ARTISTIC SCHOOL of TAXIDERMY...see what's NEW!!!

My fiance (David) an I chose to go to Artistic School of Taxidermy to learn the art of taxidermy. I spent 5 days working on a whitetail shoulder mount and mule deer pedistal mount. David completed a lifesize fox. I'm a beginner in taxidermy, but I've been saving my money and learning as much as I could before coming to school. David was completely new to taxidermy. Troy was incredibly patient and a wonderful teacher. Troy would explain his techniques and why he uses them. He went out of his way to make sure you understood what you were learning and how to fix or work with the mistakes you may have made. Haha. The accommodations were absolutely stunning. We were able to eat outside on the patio and watch does and turkeys wander around underneath us. The food was wonderful! Cooper, the shop mascot, kept us company during the long hours of sewing and amazed us with how much dirt he could hold in his feathers. I believe that every penny we spent was worth it. I can't wait to come again sometime to learn lifesize and birds. Thanks again for your kindness and patients, you really helped a dream come true for me!
-Sincerely Lexi & David

 

Simply put, Troy Rose knows taxidermy! Not only that, he also knows how to teach taxidermy. I recently spent 14 days with Troy learning lifesize mammals and advancing my gamehead knowledge, while also hoping to revive my taxidermy drive. I will say, "Everything about Artistic School of Taxidermy, exceeded my expectations." Although I am not a newcomer to the taxidermy world, I learned a ton. There is no doubt my gameheads will be noticeably improved, and with the time-saving techniques learned, I will be able to produce them in a much shorter time. Troy's patience and ability to teach at all levels is outstanding. He held no "trade secrets" back. Troy's goal is for every student to succeed in the art of taxidermy and he is willing to share his knowledge, in order to achieve that goal. Troy's training facility is a working taxidermy shop, not a "canned" classroom environment, thus giving the student a real taxidermy experience, while learning a trade. He doesn't teach antique taxidermy. Troy teaches proven, state of the art methods, which he uses himself to make a living. The accommodations are second to none. Artistic School of Taxidermy is set in a scenic area of Idaho, with an abundance of wildlife in the surrounding habitat. Being in a remote location, puts the student in an environment which allows them to concentrate on learning taxidermy, without distractions (except for the local wildlife). Troy opens his house and shop to every student, and I must say his house is beautiful. Food, well let's just say, you will not go hungry (top notch all the way). Offering one-on-one training allows Troy the flexibility to tailor the training to each student. The student gets to decide what he/she wants to mount during their stay, not follow some preset curriculum. There were only a couple of negatives to the whole experience; 1) time went by way too fast, 2) I wish I could have stayed longer. If you are looking for a taxidermy school, whether you are a beginning taxidermist or a seasoned taxidermist looking to learn something new, don't hesitate to make the trip out to Idaho and train with Troy. Troy it was great meeting you, and I can't thank you enough for the knowledge you shared with me and the taxidermy drive you rejuvenated within me. Troy Rose and Artistic School of Taxidermy is simply put, "The best taxidermy training you can get - bar none."

 

I was fortunate enough to spend 7 intense days with Troy at the Artistic School of Taxidermy where I completed 2 gameheads and a turkey. There isn't much I can say that hasn't already been said in all the previous posts. I did a lot of research before committing to a school to learn taxidermy and I have zero regrets with my decision. In fact, I can't wait to get back there to further advance my studies. I am new to taxidermy and I'm glad I recorded a lot of video for reference as there is no way I could have remembered the tremendous amount of knowledge Troy shared. Troy shows you how to do each step then let's you proceed on your own and make your mistakes. One thing about Troy, there is no such thing as "good enough." If you do something and it's not correct (or could be better), he won't say, "good enough" and just move on to the next step. Instead, he'll have you redo it until you understand and it's done right. Lessons learned from our errors prove to be the greatest worth. Troy taught me some innovative, cutting edge, techniques when mounting the turkey. I assure you, you won't find these techniques in any of the instructional videos you may purchase (trust me, I have all the highly recommended turkey mounting videos). What more can I say.... the accommodations are excellent, the training is superb, and the results far surpassed my high expectations. Looking forward to my next visit to the Artistic School of Taxidermy!!!

 

This was my third time getting instruction from Troy at Artistic School of Taxidermy. I cant say enough about the quality of instruction Troy has given me, and continues to give me. As always the food and lodging are amazing, his home is beautiful and his shop is fully loaded with everything you could possibly need to complete great pieces. The food is out of this world, it rivals my wife's just don't tell her I said that, and there is always more than enough. The shop is open for you at any time so you can burn the midnight oil to stay on track, which I always seem to do. The deer and turkeys provide reference right out the front door. He truly lives in an amazingly beautiful place. Troy is a Master Taxidermist and wont skimp on the instruction he gives, he leaves nothing back as his little secrets. He wants his students to be successful and that shows in his teaching. Troy will show you how to get the results that you want, its up to you to make that happen. His teaching style allows you to make mistakes, and ultimately learn from them (I know I have). It also teaches you how to problem solve, which is so beneficial when you are back in your own shop, or work space, and run into an issue. You will have the tools to think it through and get it done. Troy is a fantastic instructor, if you are considering learning the art of taxidermy go spend some time with Troy, you wont be disappointed in the time you spend and the knowledge that you receive. Thanks for everything Troy!

 

Just a follow up on how much Troy has helped me. I first came to Troy with little experience and had only been doing fish reproductions. After working with Troy to learn how to do mammals my shop now handles large life-size with the confidence that if I have a question I can send a pic and Troy always has my back. I can not tell you how much it means to have a life-size desert sheep cape in hand and know that I can count on Troy if I am not quite sure how to get the look I am wanting. Since training at Artistic School of Taxidermy I have the confidence to go out and get the work knowing that I won't get left behind when something isn't quite right as I am going through the mounting process. If you are wanting to learn from the best and want to know that somebody is going to be there after you are out on your own, look no further. I'm sure there are other schools out there that cost less but I seriously doubt you will get the level of professional service that you will at Artistic School of Taxidermy. If you want to be that taxidermist that has to compete with the low price/low quality taxidermist's in your area then there are plenty of other schools that will teach you to throw a skin on a form. If you want to be the taxidermist that can charge more than the rest because your quality is that much higher than the competition then Artistic School of Taxidermy is the school for you.

 

I spent 7 days with Troy learning Whitetails. If you are debating or researching "schools", stop at Troy. There is nothing better out there. Aside from the fact that his skill and techniques are miles above the rest (that is not opinion but fact. compare his student's work to other school's work) he is the only one you can custom design your education. I personally do not know many if any people out there that can take 6-10 weeks off from their job to go to taxidermy "school." With Troy you set the days that work for you. You also decide what you are going to learn. Every other school will tell you what and when you are doing something, non negotiable. Learning gameheads, life-size, birds, fish and rugs all in a 6-10 week span is not feasible. The skills will be average at best and very unlikely that you will be able to consistently produce quality. You will also be at the mercy of 6-18 other students learning abilities. Troy teaches no more than two at a time and I personally was there by myself. Troy's teaching method will set you up for success, not failure or mediocrity. He will let you test yourself on the techniques he shows you but somehow is able to tell when the perfect time is to intervene and help so you do not get discouraged. He teaches practical techniques that produce RESULTS and uses products because they work, not because a sponsor is paying him to push a certain line. I strongly encourage everyone to look at his website and review everything. Pay special attention to his cost comparison and accommodations. This should be a no brainer! You will get amazing scenery, food and room to stay in on site! The number one reason to choose Artistic School of Taxidermy is Troy himself. His knowledge and skill is astounding. He is also pretty fun to hang out with so you have a blast while you are learning. I will definitely be a return student like so many others. I personally flew over 2,500 miles to learn from him and it was worth every bit of time and money because I know I learned the right way. Call Troy if you haven't already and get out there!

 

Those pictures look great, such high quality work being completed by your students! I know that I really enjoyed my time there and I appreciate the detail and quality that I was taught while there. The work put out by Troy's students continues to amaze me!

 

Another Great Week

I recently spent another week with Troy at Artistic School of Taxidermy. This time I concentrated solely on birds and I must say, once again I learned a wealth of information. I have been making bird mounting much more difficult than it needs to be. Troy is a master at his craft and has an uncanny ability to teach the art of taxidermy. Bird mounts used to frustrate me to no end. Not any more! I feel I learned what it takes to put together a very good bird mount. Once again Troy was a gracious host, with outstanding accommodations and meals. As stated in my post last Summer, there is no better place to learn taxidermy than with Troy at Artistic School of Taxidermy. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned taxidermist looking for some fresh ideas and methods, look no further. Your search is over! Contact Troy and book your training. You will not regret it. ----- Jeff Schneider

 

Well where do I start....learing taxidermy was special to me because I lost my mom unexpectedly in January. She always wanted me to learn. So after she past I decided to spend 10 day with Troy and had the time of my life and learned so much! When I started looking for schools to start doing taxidermy I didnt know what I wanted or how to start. Troy answered all my questions and more. Not only was I looking to customize what I wanted to do he was able to accommodate the days I could attend. This was a no brainer for me knowing that I was going to be able to do everything I wanted and not only had a GREAT place to stay the food was GREAT too. My son and I went back two weeks later so I could finish up my favorite piece my mallard duck I love it! My son wanted to do a special mount for is papa and Troy helped him make that happen! His papa loves it! If you are thinking about learning taxidermy look no further Troy is the best so dont hesitate just make that call and let him help you through the process! Thanks again Troy look forward to seeing you again!