Hey guys... Ever since I found this website I have been hooked! I recently have seen other fellow taxi's that have posted some of there work, and asked all you pro's for advice. I think that it really does help, when someone critiques you who dosent care about your feelings( meaning NOT family or friends) A little background about myself... I just turned 22 years old, I am an avid hunter, and fisherman. This art/trade has always peaked my interest, so I decided to try it. This is the 3rd deerhead Ive done, I have done several other animals as well, but really want to master the deer! Let me know what looks like crap, and what I need to do to improve.
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j72/Csmith41284/P1010047.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j72/Csmith41284/P1010048.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j72/Csmith41284/P1010042.jpg
http://i77.photobucket.com/albums/j72/Csmith41284/P1010041.jpg
Thanks,
C.smith
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It looks pretty good, work on your refrences especially on the eyes and ears. Notice how the eyes are kinda plastered on the head and are flat-looking when you look at them straight on. The ears are a little at the wrong angles and please take that Dan-D-Noser and throw it away. Learn to use the mod podge method and you will get 100% better looking noses, it will take a short time to learn how to use this method. Just practice, practice, and then practice some more and follow your refrences religously.
You nose work is all wrong. You need to open up the nostils a bit and adjust the nose pad to follow the edges of the nostrils better. Get a nose cast and study the nostril openings.
You should also add a little clay to the ear butts and tweak the angles. The deer's left ear needs to be tipped up at the tip more.
At your brisket area on the deer, the flair in the armpits should not be outside of the front of the legs. You have front leg skin up the sides of the form. You will need to pack the skin together, or cut relief cuts in the inside of the legs/armpits. Take the next deer you do to your States competition show and get a good assessment of your skills. IF you don't, you will keep making the same mistakes over again until you have 50 deer done. We can tell you from our computers what we see, but we might not be pro's. How do you know that we are telling you the truth? The judge at the show can give you enough tips in 5 minutes that you can chew on till the next years show. The tips you have gotten here only scratch the surface of what you need to learn. Get to a show and have a judge show you in person everything that needs tweaking and you will learn there at the show exactly how to correct them. In addition, do not let friends and family be the judge of how good you are, they do not know the finer points of taxidermy, and there is a danger in believing them as it will only make your head big, and your skills will not improve. Get to a show.
for all the advice, I just ordered a reference book from McKenzie, along with a subscription to Breakthrough. There sure are alot of Beautiful " first mounts" on here. I would be embarrased to show some of my first ones ever done. But I learn something every time I mount another one. thanks again!
C.Smith