I'm looking for honest opinions on my first 2 mounts weather positive or negative. I know there are many very talanted taxidermist on this site so who would be better to ask for input. The first two are of my first mount the other three are of my second mount
First mount
http://usera.imagecave.com/news76a/DSCF0004.JPG
http://usera.imagecave.com/news76a/pheasant.jpg
Second mount
http://usera.imagecave.com/news76a/prarriedog002.jpg
http://usera.imagecave.com/news76a/prarriedog003.jpg
http://usera.imagecave.com/news76a/prarriedog004.jpg
Thanks in advance for all your input.
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And the best way you can get several opinions is for me to wait a day and then answer the question. You're BOUND to get more now. LOL
The pheasant has a couple problems. The first one is paint. The beak, the wattles, and the legs all need to be painted on this bird. Expecially the wattles.
The wattles need work as they are not flared as they would be on a pheasant.
The pose lends itself to overcritique I fear. The bird is just "standing" there. You can add a lot by having the bird stepping instead of standing. Yet the body feathers are fluffed out as if it's just dusted itself off. The neck looks too short. The bird looks as if it's withing seconds of taking flight with the tail down like that and that doesn't match the fluffed feathers either. A walking pheasant will have it's tail erect almost.
Get some good reference pictures and study them closely.
On your praire dog, the eyes need some work, but the feet have a definite shrinkage problem. They need to be filled with clay and puffed up. Also, the posture of the front feet is wrong. Rodents when they stand actually hold their feet down against their bodies for balance. You have the paws pinned out flat in front of it which doesn't match.
Now THAT'S what I saw. For your first mounts, you've done very well and just a little refinement of technique will make a marked improvement to your work. I can't stress enough the importance of good reference materials. I'm guilty of not using them often enough, but just as a post above reflects, If you don't use them and a customer has an argument, what to you have to prove your position.
I appreciate the response as stated positive or negative I beleive the only way to learn is to hear honest feedback. The input is more than appreciated Thanks again I will work on these areas on my next mounts. I will look forward to posting and getting more feedback from everyone on my future mounts. Thank you for taking the time to cretique my mounts and God Bless.