Fursonas are characters or avatars that furries use when socializing with other members of the furry community.[12] Many furries start with canines, felines, and dragons when choosing their fursona’s physical characteristics. But the possibilities are endless; you’re free to choose any species you desire, create a hybrid, or develop a completely made-up creature.[13] For example, you might start with the huge ears and cute face of a fennec fox and give its body bird-like legs and wings.Do some research into animal photographs or illustrations to see how each animal’s anatomy works. Then adapt it so your fursona can stand up on 2 legs. Feel free to create more than 1 fursona if you’d like.
There are no rules when it comes to designing your fursona’s appearance. Feel free to use naturalistic colors and realistic markings, or go for bright hues and unusual patterns if you prefer. Try to have an unusual or uncommon pattern. Sometimes certain patterns are overused or taken easily, but some are too complicated. If you wish to buy a fursuit and make a very colorful fursona with many designs, it might be more expensive and the quality will go down.[14] Consider incorporating spots, stripes, splotchy markings, facial details, scales, feathers, and other patterns and textures into your design. Refer to animal photos as inspiration for markings and coloration patterns if you want a more realistic effect. If you’re not sure where to start, check out other furries’ fursonas online. Just make sure you aren’t totally copying another person’s fursona.
Have fun when creating your fursona’s personality. It doesn’t have to be anything like your own personality, but it can reflect your ideal personality or 1 specific side of you if you’d like. For instance, your fursona might represent your wild and outgoing side if you tend to be a shy person. Create a list of personality traits as well as likes and dislikes and other fun facts about your fursona’s identity. Give them a unique name, too. The level of similarity between you and your fursona is entirely a matter of personal preference. Try using your fursona to show off your idealized self or explore an alter ego. Don’t be afraid to modify your fursona over time until it’s just right.[15] If you like writing, try writing out your fursona’s backstory or creating a narrative about them. Be prepared to introduce your fursona’s personality to other furries.
If you enjoy graphic design or drawing, transfer all of your ideas onto the page or the screen. Use pencils and coloring tools or a digital design program to sketch out the general shape and physical characteristics of your fursona. Then add in the colorings, markings, and other details. Give them an expressive face that shows off something about their personality. For example, if your fursona is bright and peppy, give them a wide-eyed appearance. Try to sketch out as many details as you can imagine even if you don’t plan to buy a full-body fursuit. Feel free to add your fursona’s name and a list of traits and qualities in your illustration, too. Look up "free [animal] base" or "free [animal] line art" on deviantART or FurAffinity for some templates to get you started if you’re basing your fursona on a widely-used animal species. If you’ve used a free template, remember to credit the artist who created it when you share or post the image. Even if you don’t like drawing and would prefer to commission artwork, try making a rough sketch so you can more easily convey your ideas to the artist.
Search through online furry communities to find artists who are willing to create artwork and illustrations for other furries.[16] Send them a message or place an order on their site. Share as much information about your fursona as possible, and provide sketches or reference images whenever possible. Tell them what you love about their past work so they know what style you’re looking for. Be prepared to pay the artist for their work, too. Make sure you agree on all of the specifications of the project, including the deadline, revision process, file type, pose and background, usage considerations, and fee before they start creating the artwork. Don’t ask for an illustration for free; artists deserve compensation for their time and energy.
Whether you draw your own fursona or commission an illustration, set the image as your profile picture on furry websites, so other furries get a sense of what your fursona identity is like.[17] Consider getting it printed on t-shirts, badges, and pins, too, or get it made into a plushie.[18] If you want to get a fursuit made, make sure that your fursona has at least a 3-view reference sheet either drawn by you, colored on a base, or commissioned by a reference sheet artist. A 3-view reference sheet should show a front, back, and side profile view of your fursona. If you like creating artwork, have fun exploring different ways to use your fursona. You could share illustrations of your fursona hanging out with your friends’ fursonas or make a comic strip to show what your fursona gets up to.