The Commission Process: Imagination Brought to Life

    When one sees the finished product, whether it be an art piece, a necklace, or a coat, unless you stop to think about it, the fact that there were many steps between the creation of that object and its completed, polished form now in front of you can be easily missed.
    As a buyer, how does one order a commission? As this process depends on the artist, it can vary widely as an experience, but will always follow a general procedure. This is providing the artist with the commission request, then going through its production, and ending in receipt of the commission.

The Stars of the Night Sky Commission by Shalinka

    To better illustrate how a commission is done, let’s take two examples from my own experience. I went to French artist Shalinka (her fursona name) in order to have my own fursona rendered, an oriental dragon that is a hybrid between an emerald tree boa and a Siberian tiger. I chose her because I admired both her aesthetic and her experiments with her style; I particularly appreciated the contrast one of her watercolor paintings of an owl provided to her usual work. I tend to see the ability for an artist to have successful experimentations in their work as an indicator for creativity and skill. She also had an orderly website, with detailed instructions for ordering a commission, and a price list. Finally, her fursona is a panda. A French panda artist. Perhaps a spiritual countrywoman, one might say!

The Sisters by Shalinka

    I provided a basic description of my character, and provided five photos for each animal from various websites like Flickr, as well as five photos of myself from different angles. Several of those photos showed the coat I wanted depicted in the picture. My e-mail address, for contact, and a few comments about some of her pieces that I particularly enjoyed rounded out the commission request.
    A prompt response by Shalinka was the beginning of our exchanges. She asked about my budget, and to clarify what I wanted in the picture. Detailing the estimated cost for the piece to $75, she asked for payment before starting. This is standard among most artists on Furaffinity, although some people have modified policies. A helpful section on her website clarified Paypal’s policies for foreign currency, so I made sure to pay extra to cover the conversion fees.

Sketch progression

 
    What followed was a series of updates in the form of sketches, then coloring, where I was asked for input at each stage. Between the first and second sketches, I asked for the emerald tree boa’s distinctive cranial domes to be added; besides that, there was no criticism, only delight on my part! As you can see, the cleaned up sketch after this initial communication process is quite a different beast in comparison to its forbearers. After receiving approval, Shalinka proceeded to color the line art. Here again I had only one change; adding some orange striping to the fu manchu whiskers.

Coloring progression

 
    Some artists will offer livestreams of their work. Livestream is a website where you can video what’s on your computer screen and upload it. In this case, for those artists who are doing digital art, the customer (and frequently an appreciative audience) will be able to see the drawing in progress. A fair proportion of FA artists offer livestream of their own volition, however it’s not standard for the customer to be able to view their piece being done livestream.
    Once the coloring had been approved, it was only a matter of shading the piece, then the commission was complete. Shalinka promptly sent me three different sizes, as well as an “icon” picture of just my character’s face. Many online forums and social media websites have profile pictures, and these icons, or “avatars” are used by many posters. I myself took advantage of the opportunity to update my own Furaffinity profile picture with my completed character’s friendly visage.

Tang-Jun by Shalinka

    I am well-satisfied with my purchase. I’d carefully waited until an artist whose style I admired became available for commission, and been thoughtful in considering my request. Shalinka’s skills and talents were the crucible, as it were, for making that a physical (well, more precisely digital) reality.
    I’d caught an artist right around when her work would begin to proliferate. Now, Shalinka has a constant stream of commission seekers who are fond of her soft style which often feature bold colors, a pleasant contrast of elements. She is constantly seeking to improve, and has several people in her life who’ve helped her to push her limits and expand creatively, to whom she is very grateful.

Vere Themenai by Bibanan

    Bibanan has done roughly twenty commissions since she began showing her art online two years ago. Her first commission was done for her mother’s friend when Bibanan was seventeen years old. The friend’s son was dying of cancer, and the father commissioned a lion tattoo from Bibanan with the words “Peaceful Warrior” written underneath. She was so taken with the situation that she also did a companion painting of a sleeping lion, which she gave to the commissioner. “I was given $100 for that, which surprised me a lot!”, Bibanan recollects. It  showed her the potential of making a living off of one’s art, as well as the impact a thoughtfully crafted piece could have on another person’s life.

Ziqij the Ifrit by Bibanan

    I came to Bibanan’s work through a drawing I’d seen of one of her draconic characters. Those dragon lovers who’ve extensively searched websites like Deviantart will know by now that the archetype of the clunky, armor-plated reptile is not its only incarnation. An orientally-inspired range of sinuous serpents are appearing from artist’s sketchboards, with a few particularly modern interpretations. Bibanan had several pieces which had unique representations of dragonkind that appealed to me, so I checked about a commission!
    Bibanan contacted me shortly after, and gave me her pricing structure; $5 for a sketch, +$2 for lineart, +$3 for flat colors, +$2 for basic shading. As with Shalinka, her main stipulation was that the final price be paid before starting work. With the price determined, I told her what I wanted for the commission; a version of my fursona in Chinese dragon style, similar to some of the dragons she’d previously drawn, adorned with a white trenchcoat featuring patches of Chinese embroidery. I asked if she needed any further descriptive information; usually artists can use all the references and descriptions they can get, but I always check to see if what I’ve already provided is sufficient.

Concept Sketch

    After Bibanan confirmed we were set, it was off to the races! She first drew up a concept sketch, trying to get a feel for what my character’s new interpretation would look like. She sent it to me for perusal; I was ecstatic. A sinuous feral form, feline yet elongated, with a smirking jawline that crept up into an outlandish grin greeted me. She’d taken the character I’d grown used to, spun it in a completely new direction, yet kept the elements that gave him his identity. All of this from what she claimed was a “doodle”. I think she was a bit surprised herself to find that I approved of this experiment, but obviously something in that sketch called to her as well; she made the decision to continue with the concept, saying if I wasn’t satisfied with the result, she could return to something more along the lines of my original character.

Sketch Progression

    Her creative spirit was what veered the whole project away from the realm of the expected. After her first guiding sketch, she began illustrating what would become the newest incarnation of my character. Taking her animalistic venture and rendering it into a more humanoid form, she drew out a graceful ethereal being floating capriciously in the air. Like Shalinka, she kept me apprised as she went through various stages of her sketches, asking for feedback. As I had very minimal critiques to make, she proceeded to produce the lineart, which included the trenchcoat, and that would be used for the final colored version of the artwork.

Closeups

     Now I was able to witness my commission being brought to life, as Bibanan gave me samples of the flat coloring, where no shading has been applied, and then on to shading and adding details to the body. Fleshed out and enthusiastically approved, she moved on to the ultimate step; the attire I had asked for in my original request.

    Quite possibly, this was the most challenging part, because it required research. Since I had asked for samples of Chinese embroidery to be used for the patches adorning the white duster, Bibanan went looking for examples of the genuine article, so she could learn how to express them realistically. She began by browsing for references on the web. After she had found a few and experimented with rendering the pattern, she sent it to me for examination. It was quite good, with cloud-like forms expressed in sky-blue and white against a red background. However, to complete the coat, Bibanan would have to create five more distinct patterns of patches.

Coat Progression

    Fortunately, serendipity would provide its boon. I was in China at the time teaching English, and at the end of the trip I visited several cities, including Hangzhou and its formidable China National Silk Museum. There I took pictures of five Qing Dynasty robes, both of wide-angle shots and details, which I sent to Bibanan.

Tang-Jun by Bibanan

    This provided the last piece of the puzzle; fully equipped with authentic examples, she sent me several samples of her work in creating the embroidered patchwork. These were greatly improved, and I told her that I was really pleased with every element of the picture. She made some finishing touches and the commission was concluded.
    For what I paid, Bibanan far outpaced my expectations. She had religiously worked on making the best artwork in her power, redrawing parts of the picture over and over until it met her standards. She’d kept in contact with me throughout the commission with updates, asking for critiques at each stage or major change. Bibanan must have worked upwards of 6-8 hours (at least!), and the price had been only $12. I felt that the detailed and passionate work of art she’d created deserved more than what she’d asked in payment, so after I received the commission, I made sure to give her an additional tip. Given the amount of time an artist may spend working to produce your commission, please consider doing this if you have the money to spare; it shows that you respect and value the time and skill that is required to create. 

    Although they each had different styles and work methods,  both Shalinka and Bibanan are exemplary artists who are serious about their work and produce beautiful illustrations with care and creativity. I am highly appreciative of the effort it takes to produce art, and I only witnessed a minute portion of the process which leads from blank sheet to glorious presentation. If you decide to order a commission, please keep in mind that it is due to the talents of these artists that concept becomes reality. My advice again to prospective buyers is to take your time in finding the right person for you, and to be thorough, polite and understanding in your communications. From this cooperative venture, may you find your imagination brought to life.

THE GALLERY

Sumi-E style Cat, Snake, and Dog by Shalinka

The Dancer by Shalinka

Griphass Commission by Shalinka

Shavir Commission by Bibanan

Tes Tinglefingers Commission by Bibanan

Investigating the Collection: Comets and Curves, Bongsang Cho's Newest Work

Bongsang Cho

Specialty: Jewelry, utilizing modern technology to surpass previous restrictions

Most Recent Craft Show: American Craft Exposition 2013

Upcoming Craft Show: Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show 2013

In Bongsang Cho’s world, geometry is the language which connects humanity and nature, going from the inorganic to the organic and back again. Endeavoring to express this in the vocabulary of his art, he has produced several series of work which continue undergoing refinements. Currently there are two of these unique bodies of jewelry on which he is focusing his efforts.

To understand his geometric Comets brooches, one must first venture into the stars; Cho’s stars, that is. In another branch of his work, Cho utilized enamel and silver and gold flakes to produce starry skies and multi-hued, metalliferous forms he titles his Stellar series. Starting from one geometric collection of enameled panels, Cho stretched the form off fractally, but at each point maintaining the connection between each extension. Either dappling the shape with an enamel gradient, or, by taking a pure black form, studding it with gold leaf or metal granules, he orchestrated his interpretation of the cosmos.

Comet Brooch & Pendant Series #1, of copper, vitreous
enamel, and 23 karat gold leaf, 4” x 4” x 1.5” inches, 2012.

From this line, one can see the precursors to his more recent Comets work. In the wire frameworks and enamel panels of this series, he forms the celestial object’s tail and head; abstract, modern interpretations translated into a brooch. Using geometric forms, pentagons, either symmetrical or with some lopsidedness, with a wire framework behind which lightly imitates the foreground shapes, Cho’s meteorological representation comes into focus. For some of these pieces, such as Comet #6, the abstraction of the form almost leads to it looking like a botanical entity, something Cho favors in much of his work. The “flower” is five enameled panels, like petals, with enamel splashes that intimate the flower’s stamen, pistil, and other assorted innards.

Comet Brooch & Pendant Series #6, of copper,
sterling silver, vitreous enamel, and 23 karat
gold leaf, 3” x 2” x 1” inches, 2012.

With his Splash and Orbit series, we see elements from Stellar, but also the developed wirework that emerges in his Comets and previous Blossom suite. In fact, through Cho’s oeuvre one can see characteristics developed in one series being incorporated into another, but played with and altered. Here, he gambols with the wire to create reckless circles and curves that are dotted with silver balls, like thorns on a rose, vines or barbed wire, that makes the brooch visually outstanding. It projects a mood, perhaps curiosity, perhaps aggressive, but certainly not silence. However, this visual chaos eventually resolves itself, as the motif of wild curvature rebounds throughout the piece. Cut aluminum panels are covered with squiggly spirals, which echo the steel wire ellipses. A splash of enamel and cast copper introduces color and contrast, the molten form at odds with the sharp, clean cut surfaces of the silver-hued flanges and dark
steel circles.

Splashing & Orbit Brooch & Pendant #2 of splash cast copper,
23 karat gold leaf, vitreous enamel, laser welded steel, silver granules,
and aluminum, 3.50” x 5” x 1.50” inches, 2011.

That each series is distinct (sometimes so noticeably as to appear to be from different artists), yet retaining stylistic genes between them demonstrate Cho’s dedication to expression. As he continues to explore the earth and the heavens, there will undoubtably be new ground to cover.

Comet Brooch & Pendant Series #4 (left), #5 (right), of copper, sterling silver, vitreous enamel, and 23
karat gold leaf, 3” x 3” x 0.5” inches (left), 3” x 2” x 0.5” inches (right), 2012.

Poet of Papyrus: Francesca Vitali

Francesca Vitali
Specialty: Jewelry, exploring paper as a medium
Most Recent Craft Show: Washington Craft Show
Upcoming Craft Show: None Planned for 2013

Paper. It's usually something you write on, or put into your printer, or hold between your hands as a magazine or a book. Although the modern day has brought the material into use in the wearable art field, few have dealt with it so originally and spectacularly as Francesca Vitali, an Italian who immigrated to the United States. Although trained as a chemist, Vitali found inspiration in American propensity to shift careers within the course of one's life.

Satelliti (Satellites) brooch of repurposed paper, sterling silver; woven, 2010.

  
    Craft was not unfamiliar to her, however; indeed, as a young girl she was already making jewelry. Paper was quickly realized as a useful medium for her early experimentation; she recalls, “The first piece that I have ever made of paper was a very long necklace made of strung paper beads, and the paper was from a clothing line catalog. I’m amazed I still remember that!” It was the endless range of colors available from magazines and other publications that lit her imagination. Just by re-using old paper products, she had a limitless palette to choose from.

A Mano Libera Series, Aspide (Freehand Series, Asp) necklace of recycled paper, sterling silver, nylon coated steel cable; woven, 2011.

    Vitali’s self-taught techniques yield suprising results. Most of her pieces are composed of many tight composite folds, which then are wound around each other to produce organic and geometric shapes. Each fold exposes the color of the glossy paper, and Vitali makes sure to add in variation to make for spicy designs. A coiling spiral wave form made from gold and white paper, with a black border is threaded through with wire to make a necklace; the voluminous shape is as magnificent a pendant as any gemstone. The piece, Aspide, or Asp, is broad enough to almost be a pectoral. Vitali’s work uses weaving techniques to achieve this luminous final product. This series, A Mano Libera, takes a single long woven element which is then shaped in a manner similar to a freeform drawing.

Connessioni (Connections) necklace of recycled paper, magnet; woven, 2012.

    “I have mastered my weaving technique and my new challenges are striving to find new structures, new shapes and new ways of transforming paper,” she says. An example of these challenges is her new piece Connessioni. “The new necklace was inspired by one of my favorite color combination (red/black and white) and paper combination (repurposed paper/book pages). I wanted to connect all these elements into a necklace made only of paper,” Vitali explains. “And of course the name of the piece “Connessioni” means connections!”

    In contrast to A Mano Libre, in Connessioni the paper itself is the necklace, “wire”, clasp and all. The interwoven connection between red and white paper appears to be not only functional, providing some give to the necklace, but also a visual centerpoint. Abbraccio is another completely paper design which features a closure at the back, like a torque. Simply shaped, here it is Vitali’s use of color that commends the piece; the glossy purple, pink and deep red are a resonant combination.

Abbraccio (Embrace) necklace of repurposed paper; woven, 2012.

    Francesca’s description of the creative state pays homage to that same ineffable source of inspiration that many artists relate to. “Mostly I work at night in my studio, when the rest of the house is quite and asleep,” Vitali explains. “That is a magic time of my day, as a matter of fact my studio is a small sunroom with three walls made of windows, so I’m practically in the middle of the dark. On one side there is a hill and the rest is just neighbors backyards. Everything is still except my hands and my brain. I spend most of my time weaving while thinking of new pieces, just writing about it puts me in that happy state that I’m not sure I can really describe… I just want to make a new piece!”

Selection of Vitali's work at her booth in the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show 2012.

    As part of her picking up a new career in the United States, Vitali has taken many classes in order to learn metalsmithing techniques to incorporate into her work. Early admirers of her jewelry will remember her aluminum cuff "sheller" or "shelly" bracelets, where only a quarter of the diameter of the circular design contains woven paper. The paper provides the color, rendering the piece a picture of elegant simplicity. Vitali has worked metal into a number of her pieces, however has recently found herself trending back to using paper alone.

“For years, I have worked a lot on paper and metal, always trying to figure more ways to combine these two elements,” she describes, “but recently in the past year and half I found that I’m very attracted by paper only. In a way I’m going back where all started. The only difference now is that I’m doing it as a conscious choice over incorporating other material.”

Having come full circle, Vitali is juggling her jewelrymaking with her baby daughter, Penelope. Continuing to impress, her vibrant and unusual pieces stand out in both technical skill and aesthetic sense. Who knew paper could be so fashionable?

More of her work can be found here.

Illusione Ottica (Optical Illusion) bracelets of repurposed
paper; woven, 2012.

Jade Dragon Down the Rabbit Hole: A Visit to Furaffinity

Tang-Jun by Shalinka

Chris Goodwin

    While science, mathematics and other similar fields are always in demand, the arts are seen as offering less direct benefits, particularly for employment. Education in something as seemingly ethereal and frivolous as the arts is often deemed to be financial deadweight in curriculum, and thus is seen as open game for cuts. I’ve often heard lamentations from the older members of the craft community about the state of art education in the United States. I myself, from secondhand information, am aware of the deficit. However, from firsthand interaction, I am not nearly as demoralized as my good friends in the established craft community about art’s place in the consciousness of our generation. One reason for this is my participation in the furry community.

    Furries are a subculture that most people who are young and fairly involved in the online community are aware of, at least superficially. To those who didn’t grow up in the nineties and the first decade of the twenty-first century, they may be near invisible. At its most elemental, furries are people who are fans of anthropomorphized animals. The subculture has actually been extant for decades, its roots originating in the “funny animal” cartoons of Disney and the Looney Tunes. However, it took the advent of the internet for the culture to really become a connected community. As gallery websites allowed more and more people to become aware of the fandom, it gained a very eclectic following from all walks of life. As one artist says, to many furry is a lifestyle, to others it is exclusively about love of art, or comes of a passion for the natural world. Furry is as mixed a melting pot as there ever was.

SpottyJaguar

    Art has always been an integral part of the furry community. Most if not all furries have fursonas, a play on the word furry and persona. These can be avatars of themselves, or just characters of fictional people they’ve invented, but what’s fairly inevitable is that most furries will eventually draw or commission a drawing of their fursonas.
    A high percentage of the furry community are artists, and with a supportive membership for the arts, even the beginners will often find encouragement and tips that will help them grow to become capable illustrators. Those who don’t draw themselves can easily find hundreds of artists who will help their fursonas come to life. The main mechanism for this is Furaffinity.net, an online gallery/social media website where anyone can register, somewhat akin to Facebook, or, for those familiar with it, Deviantart.

Vallhund

    Furaffinity, or FA, has several basic features: a profile page with a comment section (known as shouts); journals, where one can make blog-like posts; a gallery where one can upload drawings, photographs, written stories, or even music; and a private message system called notes.

    While not extensive in resources, users have made FA a nexus for commissions. Many of the artists participating on FA have as part of their profile page or journals commission information, including samples of their work; prices for various levels of commissions; rules and guidelines for subject matter; and information on submitting a commission request.

    Moreover, the most important facet of FA is that its audience are also its customers. Because FA doubles as Facebook for the furry community, all the people who would want to purchase the services of its members are already there. From personal experience, this is most notable in the ads which the site runs. These four ads, two placed each on the top and bottom of every page, are almost all furry related. FA itself has its own ad program, which anyone can purchase. Most of these are site members who are selling commissions. As such, the customers and the artists always reach their target audience. And because most ads simply redirect to the artist’s profile page, it’s seamless to navigate from an ad to an advertiser. This makes for a very natural system for selling art.

Krat

    The work of the artists spans a vast range of styles. In general, one could say there are a number of general artistic styles, like branches of a family tree, which means for many artists one can see similarities between their work. This doesn’t include beginner artists, who might be drawing for the first time. Although these are often like the drawings of a child, I’ve personally seen friends whose work has progressed by leaps and bounds in the year or two they’ve maintained their artwork. With a generous amount of support from the community, many artists are encouraged enough to stick with their artmaking until they’ve achieved genuine skill.

    Besides the beginners and those who fit under stylistic branches, there are those whose work is genuinely unique. Whether by experimentation with methods, or their own artistic vision, these artists who create outstanding work, while somewhat rarer, can be found in droves; when the pool is hundreds to thousands of people, diamonds in the rough show up in their dozens.

    Prices can range from $10 to $20 for a colored line art or sketch from some artists, averaging around $50 to $60 for the more established ones. Art in that range usually includes backgrounds, shading, and other details. Popular artists can often claim higher, around $80 to $100 for a more complex piece. Those who are in high demand can charge even higher; some of these creators can sell their work for $500 to $600 or even more. Sometimes auctions are held for a particular commission bid, and I’ve seen these reach $1,000. However, from those artists I’ve spoken with, one has stated that even these can be on the low end of the spectrum with some auctions going from $2,500 to in one case $10,000. They also comment on how equivalent work is often more expensive through other venues, like comic conventions, where a simple pencil headshot could go for $60.

Wolf-Nymph

    What about the artwork itself? One feature of FA is a watch list, which is like a combination of friends on Facebook and bookmarking. I’ve made my own watch list from a combination of browsing through random work, finding people through ads, and seeing somebody’s work favorited by another artist I like. Very few of these artists I’ve met in person, or even spoken to. That’s no barrier to admiring their work, though!

    Chris Goodwin’s work not only spans a wide range of styles, but his vignettes from life, featuring furry stand-ins, are wonderful snapshots of the unusual in the everyday. Krat is also an experimenter, with his psychedelic piece “I blame this on the 60’s” a vibrant neon Day of the Dead-like tribute. He has a running comic series that has a wonderful grittiness to it.

    On the other end of the spectrum, artist Mitti is the queen of cute. She is highly capable of creating miniature characters that are both adorable and raucous. Not to be typecast, she is also capable of romantic Parisian scenes and painting as well. Wolf-Nymph’s style is colorful and full of motion. Her Mosaic Tiger is a piece-de-resistance, featuring a stone golem tiger composed of magic gemstones, resting on a Greco-Roman veranda in front of an evening sun.

Mitti

    I should say that many “Anthro Artists” don’t necessarily have fursonas; indeed, many of those I’ve mentioned don’t have a personal fursona, or even identify themselves as furries. Cardinal is not one of these; his personal identification is a Pug. With brilliant coloring and a bold cartoonish style, his pieces certainly stand out from the page. As with many of the artists I’ve mentioned, he is capable of more realistic figures, as his large series of “ferals” attests. Some furries have feral forms, which are essentially like a non-human animal, rather than an anthropomorphic one. However, human emotions are still often seen on a feral’s face, bridging the gap between supposedly non-sentient “beast” and the homo sapiens.

Horse Feather

    So, it's not only artists who identify themselves as furries who show and sell their work on FA. A lot of artists are professionals who use their furry work on the side to supplement their income. Some are older artists who come from a science fiction or fantasy art background, now also visiting furry conventions to sell their work. These artists often appreciate the enthusiasm for art within the FA community, which provides a rare environment where one is inundated in an interested audience.
    Vallhund’s work is testament to her interest in tackling a variety of subjects and characters. She will often do themed commission series on sale, for instance where someone can ask for their fursona to be portrayed as a video game character. She’s also capable of pieces with strong emotion; Cyrus and the Other Side presents a snow leopard fursona confronting his demonic other half in a mirror, a true portrait of resolve. Vallhund is very appreciative of the economic ecology of FA. “There is a guaranteed target market with a consistent flow of work to be had by artists through commissions, a decent system for advertisement that encourages in-community work, and overall the site is geared to provide a fandom based on artwork with the artwork it needs in an accessible way,” she explains. Vallhund joined the website in 2009, but at that time didn’t make a living from selling her work. She’d been drawing anthropomorphic figures for most of her life, but it wasn’t until joining FA that she became aware of the large community based around it. “I didn’t start doing commissions either,” Vallhund recalls, “most of my work I’d posted to FA were personal works the first few years. My local furries were purchasing basic pieces from me around the time I quit my job working in a restaurant as a cook (a job I’d had between companies since I was 17), and I suddenly had a lot more time to draw. So I took commissions for the first time ever and worked as hard as I could to get faster and more practiced at using a Tablet/digital medium.” Before this, Vallhund was most comfortable with traditional media.

Kray Tsao

    Racoonwolf, whose fursona switches between a timber wolf and a raccoon, is another artist whose style is both emotional and representative of the bold strokes of oil painting. In this Taiwanese artist’s work, one can see similarities to the art of Chris Goodwin, as both artists are some of those who utilize painting rather than solely digital art. Horsefeather is another artist with a fursona, a quite unique one at that! She is a hybrid of a horse, a kudu and a lunar moth, a quite graceful and diaphanous figure. Her piece featured here, In Pari Materia, presents her fursona in the Art Nouveau style.

    SpottyJaguar’s work is in the darker realm. With many representations of demons or sexuality, this artist’s work is very well-rendered, with strong lines and excellent shading. It should be noted that the furry community has an erotic component. While a guest without an account on the website cannot access any mature pieces, a registered user will find a high proportion of erotica. One should be forewarned, however avoiding the community based on this alone will blind you to the beautiful artwork present here. Try to avoid coming in with prejudice, and one will be rewarded. Many of the artists I’ve described previously have multiple erotic pieces, but as many or more that have no sexual content.

Balaa

    Kacey's work is characterized by pastel coloring and her detailed and gently drawn fur portrayal. Rounded edges in general give her art a soft and playful feel. Her picture here is a reference sheet, which is a visual reference for a character or fursona. Generally one character is depicted from two or three different angles, such as front, back and side. Basic or more extensive descriptions of the character are also included, as well as a color palette of the colors the fursona has. Kacey's depiction of Artistic Fox is an example of a basic reference sheet with creative poses.
    The work of Veramundis is fairly distinctive, because of his use of cel-shading and painting. The pastel coloring of many of his pieces produces a particular look which almost makes it look like computer animation. KrayTSAO is one of my favorites; with elements of Veramundis, Chris Goodwin and Racoonwolf, his dioramas are surreal and magnificent, and his characters have the haunting quality of old portraits.

    Thornwolf and Balaa are two California artists who I’ve met at conventions. Both are superlative creators. Balaa’s sketchwork of one of my favorite subjects, tigers, are masterful representations of these regal and ferocious animals. Bedecked in flowers or sea creatures, they are some of her trademark pieces which she sells at dealer’s rooms. Her colored work is equally remarkable, with many cosmic presentations that mimic sacred art. Like most of the skilled artists I’ve mentioned, she is capable of a diversity of styles. Her partner, Bagheera, is an equally powerful illustrator, Taiwanese with a fursona of a black leopard.

    Thornwolf’s art possesses a grand sense of humor, as seen in her pin-up of a female bear holding the California flag. Her work for the Werewolf calendars has produced many fierce canines, brightly colored. Her fur depictions are very textural, by representing each hair with a stroke. Some of her pieces are also very cartoonish; fans of Anime will recognize her ability to produce chibis, miniature exaggerated figures. Both her and Balaa’s characters tend to have more realistic, animal-like faces than some of the artists I’ve mentioned.

Thornwolf

    I’ve only had two commissions myself, with another currently in progress. My first commission was from French artist Shalinka, whose fursona is a panda bear. The results from her outstanding work are visible on this website's background.

    The commission process began by sending a note to the artist, Shalinka. I had previously researched her price list, as well as her guidelines, so I made sure to send her a description of my fursona, which is an Asian dragon combination of an Emerald Tree Boa and a Siberian Tiger. I included pictures of both animals, as well as several photos of myself for reference. Since I wanted my fursona wearing two of my favorite jackets, I included photos of those as well. Contact information and an overview of what I wanted in the picture concluded my first message.

Racoonwolf

    Shalinka is an excellent example of a professional artist. Standard practice for most artists is for the customer to pay up front, with organized and reliable artists possessing refund policies. She ironed out the details with me in a series of messages, then kept me informed on the progress of the picture with step-by-step updates of sketches, line art and then colored versions. At each point in the process, my feedback was sought, and I was able to make several changes that made sure I was satisfied with the picture. Finally, I was given the finished product in several sizes, at high resolution, as well as an icon for forums.

    By exploring the furry community, and Furaffinity, there is a wealth of creativity residing within. What makes FA inspiring is its existence as a community of artists who have created their own marketplace. A number of the artists who have accounts make their livelihood via the art they sell, by no means a small achievement. At the very least, for my older readers, even with a dearth of art education in American schools, art in the younger generation is still very much alive and the desire to express oneself strong and vibrant.

Kacey