I am going to do a swimming wall mount. The legs will be below plexy glass (full 360 degree view) and the body above. Is there any reference photos out there of the underside of a duck while swimming? I'm thinking of sanding the underside to flatten it out some and then adding some fill to the sides. Will this make it look too poofy? Or should I just leave the manikin as-is?
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Sometimes we have to give anatomy, for a good looking mount.
Next summer I will try to get some underwater photos of swimminh waterfowl.
I did a bufflehead many years ago as a swimming mount. I had the same thoughts you do now. I choose to leave it as is. I think it looks fine as do cliental.
to get your feathers to lay properly in their CORRECT positions it is important to have an acurate size form. Whether this is bought or hand made accuracy is key. If you sand down the bottom, you'll have a lot of "unattended" flesh to have to either pin up or as you say put filler back in place of. Why go to this other step? A ducks body underwater isn't flat, so why make it that way? Actually the breast tends to ride lower in the water. Yes water pressure will make feathers push up against the body, it isn't going to flatten the body. By filling with whatever you risk the chance of overfilling... I'm sure you've heard it said a million over.. Put back what you take out..It's a good rule of thumb.
I don't necessarily think removing some of the body will help or hinder you. It just seems like an extra unneeded step to deal with.
Good luck to ya, and if you do choose to remove or flatten the body and you find that it worked well for you then.. I guess the old saying there is more than one way to skin a cat applies here as well.
Jon
This is my own mount. I figured that the water displacment would flatten the feathers some and that is what I want to acheive. The sanding the bottom was just a thought but didn't know if it was really needed. I'm kind off picky with all the mounts I do, wether they are mine or not.
Funny thoe, I like my fish with a high gloss, yet I know that fish under water don't look rather dull.
A swimming duck's body is largely below the surface of the water. what is seen above the surface are the side coverts or "pockets", the wings and upper coverts. Better to mount your bird in a swimming position and cut an oval in the plastic in order that the bird's body be "submerged", along with the feet. Otherwise you will have a mount that represents less than half the bird's body above the "water", a flat belly and two ridiculous legs sticking downward.
The feathers trap air for insulation, which helps to hold their contour. While the compression may have some relevance, it is neglible and not of import to your project.
Newmeyer offer some I have use and like the results, I believe other sculpt swimming bodies but don't know specific reference.
Cur, that is exactly how I plan on doing it.