In the early 2000s, I spent an entire summer thinking about and designing my own personal fursona so that I could commission 100px mood avatars from artists on Livejournal.
I had crazy purple hair (still do more often than not) so I gave her crazy purple hair. I was crazy about cats (yes), so she was a mix of every cat I could think of. I made her body grey (because my childhood cat was a grey tabby) with some slimming black patches
Beetle (the character) drawn by Beetlecat (the artist) cropped to 100px by 100px for LJ
Then I threw in mountain goat, hyena, porcupine, boar, and probably more that I’ve forgotten in the 15 years(!?) since.
Most of those particular aspects have evolved out (or I never show them. like the porcupine quills in her tail) because cats are already so aesthetically perfect :)
I never set out to call her, Beetle, which was the name of my then (and still now!) real life cat (happy 18th birthday, Beetle!). But that was my most common username at the time. and so it became my furry name. and then my fursona name. because I just couldn’t think of anything else. and TBH it still feels just a little bit awkward (shouldn’t she have a name of her own?) but I think we’re well stuck together now XD
The artist wearing her (then new) Beetle bodysuit in 2011. It’s still being used in the current Beetlesuit now in 2019!
An earlier reference of Beetle
Realistic Beetle by Beetlecat.
My first version of Beetle as-a-fursuit was actually commissioned from another fursuit-maker and then I crafted some arms and legs and wore her (with a shirt) as a ¾ partial. I had already made near 40 fursuit heads by this point and STILL didn’t feel confident enough to make my own fursona XD
Beetle by Joecifur
It is so easy to love art made for you and much harder to love art made by you for you D:
I have since made my own version 4 times.
Toony Beetle by Beetlecat
She evolved as I evolved in my craft and then I would move on and need a new version that matched my current skills and feelings about my art. I think it would be easy to say that my current personal fursuit is the is a culmination of my art (and perhaps a reflection of my personality) over the past 15 years
Realistic Beetle remixed by Beetlecat
In a very real way, I owe my new fursuit’s creation to my patrons. And thus, if I may say, the entire creation of this blog.
I tend to rush my personal costumes. I am meticulous (very) with customer orders – time is no object. I will redo it until it’s RIGHT. But my projects feel a bit naughty. like I’m sneaking a bit of time away from my clients and I should really just wrap it up.
There IS value in just working on something personal here and there of course. It allows you stretch out and be a bit random and free-form. Let off some steam. Try something just a bit different you been thinking about for a while. But that inner voice doesn’t really think much of those explanations XD
This costume however, I felt much more comfortable working on. And I blame my patrons for that comfort ^_^
Beetle as of Nov 2019
When you in some way sponsor an artist like myself, you are telling them that you like and approve of what they throw themselves into to be released upon the world and that you want to see more.
Your sponsorship of my art is such a huge show of support it extends beyond the actual physical pledge and quiets the little voice that says no one cares :)
Your advocacy and encouragement and assistance and support allows artists to carve out a bit of time to experiment and play and bring new ideas and creatures into the world.
To all of my patrons, on this unveiling of my new personal costume on #ThankYouPatrons Day 2019, I want to give you a big THANK YOU for supporting me, and chatting with me, and pushing me to do new and exciting things :D
Look at this cutie