First Repro LMB (Critiques Please)

[killdeer]

Hello Everyone,
After lurking on this site and being constantly amazed with the incredible talent I have witnessed, I finally had the time to try my best at completing a LMB Repro.  I have done a few skin mounts in the past, but haven't tried anything in the last few years.  I'm just enjoying taxidermy as a hobby, for now.  I would like to deeply thank you all for the inspiration, and especially the following people:

Rick Krane- for producing outstanding videos so that we "artistically challenged" people can actually produce decent work
Pescado- for selling me some great airbrushes so that painting is now enjoyable (I used an Aztec brush for years).
JKnuth- for sharing his knowledge of rockmaking which I thought was so cool (first time for me making molds/casts)
Jeff Lumsden- for great SL lens (first time painting my own as well, I used to just buy them before)
Lake Country - for a nicely detailed, easy assembled blank to start with]
Bobbi Meyer - for a great way to make an economical photo backdrop


Front Side: (I was going to add sand and vegetation, but like it as is and wanted to start a new project soon- Rainbow?)



Back Side:



Head Shot:  (I had so much fun making veins, and pink fleshy areas, maybe I got a little carried away?)  Also, the white line in the eye is a reflection of a 4' lit florescent bulb hanging behind me, I thought I had a scratch on the lens!)



Front Half:




Back Half:



Scale Detail: (I tried dry tipping on the front, and wet tipping on the back.  My dry tipping didn't really stay where I wanted it to, and the wet tipping looked a bit painted to me.  It still gave the fishes' scales a nice effect under different lighting conditions).




Once again, thank you all for your critiques in advance; they'll only help me to improve.

[7-Point]

Nice work! Very good for your first repro.

[Matt]

I think you did an outstanding job, very nice work!

[majesticwhitetail]

you indeed did your homework ,fantastic job on your first repo

[duxdog]

Great job. If I was going to critique any part from the photos it would be your transition work with the epoxy around the eye lens. It looks like you used a tohickan lens. There is a transition but no seperation.

[Timber Ghost]

VERY NICE
X2 DUX

[GBRUCH]

I think it looks nice.  I like the presentation (I agree it looks nice as is without the clutter of vegetation) as well as the eye coloration and set but agree the sclerotic transition should be smoother.

The biggest thing I can say to improve on is the antiqued look.  It looks very antiqued looking.  Antiqueing is nice to accent details but can and often does cause more problems than it helps.  Try toning back the antiquing for a more natural look.  I understand the interest in the veining but in most reference I have seen these details are not very visible with the naked eye and often not seen at all.  I would encourage you to look at references to soften them up a bit in the future.  Also look at cleithrum reference  as the replica fish under the operculum is pretty white in your photos.

Very nice job overall and I am sure you will do even better on your next one.

[rocco]

WOW..for your first I think its great..gonna try my first one..if it turns out half that good I'll be happy.

[killdeer]

Thank you for the kind words of encouragement, as well as noting the areas that I can improve on.  I will try to tone down the antiquing, and well as studying more eye reference, esp. the sclerotic transition area, and the cleithrum area. 

Thanks again everyone.


PS (to Rocco)  My only inexperienced advice is to get a good quality blank, good airbrushes, and Rick's video on painting a repro LMB.  What a tremendous difference these three factors made in improving the quality of my work.  Thankfully I am only a hobbyist because the project took me so long to complete in my spare time, I would have starved to death by now.  I am truly in awe of the artistic talent that this website showcases (in all disciplines of taxidermy)... 

[Gameovertaxidermy]

How did you make the veins?

[Cecil]

Very nice. About 99 percent better than most commercial work. 

[killdeer]

Thank you for the kind words, Cecil.  Although I'm still learning a tremendous amount from reading on this site, unfortunately, I haven't had any time to do any more projects since last February!  I really want to try a rainbow or steelhead in the future, if I can find time (need retirement or lottery -- like all of us!).

Gameover, the veins were made with a colored pencil.  In retrospect, I think I really over-did them and should have stayed more true to the reference material.  Sometimes, in the past, I have gotten carried away with just "winging it" instead of focusing strictly on the reference.

Thanks again.

[WildNatureLuver]

I made nice looking veins with fine red thread i bought at AcMoore art store , take it and separate just one fine strand , take white glue & cut 50% with water, wet the area you want it and position the tread with a fine pin , looks good once dry.

[CrabCrazy]

very nice mount

[Gameovertaxidermy]

Thanks for the info guys. I've never put veins on my fish but have been thinking about trying it.