Largemouth (Rick Krane help the brother out!!!!)

[mcole]

Hello, Guys I wanted to post some of my work..I would like some pointers on the areas that I need improvements on.....to take my fish to the next level. One other thing I love the new Forum


8 1/4" lb. largemouth bass



Thanks
Michael Cole

[Rick Krane]

Well my freind!

I like your bass very much and as important as it is to go over this or that lets start with what I think is very important and that is what your doing well and from the looks of things you are doing may things well. So lets take things in steps.

You have an eye for the little details. I see in your paintwork you find a lot of the fine attention such as details in the soft tissue between the hard rays on the fins as well as a touch of a worn flesh tone in the lower caudle fin. As well your over paintwork is not over the top. You’re tipping is not too bad as well as the color transitions. So painting wise there are a few things you could look at to do a bit differently but not too much.
1.   Tip in layers. I tend to pre tip fish and then as I lay colors out I tip sporadically thought out my painting creating depth and dimension to the color on the individual scale. I don’t know about all this painting taking 100’s of hours however I guess it could? Just have fun when you paint and remember color is the end result of what you see and how it gets there is up to you for what toll you put the color on with. Be it an airbrush, paintbrush, or your figure it whatever tool you use creates the effect your looking for go for it!

Let look at your anatomy for a moment. You understand the relationship between the profile lines top and bottom. That is huge! Some time folks get caught up with mannequin shape when using a bought body. I carve my own as do my students I pretty much teach anatomical carving and template lay out the same way I have for years as it seems to me that fish haven’t evolved in the last 25 years or so. I know that even some of my past student still teach the same thing I taught then so they have told me so my be there is some thing to carving your own bodies. So if you do awesome and if you haven’t give it a shot!

Lets look at the fins. Weather you’re using cast fins or real fins look at how the work in relationship to the body as far as direction of migration and body position. The fins as shown on your bass need a second look at position. This is some thing we sure can talk about if you want to call or write. I could write for a long while on the opportunity for some one so honest and brave to want their work publicly examined for critic! Good for you my friend for the courage to do what it takes to learn and do better work!!!

I have to get back to some paintwork but I will be available more so after Monday but give a call or drop me an email!

My Best!

Rick Krane
Anglers Artistry

[mcole]

Thanks for taking the time to look at my post I'm always trying to improve with each fish that I paint. The tipping of the scales and doing it in layers as you mention is awesome. This will give the me depth that I've been shearching far.
Once again many thanks!

[Cecil]

I think it's very nice too. Nothing to be ashamed of. Better than a lot of the commercial  mounts I see. A lot of things right about it and the gold scale tipping looks good to me. I'm in agreement with Richard and not contradicting anything he says. He's the da man when it comes to fish.

Here are some minor things that I believe would make it look even better.

1.) Pec fin base could be more anatomically accurate
2.) Add a little color to the pelvic fin rays (hint of yellow would make them pop).
3.) If you bring your anal fin rear edge closer to the body it would be more pleasing to the eye.
4.) Cheek is overfilled and distorted in center behind mandible. Should be pretty much flat.
5.) Silverly mandible sticks out and doesn't match rest of head. I would use a gold base on it with a hint of yellow to give is a green metallic look myself. Silver is too strong on lower jaw line edge.
6.)  Not crazy about the eye color. Almost seems to have a red/orange look to it more like a smallmouth.

Hope this helps. You're on your way. Lots of terrible bass out there but this is not one of them.

[Cooter]

mr.c
The bass look good bro,i taught you well

[Marc]

lots of nice features in this mount. As Cecil said, the eye is a bit off color and bringing the trailing edge of the anal fin snug up against the body would do wonders. I will not comment on coloration as Rick Krane will help you more than I could. That weird looking cranberry colored crayfish could be 86ed though!

[mcole]

Thanks guys for those pointers I will apply them to my next mount.

Once Again Thanks

[hford]

Your anal fin isn't flowing back like a close mouth bass would be,I like more distinct markings on the cheeks and the rest of the body ,the scale tipping looks a bit mechanical. Get you some good reference, pictures,videos of live fish are the best. One of Breakthrough's fish manuels has a good drawing of a bass' markings by Tom Sexton.

[TrailsEnd]

Excellent. And I love your base. This is a good example that a fish doesn't have to have it's mouth wide open. It looks natural with a closed mouth. Great job.
Chuck