Was reading your post that you undersize your form to taxi skin, question what if you end up with too much skin? and may not dry tight? what would I do? cut? where? also couldnt remember if you said if you do this for small mammals also? thamks
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Tim, I hope this helps. It may be long. Animals and people need loose skin in order to move. If you have excess skin much can be taxied in place. You may run into an odd one once in a while.If you happen to have a hide that really opens up on you when shaving (I've had them go 4") You can go larger on form if the hair patterns on cape fit on the the form. Taxi, taxi,taxi. Alterations may also be needed. There are a lot of forms out there but you still may have to add or take out of a form to make it right for the skin. Most won't take the time, because time is money. A good fitting cape has a whole different look to it if done right. Animal skin can be like human skin, some are looser have more elasticity to it than others. Look at some elderly people, they get loose skin under their arms and chin. Old mature bucks get loose jowly skin under their jaw also. You may think it's to big, you just have to work with it and create the loose jowly wrinkles. Large and small mammels are the same. Keep the skin relaxed and back brush and back blow it as it dries. It will look fluffy and larger. Especially cats, that's the best example. Leopard and mt lion, wolves etc. even a house cat or dog that isn't over weight has loose skin under their belly and neck. This is for expantion of their belly when eating and the loose skin also helps protect them in a fight. Watch some video of them hunting or running. There is a lot of jiggle and sway in the skin. The loose skin streches and moves and is less likely to tear or be cut during an attack. As I mentioned above about loose belly skin. Cats eat about every 3 days or so. If you felt the belly of a cat when hungry you would feel loose skin, like a dewlap only on the belly. When they eat they eat a lot, eveything expands to the point of looking pot bellied. Trust me if you feel under the belly afer they eat the skin would be tight. You want to mount the mammel to have a nice full shape. Extra skin can be taken up by making the belly a little fuller. You mainly have to build rolling wrinkles under the belly and neck. All mammels have wrinkles. In order to have wrinkles you need loose skin. This applies to all mammels to different degrees. Study Reference, Reference,Reference, it makes a difference when mounting. Good luck. Drop me a note if you have more questions.