Anthrocon 2024

Welcome to Fursuiting in Action, a panel series that focuses on the application of fursuit performance. In this panel we take the Fursuiting 101 skills and apply them, offering fursuiters the opportunity to receive direct feedback on how to improve their skills beyond the basics, kinda like a Fursuiting 201 if you will!

This panel is highly interactive and will require volunteer fursuiters (both partial and full) to ensure its success!

In this session in particular, we talk about how to make memorable interactions throughout your fursuit's character development. Our host, the King of Purple, has branded himself in many ways around the color purple, incorporating prop design, color choice, spoken words, and other impactful messaging to communicate while Making Purple Memories for his audience.

We will be covering three core elements of fursuiting through the course of the panel:

1. The Walking Element
2. The Talking Element (Verbal & Non-Verbal Communication for silent suiters too)
3. The Performing Element

We hope to see you and help you make your very own purple memories!

Most of us have heard about how to care for our fursuits, but what about the person inside of the fursuit?
Fursuiting can involve activities that increase our internal temperature, increase our heart rate, and put our bodies under a lot of stress. But things you can do before, during, and after fursuiting can help you to fursuit longer, recover faster, and get back out in your fluffy carpet sooner. They say that fursuiting is cardio, and like cardio we can make fursuiting easier and more fun by following precautions and preparing ourselves.

Some of the stuff I'll be covering:
- Hydration basics (Gatorade has what now?)
- Under the fursuit (Please wear something)
- Working up a sweat (In and out of the suit)
- Post suiting (It's gotta end at some point...)
- Possibly injuries (Stuff happens, oops)
- What to do if you do overdo it (Don't freak out)

Whether you're a newbie or someone who's been suiting for a while, come and learn how to better take care of what's under the colorful carpet of fur! Got your own experiences and recovery methods? Come share them!

What was your worst fursuiting mishap? Do you got a story to share, maybe a tip on how not to hurt yourself in suit? Come on in and share your stories.

Animal shapes, Gender shapes, Sewn-in padding, and Juicy haunches! This panel is all the tips and tricks you’ll need to get that perfect fursuit padding shape! Come ask questions, look at WIPs, and learn the step-by-step of fursuit padding construction

Hey there, now you’re probably thinking to yourself, “How did I find myself here? My kid, friend, or significant other dragged me to a furry convention and I have no idea what the heck to do!” Well, look no further. Down at this here panel Lizard Lex will show you the ropes to ensure your fuzzy friend makes it through this convention intact.

Ever thought of fursuiting in public but don’t know where to start? Well this panel is for you!! I will be going through all of the basics of how to start, what to and what not to do, and more!! I’ll be talking about my own personal experiences and some tips and tricks on how to get out of tough situations!! After this panel you’ll be a pro at fursuiting anywhere!!

If you're interested in beautiful female fursuits from Japan, this is the panel for you! Learn about makers, what kinds of materials are used, and what makes these suits so beloved.

Want to bring your fursuit to life? New to fursuiting? Just love watching fursuiters? None of the above but you enjoy chaos and nonsense? Then this is the panel for you! Come learn about performing in fursuit while laughing like a hyena! Learning through comedy!

3D printers are now more affordable, if you have access to one it is easy to print parts to construct your own fursuit: jointed jaws, teeth, claws, jointed tail, eyes, earrings and accessories.

Welcome to Fursuiting in Action, a panel that seeks to bring fursuiters together to learn about the leading edge theories of fursuit performance. Experience with fursuiting is highly encouraged for attendees to grant the largest benefit. This panel aims to provide communal awareness and knowledge to how fursuiting works, how it draws in the attention of others, and make successful fursuiting scenes in both public and con-space settings.

This panel is highly interactive and will require volunteer fursuiters (both partial and full) to ensure its success!

In this session in particular, our host, the King of Purple, will divulge his latest theories of fursuiting and attempt to explain how these work with attracting crowds of onlookers and take audience fursuiters on stage to demonstrate how this works and teach many on how to apply them in the real world.

We will be covering the following theories of fursuiting through the course of the panel. With each of these we will pull volunteers out of the audience to perform them and learn with the hosts:

1. Character Performance
     a. Theory of States of Suiting (Active vs. Inactive)
     b. Theory of Energy Levels (Low, Med, High)
     c. Theory of Engagement Levels (Solo, Peer, Group)
     d. Theory of Fursuit Prop Use
2. Character Appearance
     a. Theory of Fursuit Prop Display
     b. Theory of Fursuit Attire
3. Public Entertainment
     a. Theory of Attention Attraction

As with any type of theory work, we are not saying these are correct, but we challenge everyone to give us feedback and reflect on how it works and develop your own theories too!

Tail in a twist? Zipper won’t stop snagging? Can’t lift your arms above your head? Let’s fix that! This panel is an interactive Q&A where we will discuss common fursuit construction pitfalls, how to avoid them, and how to fix them when they happen. Feel free to bring your difficult fursuit items if you need specific advice!

Learn everything about cast foam bases from casting them all the way to carving them. I learned from Smooth On so you don’t have to!

Interested in the joys of public fursuiting?  We have 17 years of combined experience suiting in our hometowns, and outside of conventions.  Come join us for pointers, stories and Q&A!  Suiters and handlers with all experience levels welcome.

Lineup for the Fursuit Parade begins here! Doors will close Ten Minutes prior to parade step off at 2PM Sharp!

Anthrocon's annual tradition! See and be seen by the convention and the City of Pittsburgh! 

Fashion styles are an important part of building your character. Come learn about popular J-fashion styles and ways to incorporate them in costuming!

Do you already know the basics to fursuit building, but want to improve your craft? Stop by to hear some advanced tips and tricks for fursuit crafting! Topics include: 3d modeling and printing, fabrication and patterning, sewing techniques, material types, and airbrushing.

"Ready to unleash your inner fur with some fursuiting fun? Before jumping in, it's essential to keep your cool in more ways than one. Did you know that temps above 85˚F / 29˚C can cause your body to struggle to regulate its core temperature and lead to serious health issues? Additionally, temperatures at 95˚F / 35˚C or higher can decrease your performance by up to 45%!
But, fear not! We've got your furry back with expert tips for before, during, and after fursuiting to help you stay cool and keep the good times rolling without any issues. Make your well-being a priority to enjoy more time in your fursuit.
Get ready for a chill session! Here's what's on the menu:
• Feeling the heat: the scoop on overheating and how it affects everyone
• The coolest trends in cooling vests and how to pick your perfect match
• How to make a Cooling Plan for maximum fursuiting fun"

Anthrocon's classic Fursuit Games returns for another year!

Ever wanted to fursuit but didn't know how? Now you can!
Join Sylox in this informative and somewhat hilarious panel as he goes over the basics of fursuiting:
- Commissioning a fursuit
- Making the DTD
- Fursuit maintenance
- Health & safety
- Public fursuiting
- Performance

Anything and everything else!!!