I just finished a shoulder mount and put some pics up on my website and was wondering if some of you guys/gals might give me some asessments on my work.
Yes I can take constructive criticism very well, thats how you learn. This is my second year in taxidermy and about my thirteenth deer mount. Its my sixth this year since I went full time and opened my studio. I have just never had any experienced taxidermist evaluate my work.
Here are the links and thanks for taking time to look over them.
http://www.realistictaxidermy.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Whitetail-Deer&id=DCP_0508&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php
http://www.realistictaxidermy.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Whitetail-Deer&id=DCP_0509&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php
http://www.realistictaxidermy.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Whitetail-Deer&id=DCP_0513&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php
http://www.realistictaxidermy.com/modules.php?set_albumName=Whitetail-Deer&id=DCP_0517&op=modload&name=gallery&file=index&include=view_photo.php
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Russ,
Looks like you have the mechanics down, now it is time to study your reference. If you are studying reference, then look a little closer. The ears need some work. Before you cape out a head, look at it closely. Notice where the ear muscle is in relation to the antlers. The top of the muscle starts right under the burr. Notice it and then look at live reference. You have the ears located more on the neck than the head. The ear itself looks as if it wasn't turned all the way. That's why you have the ruffled edges. In one view, I can see the whites of the eye in front and in back. Unless the deer is very startled, I don't believe this is correct. In fact in all the reference pictures of live whitetail in a relaxed or even semi-relaxed mood, I don't see any white at all. The creases in the eye lid of live deer seem to follow the curvature of the eye more than what you are showing. The mouth looks pretty good,but could be a little neater. Make note of all the hair patterns around the mouth and nose. Overall it looks like you do very neat work, you just need to get into the detail more.
Thats the kind of critiquing that I am looking for. I will try moving my ears up closer to the antlers as you suggest. The guy that taught me always told me that you should have about the width of one and a half fingers between the antler and the muscle. Guess I really should get past what he showed me and study reference more as you suggest!
You cant see white in the front and back corners of the eye however. Only in the front. Which still may be wrong. What you are seeing on the back of the eye is a reflection of the white wall that the backdrop and deer are on. The backdrop is not very wide so this created a reflection.
I will start and continue to study reference. I found some very nice reference photos over at micro-tans web site so I am going to print them as 8 x 10's on photo paper and hang them in my studio so I see them everytime I mount a deer!
Thanks again for helping me out!
You asked for it, so here goes: The ear edges are ragged and the ears lack symitry (a pet peve of mine, I think the ears should match in position). The front leg pits are way out of place. They were streatched up over the front of the shoulder, a comon problem I see when trying to stretch the cape onto to large of a form. The antlers apear to be leaning to the deer's left. I can't see the details of the nose and mouth enough to comment on them. There does apear to be lots of flaws in the hair, which could have been caused by damage to the cape or a lack of attention to detail when mounting it. Overall, I'd give it a solid C grade, about average for commercial deer head taxidermy these days.
Are you using measurements from the animal before you cape it to set your antlers? Do you measure from the tips of the beams to the nose and put the antlers back they way they came off? Also if you draw a line through the nostril and across the top of the eye, the base of the antlers should rest on that line.
Are you using earliners? Ears and ear butts need work.
The neck looks a little big, is the form the same size as the carcass?
I'm no expert but those are just some things judges would have pointed out to me.
Thought your eyes looked pretty good. How did you paint the nose?
The ears are different positions on purpose Mike. I really like that look due mainly to the fact that 99% of mounts you see have the ears the same and I like to be a bit different. I agree the ear edges could use work and yes there are flaws in the cape. This deer was scarred up severely. The form is not too big as far as I could tell. I took measurements from the carcass and actually had to order a form from Matt Thompson that was about 1/2 inch too small in the C and B measurements cause it was the biggest form he made.
I will pay more attention to the leg pits on my next mount as well. The antlers are not leaning, one side is shorter than the other. One of the main beams lays back a little more than the other one so they have that appearance.
The nose was textured with mod podge and then sprayed with a medium coat of flesh. Then sprayed with black and a very light mist coat of clear.
Thanks again for all of the help!
I see a lot of taxidermists placing the ears in odd, non-mathcing positions. I know that deer will rotate their ears independently. On a deer mounth though, symetry from one side to the other is a mark of professionalism. In my opinion, both side should match. It's easier to just stick each ear on any old way. But it is much harder t omake them look lifelike and identical thus it adds to the qaulity of the mount and shows the skill of the taxidermist. Again just my opinion.