Generally, art that you like and would want to hang on your wall is always an investment. So why should Furry art be any different? Unless you are part of the furry community growing since the 1970s in California (The Fandom), it’s all a bit new and strange. Furry art is unique and still very fresh compared to what we associate with art, such as modern abstract art and seeing a Kandinsky on a gallery wall. We are all hesitant about new ideas as they come and go, often going out of fashion. Furry art is also not in the category that everyone appreciates as art or perhaps understands. Furry art characters are often associated with children, but there is a massive fan club of adults. If you were to hang a Disney drawing of Donald Duck or a more recent character like Finding Dory on your shelf or hang it on the wall in a frame, you might not get the same response as hanging a contemporary artist like Banksy. Why is this, and does it affect buying as an investment?
Donald Duck is a classic example of Furry art
Furry art organically started with the rise of the comic book, which at first was regulated and only allowed to print in black and white. Artists began breaking out and creating vibrant stories in colour, inspired by Japanese art, encouraging the comic community to go underground. The characters and creatures that stemmed from the artwork all grew in popularity with cartoonists like Robert Crumb, who helped promote anthropomorphic animals such as Fritz The Cat. Initially, the furry art resembled fluffy, furry alien animals and then morphed into human-like figures.
Albedo characters were part of the photo-fury comics that arose in the 1980s
The 1980s created a wave of photo-fury comics and APAZines that introduced famous characters like Eastman and Lairds Teenage Mutant Heros and Albedo by Steve Gallacci, to name a few. These fantasy animated anthropomorphic images attracted a Furry fan base, full of artists and animation programmers.
Famous artists of the 1990s were Terrie Smith, Daphne Lage, and Tygger Graf, creating animated characters based on fantasy and mythical worlds. As the characters and stories grew, so did the artists, often meeting at parties and conferences. Many comic book sketches and furry art have been made into films and continue to be box office hits such as Disney’s Lion King. Bambi was the first recognized Disney film with an all-animal cast released in 1942 with original sketches by Felix Salten.
The underground world of comic books gave rise to anthropomorphic images
Star Wars is another famous film series with many furry characters most visually the Wookiees and Ewoks and there are hundreds more that could be of Furry descent some which are only mentioned. If you were to find artwork by Star Wars furry artist, Robin Pronovost the value would be considerable and a historical treasure.
The famous furry artwork such as the Star Wars characters could be seen as worthwhile investments
The detailed description of the furry is subjective but it accounts for anthropomorphic images. Anthropomorphism is a character or image that carries human traits and emotions. This can take the form of a furry animal or a human. The furry image is usually created through a rough sketch often linked to a story and then takes shape in animation or comes to life in a comic book. Investing in comic books can be lucrative with the ‘Blue chip’ characters such as Superman, Flash, The Avengers, and the X-Men being taken seriously as the work becomes rarer. As comic books gain in popularity and become worthwhile investments so does the furry market expand. Spotting the ‘A list’ furry character found in the older comic books and browsing this field would also help to identify trends in the market as well as perhaps find rarer furry art.
The Furry artwork that holds the most value is the oldest and most popular. The furry characters that Disney and other film producers have adopted are likely to keep their reputation and get re-vamped as new animations and design themes improve. Like any tangible asset, the artwork’s condition is essential and must be treated with respect and care. There are many places to start from, even if you have a small budget. Websites such as Fiverr.com. share opportunities of furry art from five pounds to fifty pounds. If you want to invest more there are many opportunities such as Saatchi art where popular contemporary artists appear such as Holly Wood. Or commissioned-based work will let you discuss your budget and choose the furry art character you resonate with.
As with most things the longer you hold a piece of artwork and provided it is kept reasonably, it will guarantee the price raise. Traditional auction houses like Phillips and Sothebys all have experts in their fields. They will advise and point to furry art that is of higher value and perhaps it is best to seek professional advice if buying a large investment.
Everything digital now seems to have longevity, and we are becoming more and more reliant on our computers. Bitcoin is taking over as a currency in some countries, and NFTs are growing and demanding higher prices. As consumers understand cyberpunk history and grasp technology, anthropomorphic images are becoming more of the norm. In a hundred years, the new furry images of today will look old-fashioned but will be valued as works of art and documents of our past.
Buying a tangible asset is always a good idea, especially if you can use it while it increases in value, and art is a perfect choice. Buying art is always going to be a personal choice, but with a bit of research and knowledge, you can save money and make wise investments. New ideas come and go but artwork is always going to be a good choice if you love it.
Written by Kay Hare
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