Number 2 looks more proportionate

I think it's more proportionate for a normal canine, number 1 looks more Doberman though!

Thanks for the opinion :3

i think im more of a fan of two, and wow this is coming out great!

Thanks! I can't wait to see it stomping around as well!!

I think that because you as a human can't have the longer torso/body of a doberman, having the super deep chest that would be natural to them looks over exaggerated and really wrong. So having the a more shallow or smaller chest area to the suit help compensate for the suits shorter body length. So I think 1 looks better. It looks more natural and less bulky.

I totally agree with you on this! Thank you very much for the advice! Number 1 it is!

Im more of a fan of #1

I like that one best too! I am assuming in real life it doesn't look as nice is because it is not a solid shape yet!

Number 1 it is!

Definitely number 1 D: looks way more natural!

I think an in the middle option might be worthwhile. I tried splitting the difference here. I found that either bringing the chest up, or bringing the belly down looks better either way. Though in this case, bringing the biggest part of the chest up kept the slender look better. I also slimmed the neck (but not where the suiter's head is) to stretch the look of the back some more. Getting to the point, the more slender look makes the more forward chest look more natural. Though going with the slender rib with the smaller chest looks almost saluki-like, which could work if it's a feminine OC.

I think paying special attention to the shoulder and chest differentiation in the foaming is gonna be really important in keeping the chest from looking weird for either. I personally favor more chest, really anything to elongate the torso. Since you're so early in, it probably seems odd and bulgey right now, but I think some crafty adjustments and some TLC on shapes will make it fit more.

Thank you so much for another redline! I admit I was also considering a midway between the two! The only thing I can't do is the revision on the stilts as I am working with pvc pips for the legs (I no longer have the equipment for fibre glass like I did on kyubimon D;)

I know I spend a lot of time on planning but it gets past these issues rather than build and be stuck with something seriously ugly lol this chest will need a lot of tlc! Especially since I am planning to use seal fur as well!

No problem! And seal fur? Oh geez! I trust you know of the puppet stitch? Heck, even a proper (close stitch, not pulled too tight) baseball stitch! That way your seal is 100% seamless! Unless you use a machine, I don't know any seamless stitches on a machine. Oh, and the connective skin that goes between the quadriceps area to the belly can be sewn in and smocked to make it look real and stretchy!

I was planning on hand basting then picking seams of fur, machine sewing then picking seams of fur again. I will be doing a test piece before I move onto the final to see if its actually viable for me to do that, I really don't want to resort to DF at all, its faaaar too long even if it would hide the seams easier. I would rather spend extra time sewing than saving a full bodysuit lol (so much sneezing!).

I was going to smock the legs actually! Possibly the belly to give it full definition, I never considered doing the pits though! That is a fantastic idea! I wonder if it would be worth it to smock most of it, if it would add to it!

I honestly don't use a sewing machine (never got around to buying one) so I can't say anything about that. Also, where are you getting your seal from? I found my favorites come from imstuffedfur.com, most are so dense and fluff! Just smock what will likely form wrinkles, and you'll be good to go. I would think belly and high-bend areas are really all that needs it. Save yourself some labor, haha.

I'm in sending to get it from Mendelssohn, I've ordered some swatches that I am waiting on! I wanted to check thier quality first, I can't find much in the form of reviews on seal furs x.x DF and MM a plenty! But not seals!
I'll be honest I never considered imstuffedfur.com! I even have one of their seals here (like a rusty orange, too bright for this unfortunate!) that I was going to use to practice! I'll see what I can get in the way of swatches from them! Thankfully they ship to the UK!
Generally I hand sew everything but I am moving onto sewing bodysuits and paws by machine so they are more durable! I will always hand see faces and makings though, I simply don't have the dexterity for that on a machine o.o

Mendels is local for me, and most of their seals are quite nice! Lovelier than the punky muppet that people like so much (I find them too toony for my taste and style. Flat in color, you know?) DF is mostly bad if you ask me. Not only do their long furs form clumps naturally rather than laying more smoothly, but many of their seals have unappealing, scratchy backings!

And I really need to get a machine. After my old-school, table-built brother machine broke down before I was getting into fursuits, I just haven't looked into which machines can handle fur. It seems that hand-sewing is best for heads in any case, because of the tight curves and the need for very small (or no, if you can do it) seam allowances.

No seam allowances on face sewing for me, it's all whip stitched too! Lots of tiny stitches o.o I use this machine currently http://www.argos.co.uk/m/static/Pro.....8497643601659%7Cdvc:m%7Cadp:1o2%7Cbku:1
My last one (a suuuuuper cheap lidls one I got as 'my first sewing machine' from my parents) lasted about 8 years before refusing to work! Sounded like a machine gun going off so the new brother one is a vast improvement! I used to have a manual table one as well but had to leave it behind in a move v.v
The one I have just now is good to go through two layers of fur, 3 if you go slow and ease it under the presser foot. I've snapped a needle attempting to do 4 layers (was seeing spikes in the back of a bodysuit) so I know that's two too many haha

I know what you mean about DF behaving! I like the benefits of it being machine washable but it's so unruly most of the time. I do prefer using furs with guard hairs in them or at least airbrushing a more natural mix onto them (take the bobcat I just made for example, tan colour is DF camel)

Wow, that's actually more affordable of a machine than I was looking at previously! To be honest, I've never stitched anything thicker than denim in a machine, so it's going to be a learning curve in that regard. Thanks for the recommendation!

And I saw and fav'ed your bobcat! So pretty! You definitely worked that fur. :)