ISSUE 255
Good day you all! Welcome back to yet another edition of Furry Weekly, your weekly magazine for the furry fandom! Thanks a bunch for joining us today for this issue. This is our 255th edition.
We want to start with our usual announcements, but if you’re an avid reader you’ve probably already seen them! Either way, if you want to just read the issue, feel free to scroll past this next section!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
HIRING
As usual, we want to start by reminding you about some positions we have open. We need help to keep making this project the best it can be, so take a look at the positions below and see if anything catches your eye:
- Art 101 Host
- Radical Raffles Host
- Available Artists Host
- Fursuit Designing Tips Host
- Furry of the Week Host
- Cover Artist
- Front End Website Developer
If you’d like to help out or if you want more info, please contact Yeshua, or Wolfysurprise. If you want a description of the roles above, visit this document! If you have any suggestions for other roles or things we could bring into Furry Weekly, please reach out as well. We’d love to hear your ideas! We still need lots of help in general, so please do consider joining us or sharing with other friends in the fandom if you can! We’d really appreciate it!
DISCORD SERVER
We want to tell you about a Discord server we recently became active in. It's called The Furry Social! The Furry Social is a new upcoming Discord where artists, commissioners and furries of all kinds can hang out and express themselves! Discover new content and share your own!
This is not an official Furry Weekly server, but we do work with folks there! So if you're looking for a furry Discord server to interact in, whether you're looking to just hang out, show off your creations, or browse and find new people to follow, check out The Furry Social!
There are also a couple of Furry Weekly channels where we can chat about the magazine, and you could even submit some of your content there! Nevertheless, be sure to join the server if it interests you! You can join it by clicking the link below! Just make sure you have Discord open!
The Furry Social Discord
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That’s all we have for announcements, so let’s jump into today’s issue! As always, let us know on our social media what you liked the most or if you’d like to see something or someone in a future issue. We’re @FurryWeekly on both Twitter and Instagram!
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
[✔] Furry of the Week
[❌] Animal of the Week
[✔] Art Corner
[✔] Writing Showcase
[❌] Art 101
[❌] Species Spotlight
[✔] Writing 101
[✔] Fursuit Fanatics
[✔] Photography 101
[❌] Fursuit Designing Tips
[✔] Radical Raffles
[✔] Available Artists
[❌] Character Interview
[✔] Convention Calendar
[✔] Furry Quote
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FURRY OF THE WEEK
Hello, everyone. My name’s Danielle, and welcome back to another edition of Furry of the Week! Before I get into this week’s Furry of the Week, I would like to bring attention to a previous candidate, Unnajynx from issue 242, for a moment.
They successfully sold the refurbished feline fursuit head late last month to help raise money for a non-profit organization in Illinois: Trinity Horsemanship Foundation, which aids in feeding the horses at the stable. 50 percent of that profit has gone towards Trinity Horsemanship Foundation as seen here. If you’re curious to learn more about this non-profit organization, feel free to check out their Facebook page here. Congratulations and thank you greatly for your contribution, Unnajynx!
This week we’re here with a candidate who is helping spread a public service announcement (PSA) about FurAffinity and Russia.
Please welcome wingedthunder!
Unfortunately, Russia has been officially blocked in FurAffinity, which has impacted the interaction between a Russian artist and client. Though fret not! Wingedthunder goes over in their PSA, what to do if you’ve commissioned an artist from Russia and how to regain contact with them. Please keep in mind that if the Russian artist has suddenly disappeared and has stopped responding to you, they aren’t ignoring or ghosting you for no reason. For more information, feel free to check out Wingedthunder’s post about it here. Stay safe, everyone!
Congratulations on being Furry of the Week, Wingedthunder! Thank you for bringing attention to this subject!
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That is all for this edition of Furry of the Week.
We’re always on the lookout for candidates to feature for their amazing contributions to the community. If you have any questions about this segment or would like to send us a recommendation for a future candidate, feel free to contact Fizzy or me.
Tune in next time for another mystery Furry of the Week! I’ll see you guys next time. Bye for now!
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ART CORNER
Hello, everyone! I’m Multifurse and welcome to Art Corner! I’ve got some great art to share with y’all this week, so let’s get started!
First up this week is an absolutely adorable ¾ body by bluxdoodle!
Oh my goodness I adore this! This piece is super cute, and so sparkly too! The pose is simple but really fluid at the same time. The curves of the body are very well portrayed, and I love how fluffy the character’s cheeks are! The big paws are also a really cute touch. The paw pads and toe beans look so nice and squishy, and I think you have the shading to thank for that! While there’s not a ton of shading in this piece, the shadows on the paw pads and toes and on certain other spots of the body give this piece some depth, and it really helps accentuate the highlights, which make the paws look that much more appealing! I also really like how Blu did the eyes; there’s a lot of color and various details in them, and they look so bright and cheery! Great work, Blu, this is precious!
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Next up this week is a traditional sketch by its.kai_113!
For not having drawn a horse before, I’d say this artist did a fantastic job! Equine anatomy is vastly different from most common furry species, so this sketch actually turned out really nicely! The facial structure is clear and easy to read, and I appreciate that the build of the character really reflects the general stockiness of horses. I’m not sure what breed of horse this is, but they remind me of a Clydesdale or a draft horse – at least in build. The shading is subtle but effective, especially in building out the chest and neck areas, and I love how expressive the eyes are! Excellent work, Kai, keep it up!
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The last piece this week is an adorable full body by pilotpigeons!
First and foremost, happy birthday! I hope this year brings you lots of joy and happiness! This piece is precious, Pilot! I love the pose and how happy your character looks throwing their confetti up in the air! This piece is all in flat colors, save for the eyes and tongue, but I think it works here! No shading is really needed, this piece is just fun! I really like the more textured brushes used here; they add a lot to the piece without really being overwhelming. Texture is always something nice to see in art, even if it’s through something as subtle as a brush choice. The party hat is also super cute. Beautiful work, Pilot! Go grab some cake and celebrate! Happy 25th!
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That’s all for this week! Many thanks to our artists, Blu, Kai, and Pilot for allowing me to feature their works this week! If you liked what you saw, check out their pages and drop a follow if you feel so inclined!
If you’d like a chance to be featured in Art Corner, make a post using the tags #FurryWeekly and #ArtCorner so I can find you, or message me directly on my Instagram or DeviantArt!
Thanks for joining us, and see you next time! Multifurse, out!
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WRITING 101
This isn’t the first time that the world has resolved into millions of voxels. First blurry, then steadily sharpened, the space around them constructs itself into a newly-renovated basement apartment. White walls and grayish-brown wood flooring glow like a screen. They even shimmer a bit when a familiar hawk blinks into existence and his talons rest on the hardwood. A few moments later, a camera whizzes excitedly as it too comes to life in this digital space.
“Woah…” says Tad. He glances at his feathered hands, indistinguishable from their real-life counterparts. “I’ll never get tired of that.”
The Camera shakes its body and chirrups.
“Okay… we have an apartment to tour. And it’s a self-guided tour, thank goodness.”
The two of them begin to poke around. The basement is void of any furnishings, save the blinds shielding the windows abutting the ceiling, but everything is clean and in good condition. The bedroom, closet included, has enough space for a bed and clothes. The living area is also plentiful for a computer desk and other furniture. Tad steps into the bathroom as well—it’s recently remodeled and finished in shining marble-like tile. Even the glass shower door is sparkling clean.
“This place looks great!”
The Camera chirps again. Tad spins around—an easy feat on the smooth tile floor.
“Eh? This week’s Writing 101?”
A whizz.
“In the bathroom?”
The Camera offers a few rapid chirrups, as if chuckling.
“I mean… I guess I can....”
The hawk clears his throat....
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Hello friends, and welcome to Furry Weekly’s Writing 101! I’m Bryce Griffin, here to get all you writers out there the inside scoop on literature tips and tricks. Let’s get started!
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As mentioned last week, I explored the concept of the Anti-fairy Tale and wanted to share what I learned. While it is true that the polar opposite of a fairy tale’s “they lived happily ever after” may be “the dragon burned the brave prince to a crisp,” this is not always the case. An anti-tale can enjoy many different ways to become so.
In this case, subverting the reader’s understanding of traditional tales encompasses a wide variety of methods. It includes twisting the well-known story into a new direction, leading the reader down a previously unexplored bath. It can mean offering different perspectives on those fairytale events to reveal new information. Or it could be as crude and cruel as an entirely new story where the protagonist fails miserably in their endeavors.
Possibly the most famous anti-tale in popular culture is DreamWorks’ adaptation of Shrek. It tells the story of the ogre Shrek who, by request of the self-centered and power-hungry Lord Farquaad, rescues Princess Fiona, not knowing that she is cursed to become an ogre herself every night. They still find love (despite the tribulations and heartbreak that briefly drive them apart) and enjoy their happily-ever-after, proving that not every anti-tale must be as dark or cruel as we might imagine.
A brief search will turn up many anti-tales, mostly in contemporary literature and modern media. Some are aimed at younger audiences and intend to be more approachable, like “The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales” and “The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs,” both written by Jon Scieszka (I particularly recall these stories from my early school days). Others, usually television shows or movies, tend to cater to more mature audiences who appreciate old stories receiving grim or violent twists.
In any case, the Anti-tale is proof that classic stories from our childhood aren’t sacred. They’re open to interpretation and have plenty of room for manipulation. Ever felt unsatisfied with a tale in particular? Perhaps the full picture got lost when focusing on the traditional protagonist’s adventure? Or maybe you’d like to guide a well-known fable down a different path? Give the Anti-fairy Tale a shot; you might uncover a whole different world just by taking the left path at the fork when the old story took the right path.
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Want us to take a look at your work? Got a general question for Writing 101? Just shoot me a message on Discord! I’ll be happy to answer any writing questions you may have, or even critique your work.
Thanks for joining me in Furry Weekly’s Writing 101. I hope you enjoy the rest of the magazine!
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Tad relaxes. He takes to leaning on the small counter, watching The Camera focus as it writes the new footage to its memory card.
“So what do you think of the apartment? I know it’s just a basement in a house, but… you know. Pretty nice for a basement.”
The Camera nods with approval.
The world dissolves. In a few moments, Tad finds himself seated back on his couch in his current apartment, laptop on the coffee table and Camera by his side.
“Okay,” he murmurs to himself as he collects his computer. “Time to apply....”
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FURSUIT FANATICS
Hihi..! My name is tahlmorra and I’m your host for another wonderful installment of Fursuit Fanatics. As promised, this week we stay in the EU but will travel from moderate Mediterranean climates all the way up north to the Nordic wilderness. Alright, maybe not wilderness - but it does have a certain ring to it. No, today we find ourselves in the city of Tampere, Finland (Sauna Capital of the World!) to visit this week’s guest fur(suit), Bitti, and his suiter, Roope. Both Roope and Bitti share the same he/him pronouns preference. Let’s go get to know them better, shall we?
When first meeting him, Bitti (meaning ‘bit’ in Finnish) strikes a fairly imposing figure. A Protogen with the common sleek and illuminated ‘visor’ capable of a wide range of expressions; Bitti is primarily cast in brilliant shades of blue with black accents down his back, his upper arms and legs, paws and outer ears. Bitti also sports a silver and blue ‘headset’ with paw-length fins extending from either side.
Bitti is the second version of Roope's first fursuit. He completed the first version of Bitti himself in June 2021 as a partial. Then he began work on version two, completing the head one year later, in June 2022. He finished the bodysuit in September.. Save for adding larger fins to the head, most of the changes and upgrades for the second version are internal in nature: improved electronics and build quality. As far as production of the fullsuit goes, Roope ordered the visor and the 3D files for the head plastics from (JtingF)[ https://www.etsy.com/shop/JFrandomness], but made the entirety of the rest of the suit himself.
Being a protogen, you’d expect at least a handful of special features to be present and Bitti does not disappoint. He has changing expressions that are managed by wireless controls in the handpaws; the mouth of the suit on the visor moves when talking; he has an audio visualizer ‘expression’ specifically for raves; there’s a “boop sensor” in the nose, and the expression reacts to boops.
And if that weren’t enough, you’ll never find yourself bored around Bitti because he also has “Google Dino Run,” Google Chrome’s no-internet browser game, programmed into his visor for fun!
At present, Roope has no immediate future plans for Bitti. Open possibilities at the moment include a third version of Bitti, or even a completely new, more traditional fursuit.
When it comes to public fursuiting preferences, Bitti loves going to events of any sort. Furry cons are the best, he recounts, but almost any sort of event will do. One of his personal favorites is the Särkänniemi Karmiva Karnevaali, an amusement park festival with a Halloween theme. Bitti finds pretty much everything to be fun when in-suit, but he really enjoys hugs, cuddles and dancing. Where conventions and meets are concerned, Bitti has been to FinFur Animus, Baltic Furfloat, and several smaller meets. He’s also attended a couple of anime/cosplay conventions. Basically, if there is a con nearby, he will attend those, but he has yet to attend a con outside of Finland; something he hopes to remedy one day.
Asked about furries and the fandom, Roope replies that he had known about furries for a long time but never found any particular interest in them. This changed sometime around 2017-18 after he saw a video of Majira Strawberry (@tallfuzzball on Instagram) in fursuit on 9gag.com, a meme website, and thought it looked “really cool.” He looked further into the furry community and, after some research, thought that it seemed to be really interesting after all.
For him, becoming a fursuiter was no particular surprise seeing as it was the fursuits that he found the most appealing part of the fandom; however, it did take some time for him to come out of his shell. For a couple of years Roope just followed the fandom, mostly through YouTube, but never took the opportunity to interact with any other furries. He considered himself, then and now, too introverted to try and interact with others. During this time, he thought about commissioning or making a fursuit, but wasn’t able to settle upon any particular fursona that he liked.
Then, about two years ago, he learned about protogens. He knew right away that was the suit he wanted to have. Being really interested in technology and, with building electronic devices already his favorite hobby, he knew that a protogen would be the perfect suit for him. Certain he could make the necessary electronics, he felt sewing the rest wouldn’t be all that difficult (with protogens you only need to sew a basic hood, no need for sewing a complicated fursuit face). It was also around then he learned about JtinF, from whom he bought the protogen frame and visor.
In 2020 Roope began building the protogen in earnest. At this point, he had no particular design in mind, so Roope decided to start on the electronics and see where that took him. While the electronics came easy to him, coming up with a good fursuit design proved to be less so. Almost having to force himself, he worked through multiple different designs before he came up with the design for Bitti – as he puts it, “a very original, blue protogen..” After that, it took Roope about nine months to finish Bitti version 1. He says that it would have taken considerably less time, but because of the pandemic and shipping restrictions, he couldn’t order the visor for quite a long time. He chose to use that time wisely, working on perfecting the electronics that would help bring Bitti to life. He made at least four different versions (each one including more and more features) before he was satisfied.
Once the suit was finished, Roope began to interact more with the fandom, but still felt too awkward to meet new furries. Fortunately, it was at this point that he met NollaProto, another Finnish protogen suiter. Since then, he and Nolla have become close friends and, thanks to their friendship, Bitte/Roope have gone to many events and made new friends in the fandom.
Presently, they have no particular goals in mind, Roope having graduated last year with his Masters degree, which had been his main goal for the past several years.
Aside from his obvious love for electronics, Roope enjoys gaming and spending time with friends. His major dislikes include people who touch his visor too roughly as well as general, pointless drama.
Asked about whether there was any significance to the design and how he came up with it, he answered: “The design doesn't have any real significance. I am really bad at coming up with creative designs. First of all I wanted the design to be simple, as this would be my first time making a fursuit. I chose these colors because for me they looked nice. Back then my plan was to make only a partial suit, so I didn't even have a reference sheet when making Bitti V1. Well, I got hooked on fursuiting and kept on making more parts for the partial suit, and the design evolved with each additional part I made. When I finally started making the bodysuit I had to make a reference sheet. It was quite difficult to make [a] design that looked ok and somewhat matched with the design of the partial suit.”
As far as care and maintenance goes, there is no elaborate routine involved. Mainly just a good brush and disinfection after each use, with a wash after extended or heavier use. The electronics themselves require very little in the way of attention, only needing the occasional re-soldering of a loose wire or two.
When fursuiting in public, it is usually at some sort of event (conventions or similar) that he usually attends with a good friend who happens to be a photographer, but not a furry themselves. Bitti finds public fursuiting to be a great deal of fun: “Fursuits seem to bring out a lot of joy and happiness in other people, which is really nice.” He says he usually finds himself “swarmed” with people looking to take pictures or give hugs when he’s out and about. “I have never had any bad experiences when public suiting.”
“I feel like that in suit I can be more open and more me. For example, you could never see me dance, but in suit dancing is really fun. Fursuits and [the] furry fandom have really helped me at meeting new people and making new friends.”
When asked about any particularly funny or memorable experiences he might have had while in-suit, he says “I have a few.”
“At Karmiva Karnevaali I was suddenly surrounded by like 20 Spanish school kids. They kept speaking to me in Spanish, but I don't speak Spanish so I had no idea what they were saying. I just kept high fiving them while surrounded by a sea of kids xD. Luckily their teacher came to take a group picture and soon the kids also left me alone. I just find it funny that now some Spanish class has a picture of a weird blue toaster in their picture gallery.”
“At the same event while I was standing still and posing for a picture, two women were approaching me from behind. They thought that I was a statue and part of the decorations so they got pretty spooked when I moved. When they passed me I could hear them laugh that one of them was about to grab my ass but luckily I moved and spooked them.”
Rounding out the interview, he added: “For me my fursuit and the furry community has brought a lot [of] joy and good things to my life. Before my fursuit I barely went anywhere and mostly spent my time at my computer. After making my fursuit I have made many good friends and have been a lot more active [in the community].”
And what a positive note that is to end this week’s Fursuit Fanatics segment! I hope you all enjoyed learning about our guest as much as I have. If you have further interest in learning about or following Bitti, he can be found at @BittiVonProto on Twitter and at @bittivonprotogen on Instagram. Many thanks to him for taking the time to spend with us all, this week..!
Come back to visit next week when we’ll be talking to Tank, a lion from the Everglades State. Whatever a lion is doing in the Everglades, you’ll just have to tune in to find out..!
If you think you could be featured on Fursuit Fanatics, or know someone you think should, reach out to us at #FurryWeekly and #FurryFanatics on most platforms; you just might be hearing from me to be the next Fur featured here at Furry Weekly. I’ve been tahlmorra, your Fursuit Fanatics host, and I look forward to seeing you next time around. Stay safe, stay well, stay furry..!
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PHOTOGRAPHY 101
Hello there, and welcome to Photography 101! I’m one of your co-hosts, Levi, and I am presenting a page about shooting landscapes. I hope you enjoy it; have a good day!
As I just said, this week’s issue is about landscapes. You might be asking, what exactly is a landscape? To put it simply, a landscape is just the visible area of land and its landforms. This can consist of water, rocks, mountains, etc. There is no hard definition of a landscape, so a landscape can really be anything.
The origin of landscape photography dates all the way back to the introduction of photography itself. The first photographs ever taken - daguerreotypes - were often landscapes due to their lack of mobility and the long periods required for the camera film to expose properly. Though as time went on, the landscape got easier to capture, and by the time the Civil War in the United States ended, many railroad connoisseurs would take photos of the views to help sell tickets. Ever since then, the humble landscape has been a great option for many photographers to get a good shot.
Now, you may be wondering; do I need anything to shoot a landscape myself? The answer is no! You can take great landscape photos with just about any camera, even your phone! Generally you’ll need a wide-angle lens that can shoot higher aperture to keep everything in focus. Though, if the conditions can’t allow for high aperture, you can get away with using something lower if everything in focus fits into the ‘infinity’ of your focusing range. If you would like to get a better shot, it’s recommended that you use a tripod to both keep a stable image, and to ensure that everything is lined up properly and isn’t off kilter.
If you want to try some more interesting techniques - like shooting at night, shooting sunrises and sunsets - you should try the long exposure. A long exposure simply means the camera sensor will be exposed to light for a longer period, so more light gets in. This is great for low light, and works well with shooting night scenes. However, you’ll need a tripod to keep steady. Any camera movement will result in a shaky image, so it’s best to just let your camera do its thing without shaking it. For those who may want to shoot a sunrise or sunset, an ND gradient filter is a wise investment! It goes on the lens, and makes the top of the image darker while leaving the bottom be. This is perfect for shooting landscapes, so that you can get a proper exposure without either burning the sky out or having a dark landscape.
In the picture above, you can see my setup for a sunrise shoot. Using my canon t6i with a Canon 55-200mm lens, I captured the sunrise with a 20” exposure at f/16 on ISO 400. This is the result I got, using my regular camera and a generic lens:
In the end, the landscape photo has stayed relatively the same over the course of decades, with very few changes. Who knows what landscape photography will look like in another 100 years? I can’t imagine what methods the next generation will use to continue the tradition of landscape photography.
Thank you so much for reading my camera talk. I'm your segment host, Levi and I hope you enjoy the rest of this week’s issue!
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RADICAL RAFFLES
Hello, everyone! My name’s Danielle, and I’m here with Dozu to bring you the most interesting raffles. Let’s take a look at them.
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First, we have a 690 follower raffle by user @radishkek!
How to Enter:
-Retweet and follow.
Prize:
-A half body piece with your favorite Pokémon!
Deadline:
-This raffle will end soon - on March 1st, to be exact!
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Second, we have an art raffle by user @peachillia!
How to Enter:
-Retweet and follow.
-Tag some friends!
-OPTIONAL: Share a reference sheet and a little about your original character (OC).
Prize:
-A portrait or half body drawing.
Deadline:
- This raffle ends on March 16th. There’s still some time to enter!
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Next up, we have an art raffle by user Caffeine_Mutt!
How to Enter:
-Follow and retweet.
-Comment a safe for work (SFW) reference.
Prizes:
-1st place: shaded full body with a background
-2nd place: shaded headshot with a background
-More prizes might be added depending on entries.
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on March 1st, which gives you a little time left to enter.
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Up next, we have a reference sheet raffle by user LEPER_KlNG!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Comment your favorite game, movie, or book.
Prize:
-The winner will receive a reference sheet.
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on March 10th, which gives you about two weeks left to enter.
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Next up, we have an icon giveaway by user eelliedesigns!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-OPTIONAL: Tag a friend.
Prize:
-The winner will receive an icon.
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on March 1st, which gives you a little time left to enter.
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Celebrate with a road to 1k followers raffle by user Pasteleons!
How to Enter:
-Follow and retweet (no quote retweets).
Prize:
-The winner will receive a lineless headshot.
Deadline:
-This raffle ends when Mars reaches 1k followers. Currently, Mars is at 879 followers. You still have some time to enter.
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Celebrate with a Pokémon Day raffle by AngelSoma!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Comment a SFW reference.
Prize:
-Two winners will receive a colored sketch of their character. The acceptable types of characters are OCs, fusions, fakemon, and regular Pokémon.
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Pokémon Day, which is February 27th. Get your entry in while you can!
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Up next, we have an art raffle by Nocturne!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet (no quote retweets).
-Comment your favorite animal.
Prize:
-1st place: soft-shaded full body
-2nd place: full-shaded icon
Deadline:
-This raffle will end on March 5th, which is also Nocturne’s birthday. Feel free to wish Nocturne a happy early birthday.
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Last but not least, we have a bust raffle by Gizmo!
How to Enter:
-Follow and retweet.
-OPTIONAL: Post a reference in the comments.
Prize:
-The winner will receive a shaded bust.
Deadline:
-This raffle will end on March 10th, which gives you about two weeks left to enter.
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Those are all the raffles we have for you this week. There's always more out there, and we'll make sure to find them and bring them to you every week.
Make sure you use the tags #RadicalRaffles and #FurryWeekly so we can find your raffle more easily.
Thank you for taking a look at this week’s raffles! Stay tuned because more radical raffles are coming your way!
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AVAILABLE ARTISTS
Hello, everyone! My name’s Danielle, and I’m here with Dozu to bring you the latest and greatest artists to commission.
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We start with Autumn_Mobile (Discord: Autumn_Mobile#6388). Autumn is a wonderful artist who is the best at illustrating characters from the My Little Pony (MLP) universe. They are also able to draw furries and humans, but ponies are their strong suit. Their art style is very animated, and their characters are full of life!
Sadly, they had some recent family issues and are in need of some quick money, so if you can commission them, now is the time to do so!
You can also find Autumn’s work on their YouTube channel. We hope you get the funds you need, Autumn!
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Abogato_Draws is next. He’s an attorney-at-law and illustrator who specializes in a Night in the Woods (NITW) style. It is truly amazing how much he mimics this style. If you’re looking to get a character in a NITW style, you’re definitely in the right place! He offers all-in-one commission bundle options, as well as individual types such as icons, your character heres (YCHs), and character design adoptables. The all-in-one commission bundles come with the individual type of commissions and more.
You can find Abogato’s prices on his pinned tweet here as well as his other social media on his Linktree here. If you’re interested in a commission or have any questions, feel free to message him.
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Up next, we have El Saulo, an artist and graphic designer who specializes in furry and Digimon art. He loves working with Digimon and would be more than happy to draw your Digimon character. You’ll find their great art style in different commission options such as headshots/icons, half bodies, full bodies, character designs via reference sheets, and stickers for Telegram and Twitch. Half bodies are not directly shown, but they are available as sketches ($15), linearts with flat colors ($25), and full colors with custom backgrounds ($40).
You can find El Saulo’s prices, terms of service, and links to their social media on their Carrd here. If you have any details or commission types that weren’t mentioned here, you are more than welcome to ask El Saulo. Traditional art might be added in future, so keep an eye out for that.
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Last but not least, we have Shearwater (Discord: Shearwater
#6963), a Canadian digital furry artist who specializes in backgrounds and scenes. Besides these, you’ll also see headshots, waist up, full bodies, and random drawing commission options. I’d recommend checking out her art if you’re interested in backgrounds, scenes, or getting a random drawing.
You can find her prices here, on DeviantArt, and on TikTok here. Feel free to message her if you have any questions or are interested in a commission.
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That is all for this edition of Available Artists.
We’re always on the lookout for amazing artists to put on the spotlight. Don’t forget to use the hashtags #AvailableArtists and #FurryWeekly so we can find you. Feel free to message me directly on any of my social media if you have any artists with open commissions you’d like us to feature.
Thank you for reading and checking out these amazing artists!
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CONVENTION CALENDAR
Hello again, readers! I’m Shetani, your Convention Calendar segment host for this issue. March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb, so the saying goes, but no matter what kind of critter you are, you’ll find plenty of fun opportunities to gather with other furries this month. Let’s hear about March’s furry conventions and events happening online, around the world, and in your neck of the woods!
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March’s furry fun starts off immediately with Gdakon, from Wednesday March 1 - Sunday March 5. The Novotel Gdańsk Marina Hotel in Gdańsk, Poland is host to this celebrated furry convention. If you ain’t afraid of no ghost, you’ll get a real treat from this year’s theme: Paranormal Spooktivity! The Gdakon schedule is already public, so furries can immediately begin planning their five days of fun. This year, Gdakon introduces a fursuit photoshoot and a snack exchange. Both of these events require signup in advance, so navigate to the Gdakon website if you’re interested in participating! While at Gdakon, keep an eye out for representatives from their charity Help4herps, a reptile shelter in Gdansk, and donate to assist them in continuing their great work. Gdakon requires a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook
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VancouFur returns to the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada from Thursday March 2 - Sunday March 5 for their annual convention. Beyond Furmageddon is the 2023 theme, so expect to see post-apocalyptic costumes from attendees and decorations from the con. Vancoufur offers a lot of unique programming beyond the typical furry convention staples, like their Cutie Pageant, ice cream social, escape room, and convention-wide scavenger hunt! This year’s Guest of Honor is Rahne, a dancer, DJ, writer and Twitch streamer. The Community Spotlight is Temrin, a freelance illustrator, streamer, and chairperson of CozyCon. Qmunity, a BC-based non-profit that works to improve queer, trans, and Two-Spirit lives, will have a presence too as 2023 charity of choice. While VancouFur doesn’t require proof of COVID vaccination this year, you will need to wear a mask at all times in convention spaces and adjoining hallways - including under fursuit heads.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram
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The Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia, USA will welcome back Fur the ‘More attendees from Friday March 10 - Sunday March 12. Anachronistic antics await you with their 2023 theme of Time Travelers Reunion. This year, the con supports the Frederick Center of Maryland, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting, connecting, and educating the LGBTQ+ community and its allies in Central Maryland. Panels and meetups on a variety of topics, from fursuit making to writing and everything in between, are scheduled, so don’t forget to look at the Fur the ‘More website and find out what’s in store. While there, don’t miss performances by Musical Guest Tonya Song, a singer-songwriter, composer, and Native activist. Fur the ‘More requires face masks and proof of initial two COVID-19 vaccines. As a special bonus, proof of COVID boosters and the influenza vaccine will earn you a discount at their con store!
Website | Twitter | Mastodon | Facebook
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Come on down to Gateway FurMeet between Friday March 10 - Sunday March 12! The Sheraton Westport Chalet Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, USA is host to the festivities once again, and their theme this year is Breaking Free. Among the scheduled GFM events are a cursed sketchbook swap, furry karaoke, and stuffed animal exchange. A charity burlesque show will also be held to raise money for Got Your Six Support Dogs, which helps veterans and first responders heal from PTSD and trauma by providing service dogs. Meet-and-greets are scheduled with the charity as well as the Guest of Honor, illustrator FeretStudios. Attendees must provide COVID-19 vaccination proof or a negative PCR test.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon
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Meanwhile, a hemisphere away, the Furry Tea Party is scheduled for Saturday March 11 - Sunday March 12. Located at The Pier2 Art Center in Kaohsiung, Taiwan, furries from all around will gather to have fun and celebrate their first physical event since 2020. Detectives’ Feast is the theme for this iteration, complete with a very impressive and engaging promo video on the convention’s website to get attendees excited. Activities will include a fursuiter cafe (similar to maid cafes), photo contest, group picture and parade, and a seminar hosted by the Taiwan Guide Dog Association. You can of course take part in Furry Tea Party without a fursuit, but be sure to not forget your face mask, as those are required!
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It’s Attack of the Jackafluffies at Texas Furry Fiesta 2023! What exactly is a Jackafluffy? If you show up at the Sheraton Dallas in Dallas, Texas, USA between Thursday March 16 - Sunday March 19, you very well may find out! The fourth largest furry convention worldwide promises a wild and fun-filled event for all. This year, TFF’s charity of choice is The Center for Animal Research and Education (CARE), which provides a safe, permanent, and loving home to big cats and other animals in need. At TFF 2023, you’ll have the opportunity to meet many worthy Guests of Honor: sex educators and activists Pup Amp and Mr. Kristofer, comic artist and author Rick Griffin, illustrator Padunk, and fursuit maker Aurora Bloom. Pre-registration is still open at the time of writing, so head over to their website if you haven’t bought tickets yet. TFF will enforce masking within convention space.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook
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Come one, come all to Furnal Equinox from Friday March 17 - Sunday March 19! Dust off your chainmaille and sharpen your swords, as 2023 is themed “Tales from the Tavern.” The aptly named Westin Harbour Castle in Toronto, Ontario, Canada will play host to the medieval mischief that comes with the theme this year. FE’s charity of choice is the volunteer-run wildlife rescue Hobbitstee Wildlife Refuge. The two Guests of Honor, Sanguine Games and Cheetahpaws, will have tables in the FE Dealer’s Den, in addition to many other furry artists and vendors of all kinds. Though the schedule is still being finalized, attendees can expect panels, fursuit photo ops, dances, gaming, and even more merriment. You’ll need your COVID-19 vaccination proof as well as a face mask to wear while in con space, so don’t forget those at home!
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram
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Blue Ridge Furfare is going virtual again for 2023! Dive into the world wide web and experience the con theme of “Mainfurrame Meltdown.” From Friday March 17 - Sunday March 19, programming will be held online via Discord, VRChat, and various streaming platforms. Attendees of BRFF’s previous online iteration in 2021 can expect a similar experience, featuring panels, performances, a dealer’s den, digital dance party with live DJs, online fursuit parade, and much more. Donations will be raised over the weekend for Asheville Cat Weirdos, BRFF’s charity of choice for 2023. Registration is completely free, and what’s not to love about a con you can attend from the comfort of your own living room? Check out BRFF’s website for all the details on how to participate.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram
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From Thursday March 23 - Sunday March 26, the annual Furrnion will take place in Alicante, Spain. Furrnion moves to a brand new location for their fourth event, the AC Hotel by Marriott Alicante. Hop on board the nostalgia train with the theme “Welcome to the ‘80s” - quite a popular one for furry conventions in the past year! Their charity is Adoptamics, an organization which rescues, fosters, and adopts abandoned and abused dogs and cats. Furrnion attendees can start getting pumped for totally rad events like Furrylimpics, dance battles, video dating, concerts, and fan favorite ‘80s movies playing every night of the convention! You must be 18 years old to attend Furrnion.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook | Instagram
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Come to Motor City Furry Con 2023 and you’ll be in a world of “Fur Imagination” - Willy Wonka style! This year’s event is scheduled for Friday March 24 - Sunday March 26 at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA. If chocolate and candy aren’t to your tastes, fear not, as there’s plenty for furries to see and do at MCFC. This con boasts a video game room and prize arcade, bingo after dark, and even a raffle where you could win a PS5! Be sure to say hello to the Guests of Honor: Gameover, artist and fursuit maker, and Iggy, game show host and comedian. You’ll also have an opportunity to help out the worthy charity The Pipsqueakery, a small animal rescue and sanctuary, via donations and events over the course of the weekend. Attendees must be at least 18 years old and present proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook
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Furries who prefer a taste of the great outdoors in their furry events should look no further than Woods Flock, who's next event is being held Friday March 24 - Sunday March 26 of this year. This family-friendly camp event returns to Fall Creek Falls State Park in Spencer, Tennessee, USA for their second year. Quite aptly, the theme this time around is “To the Hundred Acre Wood,” recalling the fun-filled adventures of everyone’s favorite silly old bear, Winnie-the-Pooh. Prospective attendees can begin their own adventure by going over the schedule just posted to Woods Flock’s social media, wherein a blend of traditional camping activities and furry convention staples have been planned. Madshy, the Guest of Honor this year, will host a plushie picnic as well as a supersponsor brunch. Though details about the charity were not publicly available at press time, a special presentation and charity auction are also on the docket. Whether browsing the Maker’s Market, doing arts and crafts, fursuiting with friends, or making s’mores by the fire, a memorable weekend is guaranteed at Woods Flock!
Website | Twitter || Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram
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Thaitails is making a splash at a new location, the Arnoma Grand Bangkok in Bangkok, Thailand, the weekend of Saturday March 25 - Sunday March 26. Themed Siam Sawasdee and featuring the artist Arashi Takemoto as Guest of Honor, 2023’s event will be the first in-person Thaitails since 2019. Panels, a Dealer’s Den, live DJs, and a stage show are planned. Keep an eye on Thaitails’s official channels for registration and policy info as it becomes available.
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Keep Tahoe Furry is a brand-new outdoor furry event at the Granlibakken in Tahoe City, California, USA. Though the pandemic has thrown a few wrenches into the works, they’re finally ready to host their first event from Friday March 31 - Tuesday April 3 of this year. KTF bills itself as an alternative furcon without panels, dances, or scheduling, instead offering attendees an opportunity to create their own fun with friends and enjoy Lake Tahoe. Even so, there’s a fursuit sledding and group photo event planned for the last day of the con, and attendees are welcome to host their own small events. KTF is free to attend as long as you’re over 18 years of age, are vaccinated against COVID-19, and follow the venue’s mask guidelines.
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This month’s calendar graphic is by Sunni/The_Real_Wolf_Artist, and features Shetani and our editor Zenith.
Here in the northern hemisphere, March means it’s time for the vernal equinox, heralding the coming of spring. We often associate springtime with beginnings, fresh starts, and turning over a new leaf. This is a great time to make new friends and get connected with your local furry community by helping out at a physical or online furry event.
This month, I’ll be attending Furnal Equinox in person for the first time, which is unbelievably exciting! If our paths cross at the convention, please come say hi and let me know you’re a Furry Weekly reader! Remember to keep up-to-date on vaxx boosters and wear your face mask when meeting up with any furs in person.
Got questions or suggestions for Convention Calendar? Feel free to drop me a line on Twitter and the Fediverse, or hit me up at any of the other platforms linked on my website. If there’s an upcoming con you want to ensure we cover here on Furry Weekly, don’t hesitate to let me know. Have fun and stay safe out there!
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FURRY QUOTE
Hi everyone, Lilli here with this week’s Furry Quote!
This week, we’re talking about:
Discovering Yourself
Hey hi hello, and welcome back! Have you ever heard someone talking about “finding themselves” while on a trip or away at college or something? I sure have. Heck, I’ve been told that I found myself when I was away at college. I disagree. I’d already found myself, and likely, so have you. See, we’re not difficult to find. We’re all right here, after all. I do, however, think that I created myself, my true self, while away at college.
When I first left for school, I felt under immense pressure to be perfect. It was pressure that I had put on myself, of course, but it was reinforced by my surroundings in high school and back at home. I was a stereotypical “gifted kid” with straight A’s that wore high heeled boots to classes. I am dead serious. When I got to college, all that changed. Classes were harder. I was no longer the straight A’s gifted kid. Wearing heels on the regular and looking all put together became a rarity as I was walking everywhere and was tired all the time. I felt like I was slipping, and truth be told, I got a little depressed during my freshman year.
As time went on, though, I started experimenting a bit more with myself. Trying out new things to wear, new classes, new interests, new extracurriculars. I kept what I liked, and I got rid of what I didn’t. Gradually, I became almost an entirely different person, and I love who I am now. I don’t think I would recognize myself back in high school, to tell you the truth.
The whole point of that little trip down memory lane is to simply say that we change. We all change. As we grow and develop and strike out on our own, we are going to become different people. You don’t find the you that you’re meant to be. You create them, little by little, piece by piece, and you learn so much about yourself along the way!
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That’s all for this week! Thank you for joining me to talk about discovering yourself! If you have a topic you’d like me to cover or a quote you’d like them to share, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram or DeviantArt.
See you next time.
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