NitroShep

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Nitro by Arend Studios on Motocross Bike.

NitroShep (born November 20) is a fursuiter who lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.[1] He is usually known as Shep when out of costume, and Nitro when fursuiting.

Shep has been a furry lifestyler since 2005 and has a German Shepherd as his fursona. He is a long time and current staff member of Howloween and VancouFur, and past staff member of RainFurrest. He was chosen as fursuit guest of honor at Furlandia 2014, and the community spotlight at VancouFur 2020.

Shep's original fursuit character, Nitro, was constructed in March of 2007 by WhiteyFawks of Arend Studios, and debuted at RainFurrest 2007.[2] Nitro became well known for his stunts on a Motocross Bike.[3] To present day, the fursuit has been to several conventions and events located in Australia, Canada, Europe and the United States.

Nitro 2.0 by One Fur All Studios at MFF 2017.

In November 2017, Shep had a new and improved version of Nitro designed and built by ScribbleFox of One Fur All Studios, which debuted at Midwest Furfest 2017. The head for this character is uniquely one of a kind with the integration of complex fursuit electronics designed and built by NitroShep.

In real life, Shep is an experienced red seal tradesman working in the electrical field as a journeyman and project foreman. He has a wide range of skills working with metal, wood, plastic and electronics. In his free time, Shep loves outdoor adventures but will often work on fursuit related projects and staffing local conventions. Before Shep found the furry fandom, he competed in the sport of motocross and arenacross racing for nearly a decade. By 2006 he achieved two BC Championships before exiting from competition.


Conventions attended[edit]

Nitro at Anthrocon 2009.

Fandom involvement[edit]

  • Howloween Staff Member - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022
  • RainFurrest Staff Member - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
  • VancouFur Staff Member - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
  • RainFurrest Fursuit Programming Lead - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
  • Howloween Fursuit Lounge Lead - 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2022
  • RainFurrest Fursuit Lounge Lead - 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
  • VancouFur Fursuit Lounge Lead - 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
  • Howloween Provided Fursuit Lounge Equipment - 2008 to 2022
  • RainFurrest Provided Fursuit Lounge Equipment - 2009 to 2015
  • VancouFur Provided Fursuit Lounge Equipment - 2012 to 2022
  • Furlandia Provided Fursuit Lounge Equipment - 2014
  • Anthrocon Panel Host, Co-Host - 2012
  • VancouFur Panel Host - 2020
  • RainFurrest Panel Host - 2012
  • Furlandia Panel Host (x4) - 2014
  • Furlandia Fursuit Games Host - 2014

Public entertainment[edit]

Nitro at Children's Hospital in Vancouver.

Since 2007 to present, Nitro has been a member of a local fursuit entertainment group. He has entertained at dozens of charitable non-profit events, including children's hospital, walks for ALS, cancer, juvenile diabetes, hospice, festivals and parades. Nitro has also entertained in Washington state. The fursuit has been seen on local live television a few times during charitable events.

In 2010, during the Vancouver Olympic winter games, Nitro roamed the crowded city streets with a group of other fursuiters cheering on team Canada. Also that year, entertained the public in the streets of in Delft, Holland.

In 2011, Nitro made his way to the ski resort of in Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. Entertaining the crowds and riding the chairlifts to the top of the mountain.

Fursuit electronics[edit]

Nitro 2.0 glowing at Eurofurence 24 dance.

In April 2007, Shep’s first step into fursuit electronics was installing a fan in the Nitro head by Arend Studios. Later that year, he added a GMRS walkie talkie, which was primarily used to communicate with spotters at charity events. Challenges of adding electronics to a fursuit was discovered by how quickly corrosion occurs. Over the following years, Shep found a method to protect the circuits from failing in this harsh damp environment.

In 2017, while Nitro 2.0 by OneFurAll was being built, Shep wanted to take his fursuit electronic skills to the next level. Built into this head is a programmable micro-controller, LCD display, 5 sensors (hall effect, accelerometer, ambient light, temperature, microphone), 4 variable speed fans, wireless transceiver, rechargeable battery, and 23 RGB LED Neopixels. During the fursuit construction stage, Shep also made a independently powered LED full bodysuit Harness, including LED cuffs and LED Tail straps that are controlled by wireless commands from the head. To this day, Shep has programmed over 60 sound reactive rave animations for the head and harness controllers.

2016 to present, Shep has been designing and building fursuit electronics for the local fursuit maker, OneFurAll Studio. This has included remote controlled LEDs for the eyes and ears, and cooling fans.

Creative talents[edit]

Nitro with projects.

Beginning in 2008, Shep decided to use his creativity and trade skills to build fursuit lounge equipment for fursuiters to use at local conventions, which he still provides to this day. These projects have included: advanced fursuit head drying trees, powerful fans, electrical panel, and rechargeable fursuit head fan kits. The popularity of the head trees prompted Shep to build two more and update all three in 2014 to add UVC germ killing ability and timers for each head. Shep continues to look for new project ideas to help improve fursuit lounges, his motivation is simply watching fursuiters enjoy the things he builds.

References[edit]

  1. NitroShep's profile on LiveJournal. Retrieved January 28th, 2008
  2. http://db.fursuit.me/index.php?c=viewsuit&id=689
  3. Nitro Fursuit MX on YouTube. Retrieved November 25th, 2007

External links[edit]

This person is a WikiFur user: WikiFur User