New, improved workflow for making Faux Fur Ears!

After practicing making some more ears, I have some updated tips.

Patterning/Cutting fabric

• I usually use 2 patterns- 1 for the outer fur layer and 1 for the foam insert. I use the original fur pattern and scale it down slightly- you want to have enough room to close the fur completely around the foam, but the foam pattern should be as large are you get it it for the ear to hold its proper shape.
• Here's an example with my floppy bunny ears pattern:

• Before cutting out your fur, pay attention to the fur direction. The inner parts of my cat ears are oriented so that the fur direction would point away from the middle of your head. For the back piece I usually orient the fur up/down.

Shaving

• When I want a REALLY close shave on the fur pieces, I first shave WITH the direction of the fur until it's as short as you can get it. Then shave AGAINST the grain. The shorter you can get this the nicer it'll look when painted. If there's too much fluff left over, I've found my paint goes on splotchy and brings out an uneven shave job.
• Separating out the parts you want to shave using a rattail comb (or anything thin) helps keep lines of fur straight.

Bunny ear example: First I separate a line barely away from the edge and shave that off...

Then I separate a line from where I just shaved and shave everything but that line.

And then you're left with a perfectly aligned tuft!

Assembly

• I use packing tape to attach the wire to the perimeter of the foam piece. It's nice to keep the wire flush against the edge of the foam so not to make a weird bump show thru the assembled ears
• Then I use hot glue to sandwich the foam/wire base in between my fur halves. I make sure to hot glue the whole ear, or there will be weird parts of the fur that pucker when you pose the ear.

My new way of making the foam+wire insert.

• When hot gluing, be careful to not put too much glue in one place, or it can show through the closely shaved parts of the fur... :((
• Check out this awesome wood mold method that @theshimmeringchimera uses to instantly shape their wire!
  
  
  

Painting/Airbrushing

• Airbrush at lower pressure levels! I usually use around 30-40 psi. It's easier to control.
• I always start by pushing just air through the brush, and testing on a piece of paper. Get up close to the ear to make finer lines.
• You can utilize stencils to airbrush through for cool designs. (you can even just cut your shape out from a piece of paper)
• I make my own airbrush paints by slightly watering down my acrylic paints.
• I use a 0.3 mm needle, it works for most details. I struggle with paint clogs when using 0.2mm.

Other

• Add helix piercings using split rings and punching a hole in the ear using a leather punch tool. Chains can be added to these hoops.
• Hotfix gems are a nice alternative to hot glue.
• You can also add studs or anything else using hot glue.

Recent work (9/16)