to lay the pattern out flat by adding darts. All of the arrows on each piece should point the same direction. It does not have to be perfectly flat, as fur can stretch a limited amount.


Here he is partially furred. The seperate pieces include the forehead, the nose, and the upper and lower eye.


I have cut the pieces using my duct tape pattern, tracing around the duct tape with sticky-side up. Often, I will just cut and trace one half of the pattern twice, so the two sides will match.



Here he is completely furred. The piece of foam showing is where the horns will attach later. I made sure to leave some room for them.




If you need clarification on certain points or wish I showed a certain step in better detail, let me know. If enough people like this quick tutorial, I'll expand it and add it to the tutorial section of my website.

Tags:

Comments

( 53 comments — Leave a comment )
[info]midori8 wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2006 12:30 am (UTC)
it's so creepy how much you and i do that is the same thing. it's like i have a clone in Canada
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2006 12:42 am (UTC)
lol. Well, at least no one can say we're copying each other :D I can't exactly go to your house for the weekend.

Actually, even before I began making these things, I knew you were probably the only fursuit artist that created in a style I could relate to. Toony is just not me.
| Reply | Parent | Thread | Expand
(no subject) - [info]beetlecat - Nov. 18th, 2006 12:45 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]midori8 - Nov. 18th, 2006 12:55 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]midori8 - Nov. 18th, 2006 12:54 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]beetlecat - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:07 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]midori8 - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:15 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]beetlecat - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:26 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]midori8 - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:34 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]midori8 - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:35 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]beetlecat - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:43 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]midori8 - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:53 am (UTC) Expand
[info]seikatsu_ni wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2006 12:59 am (UTC)
Confuzzled
>> Here are two pieces of the resultant pattern (side of the face and top of the nose). After you skin the duct tape off, lay it (sticky side down) on a rug so it will not fold up and stick to itself. Try to lay the pattern out flat by adding darts. All of the arrows on each piece should point the same direction. It does not have to be perfectly flat, as fur can stretch a limited amount. <<

Right after this point you lost me.

Do you put the duct tape back on and fur over it, or, do you remove it, and use it as a blueprint? And if it's the later, then why do it?
| Reply | Thread
[info]midori8 wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2006 01:07 am (UTC)
Re: Confuzzled
the duct tape is the pattern. just like when you go to the fabric store and buy patterns.

take the duct tape and trace it on the fur. that way you have a piece of fur exactly the size you need.

not sure what she does but i sew the fur pieces together

sorry i answered for you beetle!
| Reply | Parent | Thread | Expand
Re: Confuzzled - [info]seikatsu_ni - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:08 am (UTC) Expand
Re: Confuzzled - [info]beetlecat - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:10 am (UTC) Expand
[info]spunky_kitty wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2006 01:34 am (UTC)
The part that would lose me is how to remove the duct tape without wrecking either it or the base. It's not quite like making a duct tape dress form, since that has a fabric base that's removed along with the duct tape when you cut it off.

Though perhaps your tutorial is for people more advanced than me, who are used to things like skinning duct tape. ^_^
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2006 01:41 am (UTC)
I've never had a problem, it just comes off. It comes off better if you don't let it sit around duct taped up though.

Cut it off with a snap off knife and peel it off carefully so you don't just pull the tape away from itself.

You can always put a layer of saran wrap under the duct tape. And that way it cannot stick to itself after.
| Reply | Parent | Thread | Expand
(no subject) - [info]beetlecat - Nov. 18th, 2006 01:47 am (UTC) Expand
[info]dragonof31102 wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2006 03:29 am (UTC)
It's turning out pretty awesome! ^_^ can't wait to see it completely finished.
| Reply | Thread
[info]roleplaywulf wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2006 05:38 pm (UTC)
This is very very helpful! I have a question. How do you put all the pieces together? Do you glue the seams or sew them?
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Nov. 19th, 2006 12:32 am (UTC)
I personally glue them, but you can also sew them. If there is a high stress location or the fur is put over a very springy armature, it is best to sew it. Just baste it by hand, and then glue it on.
| Reply | Parent | Thread | Expand
(no subject) - [info]onebluechee - Jan. 17th, 2007 06:42 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]beetlecat - Jan. 17th, 2007 07:44 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]onebluechee - Jan. 18th, 2007 01:51 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]beetlecat - Jan. 18th, 2007 02:38 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]onebluechee - Jan. 18th, 2007 05:37 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]onebluechee - Jun. 13th, 2009 10:26 am (UTC) Expand
[info]swiftred wrote:
Nov. 18th, 2006 10:52 pm (UTC)
I'm SO happy you posted this tutorial! I'm a slap-dash kind of person, so my furring never comes out nice and neat. There's always patches of fur missing and seams showing. Thanks, and I hope to see more tutorials from you! :)
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Nov. 19th, 2006 12:36 am (UTC)
I'm glad you liked it:) It is 3rd in my series of LJ mini tutorials so far, and I plan to keep making them for as long as folks want me to.

You can also suggest topics that you'd like me to cover in a future tutorial.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]evlclosetvortex wrote:
Nov. 19th, 2006 09:41 pm (UTC)
How do you keep the tape from sticking to everything?
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Nov. 19th, 2006 10:49 pm (UTC)
How do you mean? At what stage?

After it's cut off, I lay the tape on the rug so it can't move. You can also put it away from the rug several times which will dull the glue by sticking carpet fibers to it.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]tkurogrym wrote:
Nov. 20th, 2006 07:54 pm (UTC)
Oh yes! I've been hoping someone would explain this procedure. *sticks in her LJ memories* Definitely something I want to try on my next head. The hit-or-miss method I've used before certainly produces hit-or-miss results! Thank you, beetlecat. And your head is looking absolutely gorgeous - as always.
| Reply | Thread
[info]swandog wrote:
Nov. 22nd, 2006 11:29 pm (UTC)
*adds to memories* :)
| Reply | Thread
[info]chlorophyta wrote:
Nov. 24th, 2006 02:50 am (UTC)
Oh, wow, that's really neat! =)

I hope you don't mind if I watch you here, and I swear I will get back to you on that contract soon! Life's been rather hectic lately! I promise I won't dissappear on you! XD
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Nov. 29th, 2006 02:52 am (UTC)
I don't mind. In fact, I encourage it :)

Don't hurry too much in getting back to me, we have lots of time :D
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]jesus_potato wrote:
May. 25th, 2008 11:35 pm (UTC)
I know it's a little late to comment.. but I have a q that wasn't asked :3
First of all, thanks for sharing this with us! Tutorials like this are really helpful to those of us just starting out in the fursuit craft.
Anyway, I just recently furred my first head and I wound up with a lot of seams showing. I managed to comb the fur over on some spots but others were not so lucky, especially around curved areas like beneath the top of the muzzle and around the sides of the head.
Maybe I should have used a bigger pattern... (I could patterns for the cheeks, muzzle/nose and top of the head/back of the head separately and this gave me too much fabric to hot glue together I think.)
Is there a specific way you glue the fur together to avoid making seams?
I also have heard about a zig-zag stitch used to avoid showing seams, but I don't own a sewing machine. Anything that can be done by hand?

Thanks in advance :3

| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
May. 25th, 2008 11:53 pm (UTC)
If you sew the seams together, they'll show less. Some fur which is very short will show seams a bit more. Some people roll the seam as they glue it down, though I don;t because I find it makes it a bit lumpy.
| Reply | Parent | Thread | Expand
(no subject) - [info]jesus_potato - May. 26th, 2008 09:13 pm (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]zoom_gas - Oct. 10th, 2009 09:16 am (UTC) Expand
(no subject) - [info]beetlecat - Oct. 10th, 2009 06:50 pm (UTC) Expand
(Anonymous) wrote:
Aug. 4th, 2008 09:33 am (UTC)
im curious at how you add the horns,. im thinking you just glue them, but anything else?
| Reply | Thread
(Anonymous) wrote:
Aug. 10th, 2008 07:05 am (UTC)
Duct Tape
Um... everything looks clear for me on this... However, I'm still wondering how you would get the duct tape off the foam bits without ripping the foam? do you put something underneath?
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Aug. 10th, 2008 07:28 am (UTC)
Re: Duct Tape
Glue the foam down securely before you tape over it. Don't leave the tape on there too long or the glues will sink into the foam and bond to it. You can tape over a layer of plastic wrap if you're worried you will tear your foam.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
[info]blizzard14 wrote:
Aug. 14th, 2008 09:37 am (UTC)
this is really helpful, thank you ^^
but i have one question...

How do you fur over the movable jaw, as in, how do you make it move like it did before you furred it with the fur on? wouldn't the fur disrupt the movement of the jaw?
| Reply | Thread
[info]o0_mudpaw_0o wrote:
Feb. 7th, 2009 05:13 pm (UTC)
eyess"!
so... the eyes,... i dont like the cartoon style eyes. and was wondering where you got them eyes fromm????
| Reply | Thread
[info]taekel wrote:
Apr. 13th, 2009 07:03 am (UTC)
Amazing how much work you do! It really shows in your work, I must say. :DD
| Reply | Thread
(Anonymous) wrote:
Jun. 11th, 2009 06:46 am (UTC)
to stitch, or not to stitch??
ok, i was wondering wether i should glue the fur on, orr stitch it on?

i looked through some comments to see wther anyone asked. you said you glue on the fur cause you impatient (so am i :p) but i've heard it makes the head twice as hot... and give you a 'lighthead' >3<

sooo???
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Jun. 11th, 2009 06:49 am (UTC)
Re: to stitch, or not to stitch??
Gluing simply makes a bubbly seam and is less durable over flexing surfaces. It doesn't affect the head itself since the fur itself is glued on anyways.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
(Anonymous) wrote:
Oct. 21st, 2009 09:48 pm (UTC)
Do you have a tutorial for adding on the eyes? Are they simply glued to the foam or something?
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2009 01:33 am (UTC)
i do not and they are.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
(Anonymous) wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2009 01:29 am (UTC)
tape
you stick the duct tape directly onto the foam? will it tear the foam up when you cut and peel it off?
| Reply | Thread
[info]beetlecat wrote:
Nov. 8th, 2009 01:33 am (UTC)
Re: tape
yes. no.
| Reply | Parent | Thread
( 53 comments — Leave a comment )

Profile

beetlechristmas
[info]beetlecat
Now the hungry lion roars
Beetlecat Originals Website

Latest Month

December 2009
S M T W T F S
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
2728293031  

View All Archives

Tags

View my Tags page

Page Summary

Powered by LiveJournal.com
Designed by Lilia Ahner