Lifesize forms without hides pics

Great looking cat!

I mounted this about 2 years ago I think... Anyway, never posted photos in this thread.. So here's a few to contribute.

 

Outstanding job JJ

 

California Bighorn...mount will be done in 2 weeks.

 

like the bighorn idea...be sure and post mounted photo's

 

Rough mounted California...just finishing drying in the basement...will post the finished mount in a couple weeks on the lifesized mounts thread.

 

Not sure I'm qualified to post with such excellent work but I mounted up this lynx back in the summer and thought the progression was cool. I've got it on its base now. I have the silver fox form in a dozen pieces in the floor. Ill post them up too and put the completed piece in the mammal thread soon.

 

Here the start to my lifesize lemur altering a vervet monkey n carving the head

 

Nanny Mt Goat

 

home made marten mannikin

 

Ok, so this isn't my first bear, but I'm definitely still a newbie...and I didn't see any pics here of preped bear faces. I have never used these type of ears without the bases before and I didn't skin this guy, so I'm not sure on the musculature. Hide is ready to go on tomorrow, but I thought I'd see if anyone has thoughts for me on the form. Traded heads with his buddy because one wanted open mouth and the other wanted closed, both turning opposite directions, but haven't finished altering the second form.

 

I really like that marten. Great job!

 

Gwendolyn, you need to cut some foam away from the head and sink those ears down. If you've ever skinned a bear you'll have noticed that if you're not careful, you'll cut right through the middle of the cartilage on the ear because the are sunk down in the head. you need to set your ear liner the same way.

 

Do you mean I should cut further in at the top of the skull area? I did cut the bottoms in so that they are flush to the foam, coming out at approximately where they should from the skull, and then added clay for the buts...it's hard to tell exactly what's going on under there in my reference photos since they have so much fur around their ears! No, I've never skinned the skull out of a bear...my dad's friends bring them back already skinned, but I have done lots of other animals. From the skull structure, I assumed their ears were similar to a bobcat?
Thank you for the response...

 

yes, and bear don't have ears that long so part of the ear canal of those liners will be embedded, or you just picked earliners that were way too big.

 

Actually, the ear liners aren't big enough...lots of extra skin out at the tips even when stuffed in as deep as can go. Mutant bear? It is missing patches of fur on the ears since the tanner didn't get to it for almost a year. Would you try and cut the tips of the ears down or just try and make it go even further into the skull?

 

Gwendolyn, here is a frontal picture of a bear skull. Look how far the cheek bones come out compared to the back of the skull. There is a lot of meat on the side of the head. Picture how deep the ears would have to go into the form to connect to the skull. They go in pretty darn deep. Cut a wedge into the side of the head, fill it with clay, and sink those suckers down until it looks like your reference pictures.


Looking closer , you also need to move those ear back some. The ears come from behind the jaw line. Cut some pretty big wedges toward the center of the head and fill them with clay. When you mount, sink the bottom of the earliner in position, and then you can push the ear closer to the center of the head. I would not stick them out away from the face as you have them. Run them along the side of the face, and tilt them forward. That will make the ears appear smaller. Bear ears are pretty big, but when they are forward and alert they look a little smaller, and in my opinion, looks a little better.
I'm far from a bear expert, but not sinking those ears down seem to be the #1 mistake I see in people doing their first bears.

 

Sorry Teach...dog ate my homework! This is an old skull I was using for refrence...completely missing the zygomatic on the other side too...one that the dog ate long ago when I went away to college :-[
You are completely right! When I got the hide on again it was obvious they were in the wrong spot...needed to move back and down more. Now all I got to do is fix all the missing fur that has become far more obvious.

 

I was thinking the ears needed to be deeper in as well.... But the v-notch in the ear already seems to be at the meat level, any deeper the ears will be submerged in the meat won't it?

Did you make those liners or buy them? Sure they are correct?