Regarding Shade; the sad, ded, red panda
Hey-o, people!
I sure had a large rise in followers on Twitter after debuting Shade at Eurofurence 23, and also received a wealth of attention - most of it good, and a small percentage was of the creepy or negative kind (which did not surprise me greatly, nor deter me).
Not entirely sure what I'm talking about? Here's some visual aid:
#EF23 @Joon_Storm pic.twitter.com/xwaxjl3eem
- 是政 / KOREMASA/EF23 (@koimei2) August 27, 2017
My mentions have been quite full of messages of sympathy for my sad panda the last two or so weeks and lovely pictures - and I am absolutely ecstatic about all the reactions he stirred up. Never did I expect he would cause so much of a stir.
Anyway, the purpose of this post is meant to be a sort of FAQ for Shade, as there have been some who've sent me direct messages wondering about this and that and that usually means there are probably a lot of shy and quiet people who might wonder the exact same things. Here's to you, my quiet friends!
I tried to make her pose enthusiastically… And it still hurt my heart… @Joon_Storm It’ll get better, dear Panda… :( #EF23 pic.twitter.com/MZgyaTiFb2
- FotoFurNL~ Kuva Klik (@FotoFurNL) August 20, 2017
The thing that really got the ball rolling in regards to the creation of Shade were two other fursuits made by Templa Creations: Jade, the green red panda, owned by my girlfriend, Wolftale; and Christmas, the very red red panda, whom I've only met a handful of occasions.
❤️❤️❤️ #EF23 #Eurofurence
Thanks for borrowing Kiki, @Henriekeg !
📸 @openshorty pic.twitter.com/fFzJqmgppu
- Wolftale (@Wolftale) August 19, 2017
#FursuitFriday <3
"I wound a lil friend!"
Suit by @TemplaCreations :D
Photo by @PsychoWolves pic.twitter.com/C0UF3Ga96s
- UnicornHunter 🎆 (@ChristmasSnow94) August 25, 2017
Now, I guess some of you might have put 2 and 2 together already and noticed how "Jade" and "Shade" rhymes, "Clearly a parody! Haha, witty!" and you're absolutely correct in that. "Sad" was however not the initial mood I thought out for Shade; rather, at first I imagined him as a grumpy bastard with a taste for punk rock. That changed in a large degree after hearing two songs in particular:
In order, "Slightly Dead" by Santa Hates You inspired that Shade should be chronically accident prone - such as accidentally being autopsied, causing the red Y on his abdomen - and then "The Coffin Don't Want Me, And She Don't Either" by Bella Morte spurred the idea of Shade being a zombie, hopelessly in love with Jade. And... well... then there was that already well-established term "sad panda" that just fit the bill very well.
Shade was born! ... or reborn?
Oh, the red stripes on his forearms? You know of the term "It's down the street, not across the road," yeah? If you don't - good for you!
Oh god, I have to work again tomorrow and my boss saw adult furry art on my facebook. @Joon_Storm pic.twitter.com/OO3Mjf9LTz
- Copper (@coppersaurus) August 22, 2017
In hindsight I like to think of Shade as a reaction to the overwhelming amount of happy, brightly colored fursuits I feel I'm very often surrounded by at cons I attend (including my own Joon-suit) - as I from experience know that bouts of depression can easily make an excess of smiles around you feel more like an insult, rather than inspire your own smile (depression is irrational, guys - if you've never experienced it you shouldn't be too quick to judge, if you're going through it; the scenarios you are playing out in your head usually have wildly exaggerated outcomes). And, ugh, it's just the absolute worst when people tell you "You should be smiling!", amirite???
So Shade serves as a memento mori for those blinded by joy, those who feel downcast and everyone in between. Laugh, cry, FEEL! Remember your mortality, savor it - because tempus fugit.
Shade, go home
Fursuit owner: @Joon_Storm
Made by: @TemplaCreations pic.twitter.com/SVmFv3smDr
- Datalagringsgaupe (@SarahLynx) August 18, 2017
The purpose of art, as I was taught in both language and craft classes, is to provoke - incite emotions, give a different perspective, inspire betterment of individual and/or society.
I feel I've made a bit of an impact with Shade. That said, I was rather wary of the small children that had been brought to the hotel grounds by curious outsiders - and am of the opinion Shade isn't all too fit for being seen by children of too young age. There were two times Shade was seen by very small girls - at a distance - and they started crying near instantly. So... I tried my best to avoid children, to avoid causing them any distress. It takes a little bit of maturity to appreciate art, in a sense. Although there's nothing wrong with liking a book for its pretty pictures, so to speak.
Oh... Shade...
Poor tail!
:( pic.twitter.com/DnSgx6Wwsz
- Templa (@TemplaCreations) August 26, 2017
TL;DR version: Shade started out and continued as a bit of a joke. All reactions are welcome, and I greatly appreciate all your feedback and interaction, people! Even if I'm of the shy and quiet type. Stay awesome, in that way only you can!
I sure had a large rise in followers on Twitter after debuting Shade at Eurofurence 23, and also received a wealth of attention - most of it good, and a small percentage was of the creepy or negative kind (which did not surprise me greatly, nor deter me).
Not entirely sure what I'm talking about? Here's some visual aid:
#EF23 @Joon_Storm pic.twitter.com/xwaxjl3eem
- 是政 / KOREMASA/EF23 (@koimei2) August 27, 2017
My mentions have been quite full of messages of sympathy for my sad panda the last two or so weeks and lovely pictures - and I am absolutely ecstatic about all the reactions he stirred up. Never did I expect he would cause so much of a stir.
Anyway, the purpose of this post is meant to be a sort of FAQ for Shade, as there have been some who've sent me direct messages wondering about this and that and that usually means there are probably a lot of shy and quiet people who might wonder the exact same things. Here's to you, my quiet friends!
I tried to make her pose enthusiastically… And it still hurt my heart… @Joon_Storm It’ll get better, dear Panda… :( #EF23 pic.twitter.com/MZgyaTiFb2
- FotoFurNL~ Kuva Klik (@FotoFurNL) August 20, 2017
The thing that really got the ball rolling in regards to the creation of Shade were two other fursuits made by Templa Creations: Jade, the green red panda, owned by my girlfriend, Wolftale; and Christmas, the very red red panda, whom I've only met a handful of occasions.
❤️❤️❤️ #EF23 #Eurofurence
Thanks for borrowing Kiki, @Henriekeg !
📸 @openshorty pic.twitter.com/fFzJqmgppu
- Wolftale (@Wolftale) August 19, 2017
#FursuitFriday <3
"I wound a lil friend!"
Suit by @TemplaCreations :D
Photo by @PsychoWolves pic.twitter.com/C0UF3Ga96s
- UnicornHunter 🎆 (@ChristmasSnow94) August 25, 2017
Now, I guess some of you might have put 2 and 2 together already and noticed how "Jade" and "Shade" rhymes, "Clearly a parody! Haha, witty!" and you're absolutely correct in that. "Sad" was however not the initial mood I thought out for Shade; rather, at first I imagined him as a grumpy bastard with a taste for punk rock. That changed in a large degree after hearing two songs in particular:
Click to viewIn order, "Slightly Dead" by Santa Hates You inspired that Shade should be chronically accident prone - such as accidentally being autopsied, causing the red Y on his abdomen - and then "The Coffin Don't Want Me, And She Don't Either" by Bella Morte spurred the idea of Shade being a zombie, hopelessly in love with Jade. And... well... then there was that already well-established term "sad panda" that just fit the bill very well.
Shade was born! ... or reborn?
Oh, the red stripes on his forearms? You know of the term "It's down the street, not across the road," yeah? If you don't - good for you!
Oh god, I have to work again tomorrow and my boss saw adult furry art on my facebook. @Joon_Storm pic.twitter.com/OO3Mjf9LTz
- Copper (@coppersaurus) August 22, 2017
In hindsight I like to think of Shade as a reaction to the overwhelming amount of happy, brightly colored fursuits I feel I'm very often surrounded by at cons I attend (including my own Joon-suit) - as I from experience know that bouts of depression can easily make an excess of smiles around you feel more like an insult, rather than inspire your own smile (depression is irrational, guys - if you've never experienced it you shouldn't be too quick to judge, if you're going through it; the scenarios you are playing out in your head usually have wildly exaggerated outcomes). And, ugh, it's just the absolute worst when people tell you "You should be smiling!", amirite???
So Shade serves as a memento mori for those blinded by joy, those who feel downcast and everyone in between. Laugh, cry, FEEL! Remember your mortality, savor it - because tempus fugit.
Shade, go home
Fursuit owner: @Joon_Storm
Made by: @TemplaCreations pic.twitter.com/SVmFv3smDr
- Datalagringsgaupe (@SarahLynx) August 18, 2017
The purpose of art, as I was taught in both language and craft classes, is to provoke - incite emotions, give a different perspective, inspire betterment of individual and/or society.
I feel I've made a bit of an impact with Shade. That said, I was rather wary of the small children that had been brought to the hotel grounds by curious outsiders - and am of the opinion Shade isn't all too fit for being seen by children of too young age. There were two times Shade was seen by very small girls - at a distance - and they started crying near instantly. So... I tried my best to avoid children, to avoid causing them any distress. It takes a little bit of maturity to appreciate art, in a sense. Although there's nothing wrong with liking a book for its pretty pictures, so to speak.
Oh... Shade...
Poor tail!
:( pic.twitter.com/DnSgx6Wwsz
- Templa (@TemplaCreations) August 26, 2017
TL;DR version: Shade started out and continued as a bit of a joke. All reactions are welcome, and I greatly appreciate all your feedback and interaction, people! Even if I'm of the shy and quiet type. Stay awesome, in that way only you can!