ISSUE 268
Hi everyone! Thanks for joining us for another installment of Furry Weekly! This is issue #268 and we’re ready to bring you your weekly dose of the furry fandom!
We have our usual announcements to start us off, and we’d like for you to please consider reading the ‘recruitment’ section because we’re really looking for some help to keep making this project the best it can be!
Still, if you want to get straight to today’s content, just scroll past the announcements!
ANNOUNCEMENTS
READER FEEDBACK
Without all of you, our amazing readers, there wouldn't be a Furry Weekly magazine. That's why we want to hear your voice. We have a new feedback survey on what you are thinking about Furry Weekly. If you would like to help us improve, then just click here to take the survey. And thanks for your time to do so!
RECRUITING
Below are the positions we need help with, so check them out and see if anything catches your eye:
- Art Corner Host
- Furry of the Week Host
- Radical Raffles Host
- Available Artists Host
- DIY Project of the Week Host
- Front End Website Developer
- Editor
If you’d like to help out or if you want more info, please contact Yeshua, or Carkas. And to read about what each role entails, 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’re still on The Furry Social Discord server! It’s a server where artists, commissioners and furries of all kinds can hang out and express themselves! You can find 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 just want to hang out, show off your work, or browse and find new folks 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 for our announcements! Now let’s check out today’s content! We hope you enjoy, and please let us know what you liked the most on our socials! We’re @FurryWeekly on Instagram, Twitter, and now Threads!
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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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ANIMAL OF THE WEEK
Hello everyone! It’s Zed Shirogane and it’s another animal of the week segment!
Animal of the Week is a segment where we highlight an animal that is really cool, cute, creepy, or just plain fascinating. There will be a coloring page illustration for you all to print out and color in at home, as well as an adoptable character inspired by the animal of that week. The best part? All proceeds made by said adopt will be donated to conservation charities!
Whenever possible we do symbolically adopt the animal, but only some animals have the privilege to have that as an option unfortunately; thus we collect extra funds to donate to many different species conservation charities or send funds to scientists so that they can research underappreciated animal species, so we can in turn learn more about the world around us. Join us on this fun adventure!
It’s July, and the animal group for this month is the falcons!
Falcons are birds of prey in the genus Falco, which includes about 40 species. Falcons are widely distributed on all continents of the world except Antarctica, though closely related raptors did occur there in the Eocene. Kestrels are the smallest falcon subspecies that typically sport brown or gray feathers along their backs and feed on small rodents, insects, and reptiles. Hobbies are slightly larger than their Kestrel cousins. The most well-known falcon group is the Peregrine falcon and its close relatives, which are powerful, fast, and truly impressive. The final group, which sometimes falls under the Peregrine group, is the Hierofalcons which have feathers that are red or brown and strong patterns throughout their plumage.
Falconry is the hunting of wild animals in their natural state and habitat by means of a trained bird of prey. Small animals are hunted; squirrels and rabbits often fall prey to these birds. Falconry centers or bird-of-prey centers house these raptors. They are responsible for many aspects of bird-of-prey conservation (through keeping the birds for education and breeding). Many conduct regular flying demonstrations and educational talks, and are popular with visitors worldwide.
The practice of falconry makes a lot of positive contributions to conservation efforts for birds of prey. Disease and predation leave many raptor species with a low chance of survival during the first year of life. Falconers trap these young chicks to use in the field, working to nurse them to optimal health and providing protection from predators. Once they’re done hunting with them, long after this period of vulnerability has passed, they release them back into the wild to thrive. Raptors prey on many of the nuisance birds, rodents, and other animals that ravage crops. Employing falconry as a form of pest control reduces the use of harmful chemicals that negatively impact our health and the environment. Additionally, falconry birds help manage prey populations in the wild to prevent overpopulation and the devastating long-term effects it can have on habitats and the ecosystem as a whole.
This Week’s Species: Bat falcon (Falco rufigularis)
Characteristics
Bat falcon adults have blue-black heads and upperparts with grayish edges on the feathers from the upper back to the upper tail coverts. Their throat, upper breast, and sides of the neck are white to buff, sometimes with some cinnamon; the rest of their breast is black with fine white bars. Their belly, thighs, and undertail coverts are chestnut-rufous. Their tail is blackish with thin white or grayish bars and a white or buff tip. They have long wings and a longish tail with a square tip.
Fun Facts
Bat falcons are considered a solitary raptor. An important part of bat falcon's time is spent hunting. This type of behavior is a sign of their predator nature. Bat falcons primarily communicate through visual and vocal ways, often calling back and forth to their mate during breeding season.
Habitat
The bat falcon is found in Mexico, Central and South America. It ranges from eastern Colombia east to the Guianas and Trinidad, and south to southern Brazil and northern Argentina. Bat falcons inhabit the tropical rain forests. Though they occur in unbroken forests, bat falcons seem to be able to adjust to human disturbance and are sometimes found to be more common in broken forest, which includes disturbed area, forest edge, road cuts, riverbanks, or cleared agricultural land with scattered trees.
Diet
The bat falcon appears to have a preference for consuming bats, although they do not make up the majority of its diet. Their diet consists mainly of small birds and large insects, which include dragonflies, moths, and large grasshoppers. The diet of the bat falcon varies by seasons and is divided into summer and winter diets.
Life Cycle
The bat falcon appears to have adapted to its habitat and nests in natural tree cavities or holes abandoned by parrots, in old trogon nests in termite colonies, or on cliffs, also on pre-Columbian ruins, and man made structures, such as sugar mill cranes. The bat falcon lays 2-4 eggs. Incubation periods last up to 4 to 7 weeks.
Conservation
This species is not globally threatened. Falco rufigularis tolerates and can even benefit from patchy, small-scale deforestation. The bat falcon has stopped breeding in areas of South America where the forest has significantly changed to agriculture. This type of behavior is likely to recur in other places throughout the range.
Here are some links to articles about the conservation of the bat falcon:
Adopt
All funds from this adopt will go to animal conservation. The goal for this month is to save up to symbolically adopt falcons through a donation to UC Davis’s California Raptor Center to help fund the care of Apollo, Hawk Creek Wildlife Center to help fund for the care of Caspian, and the National Wildlife Federation: which requires a total of $140. This adopt will be one of 5 total created to achieve this goal and hopefully more, extra funds are pooled together to be donated to conservation research programs. It will be available for $30 at Shirogane Studios.
Coloring Page
Enjoy this coloring page made by yours truly, for you! Feel free to print it out at home to color in, or if you enjoy the design feel free to purchase it on a multitude of products.
Animal Ambassadors
Thank you to our Animal Ambassadors: our AOTW supporters, who have helped make the world a little bit better for animals. If you wish to join us, or maybe just really like these character designs so you want to get access to some exclusive adopts, you can find our patreon for this passion project HERE.
References
Most of my information was derived from Wikipedia and supplemented from other websites such as the Animal Diversity Web.
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ART CORNER
Hi you all! This is Yeshua with a quick note regarding the Art Corner segment! Unfortunately we didn't have enough artwork to feature, so I wanted to take the chance to tell you all how you can have your artwork showcased here!
There are two ways for your art to end up here:
WAY #1: USE FURRY WEEKLY'S TAGS
Furry Weekly is on Twitter, Instagram, and DeviantArt! If you want to submit one of your art pieces to be featured here, you can always post it to one of these platforms, and use Furry Weekly's tags so we can find it!
- On Twitter and Instagram: Use #furryweekly and #artcorner
- On DeviantArt: Use the tag 'Furry Weekly.'
- On Threads: Since there are not tags or hashtags on Threads at the moment, you can tag us directly! We're @furryweekly there just like all other platforms.
WAY #2: REACH OUT DIRECTLY
For now, Multifurse and I, Yeshua, are hosting Art Corner until we have a new permanent host -- which if you're interested in helping out, just reach out to me for details! But until then, you can submit your artwork to Multifurse and I by reaching out directly on one of our socials linked here in this segment. Just let us know you want to submit your art to Art Corner, and we'll go from there!
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Pretty simple stuff, right? The fandom is full of talented artists, so whether you draw digitally, traditionally, maybe even do crafts or do art in other mediums, we want to see it all, share it, and talk about it! That's what we do here at Art Corner, and if you want to see what a usual segment looks like, just check out the segment for issue 267.
We hope to see some of your work soon so we can share it and rave about it! Until then, take care!
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WRITING 101
A hawk, still dressed in a neat white button-up and black suspenders, is hunched over his desk in his basement apartment. A small, oblong scanner connected to the hawk’s laptop sits on the desk. Warm overhead light shines from above, making the 35mm film between his feathered fingers glow a burnished bronze. Thirty-six exposures cut into nine short strips of four exposures each… thirty-six pictures taken since Christmas… and now was the moment of truth. Did they turn out okay?
“I hate how long this takes…” murmurs Tad. He gently pushes the film down into the film strip holder, but its curled nature makes both flattening and aligning the strip a serious chore.
“Come on....”
With the help of a cotton swab, he manages to keep the film flat enough to snap the film strip holder in place.
“Gotcha.”
He glances over his shoulder. The Camera is resting next to an outlet, tethered by a charging cable. Its “charging”light glows a steady red. The Camera had never seen Tad’s film scanner before today, but at least it didn’t seem to mind this specialized imager’s presence in the apartment. Scanning film tended to be a tricky process anyway, much less for a machine like the Camera.
Tad slides the holder into the machine and begins the scanning process on his laptop.
“While I’m waiting....”
He minimizes the scanning software, opens up the document with his magazine work, and begins typing.
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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!
This week, we’re shifting gears away from tropes in literature to take a look at literary devices. We use literary devices all the time in our writing whether we realize it or not. Rather than focus on the most common ones, as we’ve previously done for Writing 101, we’ll be looking at some ticky, often misunderstood devices.
This subcategory of irony is actually quite straightforward—you’ve probably implemented verbal irony in real-life situations many times without consciously noting it as such. Say a vicious cold snap hits the country, forcing everyone to bundle up against biting winds and bitter cold outside. You walk to a family member’s house and stumble through the door, shivering to the bone. The first words you manage to get out over your frozen lips are, “I nearly had a heat stroke out there!”
Most instances of verbal irony aren’t nearly that clear-cut. Recall this from the Introduction to Irony: there is the surface layer meaning where all will see and understand, but only those that can see the deeper layers will truly appreciate the complete picture. Verbal irony is tricky to pull off in a real-world situation. Verbal irony is a potential element of comedy; therefore, timing, tone, delivery, and non-verbal cues contribute to the delivery’s effectiveness. Miss out on one or more of those cues, and you’re likely to miss the mark.
The same concept translates to writing. As an author, you are stripped of all the tools needed to key in your readers. All you are left with are words on a page. Thus, communicating the same concept and delivering the same punch as in real life becomes much more challenging. So how do you set it up?
No situation is alike, but they all share the fact that they depend on more than the spoken word; thus, you need to build the scene so that the reader adequately gathers and processes the same cues that would be found in a real-life example. Show the speaker’s deadpan expression. Ensure a fresh reminder of what will influence their next line. Nail the flat and dry voice. That way, when asked for the million-and-first time if they paid their rent on time, their annoyance will ring clear when they say, “Yup, and the next month’s rent, and the whole next year, and my neighbor’s, and for every tenant for the rest of their lives.”
And remember: verbal irony is not the same as lying!
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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 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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The scanner whirrs for a few seconds, then remains silent. A notification pops up in the corner of the screen.
“‘Scan has finished…’ Okay, but how did it turn out?” the hawk mumbles.
He opens up the newly-created file. It’s a blowup of the exposure on the film, enlarged to take up the entire screen. Nevermind the adequately-composed image or the fair colors popping on the screen. A large stain, like a spilled chemical not properly cleaned, takes up a sizable portion of the exposure. Not only that, but long and ugly scratches make Tad believe someone had used sandpaper to clean the film.
“What the—?”
Tad rips the film holder out of the scanner and holds it up to the light. Sure enough, the same stain marks its territory… and not just on this exposure. Splotches maim the other exposures as well. Tad exercises every ounce of willpower to not utter a long string of swear words.
“I think it’s safe to say that this won’t turn out how I imagined.”
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FURSUIT FANATICS
Hihi! I’m tahlmorra and welcome to this week’s installment of Fursuit Fanatics! I hope everyone has been having a great Summer so far… except those, of course, for whom it’s winter right now, and that’s where we’re going today; down to the Southern Hemisphere and the lovely Australian state of Tasmania. I’ve dragged our time machine along with us, but it will only be a short hop that we’re taking. Back past September 1936 (important), past the 1900s, past the 1800s and coming to rest in 1700 exactly, when wildlife flourished along the coasts and through the scrublands before hunting, habitat loss and imported diseases brought a sad and well documented end to our featured guest’s species: the thylacine, commonly known as the Tasmanian Tiger/Devil. Recently, however, there has been a concerted, scientific effort to bring the species back to the wilds of Australia and it is in this hopeful light that I’m pleased to introduce this week’s guest, popping in from Melbourne to be with us today: Russet, the (last? first?) Thylacine!
As just mentioned, Russet is a Thylacine from Melbourne, Australia and his suiter goes by Torridger (or just Torr) and they go by the pronouns they/he/she. Russet is a general mix of his species colors: brown, beige, and black with black stripes on his face, feetpaws and back and tail. Torr made the entirety of Russet himself, initially as a mini-partial (head, handpaws and tail) that was ready for Furry Down Under 2022. He gradually added the feetpaws and arm sleeves before finally completing the full, digitigrade fullsuit in time again for FurDU 2023. Special features include a moveable jaw, built using an elastic and balaclava technique as well as sewn-in padding and a zip on, floor-dragger tail. Simple future plans include adding more piercings, and specifically a septum piercing. More substantial alterations are planned to take up some slack in the arms and extend the legs slightly to eliminate visible seams. He’s also currently working on sandals for the suit, for outdoor suiting to protect the detailed, indoor feetpaws.
Torr and Russet love the general idea of public suiting and have suited both at Oz ComicCon and local meets along the Yarra River in Melbourne city. They greatly enjoy seeing people’s reactions, being asked for photos, and explaining what a furry is to those who are curious – especially when they think they might want to join in! Locations like Southbank (Melbourne) and Sydney Harbour are on their short list of places they’d love to eventually public suit at – allowing, of course, for local busking laws, where applicable. Regarding conventions, they have already attended Furry Down Under 2022 & 2023, Melbourne Fur Con 2023 and Aurawra Year 2 in Sydney, just a couple weeks ago in 2023! They have also attended BBQ meetups along the Yarra River, which they describe as a beautiful location. Future plans include a desire to travel overseas to the United States for conventions like AnthroCon and Europe for EuroFurence. Closer to home, FurcoNZ (an outdoor camping event in New Zealand) is another destination of interest.
Torr says his personal journey into furriness likely began somewhere around 2012 when they became mesmerized by the creations of Monoyasha on YouTube, especially their Jurassic Park raptor suit and their Toothless cosplay. It wasn’t until 2014, when they discovered furry convention videos and fursuit making tutorials, that they realized that those interests were furry-adjacent. They say it was amazing finding out that there was an entire community of creative people who loved making characters and elaborate costumes of the same. Torr began actively participating in the community online around 2016 by way of Furry Amino and began making friends through art trades and casual art commissions. 2022 was the first year that they began attending in-person events. All in all, they figure they’ve considered themselves a furry for nine years now, saying, “Crazy to think about!”.
An active member of the fandom since 2016, they say that they’ve always thought the idea of becoming one’s own character via fursuit performance has been one of the biggest aspects of it all. They say having their own character allows them to better explore their own personality and gender identity. The full process of making suits and bringing your own character to life is very special to them. Torr also finds it very special how fursuit makers learn from each other and are generous in sharing their knowledge. Passing their advice onto others, they say, has definitely been very rewarding. They feel it has been clearly reflected in the way that fursuits have visibly improved in overall quality and complexity in the community over the years: “There’s a huge difference between a fursuit parade today and one from 12 years ago!”
Torr says that Russet was created specifically for the purpose of making their very first fursuit! Their main fursona, a wyvern dragon, was just too complex a suit to design at the time. Russet was designed to be relatively simplistic while still offering some degree of challenge and yet still being a fun character to work on. Thylacines are also, in Torr’s opinion, a great species to work with; not very common in the fandom and a nice way to pay homage to a native Australian animal, even though sadly extinct (for now!). They say the character, Russet, has very definitely grown on them since they’ve been able to act out their personality.
Diving a little deeper, when asked for their thoughts on the fursuits’ effects on personal interactions and general sense of identity, Torr said that it has certainly been a confidence-booster and an aid to overcoming some of the social anxiety they’ve felt in the past. “Being a big silly animal for a weekend allows me to let loose for a while and not be afraid to show the more outgoing and bubbly aspects of myself, but has also proved to me that I don’t need to be so nervous socializing out-of-suit either!” Some of their best memories, they said, have come out of meeting new people and just chatting with them as people. They consider their characters, Russet included, to be masculine-leaning or non-binary and performing as them. Drawing and sharing art has helped them understand and feel confident with those parts of who they are through them.
On the topic of balance, Torr makes it clear that the furry community is quite a large part of their life. They also happen to be among those lucky enough to have good friend and family networks that are both supportive and encouraging so that there’s never any need to hide their furry side. By entering into the field of fursuit commissions, they have also made the fandom a part of their current professional life saying, “I’m excited to do more with that, either casually/part-time along with the IT pathway I’m pursuing… or maybe full-time someday… who knows?”
Their favorite things (“besides this wonderful community and fursuit making of course”) include video games, games in general and art design. Specific dislikes are re-stuffing their bodysuit and tail after a good washing and “doing lineart to find the sketch was better!” Some long-term goals include their upcoming postgraduate studies in IT and future fursuit projects – such as making the dragon, their main fursona: “...perhaps next year in the Year of the Dragon?”
If you think you might be interested in learning more about Russet and Torr, would like to follow them, or possibly even see about commissioning them, you can find them on:
- Instagram – @torridger
- Twitter – @torridger
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And that brings us to a close to this week’s installment of Fursuit Fanatics! I hope you’ve all enjoyed the time we’ve spent today talking with Russet and Torr and hope you all come back next week when we’ll have another new guest from our fandom.
Once again, I’m tahlmorra, your Fursuit Fanatics host and remember, if you think you, or somefur you know, would be a good candidate for a future interview, you can always use the tags #FurryWeekly and #FursuitFanatics on most major platforms, now including the newest to enter the fray: Threads!
Have a great day, a great week and always remember: Stay safe, stay well, stay furry!
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PHOTOGRAPHY 101
Hello, friends and photografurs! Welcome back to this week's Photography 101! I'm your host, Jaden (Discord @ Jaden711#0663). The universe is one of the most beautiful things ever. You won't find such beautiful colours and swirls and shapes anywhere else; this makes it a very compelling photography subject!
Astrophotography is the photography of the night sky or other celestial objects like the Moon, a planet, nebulas or even other galaxies! To take photos of nebulas and galaxies, you’ll need a pretty advanced telescope with a camera attached, which can easily cost thousands on the low end. For obvious reasons, I can't teach you about that, but what I can teach you about is taking pictures of the night sky and the moon!
Taking pictures of the night sky can be a bit tricky. To do this, you'll need to go to an area with relatively low light pollution. For those of you who don't know, light pollution is defined as excessive, misdirected, or obtrusive artificial light. This excessive artificial light blocks out the stars from the night sky and is why places in or near cities the sky just looks to be plain black. Unfortunately, cameras are not magic, and they can't see the stars past this light pollution, so if you want to take photos of the beautiful Milky Way, you'll need to go to an area with low light pollution. To find an area with low light pollution, lightpollutionmap.info can help. I, unfortunately, don't have an area with even moderate light pollution for miles. So while I don't have any photos to share with you, I can still walk you through how to do it.
To do astrophotography, you’ll need a tripod. This is because we’ll be using very slow shutter speeds, and it will be impossible to not get any camera shake in your photos without a tripod. In fact, a shutter speed release (a wire that connects to your camera and has a button to activate your shutter) is also recommended since the shutter speed will be so slow the minimal shake that's created when you hit the shutter button can also create some camera shake. Be aware, though, that some camera brands like Canon have an app that allows you to activate your shutter, so make sure your camera doesn't have this feature before committing to purchasing this tool.
Now moving on to the settings: you'll want to shoot in manual mode for total control over your camera's settings. Use the widest aperture (smallest number) possible and a slow shutter speed (try starting with a 20-second exposure). You can of course adjust these two as needed. However, the ISO is where things get tricky. ISO controls the camera's sensitivity to light, and this is obviously what we need; but, the higher the ISO is, especially in low light conditions, the more noise or “TV static” a photo will have. Try putting it as high as possible to start. if there's too much noise, decrease it by one or two settings and increase your shutter speed to compensate.
Taking pictures of the moon thankfully does not require an area with low light like taking pictures of the night sky, and uses relatively the same settings. I just prefer to use a larger aperture number for mine.
Capturing the night sky, whether on canvas or film, has been something humans have done for hundreds of years. Seeing the beauty of the night sky and wanting to capture that beauty is part of what makes us human, and it's something that will continue to make us human. I believe that as long as the universe is out there, astrophotography will be there with it through every death and every birth of a new star in our night sky.
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That concludes this week's segment! If you have any questions or would like to share your photos, don't be afraid to shoot me (Discord @ Jaden711#0663) a message!
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RADICAL RAFFLES
Hello, everyone! My name’s Danielle, and I’m here to bring you exciting new raffles. We have eight raffles this week! Let’s take a look at them.
First, we have a logo raffle in celebration of 9k followers by user WhitefoxDesigns!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Optional: Comment your favorite 80’s song.
Prize:
-Logo
-If WhitefoxDesigns reaches 10k followers, there will be two winners, and they’ll have three winners at 11k followers!
Deadline:
-This raffle ends at midnight on Sunday, July 9th. There’s little time left to enter!
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Next up, we have an art raffle by Bun!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
Optional: Comment your character’s reference.
Prize:
-Colored full body sketch
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Sunday, July 9th. There’s little time left to enter!
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Up next, we have an art raffle by Alex!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Optional: Comment a safe-for-work (SFW) reference.
Prize:
-1st place: half body
-2nd place: icon
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on July 27th. There’s plenty of time left to enter!
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Gear up for a weekly art fight art raffle by user TheClockworkJester!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Please be sure to take a look at TheClockworkJester’s additional rules and information about the raffle below the tweet post.
Prize:
-There will be three winners that will win a full colored artwork piece. The final winner will receive the grand prize: a reference sheet of your character.
Deadline:
-Unfortunately, the first raffle deadline has already passed, which was July 7th, but there are still three more chances to win! The deadlines for those are July 14th, 21st, and 28th.
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Up next, we have an original character (OC) wall event raffle by Redtale!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Comment a SFW reference sheet.
Prize:
-Your character being featured in a 100 OC wall.
Deadline:
-This event raffle ends on Tuesday, July 11th. There’s a little bit of time left to enter!
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Celebrate with a 1k followers raffle by Kudo!
How to Enter:
-Follow, like, and retweet.
-Comment what your favorite pizza topping is.
Prize:
-Icon (three winners)
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Monday, July 10th. There’s a little time left to enter!
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Next up, we have an art raffle by user Saily_Studio!
How to Enter:
-Follow and share the post on your story.
-Tag three friends that could be interested in the comments.
-Extra entries: Tag more friends! You’ll get one more entry per two extra tags. The cap will be six extra entries per person.
Prize:
-Full body illustration
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on July 30th. There’s plenty of time left to enter!
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Last but certainly not least, we have a maw raffle by user Azthmutt!
How to Enter:
-Follow and retweet.
-Optional: Reply with your favorite aesthetic.
Prize:
-A set of three random or OC-based maws.
Deadline:
-This raffle ends on Monday, July 10th. There’s a little time left to enter!
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Those are all the raffles I 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 to bring you the latest and greatest artists to commission. We have four artists this week! Let’s dive in.
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We start with Jasper, an artist who specializes in monster characters in his neat art style. If you have a monster character, then this is an artist for you! He offers both full bodies and reference sheets as commission options.
You can find Jasper’s prices, terms of service, and links to his other social media on his Carrd. Feel free to message him if you have any questions and/or if you are interested in a commission.
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Next, we have Bun, a hobby artist who specializes in anthro and humanoid characters. Their sketchy art style is cute! They offer sketches, colored sketches, reference/custom sheets, stickers/emotes, and experimental pixel art as commission options. However, their experimental pixel art commissions are currently closed.
You can find Bun’s prices and terms of service on their Carrd. Feel free to message Bun if you are interested in a commission and/or if you have any questions.
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Megu is next. Megu is a Polish freelance artist who specializes in human and furry-based characters. Their art style is cute! They offer chibis, regular portraits, half bodies, and full bodies, reference sheets, stickers, and emojis as commission options.
You can find Megu’s commission prices and terms of service on their Weebly site. Feel free to message Megu if you have any questions and/or if you are interested in a commission.
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Last but certainly not least, we have ElectronicStar, a German self-taught artist who specializes in Pokémon and Digimon characters. If you have a Pokésona or Digisona, then this is an artist for you! ElectronicStar sells cute adopts and bases of Pokémon and Digimon. If that might interest you, feel free to check out her Ko-fi shop.
She offers both digital and traditional commissions such as your character heres (YCHs), portraits, icons, phone wallpapers, Pokémon and Digimon based art, and more. You can find her commission prices on her Ko-fi and links to her other social media here. Feel free to message her if you’re interested in a commission and/or if you have any questions.
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That is all for this edition of Available Artists!
We’re always on the lookout for amazing artists to put in 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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CHARACTER INTERVIEW
Hi you all! Welcome back to yet another Character Interview segment! This is where we sit down with some cool folks in the community and just get to know them and what they get up to in the fandom!
YESHUA: This time I'm joined by a fantastic content creator in the fandom: Piper! Thanks a bunch for being here, I'm delighted to get the chance to chat with you! For anyone who's reading about you for the first time, could you introduce yourself real quick?
PIPER: Absolutely! I'm Piper, an anthro artist and more recently, writer! I've been active in the furry community for over a decade by now, with my favorite aspect being OCs and character design. Right now I'm primarily focusing on writing stories and hopefully expanding into comics in the future! Lots of people know me for creating the Waterdog closed species, which is still going strong.
YESHUA: Sounds like you're doing some pretty neat stuff in the community! I definitely wanna touch on all you mentioned, but I want to start with your writing! If someone goes to your 'main' accounts on social media, they're likely to find art more than anything, but as you said, you're hard at work on some writing projects at the moment. You mention stories and wanting to expand into comics, but from my understanding, you're actually in the middle of a pretty big project? What can you tell us about all this?
PIPER: Yes I am! I'm writing my first novel, which is titled Chronos! It's a sci-fi mystery/romance that follows an AI protagonist's story as she wakes up in a strange, unfamiliar station, with hardly any memories. Chronos will have her face many obstacles throughout her journey to learn the truth, along with a few friends and an unlikely romance. There's a lot more to it, of course, but that's the gist of what I can share without spoiling. All in all, it's a rollercoaster with some fun twists and turns.
I've been workshopping it for over a year and a half now, and I only recently began to share my writing in April. Chapters come out every Monday along with a cover piece to go along with it. Right now Chronos is my pride and joy, and I'm simply happy to finally share one of my stories! Chronos will not be the only novel in its series, and I'm currently working on the sequel, but that's top secret, haha!
YESHUA: Chronos sounds like a nicely-developed story! I love me a good plot that puts you through a lot of emotions! And you've got a few key characters at play it seems, which is always exciting to jump into because people will always have their favorite character or characters in a story.
So why a sci-fi mystery/romance novel? To me it's especially interesting combining sci-fi with mystery and romance; just not something I've seen too much before, but that might be just me, hahah. Still, what interested you about creating a story in this particular genre?
PIPER: Thank you! I love a lot of genres, but sci-fi has been one of my favorites for as long as I can remember. There's so much room for creativity; I can easily bend technology and alien biology to fit my stories, and nothing feels too out of place, because, hey! It can be anything I want. It's fun to push my own creative limits and remind myself that truly anything can be possible in a fictional world, especially one that takes place in an entirely different galaxy. I also just really love space, it's so cool.
As for the mystery and romance aspects, I'm a sucker for both genres. All of my stories revolve around romance or love one way or another, because I think it's such a human emotion to portray. Love is something that can push or pull a person in directions they never thought they would go, and a good romance that drives the plot forward is my bread and butter. The mystery in Chronos is the main factor that keeps the story going, and keeps all of the characters on their toes. Not only should the reader feel this anticipation, but they should feel it through the characters, too. It creates a certain connection between the reader and characters that feels much more personal, in my opinion, and makes the story much more satisfying to read as it unfolds.
YESHUA: I can definitely see why you'd appreciate sci-fi for its ability to foster tons of ideas without anything seeming too out of place! That does make me wonder how exactly you're taking advantage of that in your story, hmm...
And with mystery and romance, it sounds like you have a solid grasp about how to build a story around those elements and keep it going well! I personally love encountering characters and getting to know them and their personalities, so I totally understand aiming to create that personal connection between characters and readers by using mystery to help develop them as the story progresses. Heck, you're really selling your novel well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intrigued!
I know we don't want to spoil anything, but I'm curious to hear if there is anything in particular about your novel, whether it's the characters, the plot, the setting, or anything else, that you're particularly happy with or proud of?
PIPER: Gosh, it's so hard to say! I'm proud of all of it, mainly because it took me so much work to get here. Honestly, I'm the most excited for what happens after Chronos. Chronos is its own standalone story, yes, but it merely scratches the surface of Vicidia's storyline. Some really interesting stuff is in the works.
Here's what I can say, though! I'm particularly happy with the universe I've created and how the characters interact with it. We don't see many settings outside of the space station in Chronos, but the insight we receive from different characters helps to expand the universe and give more context. I love portraying different perspectives and letting the reader see into a character's head, and I'm pretty happy with how that's going in Chronos.
YESHUA: The fact that you're mostly excited for what comes after is so so interesting! Really makes one wonder what exactly you have in the works! As for the universe you've made, I can definitely see why that'd be something you're especially happy about! Personally, I find it truly impressive that you've built a world in a way that leaves room for exploration, especially as you're working toward the sequel.
I know you said the sequel is top secret, but do you have any sneak peeks into what's coming up for Chronos, perhaps? Or any sneak-peeks about your project in general at all?
PIPER: Hmm, I can't say too much since nothing is really set in stone yet! But I will say that the sequel will push our characters even further than they're pushed in Chronos. I plan to delve into some different themes as the story progresses, and touch on topics such as identity, change, and what it means to choose yourself over all else. As for what's to come in Chronos – as of writing this, there are currently eight chapters posted. Going forward from here, things are going to start ramping up quite quickly, and I'm very excited to unveil that. Throughout the novel, [the main character,] Vicidia is focused on finding out who exactly she was and almost begins to idolize her past self based on the fragments of memories she regains. There's only so much one can understand from bits and pieces, though, and eventually she'll have to face the reality of her nature.
YESHUA: It'll definitely be worth seeing how you handle those themes with the characters as the story continues into the sequel! And for Chronos, it sounds like a climax might be coming? Either way, it all sounds so incredibly interesting! You've got me sold, so I'd definitely recommend everyone to check out what you've put out and stay tuned for the rest, because there's a ton of stuff coming! I'd honestly love to learn more about your novel, but it is indeed a bit hard to chat about it without spoiling and without me knowing where the story stands at this point. So I'd like to ask, is there anything else about Chronos and its universe that you'd like to talk about, or just share?
PIPER: Thank you so much! Things are definitely going to change in the story soon, that's for sure haha. I could talk about Chronos all day, but I would hate to spoil the joy that should be discovering it through the novel. As for things I'd like to share, I think I'd love to touch on the queer representation in Chronos. While the romance in Chronos is M/F, most of the cast is queer one way or another. Vicidia herself is pansexual, and her love interest, Avelus, is transgender. There are a range of identities in the main cast, including nonbinary, bisexual, and lesbian characters.
Thankfully in the story's universe these characters don't have to face hardships due to their identity. However, I still think it's important to include this representation no matter how it [affects] the characters, especially in today's climate. People deserve to feel seen, and finding that representation within a character can go a long way in normalizing different identities.
YESHUA: Ah! So just like other elements in the story it sounds like you planned out this aspect of the characters quite well! It adds another layer to the characters that the readers will get introduced to at various points in the story, I would imagine? I'm sure this will certainly resonate with a lot of folks in the fandom, mhmm.
Before switching gears, I do want to ask, where can people read Chronos?
PIPER: Absolutely! I'm queer myself, and I want to contribute to what representation that we do have. That's something really important to me, personally, and I can't see myself writing a story without queer characters haha.
Right now I primarily post on Archiveofourown and Wattpad! Here are some links to my profiles.
AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captyns/pseuds/captyns
Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/user/captyns
YESHUA: Ah I see what you mean, I gotcha! Definitely sounds like you're handling such a cast of characters quite well!
And thanks for those links! Definitely want folks to be able to find your work if they liked what they've read so far about your series!
Now changing topics a bit, you did mention you wanted to get into comics in the future. Any plans on that you could share perhaps? Will they involve the Chronos universe? Perhaps feature a completely different story with different characters? A mix of both? There are just so many possibilities!
PIPER: First on the agenda is finishing up Chronos and perhaps its sequel first! I'd like my first comic to be a rendition of Chronos for sure, since I've got the universe and story so flushed out already. I don't have much to show on that front as I haven't begun concepting for the comic specifically, but I look forward to spending some months preparing for it. In a way, all of the chapter art and standalone drawings I've done so far serve as concept art for the comic. I'm sure I'll change some things in the end, but it's fun to play around with stuff like architecture and technology.
I do have several other stories I have in mind for future comics. Not sure if it'll be my next, but I've been workshopping a story about entering the music industry and dealing with all of the ups and downs that come with fame. Either way, I've got TONS of stories I've been working on over the years that would love to see the light of day. No matter what, I just want to keep telling stories, whether it be through art or writing. If I have it in me, I'd love to work from one story after another for the rest of my life!
Also I realized I DO have some sneak-peek stuff for Chronos! I'm working on a full sheet of the cast – I'm not finished yet, but here are some of the characters you'll find in Chronos!
YESHUA: You have a pretty solid timeline I'd say! It definitely makes sense to finish up Chronos given how focused you are on it, but the comics definitely give folks something else to look forward to, especially if they do enjoy the series!
Though it's also great to hear you have plenty of ideas, especially if you go as far as saying that you'd like to keep working on stories for the rest of your life! It's clear how passionate you are about telling stories using both writing and art, so I truly wish you the absolute best in continuing to do it! It's exciting to think about all you could do!
Oh heck yeah! One, your art is phenomenal, I absolutely love your style and I think it fits the sci-fi theme incredibly well! Two, all of the characters look cool in their own ways! Totally not biased towards felines or anything, but I particularly like the character on the very right!
You've only named Vicidia and Avelus, and while I would love to guess on who they are on the sheet, perhaps you could point them out? Unless you don't wanna reveal them quite yet, of course!
PIPER: Haha, thank you! From left to right, we have Vicidia, Avelus, Livi, Elina, and then William! This might not be their final look for the comic, but for now I'm happy with how they look! I definitely plan to expand on their clothing especially, as coming up with wardrobes is one of my favorite things to do. Some of their appearances change as the story progresses, as well. I usually draw Avelus with his scars, but he actually gets them later on in Chronos!
YESHUA: Gotcha, gotcha. I definitely think you deserve to be happy with their looks, although seeing them in different outfits later will be very interesting! I will say, Avelus' scars did stand out, and while I'd love to know how they got there, it'll definitely be better finding out in the story.
Got anything else about the characters at all? Or do you think we covered everything?
PIPER: Oh I could talk about these guys forever, but I won't let that take up all of our time haha. It's probably best that readers get to know each character as they go through the story, since there's so much to go through when it comes to each character's personality, motives, and values.
YESHUA: Hey, if I were up to speed on the story I'd totally be up for talking about them! But thank you so much for sharing this project with us– it's awesome getting an insight into people's creations, especially when it's something as complex and well-developed as a novel series!
Now, I'd like to focus on your visual art. You mentioned you're an anthro artist, so I'd love to hear more about what you draw and perhaps how you got your start drawing!
PIPER: I've been drawing for as long as I can remember, like a lot of artists! I specifically got into furry art when I was maybe ten or eleven after stumbling across YouTube speedpaints, then it's all history from there haha. Really though, I created a DeviantArt account when I was thirteen and began posting regularly there – I'll attach some of my old art to show the difference, it's really cool to look back on now! I didn't start out drawing anthros, primarily focusing on feral art until I realized that the stories and characters I wanted to portray just wouldn't work with feral animals.
I used to draw every day. I have no idea how I did it, I guess being younger I had so much more energy and time that I wish I had now! For a while, I was really determined to become an anthro artist, because drawing anthro bodies was so incredibly hard. It took many months and years of practice for me to feel confident with my anthro anatomy and proportions, and even now I'm still working on it and improving where I can.
Nowadays I primarily draw my characters, which are usually the ones from Chronos, and outside of personal work I do enjoy taking on commissions and dabbling in character design as well.
Here's some of my older art! Funny to look back at these. Always loved space aesthetics!
And some older anthro art from around 2015-2016! Definitely still finding my feet with proportions and anatomy here.
YESHUA: Sounds like a true passion! It's so cool to see how your style has evolved as well as how it has improved! I also find it very interesting that even from a young age you knew you wanted to tell stories with characters, and it kinda pushed you toward developing an anthro style! I absolutely do love the 'feel' of your artwork from back then; the characters look so carefree and express emotions nicely! Think we could see your latest piece or two perhaps, just to check out the difference between your most recent works and the ones you've already shared?
PIPER: For sure! Here's some of my latest work, it's definitely come a long way!
YESHUA: Hoooooly heck no doubt it has! You have a superb style, I love how almost-cinematic your scenes look! Absolutely good stuff. I don't mean to throw hard questions at ya, but I'm curious: what are you personally most happy with about your style?
PIPER: Thank you! I'm really proud of how far I've come with my art. It's been a lot of hard work but the personal satisfaction is worth it. This last year, I've tried to focus more on painting and creating pieces that I really enjoy making, and I think it's improved the quality of my pieces drastically.
It's hard to pinpoint what I'm happiest with. I think I'm going to go with coloring in general, though! Planning out the color palette for a piece is one of my favorite parts of the process, and I really like to choose colors that convey the emotions I'm looking to evoke. It's a little tricky sometimes, but that makes it all the more satisfying when I find colors that work for each piece.
YESHUA: I think your color work definitely completes each piece nicely! In that outdoor sniper scene, the way you painted the sky is just stunning, and honestly, same for the headshot you shared after that! I can see why you'd choose that!
You also mentioned character design, and I was wondering if perhaps that meant you just create characters for yourself or perhaps more in the realm of adoptables?
PIPER: A bit of both! I don't make anthro adopts very often, but I'd like to get into that sometime in the future if I ever find the time. I mentioned Waterdogs earlier, and while it isn't my main focus for art at the moment, I do regularly create Waterdog designs. Since the species is made of water and "sand", there's a lot of room for creativity when it comes to color and themes. I won't delve too deeply into the closed species aspect, but here are some designs I've made for the community!
YESHUA: That was something else I wanted to ask about– Waterdogs! I like the concept, and even if you don't go super deep into the species, I did wanna ask, how did you get the idea for the species?
PIPER: I made Waterdogs in 2014! I don't remember the exact inspiration for it, I think I was literally just doodling in class and somehow created the first Waterdog. I do love the beach and ocean; I initially planned to get a degree in marine biology so I've always had an interest in the ocean. If I had to guess what I was thinking back then, though, I was probably just ready for summer break, ahah!
The first Waterdog was very simple and very beachy themed, and that's how the species was for a while before the designs started to expand outside of the beach and oceanic themes to what they are now!
YESHUA: This is why I enjoy asking about inspiration for stuff, because it can be from such simple stuff like just being ready for summer, hahah.
As for general character designing then, you mentioned you also make characters for yourself sometimes? If so, do you do it mostly to actually keep them, or perhaps more as just practice?
PIPER: Nowadays when I make characters for myself it's typically to fill a role for a story I have in mind! So right now it's been a lot of sci-fi designs hehe. My Waterdog designs are a lot more "fun" looking when it comes to colors, but I love the challenge that comes from needing to design characters for all sorts of stories and roles.
YESHUA: Ah! That makes sense! Whether you're doing something more free-flowing like a Waterdog design or something more thematic like sci-fi designs, it sounds like you really enjoy it! Nice to hear.
I feel like we've gotten through most of what you mentioned at the very beginning; is there anything else you have in mind that you'd like to touch on regarding your involvement in the fandom at all?
PIPER: I'd like to touch on my experience being an artist and content creator in the fandom. I've been doing commissions ever since I was thirteen selling art for DeviantArt points – ah, those were the days...
I wasn't making much, but the fact that I WAS making money with my art sparked a hope in a career where I could follow my passion. This community treats our artists very well, for the most part. My personal experience has been overwhelmingly positive; I really feel like I'm valued as an artist, and my art isn't just seen as a product.
The reason I bring this up is because nowadays it feels like there are slowly becoming less and less spaces for artists to thrive. What with AI and major platform changes, it's a scary time to be an artist right now. However, I feel like I'll always be respected and valued in the furry fandom; I'm afraid, but I still have faith that I, and so many other furry artists will be okay, because this fandom has been based on art and creation since the very beginning, and that won't ever change.
YESHUA: I don't blame you for feeling the way you did when you were young! It would definitely be pretty encouraging to make some money at such a young age, but you're right, the state of the community when it comes to artists making a living does seem a bit uncertain. Still, I agree with you that artists will be okay; it truly feels like the fandom is mostly united in supporting artists, and I really can't see that changing either. Mhmm. As an artist yourself, what would you say to folks about this topic? What would you want them to keep in mind?
PIPER: Hmm, I'd say it's important to keep your morals and values in mind and close to your heart. It's easy to see cool, new technology and not think about how it'll affect professionals in the field. In a Furry context, though, please don't forget that artists are truly the backbone of the fandom. So many of us create content for free because we truly love to do it and find fulfillment through art, and sometimes it feels like that gets taken for granted.
Listen to artists when we talk about how things like AI, platform changes, and algorithms can really impact our livelihoods. When these issues are glazed over it might not seem like a big deal to a non-artist, but the truth is lots of people are already being forced to find alternative employment. Support artists when you can– if you can't donate or commission, general support is always appreciated. Whether it be through comments, likes, or shares, your simple interaction could expose our work to potential clients. Everything helps.
YESHUA: I think you have some very solid words. The fandom is incredibly art-driven, and I don't think it has to be so difficult fostering an environment where artists can continue to do what they love. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the matter!
Is there anything else at all that you'd perhaps like to say or mention as we get ready to wrap up?
PIPER: I'll just use this as an opportunity to express how grateful I am to be a part of a community like this! I've always felt welcomed and appreciated in Furry spaces, and I can't express how much I appreciate everyone who has helped me flourish as an artist. I'm able to follow my passion because of the generosity and acceptance of the furry fandom, and I will always keep that close to my heart as I move forward with my career.
YESHUA: That's really sweet! Awesome to hear you've found your place in a community you appreciate– that's gotta be one of the best feelings! Well, it's been great having you on today, and I wish you the best in all your endeavors! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat about your experience in the fandom!
PIPER: Of course! I'm so honored to have had the opportunity to talk here, so thank you so much for having me!
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And that’s a wrap on another Character Interview segment! Thanks so much for joining us; I hope you all enjoyed getting to know more about Piper as much as I enjoyed chatting with her! You can find her on Twitter if you wanna keep up with her work, which I highly recommend! If you enjoy art or literature – or both – Piper’s definitely worth keeping tabs on!
I’m always looking for other folks to chat with about their involvement in the fandom, so if you know of someone you’d like me to interview, just lemmino by reaching out on one of my social medias!
I have another great guest joining me next week, so be sure to tune in! But until then, take care!
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CONVENTION CALENDAR
Greetings and salutations, readers! I’m Shetani, your Convention Calendar segment host for this issue. I hope our canine readers are keeping cool during the dog days of summer, though if you live in the southern hemisphere, it’s quite the opposite! Whether it’s warm or cold where you are, Furry Weekly HQ is always the coziest place to be - after all, there’s no weather in cyberspace. In any case, let’s dive into all the July furry conventions and events happening online, around the world, and in your neck of the woods.
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Anthrocon is in full swing through Sunday July 2 at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Anthrocon has decided on the theme “Anthropolis - Our Furry City” for this year, celebrating the unique partnership this furry convention shares with its host city of Pittsburgh. In keeping with this theme, Anthrocon forgoes choosing a 2023 guest of honor, to underline how everybody contributes to making the furry community great. Anthrocon will, however, spotlight a charity: Rabbit Wranglers, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit that helps abused, neglected, and abandoned rabbits and educates the public to improve the lives of these companion animals. A charity auction and poker tournament are being held to benefit the organization.
As the current third-largest furcon worldwide, there’s plenty to do and see at Anthrocon. In addition to classic con staples like a Dealer’s Den and Artist Alley, masquerade, games room, fursuit parade, nighttime dances with DJs, and photobooth, Anthrocon 2023 will feature multiple fursuit friendly sightseeing cruises, and more panels, meetups, and events than you can brandish a branch at. Even that doesn’t fully encompass the fun-filled schedule that awaits attendees, so be sure to check out Anthrocon’s website to get the full scope of events! Anthrocon requires proof of full COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test, and masking in specified areas of con space.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Mastodon | Facebook | Instagram
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Lakeside Furs will be held Saturday July 1 - Saturday July 8 at the Chalet Bergerblick in Salzburg, Austria. Solarpunk was chosen as this year’s theme, celebrating the harmonious union of nature and technology. Whether you prefer outdoor activities such as mountain hikes to appreciate nature’s beauty, or comfy indoor activities like gaming and panels, Lakeside Furs offers programming all are sure to enjoy. The Lakeside Furs website offers more details about scheduled events, which include special interest groups, a Dealer’s Den, board- and video gaming, and a chillout lounge with mixed drinks and music. On the outdoor program are swimming, hiking, sauna, and water-related sport activities. Attendees must be at least 16 years old.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram
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The Skalský Dvůr Hotel in Czech Republic is preparing for ČeSFuR’s next edition, Sunday July 2 - Thursday July 6. Representatives from the 2023 charity Česká krajina, a non-profit dedicated to biodiversity conservation, animal preservation, and climate change mitigation, will host a panel in addition to collecting donations throughout the con. Guest of Honor Revaiwra – known for their comic “Weredad” as well as art and fursuits – will also have a meet & greet. ČeSFuR veterans will be happy to know that traditional activities and events like the art show, fursuit game show, dance competition, dealer’s den, and bonfire barbecue are on the docket once again. Special events this year include various meet and greets, a hiking trip, a NERF gun battle, and a Lockpicking for Dummies panel. Speaking of which, check out ČeSFuR’s website for fun details about their espionage theme, “No More Secrets.” Though the language of live panels and events will depend on each host, all printed materials are available in both Czech and English versions. You must be 18 years of age to attend ČeSFuR.
Website | Twitter | Telegram | Facebook
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During those very same dates, Sunday July 2 - Thursday July 6, Furtastic takes place at the Fjeldholmlejren in Grenå, Denmark. This marks the first time the con’s programming extends to five full days of fun and excitement. This year's theme is Valhalla, quite an apt choice for a Danish convention! Part of Furtastic’s mission statement is to keep with the tradition of hygge, defined as a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality. Attendees can expect board gaming, fursuiting, an art auction on the last day of the con, and plenty of inexpensive drinks. The minimum age requirement to attend Furtastic is 16. Furtastic has an attendee limit of 80, which at the time of writing, has already been reached. If you missed your chance to buy tickets, there’s always next year!
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Are you looking for the Great White Way up in the Great White North? Come to Fur-Eh! 2023, proudly presenting Broadway Tails! The Edmonton Inn & Conference Center in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is the place to be from Thursday July 6 - Sunday July 9. The Guest of Honor is Apoxon, a costume designer and part-time teacher best known in the furry community for their custom-made fursuit props, kigurumi, and hoodies (which this writer can personally recommend). Comic and fiber artist Temperance and performer Tarin Rudders will share the spotlight too. Once again, Fur-Eh! has partnered with GEARS (Greater Edmonton Animal Rescue Society), which helps injured, abandoned, unwanted, and homeless animals in the Edmonton area.
You absolutely won’t want to miss Fur-Eh!: The Musical, a full-length live stage musical featuring 13 furry parodies of well-known Broadway numbers. Classic events like the dance competition, fursuit parade, floor wars, nightly dances with DJs, and more add to the exciting programming. Fur-Eh’s jam-packed schedule really must be seen to be believed, so hurry over to their website and begin planning your weekend of furry fun. Pre-registration closed on June 25, but a limited number of tickets will be available at the door.
Website | Twitter | Discord | Telegram | Facebook
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South Afrifur is back in business starting Sunday July 7 through Monday July 10. The venue is the beautiful Valverde Eco Hotel in Gauteng, South Africa, featuring a garden and three event spaces. Wizardry, wandplay, and witchcraft are sure to abound with a theme like Magic Unleashed. South Afrifur attendees can expect panels,a Dealer’s Den and Artist Alley, fursuit activities, and streamer events. A charity raffle is being held for Imagine Animal Dreams, a small shelter taking in animals from the surrounding areas, giving them a safe place to stay, and helping them find their forever homes. South Afrifur offers traditional convention tickets and camping spots, though both types are all full up for 2023. Weekend and day passes will still be available at con.
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FurryEST will take place from Thursday July 13 - Sunday July 16. This unique furry con is held at the Barge House near Kabala, Estonia. Attendees staying overnight can choose to bring a tent and camp out on the grounds, or sleep in a bedroom on the barges themselves. Free transport is available from the nearby Rapla train station to FurryEST and back. For the first time, FurryEST has chosen a theme - Waves and Flames - wherein attendees will be able to take part in various events during the weekend to show support for their chosen element, fire or water.
Unfortunately, FurryEST didn’t receive enough interest to host a Dealer’s Den this year, but artists will still be allowed to sell their wares informally at the con. Past iterations have included water-bike rides, outdoor sports, canoe racing, tabletop games, DJs, a bonfire, and fursuiting, of course. If you hope to attend FurryEST, bring a photo ID and make sure you’re at least 18 years old on the first day of the con.
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The Davis Conference Center in Layton, Utah, USA is preparing to welcome back the furries for Anthro Weekend Utah, from Friday July 14 - Sunday July 16. If you fancy yourself a secret agent man or Bond babe, you’ll fit in nicely with the theme “Double Awu Seven.” Guests of Honor include animator couple Ribbontini and VulpesVant, illustrator and character designer Nicholas Kole of Spyro and Crash Bandicoot fame, and featured artists Hazel and Soyyemilk. AWU’s charity is Wild Wonders, a non-profit animal rescue and education facility providing homes for injured, displaced, non-releasable, and geriatric animals.
A special night of casino games is being held to benefit the charity, and every single person who signs up has a chance to win a prize. All the furry con programming you’ve come to know and love, from fursuit dancing to panels to the Dealer’s Den, awaits you at AWU. If you’re looking to diversify your experience, AWU offers a special discounted trip to the Lagoon amusement park, featuring thrill rides, a midway, and water park, but be aware that fursuits and costumes aren’t permitted. Don’t forget a photo ID, as you’ll need that to pick up your registration.
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Are you ready to graduate with high hon-fur? Come on down to the Hotel Sheraton Santos in Santos, Brazil from Friday July 14 - Sunday July 16 for Brasil FurFest! Class is in session and the syllabus is ready for attendees to experience the fun theme of Furry University. Furry filmmaker and YouTuber Ash Coyote is celebrated as BrFF’s Guest of Honor. BrFF’s schedule includes a VR meet and greet, storytelling workshop, animal welfare panel, comic development and publishing talks, and much much more. The Dealer’s Den, fursuit games, dance competition, and nightly dances await attendees too. BrFF’s video gaming room and RPG room are sure to tantalize furry gamers no matter the medium. SOS Vida Pet Litoral, this year’s charity of choice, will fundraise over the weekend with the help of a charity auction. Those who didn’t pre-register online can still buy tickets at the door.
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Furway takes place Friday July 14 - Sunday July 16 at Åstjern hyttetun in Brandbu, Norway. This furry event bills itself as a hybrid event combining a camping con with indoor sleeping and modern conveniences. Inside and outside tickets are available, depending on whether you choose to sleep rough or avail yourself of traditional comforts. Furway provides staff-cooked meals each day and caters to dietary needs. If you’re intrigued by the sound of programming like a Hi Ha Ho Competition, Drunk Drawing, Bootleg Dealer’s Den, and Chili-Eating, make your way over to Furway’s website to read about these events and more. Attendees of all ages are allowed, though minors cannot stay the night at Furway.
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Dutch Furcon’s eighth iteration is being held Friday July 14 - Monday July 17. Big Hill in Groesbeek in Groesbeek, Netherlands is the place to be for all the fun and excitement. Halloween isn’t too far off, and Dutch Furcon’s theme Season of the Witch might bring it a little closer than you think. Attendees can take part in panels and workshops, put up advertisements on the Offers Board, and spectate or participate in dance competitions for fursuiters and non-suiters alike. Excitingly, this is the first time Dutch Furcon will host a Dealer’s Den, where attendees can browse and shop for goods and commissions. You need to be at least 21 years of age to attend Dutch Furcon.
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Fur-Day offers not one, but three unforgettable days of furry fun in the sun. 2023’s event will be held Friday July 21 - Sunday July 23 at Salle de la Mer in Bernières-sur-Mer, Normandie, France. This three-day yearly furmeet coincides with the anniversary of the NormandiFurs association, which hosts lots of furry events in France. Among the festivities are fursuiting, dancing with DJs, karaoke, beach activities, quizzes, board games and video games, and furwalks. Attendees can come for the day or choose accommodation of their own from the surrounding area. Fur-Day is free to attend.
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Fur Out West’s next annual event is Friday July 21 - Sunday July 23, at the Atrium Hotel Mandurah in Mandurah, Western Australia. Candyland is the name of the game - er, theme - this year, so don’t forget your sweet tooth! FOW’s two Guests of Honor are digital artist and fursuiter TwilightSaint and artist Snarlingcanine. FOW is proud to work with Friends of the Western Ground Parrot, an organization raising funds and awareness to fight the threat of extinction facing the parrots, as its charity partner. Coming to FOW for the first time, Show Us Your Moves is a panel spotlighting original dance choreography. Keep an eye on FOW’s official online channels for more information about events, programming, and the Dealer’s Den. As with all Australian furry conventions, you must be at least 18 years old to join in the fun.
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Rounding out July’s events is a fresh face to the furry convention scene! Eufuria Mini-Con will take place Saturday July 22 at Cafe Euphoria in Troy, New York, USA. This intrepid event aims to bring a furry convention back to the Upstate NY region for the first time since 2016. Eufuria attendees can expect vendors, gaming, panels and workshops, dancing, a fursuit parade, and lots of tasty food - including a special exclusive furry-themed menu for the convention! On the schedule are panels about at-home fursuiting, voice acting, furry badges, and disability in the fandom. General admission to Eufuria is free, with supporter and sponsor tiers available for those who desire extras, and pre-registered attendees can add on a dinner voucher for a complimentary meal. Attendees must be 18 years old, and provide photo ID as well as proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
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This month’s calendar graphic is drawn by Sunni/The_Real_Wolf_Artist and features our Fursuit Design Tips segment host Olivier, representing his home country with Dutch Furcon.
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be present at Eufuria Mini-Con in July, and I hope to see so many other furry faces there! Don’t hesitate to come along and 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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