My first mount has dried for a week and it changed considerably. The lips pulled open a bit which I believe is from too big a slot and not enough adhesive. The eyes looked great when I tucked them. They matched my reference photos and had a real "alive" look to them.
When they dried, they opened up a little bit and lost the realistic look they had. I haven't painted yet so I'm hoping that improves it.
I used Critter Clay and Killer Glue. The Killer Glue seemed very hard to use and resulted in not getting much adhesive around the eyes and lips. I did end up with plenty of glue on the hair, me, my girlfriend and the dog. I pinned the eyes in the front and back corners after mounting and then around the outside right when they started to change.
I have read through the archives and it seems Killer Glue may not have been a good choice for a beginner.
Any thoughts or advise is appreciated.
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Try the Epo-Grip hide paste. It is terrific. A little trick, also is to overclose the eyes a little bit, as they will pull up a bit when drying, and then you will have them in the proper spot. others mat have more experienced answers
When using clay you must readjust the eyes daily sometimes twice daily.
Next time try thinning the eye lids more, split out to the edge, there you will see the little glands I even remove then. I also thin the eye lids inside and out to about 1/32 inch.
When using clay you must readjust the eyes daily sometimes twice daily.
Next time try thinning the eye lids more, split out to the edge, there you will see the little glands I even remove then. I also thin the eye lids inside and out to about 1/32 inch. Coat well with Epo-Grip around the eye. You still need to adjust daily.
When using clay you must readjust the eyes daily sometimes twice daily.
Next time try thinning the eye lids more, split out to the edge, there you will see the little glands I even remove then. I also thin the eye lids inside and out to about 1/32 inch. Coat well with Epo-Grip around the eye. You still need to adjust daily.
DW, John C. has pointed out the often overlooked importance of thinning the eye lids very thin. Skin will not shrink up nearly as much thin as it will if left too thick. Think of it as a percentage thing. If say skin "x" thick shrinks by 10% and that equals a certain amount then skin 2 times as thick will also shrink 10% but the amount it draws up will be twice as much and much more noticeable. OK, I'm no mathamaticion but it does sort of work that way. Also how you preserve the skin figures into the results and how much water is in the eylids as well as the clay. Killer glue can be messy but I use it with good results. I apply it over Critter Clay(no shrinkage)around the eyes but whatever adhessive you choose the best results come from frequently checking those eyes while the mount dries. If your mount requires a lot of pins to hold it I think the problem is in the skin prep or mannikin prep or possibly too tight a fit for the form,even incorrect antler position can cause eye problems. Good luck working out you challenge and enjoy, Aaron H.
besides a good glue you also need to stay on top of the mount for several days. I personally put a plastic bag over the animals face overnight and take it off during the day to slow down the drying time. Several times during the day and right before I go into the house at night and put the bag back on the face I adjust anything that needs to be adjusted. Sometimes it is so minute that only a close inspection will reveal that the hide has moved out of place. I keep closing the eyes a bit more than what they need to be just like Tom said. But staying on top of the mount for several days is one of the most important things you can do.
1-Thin the eyelids. Remove the glands( you should be able to see the black eyelid from the inside). The inner eyelid skin should be transparent when thinned properly.
2-Use critter clay to model the eye detail. The clay should be as dry as possible (and still be workable). I model the eye area first which gives the clay time to dry out well before tucking/mounting, or, I reconstruct the eye detail with "dry" critter clay thru the eye opening after the skin is on.
3-Dont tuck "wet" eyelids. Let them dry out as much as possible....but not to the point that they are unworkable.
4-After the eyelids and tearduct are tucked, work the skin around the eye forward toward the corner. This takes some of the tension away and gets the hair patterns in the right place.
I still use waterbased adhesive (buckeye or Epo-Grip) around the eyes and no pins. I check the eyes the next day and rarely have to re-adjust. If most of the moisture is removed prior to mounting, there will be less shrinkage. If the skin is thinned and positioned properly, there will be less movement.
Thanks for the input. After reading this, it's obvious that I didn't thin enough and I may have mounted him too wet. He still looks pretty nice and I'm pleased with my first attempt. I learned quite a bit and gained a ton of respect for those who are able to turn out quality work quick enough to make a living.