History Main / FurriesAreEasierToDraw

A lot of [[WesternAnimation cartoons]], [[{{Anime}} anime]], and {{webcomics}} have FunnyAnima characters. Many assume that the artists who create them are [[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom furries]], and that this is why the characters are all [[SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism anthropomorphic animals]]. While this is certainly true in some cases, it's usually not.

A lot of [[WesternAnimation cartoons]], [[{{Anime}} anime]], and {{webcomics}} have [[FunnyAnimal Funny Animal]] characters. Many assume that the artists who create them are [[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom furries]], and that this is why the characters are all [[SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism anthropomorphic animals]]. While this is certainly true in some cases, it's usually not.

* Because they found humans to be extremely hard to draw and animate with the technological limitations of the time (particularly NoFlowInCGI), most of Pixar's earlier films primarily had either [[Franchise/ToyStory toys]], [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife insects]], [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc monsters]], or [[WesternAnimation/FindingNemo fish]] as main characters. It wasn't until 2004's ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles1'' that humans became a large part of the characters in their movies ([[Franchise/{{Cars}} though not always]]).

In some cases, but not all, this may be due to a LazyArtist. In particular, most webcomic artists are amateurs. Some of them [[SturgeonsLaw just can't draw that well]], so they borrow from the more professional {{Furry Comic}}s as a shortcut. The audience tends to notice the difference in quality. Most art school students run a long, ''long'' gauntlet of figure drawing courses. An appealing human face is indeed one of the hardest damn things in the world to draw -- however, the rest of said human isn't any harder or easier to draw than any other animal. Many artists go on to create animal characters anyway -- but there is a noticeably greater attention to detail from someone who's trained on drawing humans. Furthermore, once you start drawing animals, you understand why you drew so many human figures. We're about as close to a "[[DoAnythingRobot Do Anything Tetrapod]]" as you can get.

* After seeing both humans and Furries as drawn by David Hopkins, the artist for the FurryWebcomic ''Webcomic/{{Jack|DavidHopkins}}'', it doesn't take much effort to figure out why he very rarely draws humans.

A lot of [[WesternAnimation cartoons]], [[{{Anime}} anime]], and {{webcomics}} have anthropomorphic animal characters. Many [[InternetJerk self styled internet experts]] [[SarcasmMode perfectly explain this tendency]] [[MisaimedStereotyping by claiming]], "The artists are themselves [[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom furries]], and this is why the characters are all [[SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism literal Furries]]." While this is certainly true in some cases, [[MisaimedStereotyping more than 90% of the time, it's not]].

The fact is, [[MostWritersAreHuman Most Artists Are Humans]], but unfortunately humans are fairly hard to draw. This has a lot to do with the principles behind the UncannyValley theory. We know what people look like. We see them every day. We have entire neural structures in our brains dedicated completely to picking up the incredibly subtle differences between human faces. If an artist's human characters don't look ''just'' so, those characters won't be appealing.

Oddly enough, there doesn't seem to be much of an UncannyValley equivalent for animals aside from photorealistically rendered CGI animated animals and real animals in live action films that talk or make humanlike facial expressions. There is almost no equivalent of UncannyValley for any [[CartoonCreature extremely]] [[InformedSpecies stylized animals]], monsters, alien characters, or giant robots. After all, there aren't any BeastFolk running around in the real world. This means that there isn't any right or wrong way to draw cartoon animals, so it's impossible to be close but not quite there.

Also, while artists who limit themselves to humans are very likely to use [[OnlySixFaces a limited variety of facial designs]], Furries and animals have several additional traits to help tell each other apart, from fur color to ears, to tails to paws -- not to mention species. As a result, an artist can easily make a CastOfSnowflakes just by randomizing each character.

%% * Generally subverted in regards to making 3-D MMD (Miku Miku Dance) models of this type. Non-human models are more difficult and complex to make from scratch, let alone animate. A certain skill level and the right software are required to pull it off, so human models are more common.

* Because they found humans to be extremely hard to draw and animate with the technological limitations of the time (particularly NoFlowInCGI), most of Pixar's earlier films primarily had either [[Franchise/ToyStory toys]], [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife insects]], [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc monsters]], or [[WesternAnimation/FindingNemo fish]] as main characters. It wasn't until 2004's ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' that humans became a large part of the characters in their movies ([[Franchise/{{Cars}} though not always]]).

* Because they found humans to be extremely hard to draw and animate with the technological limitations of the time (particularly NoFlowInCGI), most of Pixar's earlier films primarily had either [[Franchise/ToyStory toys]], [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife insects]], [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc monsters]], or [[WesternAnimation/FindingNemo fish]] as main characters. It wasn't until 2004's ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' that humans became a large part of the characters in their movies ([[WesternAnimation/{{Cars}} though not always]]).

* Vince Suzukawa [[http://www.theclassm.com/faq/index.html gives a detailed explanation]] of why the cast of ''Webcomic/TheClassMenagerie'' were all furry. The main point was that animal faces can be more expressive (ears can move, fur can bristle etc). Also, it creates a comfortable divide from the real world, and problems of racial balance or resemblance to persons living or dead. He also demonstrates that he can draw humans and make his characters work in human form. Not to say it's is fun to violate AnimalStereotypes. Like when a mouse [[IncrediblyLamePun bullies]] a bull.

* Inverted in Creator/RobinJarvis' illustrations of his own ''Literature/DeptfordMice'' books. His drawings of mice have a distinct UncannyValley vibe whereas his drawings of humans are much better.

* A notable aversion is the work of Creator/{{UPA}} (United Productions of America). The founders of the studio wanted to avoid certain clichés of theatrical animation at the time, particularly talking animal characters, and so concentrated on creating human characters like WesternAnimation/MrMagoo and WesternAnimation/GeraldMcBoingBoing. [[LimitedAnimation Their stylized approach to design and movement]] helped somewhat to avoid the UncannyValley by making the humans highly caricatured.

* As Creator/WaltDisney sought to drastically improve [[ArtEvolution animation quality and standards]] in his cartoons throughout the 1930s and early 1940s, this trope became apparent in full force. Far and away the best and most revered Disney animation of the period tends to be either animal characters such as WesternAnimation/MickeyMouse, WesternAnimation/DonaldDuck, WesternAnimation/{{Goofy}}, WesternAnimation/TheThreeLittlePigs, [[WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}} Jiminy Cricket]], WesternAnimation/{{Dumbo}} and WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} or stylized caricatures of humans such as [[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs the Seven Dwarfs]].
** Not to mention, Disney's [[WesternAnimation/TheGoddessOfSpring first attempt]] at animating a realistic human all from scratch had [[UncannyValley less than desirable results]]. As such, from the 1930s up until the 1960s, Disney used {{rotoscoping}} for the human characters in all of his films (while still keeping said humans stylized to avoid falling too deep into the UncannyValley).

* ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo:'' Stan is perfectly capable of drawing recognizable and distinct humans -- but his "furry" characters allow new readers to grasp the essentials of his regular cast very quickly and easily. The character Katsuichi is powerful, insightful and reserved, so he's [[KingOfBeasts a lion.]] [[TheTrickster Kitsune]] is fun-loving and cunning but essentially amoral, so she's a fox. Gen is fearless, powerful and easily angered, so he's a rhinoceros... and so on.

* Because they found humans to be extremely hard to draw and animate with the technological limitations of the time (particularly NoFlowInCGI), most of Pixar's earlier films primarily had either [[WesternAnimation/ToyStory toys]], [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife insects]], [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc monsters]], or [[WesternAnimation/FindingNemo fish]] as main characters. It wasn't until 2004's ''WesternAnimation/TheIncredibles'' that humans became a large part of the characters in their movies ([[WesternAnimation/{{Cars}} though not always]]).

[[folder: Real Life]]
* In some sense, this trope is TruthInTelevision. Furries aren't necessarily easier to draw, but it's easier to get away with flaws when drawing furries. The human brain has very specialized centers for interpreting human faces, but there is no equivalent for animals, which end up getting processed with generalized optical centers. As a result, minor flaws in human faces will be picked up on (it could be interpreted as [[UncannyValley nonhuman]]), whereas bigger flaws in animal faces will go completely unnoticed (some will assume it is a part of the creature and/or animal faces cannot really be too exaggerated).
* Another reason that occasionally pops up is that, except in specific cases, drawing furries bypasses most matters regarding character race. Can't decide if someone is black or white? Answer: [[TakeAThirdOption make them a cat]].
* A section of the BarefootCartoonAnimal page speculates that one reason the trope is so prevalent is that paws are easier to draw than shoes (and many people don't notice shoes anyway).
* Generally subverted in regards to making 3-D MMD (Miku Miku Dance) models of this type. Non-human models are more difficult and complex to make from scratch, let alone animate. A certain skill level and the right software are required to pull it off, so human models are more common.
[[/folder]]

** Not to mention, most Disney films from the 1930s to the 1950s used {{rotoscoping}} for the human characters, which may have had something to do with this trope.

Also, while artists who limit themselves to humans are very likely to use [[OnlySixFaces a limited variety of facial designs]], Furries and animals have several additional traits to help tell each other apart, from fur color to ears, tails, paws -- not to mention species. As a result, an artist can easily make a CastOfSnowflakes just by randomizing each character.

A lot of [[WesternAnimation cartoons]], [[{{Anime}} anime]], and {{webcomics}} have anthropomorphic animal characters. Many [[{{GIFT}} self styled internet experts]] [[SarcasmMode perfectly explain this tendency]] [[MisaimedStereotyping by claiming]], "The artists are themselves [[UsefulNotes/FurryFandom furries]], and this is why the characters are all [[SlidingScaleOfAnthropomorphism literal Furries]]." While this is certainly true in some cases, [[MisaimedStereotyping more than 90% of the time, it's not]].

-->2. [[TakeAThirdOption They didn't want to be limited by]] typical MedievalEuropeanFantasy tropes and [[FiveRaces races]].

A lot of early 3D artwork and video games made use of this as well. It's awfully hard to make a convincing human out of a handful of triangles, but maybe, just maybe, that puddle of polygons is a [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot bandicoot]] or something.

A lot of early 3D artwork and video games made use of this as well. It's aweful hard to make a convincing human out of a handful of triangles, but maybe, just maybe, that puddle of polygons is, I don't know, a [[VideoGame/CrashBandicoot bandicoot]] or something.

* Subverted in Stan Sakai's ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo.'' Stan is perfectly capable of drawing recognizable and distinct humans -- but his "furry" characters allow new readers to grasp the essentials of his regular cast very quickly and easily. The character Katsuichi is powerful, insightful and reserved, so he's [[KingOfBeasts a lion.]] [[TheTrickster Kitsune]] is fun-loving and cunning but essentially amoral, so she's a fox. Gen is fearless, powerful and easily angered, so he's a rhinoceros... and so on.

* Subverted in Stan Sakai's ''ComicBook/UsagiYojimbo.'' Stan is perfectly capable of drawing recognizable and distinct humans - but his "furry" characters allow new readers to grasp the essentials of his regular cast very quickly and easily. The character Katsuichi is powerful, insightful and reserved, so he's [[KingOfBeasts a lion.]] [[TheTrickster Kitsune]] is fun-loving and cunning but essentially amoral, so she's a fox. Gen is fearless, powerful and easily angered, so he's a rhinoceros... and so on.
* ''ComicBook/OmahaTheCatDancer'' is pornographic - its characters all have animal heads and tails, but the rest of them is quite human. ''Quite''.
* ''ComicBook/{{Maus}}'': Drawing all the characters as mice or other animals is the only significant [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality acceptable break from reality]] that this explicitly biographical comic tolerates. [[AnimalJingoism Cats vs. mice]] also makes for a convenient visual metaphor, though one that would turn the story into a BrokenAesop if taken too seriously.
** The book has a fair few fourth wall breaks where creator Creator/ArtSpiegelman addresses readers directly and discusses some of the metaphor's limitations. When Spiegelman is at his most medium-aware - the scenes where he visits his psychiatrist - he draws the animal faces as explicit masks worn by humans. There's also an ambiguous scene regarding a concentration camp inmate who claims to be a non-Jewish German; Spiegelman initially draws him as a mouse but then redraws him as a cat when asking his father's opinion on the truth of the inmate's story.

* Pretty much ''the'' reason why many, many cartoon characters were {{Funny Animal}}s during UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfAnimation when the medium was just getting started. Artists at that time knew how to draw people, sure, but ''animating'' them was a whole other story. Cartoons at the time all shared a very similar art style due to FollowTheLeader and the fact that details were harder and more expensive to work in, so many characters tended to look exactly the same...what helped separate them from the masses were those one or two characteristics (ears, tails, etc.) indicating that X Character was supposed to be a Y Animal.

The fact is, [[MostWritersAreHuman Most Artists Are Humans]], but unfortunately humans are fairly hard to draw. This has a lot to do with the principles behind the UncannyValley theory. We know what people look like. We see them every day. We have entire neural structures in our brains dedicated completely to picking up the incredibly subtle differences between human faces. If an artist's human characters don't look juuust so, those characters won't be appealing.