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Post RMFC 2015
10 years ago
Just got back today from RMFC, my first fur con, my first suit, and the first time wearing him.
Technically two cons in one week, it was also the 75th annual Sturgis Rally (really just a biker convention).
I also got a photography contract during Sturgis which basically funded my RMFC trip.
I started working on Storm at the beginning of the year, but got side tracked until a week before RMFC.
I made the most out of each day tring to get him done, and worked 24 hour straight for 3 days with 4 hours of sleep in between, missing the first day of RMFC.
Then I got 2 hours of sleep before starting my 8 hour drive at 1am.
My Bronco normally gets about 12mpg, but a year ago I was working on an automotive physics calculator that I could use to calculate anything physics related to vehicles just by entering known variables. An then I remembered the drag equation (Fd=1/2PU^2CdA). Velocity is squared in its simplest equation, but to be accurate, the exponent needs to grow with speed. I determined the nominal speed for gas mileage and travel time would be about 55-60mph. When I made the trip from AZ to SD years ago, my best mileage was about 15mpg. But this time, I was getting a consistent 18.3 mpg doing 61.8mph (55 on the dash due to larger tires). So I was pretty amazed by that.
When I finally got to the con at 9am, I was surprised that check in time wasn't until 3pm and checkout was 12pm (really? a 3 hour layover?). So I was pretty much a zombie running on fumes until I could get a 20 minute power nap. I quickly realized how HOT a fullsuit is, and why the headless lounge is so essential. Also noticed a few flaws with my suit (because I'm a perfectionist) like the eyes, you could see my eyes right through them, color was dull, and they were on my face looking sunk in. That should be an easy fix. Then the body fur is a little too long, 1/2" should be better. Also, while my gloves were camera and phone functional, they were pretty dull. I'm thinking about using dye to detail the palms, and then making poofy paws that aren't functional, but look better. I also realized how much different fursuit photography is from cars, people, scenery, etc. You want all the detail in the suit, and to edit them like normal, but the fur makes adjustments sooo finicky. A little too much contrast and it looks like sand paper, absolutely no clarity adjustment, and highlights can turn out over bloomed or burnt looking. Also shooting while in suit is hard, no viewfinder, limited view of the screen and composition, and focus is difficult. It's definitely challenging, but I always love a good challenge, you have to learn somehow.
The beginning of day 2, I realized while putting my under shirt on, I could see through it. So I cut out 2 squares from the bottom and lightly tacked them behind the eyes to black them out... well, they weren't perfect. Now my vision and ventilation was severely limited.
Being my first con and suit, I really didn't know what to do, didn't know how to act, didn't have any furends, nervous and tired as fuck the first day... but in all, I had an absolute blast! I'm normally VERY defensive and don't even like people touching me and afraid to express myself, but in suit and at the con I'm a completely opposite person. everyone was so nice, giving me hugs, taking photos of/with me, and complementing me. It really made me feel good about myself, almost therapeutic in a way.
A few people asked me if I was open for suit commission, but so far I've been saying I'm not sure yet, because I have a full time job, and photography on the side. Most of your big time builders use that as their job, and once you build one yourself, you really respect the time and effort that goes into it, why they charge so much, and have to choose who to build for. If I start taking commissions, it'll be one at a time with a slower turn around.
On Sunday I had to leave at 4pm to make it back home by midnight, but as soon as I got out of Denver, headed to Cheyenne, my ABS light came on. Not paying much thought to it, I figured something happened when someone pulled in front of me the previous week and I locked up the brakes. But then my radio kept turning on and off, and that's when I noticed my battery gauge was at 9 volts. By the time I got off the highway, all instruments were gone. Just before the battery died, the alternator suddenly started working again. So I decided to try and make it home, and hope it continued to work, because no parts houses were open. well... right after I passed Cheyenne, it quit again. I turned off all accessories and hoped it would recover again before dying. With just the battery, I made it about 100 miles until I got to Wheaton Wyoming (they grow lots of... corn) where it finally ran out of juice. I had to sleep in my truck overnight when it dropped below 50f, and with no warm clothes or blanket, I had to sleep in my fursuit to stay warm. When morning came, I got the new alternator and swapped it out myself in less than 15 minutes and was on my way home. looking at the bright side, it would have had to be done anyways, it just sucked that it had to happen in the middle of nowhere. About an hour away from home, I started to smell electrical smoke, didn't see any, but a few minutes later my sub-woofer quit. It tripped all three 30 amp fuses. But I made it home just fine without that at least.
I still look forward to next year, maybe even MFF because the plane tickets are cheap. We'll see, it all really depends on if anyone is willing to split a room too, that's the most expensive part.
Technically two cons in one week, it was also the 75th annual Sturgis Rally (really just a biker convention).
I also got a photography contract during Sturgis which basically funded my RMFC trip.
I started working on Storm at the beginning of the year, but got side tracked until a week before RMFC.
I made the most out of each day tring to get him done, and worked 24 hour straight for 3 days with 4 hours of sleep in between, missing the first day of RMFC.
Then I got 2 hours of sleep before starting my 8 hour drive at 1am.
My Bronco normally gets about 12mpg, but a year ago I was working on an automotive physics calculator that I could use to calculate anything physics related to vehicles just by entering known variables. An then I remembered the drag equation (Fd=1/2PU^2CdA). Velocity is squared in its simplest equation, but to be accurate, the exponent needs to grow with speed. I determined the nominal speed for gas mileage and travel time would be about 55-60mph. When I made the trip from AZ to SD years ago, my best mileage was about 15mpg. But this time, I was getting a consistent 18.3 mpg doing 61.8mph (55 on the dash due to larger tires). So I was pretty amazed by that.
When I finally got to the con at 9am, I was surprised that check in time wasn't until 3pm and checkout was 12pm (really? a 3 hour layover?). So I was pretty much a zombie running on fumes until I could get a 20 minute power nap. I quickly realized how HOT a fullsuit is, and why the headless lounge is so essential. Also noticed a few flaws with my suit (because I'm a perfectionist) like the eyes, you could see my eyes right through them, color was dull, and they were on my face looking sunk in. That should be an easy fix. Then the body fur is a little too long, 1/2" should be better. Also, while my gloves were camera and phone functional, they were pretty dull. I'm thinking about using dye to detail the palms, and then making poofy paws that aren't functional, but look better. I also realized how much different fursuit photography is from cars, people, scenery, etc. You want all the detail in the suit, and to edit them like normal, but the fur makes adjustments sooo finicky. A little too much contrast and it looks like sand paper, absolutely no clarity adjustment, and highlights can turn out over bloomed or burnt looking. Also shooting while in suit is hard, no viewfinder, limited view of the screen and composition, and focus is difficult. It's definitely challenging, but I always love a good challenge, you have to learn somehow.
The beginning of day 2, I realized while putting my under shirt on, I could see through it. So I cut out 2 squares from the bottom and lightly tacked them behind the eyes to black them out... well, they weren't perfect. Now my vision and ventilation was severely limited.
Being my first con and suit, I really didn't know what to do, didn't know how to act, didn't have any furends, nervous and tired as fuck the first day... but in all, I had an absolute blast! I'm normally VERY defensive and don't even like people touching me and afraid to express myself, but in suit and at the con I'm a completely opposite person. everyone was so nice, giving me hugs, taking photos of/with me, and complementing me. It really made me feel good about myself, almost therapeutic in a way.
A few people asked me if I was open for suit commission, but so far I've been saying I'm not sure yet, because I have a full time job, and photography on the side. Most of your big time builders use that as their job, and once you build one yourself, you really respect the time and effort that goes into it, why they charge so much, and have to choose who to build for. If I start taking commissions, it'll be one at a time with a slower turn around.
On Sunday I had to leave at 4pm to make it back home by midnight, but as soon as I got out of Denver, headed to Cheyenne, my ABS light came on. Not paying much thought to it, I figured something happened when someone pulled in front of me the previous week and I locked up the brakes. But then my radio kept turning on and off, and that's when I noticed my battery gauge was at 9 volts. By the time I got off the highway, all instruments were gone. Just before the battery died, the alternator suddenly started working again. So I decided to try and make it home, and hope it continued to work, because no parts houses were open. well... right after I passed Cheyenne, it quit again. I turned off all accessories and hoped it would recover again before dying. With just the battery, I made it about 100 miles until I got to Wheaton Wyoming (they grow lots of... corn) where it finally ran out of juice. I had to sleep in my truck overnight when it dropped below 50f, and with no warm clothes or blanket, I had to sleep in my fursuit to stay warm. When morning came, I got the new alternator and swapped it out myself in less than 15 minutes and was on my way home. looking at the bright side, it would have had to be done anyways, it just sucked that it had to happen in the middle of nowhere. About an hour away from home, I started to smell electrical smoke, didn't see any, but a few minutes later my sub-woofer quit. It tripped all three 30 amp fuses. But I made it home just fine without that at least.
I still look forward to next year, maybe even MFF because the plane tickets are cheap. We'll see, it all really depends on if anyone is willing to split a room too, that's the most expensive part.
