Artist Beware - Dexter Young (Furry Porn Fursuits)

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

FA page address : http://www.furaffinity.net/user/yiffydexter
Website: http://www.recycledfelines.wix.com/furry-p0rn
FA FursuitMakerReview: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9292309/#cid:63982602 (F 3.4/10)
Concept Art of Character Stattik: https://d.facdn.net/art/xxxbladewolfxxx/1337393980.xxxbladewolfxxx_1321478972.mangusu_stattik_ref_clean_resizedclean.jpg
Actual furheads (both attempts): https://d.facdn.net/art/fursuitmakerreviews/1353436973.fursuitmakerreviews_1352942135.xxxbladewolfxxx_side_sy_side.png
Fursuit (full): https://d.facdn.net/art/xxxbladewolfxxx/1344217659.xxxbladewolfxxx_480507_10151078575097482_1223672454_n.jpg
Concept Art of Character Blade: https://d.facdn.net/art/xxxbladewolfxxx/1337135134.xxxbladewolfxxx_bladewolf_ref_sheet_redo.jpg
Fursuit (partial):  https://d.facdn.net/art/xxxbladewolfxxx/1292381950.xxxbladewolfxxx_73904_457244517481_595547481_5391257_356562_n.jpg
Fursuit (full): http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc6/267376_239868912691389_7262527_n.jpg
second attempt out of the box condition next to my new furhead by another builder: https://d.facdn.net/art/xxxbladewolfxxx/1342837471.xxxbladewolfxxx_download.jpg

At the start of all this, I was told that her quality was as good if not better than some of the big name fursuit makers out there.  I was new to the fandom as well as fursuitting so I didn't know what to expect.  I was expecting a really well made fursuit, but what I got was a shock to me as well as everyone I know. 

In the summer of 2010 I commissioned a partial of my fursona Blade from Dexter.  She does most of her business from her facebook page.  I came across her stuff and due to her affordable prices I decided to commission her.  It all started when I decided to make my own furhead, I won a raffle from her on facebook for a set of handpaws to which I commissioned matching feetpaws.  I added some legs as then when my own furhead project started to fall apart, I added the furhead to the order.  The entire thing cost me a total of 250-300$.  I recieved it a week before FurFright 2010 and attended the convention.  The moving jaw did not work at all, it was made from a large gauge wire (looked like a wire clothes hanger) and cardboard.  The eyes were made from plastic lenses from a pair of sunglasses.  There was no ventilation and it got hot in there fast and the eyes fogged up, I could not see at all.  I later learned after trying to add a couple of vents that there was a thick layer of duct tape between the foam and fur, which not only kept in the heat but also let off some strong fumes when it heated up.  At Anthrocon 2011 the bottom jaw fell almost 90% of the way, hanging by a peice of wire.  I had sent the head back after FurFright 2010 for repairs to the jaw to make it more moveable, and she glued in two elastic straps which did not help at all.  Saturday afternoon I went to take off the head and one side of the wire poked through the foam and sliced my cheek open about a 2 inch long cut.  The body that I had commissioned was too tight and I had a hard time walking around and saturday afternoon after the parade it ripped up the crotch from the front to the back.  After Anthrocon 2011 I sent everything back to her for repairs as well as commissioned and paid for a second body made different and kept the fur long.  I also won a raffle for a furhead, so I made a second fursona Stattik.  I had commissioned two plushies from her at some point, and there was no progress or anything on those so I used the money I piad for those and put it towards the body as well as traded a brand new Logittech webcam and a digital camera.  So everything was paid for, I owed nothing.  I received the first Stattik suit late, it arrived at my house the afternoon of the first day of Furfright.  Luckily I live close and was able to drive home and get it, I drove back and when I removed it from the box it was horrible.  The head had no foam in it, just fur sloppily handsewn together, the eyes were those rocks you buy at the pet store, felt was glued on poorly everywhere, and an excess of glue was used everywhere.  The body was too tight again, and also the arms and hands were sewn on backwards.  I could not wear it at all.  I sent it back to her and demanded it be fixed.  She took forever and had to overnight it to the Westin in Pittsburgh, when I got it I brought it up to my room and opened the box.  I knew by the body expanding out of the box it wasnt going to be pretty.  I pulled out the body and saw the head smashed underneath, smashed flat.  The led's were poorly glued in and there was a string of three unused led's hanging inside the head as well as a battery pack.  The feet were poorly done, but wearable.  Although the body did fit better, it reeked of a musty smell sort of like a basement smell mixed with body odor.  And since then that suit has been sitting in the box in my attic.  Also I have not gotten Blade back yet, it has been almost two years in June.  Supposedly she is rebuilding him to the best of her ability so nobody can say anything bad about it.  She has been promising me wip pictures but I have still not gotten one.  I do not expect to ever get that suit back, I don't know exactly why it is not being returned to me, but the builder is avoiding my messages and attempts to contact her.  In all everything I have commissioned from her totals about 800-900$.

When I got my new fursuit by another builder, she was mad at me for going behind her back and commissioning someone else, and told me that it wasn't nice of me to have her waste her time making a furhead for me when I wasn't even going to use it.  When I got th first fursuit at Furfright 2011, it was so bad it ruined my con.  I had registered as a fursuitter as could not fursuit, i was very depressed.  I commissioned that fursuit to help me get over what had happened, and I knew that it wasn't going to get any better.  So I went through with it and commisioned a fullsuit from another builder, someone that she doesn't like.  It wasn't to spite her, I liked her style and she was a friend of mine.  She thinks I did that to get even with her, to get back at her for what she did, which is not true at all.

Rundown of fursuit problems Blade:
eyes were plastic sunglass lenses
mowhawk kept fraying, was globbed with glue for AC11 and was blamed on me for packaging
duct tape layer under fur kept in heat and let off fumes
first body was too tight and ripped badly
jaw fell off of head at AC11
moving jaw attempted twice and failed
second body was never recieved
vision was poor due to eyes fogging up quickly

Rundown of fursuit problems Stattik first attempt:
head had no foam
all fur poorly handsewn together
eyes were crooked and eyesight out of tear ducts was crooked
eyes were made of pet store rocks
felt was glued on everywhere
hands and arms were sewn on backwards
fur on underside of arms was shaved really short, was told she ran out of long fur and to send it back after the con for repairs
lightning bolt on back was out of line and outline was thick at some points and thin at some points
the muzzle was very flat and blocky, had no shape to it at all
the teeth had fallen out of the head even before I took it out of the box

Rundown of fursuit problems second attempt:
head was made from minimal foam
head was crushed into box under body suit
ears were oddly shaped like giant pills
eyes were huge and looked weird
bottom jaw was not attached to furhead at all and just hung open
led's were sloppily glued in the upper jaw and eyes, inside of head there was a sting of unused led's as well as a bulky battery pack (2xAA)
lime green fur on head was different shade from fur used on body
handpaw finger undersides were shaved down flat and had felt pawpads sloppily glued on
fur smelled of a musty smell like a basement mixed with bad body odor
inside of head was lined with felt poorly glued on
the muzzle was very long and oddly shaped
tail is huge and really oddly shaped, very long and fat curl with little tip https://d.facdn.net/art/xxxbladewolfxxx/1346208301.xxxbladewolfxxx_559046_10151129302812482_1107596639_n.jpg (the one on the right)

It was promised to me and she agreed to send me the head and first body as well as the material to make the second body because according to her I never paid her to make it, I only paid for materials.  I have never heard of that before lol.  All in all this was a very bad experience I have had with this builder. 

Also I would like to add the streams that she does topless while working on people's fursuits.  And one night in my email, I received an email from her, which I thought was wip pics of my fursuit, but what I got was nude pics of herself pleasuring herself.  I was not expecting that at all.  In my opinion that is not acceptable behavior of a fursuit maker to a customer. 

Blade has been a suit since October of 2010, and I have had him in my possession for maybe about 4 months out of those two years.  The rest of the time Blade has been with the builder getting repaired and rebuilt.  I've had to send him back after every time I wore him to a con or event due to something breaking or falling off.

Comments

[funkicarus.livejournal.com]

good gravy
i saw you were told she was 'as good as if not better than' big-name designers. and then i clicked those links.

good. gravy.

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

I won't mention who those big name makers are, but being told by her that she was as good as them, for the prices she charges I wasn't expecting anywhere near their quality. But at the same time I was at least expecting something I could wear at cons. I could wear the Blade partial...but the fumes from the duct tape was giving me headaches constantly.

[spiralhorn.livejournal.com]

Whoa, beware well warranted. I got goosebumps when I got the the point where you mentioned the duct tape in the head.

HOW could anyone think for a second that's an ok and safe thing to do???

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

When I got the partial, I had only been in he fandom for less than a year and was still new.....I really didn't know alot about fursuits and how to build them....she told me it was waterproofing in case I got pushed into the pool or if I wanted to go fursuitting in the rain. AT the time I believed her and though it was a good thing....until I was in the fandom for a while and learned about things not to do in a fursuit.

[skulldog.livejournal.com]

I feel bad for you, this is hardly a case of you as buyer being picky or unhappy, this is far more a case of over promises and poor final product, and to a larger extent never seeing a final product.

This is the kind of story that really makes me wish suit makers starting out would do some practice work with friends and ask for feedback and work out serious issues like the ductape base, before taking any money for suits. Unlike 2d artists, suit makers are working with very precise and potentially dangerous materials that will come in contact with their buyers.

I wish there was more I could tell you to help impoverish your situation, the very least I hope you story prevents anyone else from being burned so badly on a deal with this builder until they improve their craft.

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

The funny thing was when I got the two Stattik heads....she had been making suits for three or four years. The first head was thrown together last minute, I could tell by how it was late. The second one was thrown together after she found out I was commissioning someone else. And I have a strange feeling because of everything is why she is not sending me back my other suit after many times of her agreeing to an agreement and then not following through with it. I've tried many times to get it back....and she's promised wip pics of the supposed "rebuild" she is doing but it's been a couple months since the last time I heard from her.

But I am happy to say that I now have an awesome fullsuit of Stattik made by a professional fursuit maker and just got a spot with a different professional fursuit maker for Blade. I debuted the new Stattik partial at Anthrocon2012 and the fullsuit was debuted at Furfright 2012. Blade will be debuted at Anthrocon2013 :D

[tealmoonxiv.livejournal.com]

O_O........there is sooo much wrong with that.

[corablorthog.livejournal.com]

Yikes.

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Some of this is not quite proper content for this particular post, so I'm screening it.

However, the part about the images you received instead of WIPs is relevant and highly inappropriate. I'd strongly suggest adding that part to your post.

[dirtiran.livejournal.com]

Oh wow O_o
The duct tape and wire part made me cringe. So bloody dangerous D;

[excessdenied0.livejournal.com]

Undoubtedly, this fursuiter did everything wrong. I can honestly say that this is the worst I have read on here so far.
OP, as far as I can tell, did nothing wrong, and really was way too kind here.

However, I have to say that I don't understand why OP continued to buy from this maker, after seeing how poor her work was. $200-300 is a lot of money to lose, but it is a lot less than $900. In that respect, I hope OP has learned from the experience, and won't make the same mistake again! It would have been best to just ask for a refund and go to another maker after seeing the very first result from this person.

Sorry, OP. The whole thing sucks. :c

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

She doesn't give refunds, and people who have gotten refunds are extremely lucky. I demanded a refund for my Blade suit and was told no. Now I don't have the suit or the money I paid for it. If was winning the head in the second raffle that got me to commission Stattik from her, I figured I could at least use the body for a new suit I could get, but I did not expect the body I got to stink so much and the first one was too tight and the second one was although fit okay, the fur on the lightning bolt was not symmetrical. That's why I chose to commission the entire suit from a professional.

[laughsatthunder.livejournal.com]

Biggest pet peeve- the Blade body suit and head didn't match up at ALL.

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

I will admit, I had no idea what I was doing and asked her to shave it that short. But she also made no attempt to talk me out of it.....prolly would of saved me 200$.

[clockmagic.livejournal.com]

I've been trying to convince someone online not to commission/trade with this person being warned about here and I think I'll go and link them this.

I'm just flabbergasted at how this person works and behaves towards their customers, it's inexcusable and makes me so sad. =c

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

and the thing about when people say anything bad about her, she sicks her other accounts on these people and harasses them. I've seen it first hand myself, it's not pretty.

But yes, link them and show them this. Nobody deserves to experience this. I almost walked out of a con and the fandom after the first fursuit, but my good friends helped me through it and I ended up commissioning a really well made fursuit and I am extremely happy with it!

[coyote-feathers.livejournal.com]

Also I would like to add the streams that she does topless while working on people's fursuits. And one night in my email, I received an email from her, which I thought was wip pics of my fursuit, but what I got was nude pics of herself pleasuring herself.

What.

That is beyond disgusting. Honestly if I saw that from someone after I had commissioned them, I would demand a refund IMMEDIATELY. Maybe some people enjoy the thought of her working on their suits naked, but NO.

Not even going to comment on the second part. Beware VERY well warranted!

[dustmeat.livejournal.com]

EW EW EW EW EW!!!

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

How disgusting.

[tyrano-tiggs.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying it is but if its you or your friends making the inappropriate wall posts on her FA, I'd stop it (might be random trolls, I don't know) as whilst its evident her work is shoddy and she's untrustworthy, be the bigger person (again, if they are any affiliation to you).

I'm not a fursuit builder (hell I'm just getting my first resin base for a cosplay) but even I know that duct-tape for anything other than pattern purposes is a big no-no. No foam or base? You essentially got a novelty balaclava from the sounds of it 0_o

Edit; omg I just saw the naked part...ew ew ew ew

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

If you're talking about the shout, that looks like a troll account. I've forwarded it to an FA admin.

[negawolfie.livejournal.com]

Dexter made someone pay $1000+ for a head and a plushie. The man was practically almost in tears because of the poor condition. I am glad Dexter is on here due to the fact that people are getting ripped off of their money. He did get his money back thanks to the paypal dispute.

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

Yeah, he's a friend of mine from across the pond :) We share alot of stuff cause we both went through the exact same thing.

[glaciers.livejournal.com]

I cringed the entire time I was reading this post... I'm sorry you went through this!

[oki-warwolf.livejournal.com]

As an local acquaintance of Dexter, I've heard my share of these stories from other locals about poorly made products, lack of WIP shots, and bad communication. I haven't personally commissioned her since I can sew fine on my own and don't suit, but from my observational experience, she seems to pull this kind of thing on a fair amount of her customer base. I had no idea things were this bad for some people though. The thing about sending you photos like that and the steaming topless? That's just downright unprofessional.

She's gotten bad reviews in other places, but I don't think I've ever seen her on here. I'm glad to see her poor practices come to light on a more spotlighted artists review page.

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

I have to put this out there....i know that this looks bad and I know people are going to have their opinions about this. But please don't go and post things on her facebook or FA page. Over the years everytime someone critiques her work, troll accounts start harassing people, I have seen it first hand with some of my friends. The fandom should be and is more mature than this. Please let me handle the situation I am in and don't make it any worse for me than it already is. Someone already has posted a really nasty comment on her FA page, as much as I am not pleased with everything, I don't want people stooping down to her level and attacking her. We are better than that. Thank you.

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

Any harassing comments should be reported to us and to FA staff. We don't allow that at all here on Artists_Beware.

[morti-macabre.livejournal.com]

I really don't know how people keep falling for her lies.
Even -to this day- we get people in Fursuit groups on Facebook coming to us saying they -just- got scammed by her.
I really don't know how the entire world isn't aware of her at this point.

She even came in some of the groups posting photos of her "work" in which there were giant gaping holes and denied the holes, saying the camera was doing it. She's... just, no.

Everyone would do very well to stay far away from her. I don't think she's EVER delivered a decent product, if the person GETS a product from her to begin with.

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

A local furry also commissioned her, and he has waiting on a $300 money order from her, and he plans on showcasing her 'fursuit' at a panel, appropriately titled "How to pick and choose a fursuit maker".

So, she'll be a lot more public then she is now as a result of not only AB, but convention attendee awareness.

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure I know who you are talking about. I've talked to someone about recreating that panel here at some east coast cons I go to every year.

I have posted a fursuit maker review on FA which I linked to in the description at the top of the page.

And I got a message from a messenger (not her) today that she needs my mailing address to send me back Blade. Let's see what it looks like :P

[dinocyanide.livejournal.com]

I can't see why people commission her.
If she didn't have examples when she began, no one should have thought that was a smart idea to commission her.
If you saw her examples and still thought you were getting professional quality then there's something wrong.
Shame on her for scamming people but also shame on the people. I don't know how her "art" wasn't eye opening enough. I really hope it gets even more public though so people can stop, somehow, falling for this.

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

Well back when I originally commissioned her, there was nothing bad about her online. No artist beware, no complaints, nothing. And the pics she had on her website "looked" good for the price. Couldn't really tell of the bad construction from the pictures. There was people that tried to talk some sense into me, but I didn't listen to them. It was too late anyways cause things were paid for already. People get pressured into commissioning her......someone I know on FA just got his fursuit made by her and it's complete trash. She used plexiglass in the lower jaw. There has been a number of people who have been screwed by her and they are now coming out like me and hopefully now people will think twice before commissioning her.

[dragontripmon.livejournal.com]

Has anyone noticed the account is suspended with all of the submissions removed?

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

Her FA account was suspended due to all the people making rude comments to her on her shouts. She never used her FA page anyways, all her business is done through facebook.

[kwolf13.livejournal.com]

I'd like to add she has a new business name that I think needs to be added to this Beware

New FA: https://www.furaffinity.net/user/dangerstarstudios
New Website: http://recycledfelines.wix.com/danger-star-studios

And before anyone asks, it's not FA ban evasion. She apparently ask for her account to be suspended.

[dragontripmon.livejournal.com]

Would'nt it be better to send a PM to one of the mods considering i was wondering how come that account was suspended.

[bazeelphooka.livejournal.com]

I am currently investigating this matter, concerning the new FA page. Thanks!

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

Just a note for mods / OP

She is now operating under this account and business name. http://www.furaffinity.net/user/dangerstarstudios

[lackoflollies.livejournal.com]

WHELP NEVERMIND

[xxxbladewolfxxx.livejournal.com]

Okay, so before anyone goes all crazy and starts sh** again, as far as I know she got the other FA account suspended due to all of the harassing and nasty comments people were leaving, which I might add I specifically said to not do, but people did anyways, and this made me look horrible. I was very upset at the actions of other people, it made it very difficult for me to try to work with the builder. But her making a new company name, and redoing everything she has done wrong, I hope it is an attempt at trying for a fresh start. But despite everything I have managed to work out an agreement with the builder, in which a 2.0 fursuit head has been made to replace the original Blade head, and with the return of him to me I have agreed to remove anything from this post not having to do with fursuit stuff. But the agreement is only words right now, I do not have a fursuit in my possession. But again I will ask people to not attack her or post nasty and harassing comments on her new FA page. The bad reviews and this AB post was an attempt by me to hopefully get her to see that she could not do this to people and not expect repercussions. Yes she has a new company name, yes she has a new FA page, and her website has been updated, it seems as though she is trying to make a change for the better, at least I hope. But I have worked things out with the builder and things seem to be okay, so nobody go and mess it up, thank you.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Hi! While I'm glad that you appear to be working towards a resolution, please understand that when you post to AB, you agree to our rules, one of them being you can not delete posts or remove information in the post.

However, if you receive what you are owed, you can let us know and we can give the post a resolved tag.