Realistic -vs- Toony

[Caledonian]

I've mainly seen Toony suits, but last event there were a few more realistically build suits with more animalistic eyes and fur, as well as different kinds of paws and it made me wonder what you guys prefer and why.

what are the pros and cons of one versus the other?

[GemWolf]

Ok IMO

 

Realistic

Pros: awesome to look at. 

Cons: scare shit out of kids, the eyes are hard to see out of (from what I heard, you need to see through a small hole in the pupil), more expensive, more maintainece. Only really have the digigrade option or it looks like shit

 

Toony

Pros: cute and friendly looking for all ages, more relatable to art of your character, much cheeper to make or buy, better eyes see from, more eye option, can have either digigrade or plantigrage legs

Cons: none 

 

[MissFleece]

 

Cons: scare shit out of kids, the eyes are hard to see out of (from what I heard, you need to see through a small hole in the pupil), more expensive, more maintainece. Only really have the digigrade option or it looks like shit

Nah, you see through like the tearducts and in mine it's pretty neat. I only scare a couple kids, the adults are way more terrified for some reason. 

 

I enjoy building toony style, but it's easy to fuck it up and make it look terrible. Realistic is a lot of work the first time around, but if you use the same blank with some variations the work gets a bit less complicated, and it's easy to do right once you've got it down. 

Honestly, I like realistic or semi-realistic the best. 

[BagelRabbit]

Ah, the great debate continues...

Toony suits:

They generally take less effort to build and are a little more comfortable/easier to wear. They also cost less, which is always nice. Finally, some people think they look just as good, if not better, than their realistic counterparts. This makes them the most common type of fursuit.

There are a few problems there, though. Toony suits often look vacantly happy in an unsettling way. Because of how common they are, they've begun to seem a little 'bland' to me: regardless of variations in color and facial types, they all look similar. And of course, because novice builders often try toony suits first, there are some bad ones out there.

Realistic suits:

Even though they're harder to build and harder to wear, no one can deny that realistic suits look awesome. They've got a flair that their toony counterparts simply lack. They're generally more expensive, but if you have the cash, they're often better built (and may even last longer as a result). And if you really want to 'become' your animal of choice, they can't be beat.

A main problem, of course, is that looking awesome is not the same as feeling awesome. Realistic suits are less... er... suitable for partial fursuits; they almost always require more padding, and the ventilation and field of view are generally lower than that of toony suits. Their extra cost is also a hurdle, especially if you don't want this fandom to consume your life and steal your money. Finally, it bears mentioning that some people think realistic fursuits are more frightening than their toony counterparts. I personally disagree: I think realistic suits look like actual animals, whereas toony suits look like guys in animal costumes. I suppose this is just a matter of personal opinion though.

Semi-Realistic Suits:

Semi-realistic suits strike a happy medium between toony and realistic, or at least they're supposed to. While often expensive (at least from what I've seen), they look fully as cool as realistic suits when they're well-done (in my personal opinion of course). They can be a little easier to wear than realistic suits, offering a better field of view and sometimes requiring less padding, for example.

If I could pick out any one problem with semi-realistic suits, I would simply say that it's a broad spectrum. Some definitely trend towards toony, while others are much more realistic. As a result, it's difficult to judge the suits as a group. For example, some people consider Angel Dragons to be strictly toony, while others think they're semi-realistic. That's not a problem with the suits themselves, though... only with trying to create comparisons like these.

 

With all this in mind, I prefer semi-realistic suits to the other two types. All three, however, can be done well. It's more a matter of personal preference than anything...

-bagel

[Zeke]

Realistic:

Pros: Very life-like and beautiful to look at; a good artist can utilize paints and realistic furs to create artwork. And with natural suits, you can get away with "minor" unsymmetrical patterns.

Cons: Expensive and requires Realistic forms to begin with (i.e Resin); little legroom to diverge to "outlandish" looking (odd colors like hot pink); Uncanny Valley effect that can deter people. Not for those who are "research lazy" since different animals require more padding than others. Mostly for advanced makers. Little less room for creative freedom if you are trying to create a natural animal. Harder to clean, especially if you used paint on the head and bodysuit. Harder to repair and replace parts if they break (have to order a new jawset/nose/eyes, or send it back to the maker who may or may not charge for repairs) Paints will fade after wear and tear (aging). Fragile (If made with a resin build), can be time consuming.

Semi toony

Pros: Can mix both toony and realistic to create an excellent suit; not as expensive as realistic; some forms can be assembled from foam or resin; a little room to diverge from the realistic "norm" and use other colors to create an interesting effect.

Cons: Some species look terrible (Dragons, etc) as semi toony, but that's opinion. Unrealistic colors can throw it off. Depending on the eye types, it can have a very doll-like look....or Uncanny Valley. Can be harder to clean and repair, especially if parts have been airbrushed. 

Toony

Pros: Easy to make; relatively cheap; good for beginner makers; you do not need to invest in expensive materials for certain parts (Fun foam, plastidip, etc) and most can be found at art stores like Hobby Lobby. They are also ideal if you plan to use your suit to volunteer at functions where there are children about. Easier to repair and clean if you do not use paint. Durable, especially if made out of foam. You can also foam carve a range of emotions with the head and add in magnetic brows to add in more crazy eye expressions. 

Cons: Requires Symmetry since toony animal patterns are more linear than their realistic or semi-real counter parts; Doll-effect creep factor. Same-Face syndrome (Everything looks like a dog :V); can easily fall apart if not done well and without an armature. Expressionless faces. "Bedroom Eyes" syndrome (Scribblefox suits are famous for this). Can fall apart if parts are half-assed and made with crappy materials.

Edited November 12, 2015 by Ozriel

[Misomie]

Everyone made great points. I'd like to point out that realistic suits can be planti or partial, just depends. I adore realistic suits wearing costumes <3~

I dislike the same facedness that realistic suits tend to get. With toony you can add crazy expressions and cute faces but realistic suit struggle with a non stoic look. Toony can also look creepy but at least they can show different expressions (alot of makers don't stray from happy and excited though.....). 

My favorite is semi. Lots of color choices, beautiful eyes, plenty of expressions, beautiful detail, ect. I'm actually commissioning a semi (head only) from FarisBatwan that I'm super close to paying off. I also plan to make my fursona in the semi style once I've mastered it. :3

[willow]

I like the detail that goes into realistic suits but they're super expensive especially if you don't know what you're doing. Also a lot of realistic suits have the same two expressions, blank or angry. I like toony suits because there seems to be a wider range of emotions the suits have and they seem to have a bit more character to them.

[Azu]

Hey, could you guys provide your favorite examples from both realistic and toony fursuits?

Admittedly, I've never actually seen any 'realistic' fursuits. In pictures or real life. It's hard to picture them as something pleasant to look at to be honest, hah.

[Umbra.Exe]

Hey, could you guys provide your favorite examples from both realistic and toony fursuits?

Admittedly, I've never actually seen any 'realistic' fursuits. In pictures or real life. It's hard to picture them as something pleasant to look at to be honest, hah.

I think one of my favorite "toony" suits is Dorito. Love the leg shape especially. The lack of the default "8D" face is also nice.


I like this more realistic suit too, but I can't remember the name. >>

[Azu]

I think one of my favorite "toony" suits is Dorito. Love the leg shape especially. The lack of the default "8D" face is also nice.

I like this more realistic suit too, but I can't remember the name. >>
 

Oh, right! Yeah. I get it now. I've seen a few realistic suits in that case

Am definitely in the 'toony' camp for this one, but realistic suits can look quite good as well.

[Hewge]

My favourite is toony ones!

Realistic suits are almost always a bit creepy in my opinion... Think it's something with the eyes.

[Zeke]

I like both, and I do want to make a semi-real wolf head for myself, but I have a toony head I made as an experiment.

[Dr. Doggo]

Realistic ones have a kind of uncanny-valley thing going on. they work best when they go for some kind of semipseudorealism

Toony ones look great however

[Alexxx-Returns]

I personally prefer the realistic ones because when they're done really well, they are just so damn impressive. I mean, toony ones are as well, but not in the same way.

[Sidewalk Surfboard]

I prefer toony, because personally I like the fact that they're cuter and less intimidating. If I ever get a partial of my fursona, I'll have it done in toony. But I won't let it have the stupid open mouth grin every other toony suit has. I'd make it so that he has a smirk.

[Zeke]

I prefer toony, because personally I like the fact that they're cuter and less intimidating. If I ever get a partial of my fursona, I'll have it done in toony. But I won't let it have the stupid open mouth grin every other toony suit has. I'd make it so that he has a smirk.

If it is too wide, yeah, it looks silly.

However, a partial open mouth can help with heat venting problems, especially if you are a person that overheats easily.

[Calemeyr]

Damn...l wanted that Dorito suit. Too bad it was bought by jerks who just wanted to reverse-engineer the padding for profit. You barely see Dorito worn anymore.

I prefer anything that's heavily padded to not look like a person in a suit. So anthro stuff is usually out, unless you can make it ultra toony. Realistic/semi/toony doesn't matter too much. (So basically the suits I commissioned/bought/am making lol).

I really dig realistic suits in general, though.

Speaking of which, I am currently making my first fursuit. It's a realistic eastern dragon and I will sell it eventually. At the head furring stage now! Might be a partial or a full.

[Umbra.Exe]

Damn...l wanted that Dorito suit. Too bad it was bought by jerks who just wanted to reverse-engineer the padding for profit. You barely see Dorito worn anymore.

I read that he was sold to a new owner, but... Whaaat? That sucks, man. Dorito's one of my all-time favorite fursuits. :c

I prefer anything that's heavily padded to not look like a person in a suit. So anthro stuff is usually out, unless you can make it ultra toony. Realistic/semi/toony doesn't matter too much. (So basically the suits I commissioned/bought/am making lol).

Same. I think it's cool when a costume really changes the look of the wearer (be it a fursuit, cosplay, theatrical costume, or whatever). I don't mind suits that are plantigrade and such though, and I think formfitting suits can be nice too, when made well.

[PastryOfApathy]

Toony: Looks creepy.

"Realistic": Looks creepy.

Shit's hard.

[Zeke]

Toony: Looks creepy.

"Realistic": Looks creepy.

Shit's hard.

 

Want sum fuk, bby?

[Spot]

I prefer semi-realistic but leaning more towards realistic. We are trying to imitate animals after all.

[PastryOfApathy]

 

Want sum fuk, bby?

Wow like...no.

[Zeke]

Wow like...no.

 

Okay...

[Spot]

Aww y not pastry bby? clearly that mouth is designed for the D.

[PastryOfApathy]

 

Okay...

;3

Aww y not pastry bby? clearly that mouth is designed for the D.

Literally the only kind of suit I would ever remotely consider wearing or doing anything to are those Jap suits but I'm not retarded enough to spend thousands of dollars on something like that. Since for one, I'll barely ever use it. Two, I have no place to hide since fuck you if you think I'm explaining that shit. Three, I'd probably be too embarrassed to wear the dumb thing anyways the one time it would ever be acceptable to wear.

Fursuits are fucking stupid.

[Spot]

Lol this whole fandom is fucking stupid, yet here we are, pretending to be animal people and obsessing over porn every day. Fursuits, in my opinion, are one of the less extremes. It is only cosplay after all.

[PastryOfApathy]

Lol this whole fandom is fucking stupid, yet here we are, pretending to be animal people and obsessing over porn every day. Fursuits, in my opinion, are one of the less extremes. It is only cosplay after all.

Oh I know. But porn and dicking around on internet forums while drawing something every two and half centuries doesn't cost $2000.

[Zeke]

Oh I know. But porn and dicking around on internet forums while drawing something every two and half centuries doesn't cost $2000.

Unless you can make it yourself. And then it's like....$300

[Spot]

Oh I know. But porn and dicking around on internet forums while drawing something every two and half centuries doesn't cost $2000.

I think you underestimate the obsession of some in this culture and how much they spend on porn. I have seen people spend hundreds on one commission, that's not including the many others they have.

[Ginpanther]

I think the only way I could convince myself to suit would be with a partial, and then it would have to be a high-end realistic one done by somebody like Lex Rudd over at Primal Visons. Toon style suits are just far too off-putting to me, for whatever reason.

[PastryOfApathy]

Unless you can make it yourself. And then it's like....$300

Then it looks creepy and awful. If I'm going to spend way too much money on being a faggot, I'm going to do it right.

[miso-so]

I think it's just like art in general. There's realism and then there's cartoony. With realism, you're kind of limited to what expressions and exaggerations your characters can do. While with cartoons, you can literally do whatever you want, and it'd be acceptable, because it's a cartoon. So when you apply this to fursuits, you'd never see a realistic suit with vibrant colors, cute expressions or exaggerated limbs, etc. If there are, I doubt it'd look good, cause it just wouldn't match. It'd have to be very carefully executed. I don't think it'd be impossible tho, just gotta know how to combine both. However with a toony one, you can get much more freedom to customize it as much as you'd like. 

There's no denying, that both styles require a lot of time, effort and work, and both end results are just as amazing as the other, but in the end, it's all a matter of tastes. So it's very subjective to each person. I for one, prefer toony. It's cuter, and I have much more liberty with it, and I overall just enjoy it more. 

[Calemeyr]

Despite toony suits being capable of so many expressions, because furries are so damn uncreative and simple-minded, they always opt for "happy". Whenever I see eyelids or adjustable eyebrows I feel something with fursuits for once.

Also, completely unpadded, "happy" toony suits look so damn boring to me.

[Xaende]

I like them both, but semi-realistic is probably my favorite.

[Endless/Nameless]

It's gotta be somewhere in the middle for me. Too cartoony and it looks lame, whereas too realistic and it looks creepy. Wow, that's quite the non-answer I just gave... But in all honesty, I'm not really a huge fan of fursuiting anyway... Unless it's Telephone or something 

[KryptoKroenen]

Realistic suits are creepy as fuck. I like a blend of toony-realism, something that's cute but still looks like it could be a living, breathing creature.

The Japanese seem to be good at attaining this type of effect.

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m3nznyUWth1qglksco1_500.jpg

http://33.media.tumblr.com/d62ce6f0f8850b731aaa2f6934f51979/tumblr_inline_n2cysrdJmy1rneb10.jpg

Glass eyes are really an amazing touch.

[Misomie]

I find most Japanese style suits to be incredibly creepy. Itty bitty noses, super tiny mouths, giganormuss eyes, odd fat hip padding, ect. A few are cute but most are full of nopes. :<

[MissFleece]

sigh

[MissFleece]

3 minutes ago, Saxon said:

How much does something like that cost?

her heads have ranged between $700-1100 depending on how much detail/painting they need. I got mine for 600 but that was before she raised her prices a bit. 

 

 

http://www.furaffinity.net/gallery/keeatah/

Edited February 6, 2016 by MissFleece

[Zeke]

I am looking to get a faux wolf pelt from magpie when she reopens again. Cuz werewolves. :3

[Zeke]

1 minute ago, Saxon said:

It's frustrating that you essentially have to be a talented seamstress or rich to get a nice suit. 

Sadly.

I can make some myself. but there are others I wish to have because it looks wonderful. At one point I wanted to get a scribble suit, but then I realized it would be a bad idea in the longrun.

[Zeke]

2 minutes ago, Saxon said:

As soon as I graduate and start getting paid, the fursuit fund begins. 

And commissions too to help (if you do not do them already).

[Calemeyr]

What does PhoF think of these?

Personally, I think Nick looks a little high. Also the head needs more fur depth, espedially around the cheeks. His lack of eyebrows is disturbing.

Judy needs to shave her face a bit.

Still, I regret not asking the organizers a while back if I could have volunteered to weae one of the costumes. Maybe I can do it for the Ratchet and Clank movie.

[Zeke]

3 hours ago, Calemeyr said:

What does PhoF think of these?

Personally, I think Nick looks a little high. Also the head needs more fur depth, espedially around the cheeks. His lack of eyebrows is disturbing.

Judy needs to shave her face a bit.

Still, I regret not asking the organizers a while back if I could have volunteered to weae one of the costumes. Maybe I can do it for the Ratchet and Clank movie.

They are decent mascots, but Nick does look like he's been eating pot brownies through the whole premiere. 

And the rabbit could use a shorter pile of fur.

[Crazy Lee]

Okay, what exactly is the difference between a semi-realistic and  a realistic?

[Sergalus]

I prefer realistic. Looks more natural and cool.