My first cast head attempt

[double shovel]

Last spring I trapped this big badger right in the prime time for fur. I figured he would be a great competition piece so I saved him for myself and thought I would try doing a cast head. Then this fall I had a first time customer stop by and I got the impression money wasn't a factor to him when he brought me a deer. He then asked me if I could get him a badger and I said I had one in the freezer he could buy and I could get them both done for pickup. Well the competitions came and went and I never got it done for that so I still thought I would attempt a cast head to see if I could do it.I think it turned out o.k. I really like the thouoght of knowing the hide will fit and it did. This guy is still drying



 I used sil putty from Jonas and it cured over the frozen skull


the first pour



some sculpting



the head was the only thing I cast and attached it to a ordered in form.The jawset is just sitting in there.I will post some finishing pics when I get him done

[John Bellucci]

You need references!  You also needed to thin the nose skin, and split the nostril wings so they could be filled with clay.  Right now the entire nose is severely shrunken.  Notice the nose placement on the live Badger as well ... see how is sticks out beyond the end of the muzzle.  Their nose is very flexible and tactile, with a great ability to move around, collecting scents.  The front of the lower lips are way too far away from the gumline of the lower jaw.  Lastly, you cannot create a snarling face by just adding roll of clay to the top of the nasal area.  It involves lifting the front upper lips as seen in the photo.  Otherwise, there is no reason to have wrinkles on top of the muzzle!

References Rock!

You have some work to do on this big guy!  Good luck to you!

John.

[double shovel]

Thanks for the tips John. I can adjust a few things with him to help with what you pointed out. I tried the cast head mostly as an experiment to see if it could look like a badger or a beaver when I was done with it,lol. I do need to do more casting work in order to get better but right now unfortunatly I don't have the specimens or the time to play ,so casting will have to sit on the back shelf for some time again.This piece was just next in line to do.That mold was built probably eight months ago and I just got around to pouring and playing with it last week. Thanks,
       Curtis

[WillinghamsTaxidermy]

How did you do the rest of the body on that badger? Did you wrap it? I am thinking of attempting a cast head and either a wrapped or carved body on a coyote pup that I have, since I cannot find a pre-made form the right size.

[Sashakittythegreat]

How did you do the rest of the body on that badger? Did you wrap it? I am thinking of attempting a cast head and either a wrapped or carved body on a coyote pup that I have, since I cannot find a pre-made form the right size.

McKenzie has a new coyote pup form I believe, new catalog

[JSeiler]

the head was the only thing I cast and attached it to a ordered in form.The jawset is just sitting in there.I will post some finishing pics when I get him done

He stated what his body was made from 

[WillinghamsTaxidermy]

the head was the only thing I cast and attached it to a ordered in form.The jawset is just sitting in there.I will post some finishing pics when I get him done

He stated what his body was made from 

Oh yes, I missed that part! Thanks.