Furry Gas Masks
Dec. 13th, 2006 06:06 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
graafenI keep seeing art of furry critters wearing gas/oxygen masks, and every single time I see these I can't help but think that they look wrong.
Why is this? It's pretty simple really for anyone who has actually used a gas mask before. There are two major flaws with the majority of gas mask design in furry art.
Unfortunately I can't draw, so I can't show you what I mean. Hopefully you can understand what I'm saying.
1) Shape would play a major factor in gas mask design for furries. Critters with short to no muzzles (rabbits for example) would not really have a problem in this area, but those who do have long protruding muzzles (canines, lizards, etc) would definately have a problem due to length.
Most artists draw the masks as though the muzzle is covered in a single piece of moulded rubber. Although this would technically work for breathing requirements it leaves a large flaw: no jaw movement. Jaw movement would be required for conversation.
From what I can see there are really only two ways of combating this.
One is to have a large cavity below the jaw which would allow movement, but that would be impracticle and restrict downwards movement of the head.
The other option (which was suggested to me by![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
toy_dragon) would be to have a section of concertina style rubber beneath the muzzle which would extend downwards as the wearer spoke. This would be more practical.
2) When I mentioned this to Ultrafox he also informed me that fur would be a major factor too. Gas/oxygen masks work by forming an airtight seal around the wearers face. This would be impossible with fur in the way. The only way to resolve that problem would be for the wearer to wear an NBC hood which the mask slips over.
3) This is a little addition. Gas masks for long muzzled critters would NOT have filters on the end of them. Think about it, filters are heavy and one of those hanging off the end of your muzzle would actually strain your neck.
If anyone wants to dispute this then feel free, but please give reason for your arguements. :P
Why is this? It's pretty simple really for anyone who has actually used a gas mask before. There are two major flaws with the majority of gas mask design in furry art.
Unfortunately I can't draw, so I can't show you what I mean. Hopefully you can understand what I'm saying.
1) Shape would play a major factor in gas mask design for furries. Critters with short to no muzzles (rabbits for example) would not really have a problem in this area, but those who do have long protruding muzzles (canines, lizards, etc) would definately have a problem due to length.
Most artists draw the masks as though the muzzle is covered in a single piece of moulded rubber. Although this would technically work for breathing requirements it leaves a large flaw: no jaw movement. Jaw movement would be required for conversation.
From what I can see there are really only two ways of combating this.
One is to have a large cavity below the jaw which would allow movement, but that would be impracticle and restrict downwards movement of the head.
The other option (which was suggested to me by
toy_dragon) would be to have a section of concertina style rubber beneath the muzzle which would extend downwards as the wearer spoke. This would be more practical.2) When I mentioned this to Ultrafox he also informed me that fur would be a major factor too. Gas/oxygen masks work by forming an airtight seal around the wearers face. This would be impossible with fur in the way. The only way to resolve that problem would be for the wearer to wear an NBC hood which the mask slips over.
3) This is a little addition. Gas masks for long muzzled critters would NOT have filters on the end of them. Think about it, filters are heavy and one of those hanging off the end of your muzzle would actually strain your neck.
If anyone wants to dispute this then feel free, but please give reason for your arguements. :P
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no subject
Date: 2006-12-13 08:06 pm (UTC)I could imagine that depending on the purpose of the mask, one might simply live with the fact that it'd restrict the wearer's ability to speak (or maybe you'd use a throat microphone, although I don't know how much mouth/muzzle movement those things require); also, as far as filters are concerned, I'd imagine that it'd be shifted along the side of the mask (or maybe split into two filters on both sides, to provide better balance) and that special care would be taken to make it as lightweight as possible.
But the fur would definitely be a problem, yes. I wonder whether furs who'd regularly wear gasmasks (like firefighters or soldiers, maybe) would shave part of their necks to make sure that the mask would come in contact with the actual skin so it'd be airtight... but you'd still need a different mask shape that covers more than the face even in that case.