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Choosing a fursona: My story and opinion.
15 years ago
A great doe once said...
Choosing a fursona: My story and opinion~
I wish the furry fandom consisted of more than mostly canines and felines.
I mean, if your 'sona is a k9 or feline because that's what your personality is like, then that's cool, but most of the time, when "newborn" furs are picking out their fursonas, their minds immediately go to canine (Foxes probably being the most popular, and then wolves, then dogs and other random k9s) or felines (common catgirl/catboy, lions, cheetahs, etc.). Even I picked a silver fox when I first joined the fandom, but then I thought about it (after I had left the fandom for a while) and realized that I wasn't really like a fox at all. Plus I realized how unoriginal having a fox 'sona was. (It CAN be original, but the design has to be pretty darn unique since there are so many.)
When I re-joined the fandom, I came back as a feral child named Aine. (Awn-ya). She was pretty unique (I don't think I've met any other feral human children in the fandom...) but I still didn't like her because 1) I felt left out by the furries and didn't think I could relate to them on a role-playing level. 2) It kind of took away from the point of being a furry. and 3) I still didn't feel a connection to her or an obligation to draw her.
I left the fandom again.
But as some say: "Once a furry, always a furry." So I came prancing back.
And this time I reeeaally thought about what kind of person I was, and also, who I aspired to be. I wanted to find a happy medium between the two.
I was shy. I loved forests and nature. I wanted to be a kind person. The sort of person who everyone loves, not because she's a conformist, but simply because she's nice to everyone no matter what religion, interests, skin-color, sexual orientation, or appearance. I wanted something with smooth fur and a thin, graceful body. Something unique. Something beautiful and swift. An animal that could instantly be identified as a female or a male.
Deer. Deer are nice, I thought. The first thing I did was choose a name. I looked for names that meant "Shy".
(From 20000-NAMES) ERNA, reserved, shy. Great. I loved it. It was a pretty name and had the meaning I wanted.
As for Erna's surname, I picked something aesthetically pleasing to me: Auvray. (Ah-vree).
The design was easy. I wanted something that reflected her personality. Very shy and kind. Something I was and something I aspired to be. I picked very conservative innocent traits. A simple grayish-green dress, not too short but still cute, and light blue eyes, with long, big awkward ears. Very beautiful, I thought. :) By the by, her original design (hide your eyes.): http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/.....naoriginal.jpg
By then, I still had allooott of things to work out and improve on.
The more her design and personality came together, the more I loved her and felt a connection to her. Finally, I had picked he right one. She was me. I even felt a similarity in our names. (Emily... Erna.) It all just felt right.
I had left behind Vixemi and Aine. They were bad creations with good intentions rotting in the back of my mind by then, the poor things.
I found that people liked Erna. I had never gotten much attention before with the fox and the feral child. I wasn't playing my cards right. I didn't like my characters, and neither did anyone else. Because I didn't like myself (or the character that represented me rather) I sort of just lurked around.
When I posted my first few pictures on FA on the DoeADeer account, immediately, I got watches and comments and faves. Maybe I was just in the right place at the right time, or maybe people just loved her look. Either way, I was more obligated to be involved with the fandom and draw requests and be creative with it because I found a character that I loved to role-play and draw.
I haven't left the fandom again since then, and Erna still fits me in every way.
It worked out so much better for me when I found a fursona that fit me like a puzzle piece. So my advice to newborn furs: When you choose your fursona, think about it. Really think about it. Don't say "Foxes are cool." and pick a fox 'sona unless you really do think you're sneaky and clever and crazy. If you're civilized, reserved, and book-smart IRL, think about what fits you. An owl or something that represents those characteristics might be better for you, and you might come to like that animal even more than a fox or a wolf or something when you develop the character more.
My bottom line: Pick something because it fits and you like it, not because everyone else is doing it and it looks cool.
Any veteran furs who are reading this, please post your Story and Opinion on choosing a fursona too, and be sure to leave the link to it on this journal so I can read it! ;)
*Note: To any canine or feline furs who are reading this: This journal was NOT made to discourage people from choosing canine and feline fursonas, or to bash people who already have one. I definitely can't tell you what to do, and if you chose a k9 or feline as a 'sona because you liked the look or something, that's all good and dandy~ I'm just one fur, expressing an opinion. It doesn't mean I'm right, it's just what I think. :)
I wish the furry fandom consisted of more than mostly canines and felines.
I mean, if your 'sona is a k9 or feline because that's what your personality is like, then that's cool, but most of the time, when "newborn" furs are picking out their fursonas, their minds immediately go to canine (Foxes probably being the most popular, and then wolves, then dogs and other random k9s) or felines (common catgirl/catboy, lions, cheetahs, etc.). Even I picked a silver fox when I first joined the fandom, but then I thought about it (after I had left the fandom for a while) and realized that I wasn't really like a fox at all. Plus I realized how unoriginal having a fox 'sona was. (It CAN be original, but the design has to be pretty darn unique since there are so many.)
When I re-joined the fandom, I came back as a feral child named Aine. (Awn-ya). She was pretty unique (I don't think I've met any other feral human children in the fandom...) but I still didn't like her because 1) I felt left out by the furries and didn't think I could relate to them on a role-playing level. 2) It kind of took away from the point of being a furry. and 3) I still didn't feel a connection to her or an obligation to draw her.
I left the fandom again.
But as some say: "Once a furry, always a furry." So I came prancing back.
And this time I reeeaally thought about what kind of person I was, and also, who I aspired to be. I wanted to find a happy medium between the two.
I was shy. I loved forests and nature. I wanted to be a kind person. The sort of person who everyone loves, not because she's a conformist, but simply because she's nice to everyone no matter what religion, interests, skin-color, sexual orientation, or appearance. I wanted something with smooth fur and a thin, graceful body. Something unique. Something beautiful and swift. An animal that could instantly be identified as a female or a male.
Deer. Deer are nice, I thought. The first thing I did was choose a name. I looked for names that meant "Shy".
(From 20000-NAMES) ERNA, reserved, shy. Great. I loved it. It was a pretty name and had the meaning I wanted.
As for Erna's surname, I picked something aesthetically pleasing to me: Auvray. (Ah-vree).
The design was easy. I wanted something that reflected her personality. Very shy and kind. Something I was and something I aspired to be. I picked very conservative innocent traits. A simple grayish-green dress, not too short but still cute, and light blue eyes, with long, big awkward ears. Very beautiful, I thought. :) By the by, her original design (hide your eyes.): http://i966.photobucket.com/albums/.....naoriginal.jpg
By then, I still had allooott of things to work out and improve on.
The more her design and personality came together, the more I loved her and felt a connection to her. Finally, I had picked he right one. She was me. I even felt a similarity in our names. (Emily... Erna.) It all just felt right.
I had left behind Vixemi and Aine. They were bad creations with good intentions rotting in the back of my mind by then, the poor things.
I found that people liked Erna. I had never gotten much attention before with the fox and the feral child. I wasn't playing my cards right. I didn't like my characters, and neither did anyone else. Because I didn't like myself (or the character that represented me rather) I sort of just lurked around.
When I posted my first few pictures on FA on the DoeADeer account, immediately, I got watches and comments and faves. Maybe I was just in the right place at the right time, or maybe people just loved her look. Either way, I was more obligated to be involved with the fandom and draw requests and be creative with it because I found a character that I loved to role-play and draw.
I haven't left the fandom again since then, and Erna still fits me in every way.
It worked out so much better for me when I found a fursona that fit me like a puzzle piece. So my advice to newborn furs: When you choose your fursona, think about it. Really think about it. Don't say "Foxes are cool." and pick a fox 'sona unless you really do think you're sneaky and clever and crazy. If you're civilized, reserved, and book-smart IRL, think about what fits you. An owl or something that represents those characteristics might be better for you, and you might come to like that animal even more than a fox or a wolf or something when you develop the character more.
My bottom line: Pick something because it fits and you like it, not because everyone else is doing it and it looks cool.
Any veteran furs who are reading this, please post your Story and Opinion on choosing a fursona too, and be sure to leave the link to it on this journal so I can read it! ;)
*Note: To any canine or feline furs who are reading this: This journal was NOT made to discourage people from choosing canine and feline fursonas, or to bash people who already have one. I definitely can't tell you what to do, and if you chose a k9 or feline as a 'sona because you liked the look or something, that's all good and dandy~ I'm just one fur, expressing an opinion. It doesn't mean I'm right, it's just what I think. :)
I found it interesting to read the story of your fursona, though. Very interesting and thought provoking.
I want to hear your story though :) Post a journal of it if you find the time~ Give into the urge. Hehe :3
link above is a meme about fursonas. you can see there kinda how i chose to be tiger. no real initial thought. i love animals, so i was one for Halloween, and she's still with me now. because the story started then. if i had been anything else that night, i would be that something else today.
i've considered changing, over the years. i became Equinoxx the tiger in my head before i even knew what furries were. by the time i realized that i was indeed a furry, she was my fursona.
i have a side fursona, named Radiance. Radiance is a black lamb, who has a fucking tempter. she came around a little after Equinoxx's creation, when life got dark, and stuck around for a few years. for a while, in my works, they were often pictured side by side. but as life improved the lamb fell back into the shadows. she lurks there, still, violent and brooding as ever.
foreground for me is the tiger. because of halloween night in 7th grade. if had really /thought/ about it, to find an animal for me, foreground would have been the sheep. it was my nickname in highschool because i would bleat to get my friends attention, i am almost never alone, i led a flock of kids for years, and even now im more often to be found in groups. unlike the stereotypical sheep, i will not back down from a fight.