Skull ? Granite look

[peterp3]

im not a taxidermist but do my own european skulls. i guided a bear hunter a few yrs back, he shot a big black bear. the next yr he hunted with me he brought the skull back to show me. he had his taxidermist "fossilize" the skull. i had never seen this and it looked awesome.  it was some type of paint then it had lighter textured specks on it. looked like granite. he said you can by kits at many craft stores. id like to try it. anyone know what its called and where you get it?

[Timber wolf]

There is a product called Krylon "Make it Stone" with granite a look at Walmart.

[TexasTaxi]

I may be totally out of line here, but it sounds to me like his taxidermist couldn't get the skull clean and used this to cover his lack of skills! But, you have to give it to the guy ... "fosilized" could be the next new taxidermy craze!

There's another product called Flecstone (sp?) that does the same thing.

[Sea Wolf]

Try soaking a clean, degreased skull in either a very strong solution of black tea or some logwood trapping dye. The results can be pretty dramatic. I have also wrapped oak leaves around a cleaned skull, tied them down tight with string and then soaked in strong tea or logwood. Not always, but sometimes I manage to get some very interesting patterns of staining. Sort of like an organic tie-dye. The bone stains and the teeth mostly stay white. Very contrasty and a lot better looking than "granite" spray paint.

[Samantha.]

I may be totally out of line here, but it sounds to me like his taxidermist couldn't get the skull clean and used this to cover his lack of skills!

Sometimes we just get asked to do different things too.
I did a metal finish boar skull for a guy and, to me, it looked like the terminator...but hey...if thats whats asked.........

[Wolf]

Cool Samantha.  I watched someone "pewter-ize" a javelina skull once.  He used 3 different tones of pewter paint to get the effect, it was awesome looking.  I have yet to try the process myself.
Wolf

[Wolfwoman]

I haven't tried anything except leaving them 'natural' looking after either maceration or letting them rot. Either way you get some really interesting colors and patters.

Wolfie

[Fritz]

Samantha, how did you do the metallic look? Is it just metallic spray paint, ot is it actually metal? Does anyone know how the cold metal coating process works? Thanks for any info.