Whether you’re making a school mascot for your kid’s basketball team or getting ready for a Comic-Con near you, when it comes to how to make a fursuit head for beginners, it can prove time-consuming and difficult.
But with a few simple tips, you can cut the production time significantly while avoiding many common mistakes. The suggestions below also work when crafting rave costumes or your next Burning Man wardrobe.
So, keep reading because I’m about to save you a small fortune in foam, fake fur, blood, sweat, and tears.
Create a Foundation for Your Creation
How to make a fursuit head? Like everything else in life, you’ve got to start with a firm foundation. And by firm, I mean foam.
At a fabric or craft store, purchase one inch (2.5 cm) thick foam. Once back home, enlist the help of a friend for this next step. As your friend stands ready with scissors, wrap the foam around your head and ask them to cut away the excess.
Before they start cutting, make sure that the foam fits loosely enough that you’re not catching your ears or nose on the inside of the tube. Otherwise, it won’t fit comfortably later.
You should also ask your friend to indicate where the foam hits the edge with a marker. That way, you’ll know where you can trim away any excess as you get more deeply into the head-making process.
Get Your Glue Gun Out
Few crafter items multi-task better than hot glue guns, and you’re going to need yours for this project. After you’ve measured the foam carefully and cut it away, glue the sides of the foam together at the marker line.
Gluing should result in a foam tube that fits snugly when you pull it over your head and has some excess foam extending above the top of your head.
Next, take the excess foam at the top and round it over. You’ll likely need to trim some foam in the process. To keep it even, fold in each side and snip away at the middle. Then, glue the two sides together, creating a dome-shaped piece of foam.
What you’re going for at this point is a consistently shaped tube that’s rounded at the top. Trim away any bumps or lumps that catch your eye. These could interfere with the finished look of your costume.
Add Features to Your Fursuit Head
Now, the real fun can begin! Draw eye holes on your foam tube and then carefully use a razor knife or shop scissors to cut them out. Follow the rule of cutting less than more as you can always make eye holes bigger later.
Once you know where the eyes go, start bulking up the foam by adding eyebrow ridges, cheeks, and a short muzzle. Refer to photos of wildlife to help you make the muzzle proportional to the creature you’re crafting.
Add conical shapes of foam that you’ve cut out for ears. Again, look at those reference photos! Some animals have droopy ears and other pointy ones.
Once you’ve measured for fur and cut out the right sized pieces, you can assemble everything and have a look at your finished product. Congrats! You’ve just contributed to growing sub-culture trends!
How to Make a Fursuit Head for Beginners
When it comes to how to make a fursuit head for beginners, practice makes perfect. The more you work with foam, the better your finished product will look.
Dressing up in costumes and developing a sub-culture alter-ego are both fantastic ways to put a little more spice in your life. But you don’t have to stop there. Browse our blog now for more ideas to make life fun, funky, and downright magical.
