Submitted by Bob on 5/25/99. ( rpeeters@together.net )
I am interested in Taxidermy as a hobby, wondered what the best way to get started is
should I go to a school or just dig in....any help would be great.
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This response submitted by frank on 5/25/99. ( basswtrout@aol.com )
Depends, if it's just a hobby then I'll say buy books,videos etc. But if you plan to do it for money, or need a license in your state, then it may be easyer to go to school to learn. Plus the big factor is how much money do you want to spend to learn. Put this all together and you may find your answer. Good luck on any way you go.
This response submitted by Travis on 5/25/99. ( )
It`s tuff to do quality work from just videos and books...I`ve been doing fish for 3 years and I just now feel comfortable with charging full amount due to my quality of work has finally reached a good plataue and hopefully will continue to get better.....school is in my plans for next summer if my job holds out that long. There are several people here who offer their teachings...But for all intents and purposes I would just jump in and start getting your hands dirty. That way if and when ya go to school your not completely in the dark...alot of taxidermy is just common sense stuff but there are definately tricks to the trade which would make a big difference in the quality of your work in the long run...good luck to ya and enjoy
This response submitted by John Bellucci on 5/25/99. ( ArtistExpr@aol.com )
You CAN learn A LOT from the books and videos being produced these days. WASCO has some of the best in that respect... from beginner courses with booklets, up to advanced how-to Manuals, and in-depth how-to Videos.
Many of us "older" guys started out with MUCH LESS... believe me. How a lot of us were able to learn ANYTHING from the old lesson pamphlets from the Northwestern School of Taxidermy, to this very day, STILL amazes me. It was all there was at that time. The illustrations were incomplete at best, and the written instructions left much to be desired! I mean there were many, many questions left unanswered in those old lesson pamphlets. Yet, here many of us are... able to produce great works of taxidermic art from VERY simple beginnings.
I guess what I'm saying is that, anyone with the DRIVE and DESIRE to want to get involved with this art, even on its' most BASIC level, can and should go ahead and order themselves a good beginners program. It is a lot less expensive than looking to take a full-blown taxidermy course right at the start. Then, when you're able to take either individual "lessons" or a full curriculum, you will at least have a feel for the work. That will put you ahead of the game. Then those classses will certainly improve what you have already learned.
Like I say, there is nothing wrong with being self taught ... so long as you laterdo what you need to do to pursue an education and refine the skills you've given yourself. If you want to actually open up your own business one day, then a good business course, even one taken at a local college, will prepare you for the business world and all the headaches it can produce.(Ha!) It doesn't have to be a taxidermy-related course, but a good course in operating a business will go a long way.
Lastly, let me welcome you to this wonderful art of taxidermy. Good luck to you ... John B.
This response submitted by Turtle on 5/26/99. ( )
Frank, Travis, and John B all make some good points. Here are some other points to ponder. Your first work is probably not going to satisfy you. You will think it looks like crap. DO NOT get discouraged. All of us have done work that we are ashamed of. But, we learned from those botched jobs what NOT to do. Keep trying till you get it right.
Next, ASK QUESTIONS. Someone is always willing to share knowledge. And if you are a frequent reader of the forum, you already know that. Visit local taxidermists and ask them questions. Look at their work. Believe me, most of us are more than willing to explain how we do things to anyone that seems remotely interested.
DO NOT be afraid to try something different. Dive right in. Most of this type work seems intimidating at first. Some of it is. Most is not that difficult if you know what to do and how to do it. That is the key to any task. My advice is to study the subject some prior to diving in. Do a little research on the subject. There is a multitude of information on this forum. Print some of it and read it a couple times. Do like the others said, get a couple books, a video or 2 and study, study, study.
Get several catalogs and look thru them. You can learn a lot form the catalogs. Some even have step by step instructions on how to use some of thier products.
When you get ready to do a mount, and you run into trouble, stop and call or e-mail one of us, and we may be able to talk you thru the problem. I'm just a beginner too. But I have received advice from several of the guys and gals on the forum. They will help if you ask. Turtle.
This response submitted by Travis on 5/26/99. ( )
Stash your first few mounts in the closet and pull them out in a couple years...you`ll get a kick out of them then....it feels good when things start comming together for ya so hang tuff and stick with it...the true reward comes later as ya get better and faster...
This response submitted by Donna on 5/26/99. ( ddz@pdq.net )
Bob, I just want to give you some encouragement. I have also just started in this field. I have bought videos, manuals, and have researched this forum endlessly. I have had nobody actually show me how to do anything. I am progressing rather well being that I am "self taught". I have only mounted 2 squirrels and starting on a coon. Their right about your first mounts. They might not look perfect, but my second was better than my first. I expect my coon to look better than that. Yes, you DO have to have that DESIRE and DRIVE to succeed. Once you successfully mount that first one, a feeling comes over you that just wants to do it again and again. The desire has got me so bad now, that just a mammal mount won't do. It has to be in it's habitat. The only suggestion I can give is, learn one type of animal at a time. I chose mammals. Good Luck! Donna
This response submitted by Bob C on 5/29/99. ( bobswildlife@webtv.net )
Bob, One thing I will tell you to do is find and join you states taxidermy assoc. You will get more from one of the conventions than you ever could from any book or video.Its awfully hard to ask questions of a book or video. At these shows you can meet and ask questions of some of the most talented people in the taxidermy industry today. You can meet the suppliers , see their new products, and ask them questions. Most of my knowledge comes frof just talking to other taxidermists and sharing ideas. Good luck. Bob C
This response submitted by Cliff on 6/8/99. ( maxy@rea-alp.com )
Bob,
If ever possible I would suggest that you find someone that also does
taxidermy for a hobby and has some experience. If they are willing to
guide you through your first project you can learn a lot for them. My
friends dad showed me how to do my first two walleyes and they came
out pretty good for a first mount. I also got videos from John
Rhinehart taxidermy supply. They videos are well done and I still buy
from them. I also like there fish manikins. Whatever you do, I
suggest staying away from taxidermy kits. Taxidermy is like a lot of
things, you get what you pay for. If you know you'll be getting into
taxidermy as a hobby then I suggest spending the money and getting the
right tools. Either way, I suggest using videos to start with since
you can see exactly what they are doing. Visit John Rhinehart's web
page, you can find it at Taxidermy.net under suppliers.
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