Is My Work As A Bad As I Think It Is?

On taxidermy FB sites they will say your work is good and give you likes. It is better to join your state association. You will learn a ton and the judge will give you an honest critique.

 

I’ll be honest, it’s not to good per say but not the worst I’ve seen . You need to look at study pics and understand them , reference pics is your key to success. As stated start participating in your state Taxidermy competitions and might even do a work study program that some of your better taxidermist offer like Joe Meader and Yox . You have the basics it’s just more detail needed to get you there . Not sure where your from but I’m sure you can find someone to set you on the right path . Goodluck and keep at it

I will add if you do need help or a question you can call me anytime and pic my brain . 410-977-1856 Glen take care

 

Don't beat yourself up over your work. All of your customers will be happy with their mount. Is there room for improvement, yes. I do strictly commercial work, and the "internet judges" would tear me up. I don't really give two hoots about their opinion...I'm on my way out of taxidermy, not on my way into it. Strive to improve with every mount. Attend a state show and watch someone like Ben Mears or Paul Witt mount a deer. You will get closer to your goal by "real world" experiences vs the internet.

 

I believe that one should have many practice mounts done before accepting customers. My opinion is that one should have a year or two or more of experience and practice using many forms of training such as many DVDs, books, competition, internet and one on one.

It has been my way of doing things to hone my skills over a long period of time before offering to work for customers. I probably had done 50 or more deer heads before doing one for friends or family and many many more practice heads before taking on a true customer.

I had change out heads and set eyes on those using the technics I learned from the many videos and books I bought from the suppliers and tried each method. The same with ear butts and nostrils, lip lines and hair patterns. Gleaned all I could from local taxidermists and then came DVDs and the internet, which meant more practice with new methods. I studied and mounted turkeys for 7 years before I ever did anything for a customer more than a tail mount. I had done many head/breast/ tail wall mounts before I did one for a customer. I retired before I could do a life size for customers although I had mounted many life size turkeys for myself.

I did antler mounts for customers after a year or so learning different technics and offered a discount if they brought the whole head so I would have a head skin to mount on my changeout heads. I used the same antler set for each practice head.

 

I forgot to say that your mounts are not bad at all for 11, 12 and 13th deer. I have seen worse on some peoples 800th deer. You have some good points going on with room for improvement. Keep striving to be better on each mount.

Also, joeym is right. Hands on is the best way to go if the instructor is a good one.

By the way, joeym is a much better taxidermist than he says he is. I think his work would pass with good marks by most internet judges.

 

As a casual observer, trying to have a discerning eye for this...
Something doesn't look quite right...but I couldn't tell you what that is.
As a customer...I wouldn't hide them off in another room (I have several mounts, fish,deer small critters) that are "hidden" in other rooms, because they are not the most pleasing to look at).


I have always been my own biggest critic. Hindsight is 20/20 and I always have a habit of looking back on any type of project I do and seeing the flaws and having trouble getting past them.

My "expertise" is in scale model aircraft. I have built well over 1000, probably close to 2000 over the years. I've won a few hundred awards at local, regional, and even National shows...many 1st, best of "whatever category", special awards, even Best of Show. They've even been in a few model magazines. I've made thousands $$$, from these models and they are spread out over the country.
That's not to brag...the point is, I have yet to build a model that I am any more than about 90% satisfied with...let alone perfect!
Chasing perfect is a good thing...just know that you'll likely never get there(at least not in your eye!). The builds I loved and was satisfied with ten years ago...now, to me look like they were done by a child!

*edit...after typing all this out, I re-read your post and had a 2nd look at the pics. Had you not pointed out the eyes as your area of concern, I probably would not have noticed the differences from one side to the other. Much the same, most people would never notice if the wings on one of my models weren't perfectly aligned...until I pointed it out!

 

after spending at least 50 years in taxidermy I can tell you that I still am very critical of my work. I can always find something I could have done better. That being said, just continue to try and produce the best work you can, use any study products you can to improve your work, and continue to learn. I feel I am still and always will be learning. That will keep you going forward in the industry. Good luck

 

I totally understand. How I got that many deer to practice on was to start an antler mounting business and offer a discount if you brought me the whole head that was fresh. I had plenty of money and deer heads every year until I didn't need heads anymore at which time the discount for the whole head ceased.

 

I use to get all the extra capes I needed by offering a free skull mount for the cape if it was a nice cape. These days I process, so I tend to snag any nice looking capes.

 

You could probably get all the practice capes you could want from the local butcher shop.

Years ago, I had the gumption to jump into deer heads...inspired by some books I got for x-mas. Kansas had an extended antlerless season (1st 2 weeks of Jan)...I called the local butcher to see about getting a head or two. No problem!

As I was caping out a doe, a guy brought in a monster buck (already shed his antlers)...I had a nice set that could go with it. Got it home and got to work....then...by the hundreds it seemed, ticks started pouring off it. Everything went into a Hefty bag and off to a dumpster behind the school. Of all things...ticks absolutely disgust me, and completely killed my desire to do deer.

 

In my former vocation I had the belief I could always do a job more efficiently=Faster. So now I know I’m every piece I do I know there is room for improvement. Turkeys are the worst for me. I can groom breast feathers everyday from a week. It seems each day I look at it a feather is out of place.

 

I know what you mean! I have come to the belief that when it comes to turkeys, there may not be a literal ton of feathers on one, however, there are figuratively 2,000 pounds of them. To keep from going insane, I set a limit on preening. There is point where good enough really is good enough on them.

 

Yes. your work is as bad as you think it is. In fact it far worse than you think it is. So is mine and everyone else’s that does taxidermy. The good news is that you recognize the shortcomings. You can always fix the things that you know are wrong. Compare your work to live animals. The more you know, the more frustrated you will become in trying to duplicate life. Every few years you will look back at previous work with greater disappointment. The worst thing you can do is to be so in love with your creations that you stop recognizing the truth.

 

My advice would be to get some training with a good instructor. You need to walk through the process with someone who knows exactly what they are doing, then replicate that.