A Guide to Buying your First Fursona Badge!

Firstly, there's no requirement to have a badge beyond your Membership Badge. Everyone needs that one, everyone gets one with their registration. But being creative folks, furries often seek something... more. You can create one yourself with your own artistic skills, use images from SecondLife or other sources, but many people commission illustrated Fursona Badges. It's often a way to get a picture from a favored artist, and there are those folks who get a fresh badge at every convention. (and then there's Orion, and.. well.. we'll cover him for Buying Your 1000th Fursona Badge.) If you're making your own, this guide may prove helpful in designing it.

The rates vary based on size, color, and artist; $20-40 is considered reasonable for a typical color badge as of 2010, though prices will range. Most artists will have lamination capability or clear plastic holders for protection, as well as badge clips or simple lanyards for attachment. Others will simply draw you a badge-sized illustration and leave the protection and attachment to you. Some artists will sell the holders, or laminate someone else's artwork for you, for a modest fee. There are also badge buttons, sculpted badges, and other variants.

Now, the badge itself can range dramatically in size- measured in inches, the most common ones are 2x3, 3x4, and 3x5. They're usually rectangular, though you'll see some 'contour' badges, where excess background is trimmed away; occasionally other creative shapes do occur.

The keys to a good badge are threefold: good art, good visual representation, good name.

#1: Good art. Well, you'll know this when you see this. Find an artist whose style you like, perhaps one known for drawing your species. "Your badge is neat! Who drew that?" is a frequently asked question at conventions.

#2: Good visual representation. This is a bit subtler. Your badge should visually tell people what your character looks like. Often artists will draw head and neck, or head and upper torso, for badges; this is a 'mug shot' that focuses on the most identifiable portion of your fursona. You'll want to specify if you want a full body badge. (For example, say your fursona is a centaur- how will anyone know if they don't see below the waist?) Artists are generally good about capturing your fursona from a verbal description, but bring a written one, or reference material if you want exactness. This is especially true if your fursona is a rare species, a hard-to-explain variation, or has specific and unusual coloration.

Also, consider props in the picture. If your fursona is an knight, tell that to the artist, so they can include armor, shields, or perhaps just a sword. If they wear glasses, dress like James Bond or Sailor Moon, like hockey, mention that as well. If they have superpowers- like magic, or fire rays shooting from their eyes- mention it. Remember there is only so much an artist can fit in on that badge, though! Consider what's most important about you and/or your fursona, and being able to get that across to others who will give a two-second glance to your badge. Clarity is more important than atmosphere.

#3: Good name. "Windstar Sharpfang D'zhmoul'ando" is going to occupy a lot of space on a badge; you might prefer to ask for for "Windstar", or even "Windy". Legibility is important, but that's the artist's responsibility to make it so. If you notice from extant badge work that the artist tends to use small lettering, though.. politely ask them to "Make the name on the big side". Especially in case of your first con, where you want people to be able to read who you are easily.

Once you have your badge, it's best to wear it as close to average eye level as fashionably possible. That way others can easily see and read it. For most people, that will mean clipped to your chest, on a collar on dress shirts, or on a lanyard. Attaching it to a belt, pants pocket, upper arm, or hat is fair, and a good place for a second or third badge. To shirtcuffs, costume tail, or shoes starts to get silly. On your underwear is right out.

On that note, do remember your badge will be worn in public spaces. Cheesecake/beefcake and mild adult humor are usually acceptable, but extreme violence, genitalia, and 'adult situations' are almost always inappropriate for a badge. If you wouldn't wear it on your shirt at a con, don't wear it as a badge. If you wouldn't wear it around your mom, don't wear it as a badge.

Fursona badges can also suffer wear and tear after.. well, wear. After the convention, it is wise to scan the badge to create a digital image of the artwork. You can then print out a copy, and then laminate and wear the copy. This will also let you send the digital image to the artist, who may wish to show it off online.

http://en.wikifur.com/wiki/Conbadge has further reference on fursona badges. I hope this helps, and I welcome further recommendations or questions!

--Chiaroscuro
[This post may seem familiar to longtime forum readers; it's a revision of an post from 2007. Thanks to K.P. and The Sonic God for helpful comments incorporated.]