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Other / Animal related (non-anthro)
Species Coyote
Size 1280 x 635
File Size 145.5 kB
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Disrespectful comments will be hidden and not even replied to. If you won't take the time to learn about taxidermy before you leave an ignorant comment, I won't take the time to reply.
i've always been a pretty big fan of taxidermy and recently (read: the entire past year) i have been learning all i can in order to do an okay job on my first mount, who turned out to be this guy!
i had awful earliners and his ear had a giant hole with a bunch of hairloss so they're not great, his eyes are crooked, and he has a little hairloss at the corner of his lips. but i love him!!
my fiance calls him bramble (i had to pick a bunch of junk out of his fur when i got him) and he's hanging on my boy's wall. <3 he's so wonderful (my fiance. lol)
i can't wait to do more!
Disrespectful comments will be hidden and not even replied to. If you won't take the time to learn about taxidermy before you leave an ignorant comment, I won't take the time to reply.
i've always been a pretty big fan of taxidermy and recently (read: the entire past year) i have been learning all i can in order to do an okay job on my first mount, who turned out to be this guy!
i had awful earliners and his ear had a giant hole with a bunch of hairloss so they're not great, his eyes are crooked, and he has a little hairloss at the corner of his lips. but i love him!!
my fiance calls him bramble (i had to pick a bunch of junk out of his fur when i got him) and he's hanging on my boy's wall. <3 he's so wonderful (my fiance. lol)
i can't wait to do more!
Disrespectful comments will be hidden and not even replied to. If you won't take the time to learn about taxidermy before you leave an ignorant comment, I won't take the time to reply.
Category Other / Animal related (non-anthro)
Species Coyote
Size 1280 x 635px
File Size 145.5 kB
Listed in Folders
it makes me sad that there's so many horrible snarling mounts, even by really good taxidermists! i'll have to try doing it eventually to see why it's so challenging.
i'm not big on snarling mounts though, unless they have context (a coyote posed over a bone, for example, or panoramic scenes of two animals facing off) because otherwise they just look scared :( i don't want to portray that fear in death.
thank you so much!
i'm not big on snarling mounts though, unless they have context (a coyote posed over a bone, for example, or panoramic scenes of two animals facing off) because otherwise they just look scared :( i don't want to portray that fear in death.
thank you so much!
lol you're welcome <333 yeah, i dont understand the bad mounts either, it's just a lack of knowledge of anatomy i guess.. i think that collecting the bones along with the pelt though helps with the study of anatomy anyway. for example, i draw my skulls for practice, and in the end it helps me draw the facial structure of the different animals better. it's the same way with any kind of sculpture and even taxidermy mounts (cuz sculpting is involved anyway)
animals are taken during their seasons for legal population control, then skinned (there are different methods of skinning) and go through a process where the membrane and tissue is scraped from the skin, then it is "pickled" and then tanned. at the tanning stage is when you can decide to leave the fur on (taxidermy-type things) or remove it (for leather used in garments and furniture).
then you take the skin and use a certain type of paste to adhere it to a specially made foam shape called a mannequin. you can buy them premade or make them yourself. they are basically the animal's underlying muscle and generally have to be either cut down or made bigger since every animal is different. you then add plastic inserts into the ears (that's just one way of doing it, though) and specially made glass eyes, then add clay to the face to put back in the muscles and details that are removed.
clay is put into the feet to shape the paws. you use a knife or dremel tool to carve out where the lips are and then you push the extra skin on the lips into the cut to hold them. you push the extra eyelid skin into the clay around the eyes. you sew up the skin carefully by hand, making sure it all lines up correctly.
after making sure everything looks right, ears are adjusted, etc., you then start to groom the fur (you have to groom is several times a day for a week or two weeks to make it look good). as it dries, the water in the skin from tanning evaporates and causes the skin to shrink, so you have to carefully monitor it to make sure the skin isn't pulling wrong and everything stays how you want it. oftentimes people add pins into the facial skin to get it to stay.
after a few weeks, when the skin is entirely dry and adhered to the form permanently, you take paint and paint the nose, around the eyes, inner ears, pawpads, and such to add back that lifelike quality.
then you take the skin and use a certain type of paste to adhere it to a specially made foam shape called a mannequin. you can buy them premade or make them yourself. they are basically the animal's underlying muscle and generally have to be either cut down or made bigger since every animal is different. you then add plastic inserts into the ears (that's just one way of doing it, though) and specially made glass eyes, then add clay to the face to put back in the muscles and details that are removed.
clay is put into the feet to shape the paws. you use a knife or dremel tool to carve out where the lips are and then you push the extra skin on the lips into the cut to hold them. you push the extra eyelid skin into the clay around the eyes. you sew up the skin carefully by hand, making sure it all lines up correctly.
after making sure everything looks right, ears are adjusted, etc., you then start to groom the fur (you have to groom is several times a day for a week or two weeks to make it look good). as it dries, the water in the skin from tanning evaporates and causes the skin to shrink, so you have to carefully monitor it to make sure the skin isn't pulling wrong and everything stays how you want it. oftentimes people add pins into the facial skin to get it to stay.
after a few weeks, when the skin is entirely dry and adhered to the form permanently, you take paint and paint the nose, around the eyes, inner ears, pawpads, and such to add back that lifelike quality.
thanks!
uh
make sure you have clay in the earbutts before you pull the cape on for the final gluing
it may help to have someone help you hold the head as you pull the neck skin down over the form, i got paste EVERYWHERE wow.
use lots of paste!! but not enough to be like, drippy.
use a good amount of clay in the nose so it doesn't look shrively. i ended up untucking the lips four times to keep adding clay into the nose, and all my messing with the lips caused some fur to start falling out.
USE REFERENCES. A WHOLE LOT. THE ENTIRE TIME.
when you've had enough for one day, bag it and come back the next day. it'll help a lot.
take pictures with a camera and flip them on your computer. it really makes the glaring issues stand out.
make sure the eye, lip, and nose skin is thinned really well. get a skife knife or a dremel tool with a sanding drum (i used a dremel. it was really easy to sand right through the skin, so be careful however you do it. luckily the area i sanded through was part of the tucking skin so it didn't matter.)
BRUSH BRUSH BRUSH. and use a hairdryer. back brush it lots, several times a day. i used a fine toothed plastic comb.
i built clay up around the eyes, which is all you generally see when you see clay work done on forms. but i also added clay on the nose and a long thinnish line along the upper lip, and some on the whisker pad area. i didn't have clay anywhere but the eyes at first but on one of the times i untucked the lips to add clay to the nose i decided to add it to the lips, etc as well and it really helped. the clay along the upper lip helped the upper lip to plump out and overlap the bottom just well enough, and in the whisker pad helped get that rounded look there.
i also, on one of the untuckings, decided to shave down the chin a bit. if you use the form that comes in the van dyke's coyote shoulder mount kit, you probably should too. it looked weird.
also, if you use that kit, buy good earliners. the ones that come with it are complete pieces of shit. i've heard joe ferebee and jan van hoesen liners are good.
I THINK THAT'S IT but if i think of more i will let you know!
uh
make sure you have clay in the earbutts before you pull the cape on for the final gluing
it may help to have someone help you hold the head as you pull the neck skin down over the form, i got paste EVERYWHERE wow.
use lots of paste!! but not enough to be like, drippy.
use a good amount of clay in the nose so it doesn't look shrively. i ended up untucking the lips four times to keep adding clay into the nose, and all my messing with the lips caused some fur to start falling out.
USE REFERENCES. A WHOLE LOT. THE ENTIRE TIME.
when you've had enough for one day, bag it and come back the next day. it'll help a lot.
take pictures with a camera and flip them on your computer. it really makes the glaring issues stand out.
make sure the eye, lip, and nose skin is thinned really well. get a skife knife or a dremel tool with a sanding drum (i used a dremel. it was really easy to sand right through the skin, so be careful however you do it. luckily the area i sanded through was part of the tucking skin so it didn't matter.)
BRUSH BRUSH BRUSH. and use a hairdryer. back brush it lots, several times a day. i used a fine toothed plastic comb.
i built clay up around the eyes, which is all you generally see when you see clay work done on forms. but i also added clay on the nose and a long thinnish line along the upper lip, and some on the whisker pad area. i didn't have clay anywhere but the eyes at first but on one of the times i untucked the lips to add clay to the nose i decided to add it to the lips, etc as well and it really helped. the clay along the upper lip helped the upper lip to plump out and overlap the bottom just well enough, and in the whisker pad helped get that rounded look there.
i also, on one of the untuckings, decided to shave down the chin a bit. if you use the form that comes in the van dyke's coyote shoulder mount kit, you probably should too. it looked weird.
also, if you use that kit, buy good earliners. the ones that come with it are complete pieces of shit. i've heard joe ferebee and jan van hoesen liners are good.
I THINK THAT'S IT but if i think of more i will let you know!
Thanks so much Grihm! Wow this helped a ton fff.
Where did you get your cape if you don't mind me asking? Is there any sites or sellers you would recommend?
Also why did you use white latex caulk instead of hide paste? Does it work better or is it cheaper? I only ask because I'm allergic to latex but also am really tight on funds at the moment. XD
Where did you get your cape if you don't mind me asking? Is there any sites or sellers you would recommend?
Also why did you use white latex caulk instead of hide paste? Does it work better or is it cheaper? I only ask because I'm allergic to latex but also am really tight on funds at the moment. XD
i got it (for free, actually, just paid the price of shipping) from a really nice guy on taxidermy.net.
i recommend going there and posting in the "wanted" section. most capes for yotes run from 30-50+ though, but a lot of times you may just luck out.
it works about the same i think, i know a lot of guys use it. and it's like $1 something for a tube, and i probably used about half the tube or a little more.
if you do, make sure you wear nitrile gloves!!
i recommend going there and posting in the "wanted" section. most capes for yotes run from 30-50+ though, but a lot of times you may just luck out.
it works about the same i think, i know a lot of guys use it. and it's like $1 something for a tube, and i probably used about half the tube or a little more.
if you do, make sure you wear nitrile gloves!!
btw i actually used white latex caulk as hide paste even though hide paste came with the kit
sand your form really well!! clay especially will NOT stick to the form if it's not sanded til it's rough
dip the (inside out) ears in lacquer thinner to remove tanning oils and help adhesion, and sand the liners well
make sure to remove the cartilage if you're using earliners, be super careful!
sand your form really well!! clay especially will NOT stick to the form if it's not sanded til it's rough
dip the (inside out) ears in lacquer thinner to remove tanning oils and help adhesion, and sand the liners well
make sure to remove the cartilage if you're using earliners, be super careful!
Taxidermy normally REALLY creeps me out. They always look dead, no, worse. Because I can handle dead things.. They look grotesquely un-living. And then the sinking realization that this horrific thing I'm seeing was once a vibrant and living being that is now just a ...."decoration"... *shiver* It always seemed like something for freaky people who like playing with dead bodies... Like some weird kind of sex-less necrophilia.
But this guy is not creepy. He actually doesn't even look dead! (Well, minus the fact that he's missing two thirds of his body..). He looks like an old looney tunes cartoon where an animal -Mtn lion i think- stuck his head through a hole in the wall and pretended to be a mount, to stay safe through hunting season. I half expect him to pull his back through the hole in the wall and run off at any moment.... This is the only taxidermied animal that I can honestly say I would want anywhere near me. I actually really want this guy in my house... He looks not only alive, but flush with character... I think it's his "crooked" eyes that do it... And the muzzle.. he looks like he's just about to grin at me. This is amazing. You've made me (someone staunchly against taxidermy) LIKE one. Excuse me while I sort out what this has done to my overall feelings about taxidermy, lol
But this guy is not creepy. He actually doesn't even look dead! (Well, minus the fact that he's missing two thirds of his body..). He looks like an old looney tunes cartoon where an animal -Mtn lion i think- stuck his head through a hole in the wall and pretended to be a mount, to stay safe through hunting season. I half expect him to pull his back through the hole in the wall and run off at any moment.... This is the only taxidermied animal that I can honestly say I would want anywhere near me. I actually really want this guy in my house... He looks not only alive, but flush with character... I think it's his "crooked" eyes that do it... And the muzzle.. he looks like he's just about to grin at me. This is amazing. You've made me (someone staunchly against taxidermy) LIKE one. Excuse me while I sort out what this has done to my overall feelings about taxidermy, lol
wow, this is probably the best comment ever!! thank you so much, i'm honored! i actually am trying to think of ways to merge taxidermy into my art for my senior gallery exhibit next year, to try to have people understand taxidermy and treat it as a real craft/art instead of thinking it's creepy and disgusting. so many people have only seen awful/antique & vintage taxidermy and build their notions of it from that, and those are just never good (except for those done by carl akeley--the father of modern taxidermy--and his colleagues that are displayed in the american museum of natural history, but i digress)
taxidermy is certainly not easy and it's no wonder that there are so many horrible examples of it, but it takes patience, dedication, and a true love and respect for wildlife in order to create an accurate reproduction.
again, thank you!!
taxidermy is certainly not easy and it's no wonder that there are so many horrible examples of it, but it takes patience, dedication, and a true love and respect for wildlife in order to create an accurate reproduction.
again, thank you!!
Echoing IWantYouInsideMe on the realism of this piece. For a first mount you did an absolutely bangarang of a job! Indeed the ears are a tad rough, but your lip tucking is gorgeous as is the rest of it. Eyes might be a little off, but you gave him something not many mounts have... Character. He has emotions to him that give him that little spark of life that so many mounts have. Very beautiful job, I look forward to seeing what you do next!
a bullet is actually much more humane than the animal dying of natural causes- sickness, injury, starvation, disease, etc. nature is a cruel mother. while i personally wouldn't go out and kill anything unless it was life or death, hunting is actually very beneficial to the ecosystem because in this day and age, we have to help monitor nature.
thanks!
thanks!
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