I just finished mounting my wifes 9 1/2 foot alligator. I used the McKenzie form and had the gator tanned by North Carolina fur. The skin did fade so I will need to do some painting. Could anyone help me out with the painting schedule such as what colors to use and water based or laquer. Thanks in advance
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Jim, all gators are different. Without knowing its home base icannot accurately give you a schedule, but here is a common scheme to help you out. The botomscales are an off white yellowish volor. I usually mix a litlw off whaite, and add a drop of yellow so as to cut down on the brightnes of the white.Use this on the belly scales up to aboutthe botom of the chin. The sides are misted a light green transparent, and misted overwith a very transparent yellow. Use light green opaque halfway up the sides, and mist a good coat over the entire gators upper end.Then take either black umber, or brown umber, and outling each scute and csale pattern, Then using the airbrush from the side, youcan highlight the tops of all scutes and raised scales. Same with the tail rays.The sides of the jaws are a off whitish color speckled with brown, green specks ina random pattern. It is best however to get your self a good reference photo and takeit from there for fine detailing. Like I said, this is a common back color scheme sed to justachieve the bottom coloration you will need before detailing
Tom