Bird form pics

There is a great way to overcome this situation without having photos of the anatomy.....I started doing this many years ago and it has gotten me over a lot of hurdles because I choose very difficult poses and folks are not use to seeing and often time no reference photos to work from.

When you are skinning out a bird cut the neck off at the first vertebra. Now modify your form to match the carcass so the neck notch matches. Be sure and leave the head attached to the neck. Now take two long pins with big heads and pin the neck to the form on either side. So, if you were looking straight on at the form you would put the pins at 9 & 3 O'clock. You do this so you don't limit the up and down movement of the neck. Now start manipulate the head and neck around into the poses you want and you will see how the neck and head move. You can see what part of the foam body needs to be removed so the neck lays properly. Pay very close attention how the neck bends and does not bend. Pay close attention to how it twists and where it twists. Pay close attention to the last vertebra where it attaches to the head and how much movement there is. Look at the center vertebra and see how the bending changes at this point. Just twist and fold and experiment with all the different poses and you will learn how to achieve what you want.

Once you get a post you like you can run a wire down through the head...through the neck and into the foam. This will hold the pose you want and then you can take photos from all angles including the top view. Over time this will become second nature and you will be able to look at any photo and know how the neck lays. You will even see how the length affects how the neck will lay.

Best Wishes and Good Luck!

 

a common mistake...even though the birds neck is attached at the top of the body,you never want to attach your neck there.Instead attach closer to center of body this is the natural position of where the neck meets body

 

Breakthrough issue 39 has 3 full pages of flying poses. Wrapped bodies and necks. It shows a pic of the actual duck, then the coresponding body pose. I know you asked about sitting ducks, but you may want to look at those pics when you do flying ones. I laminated them and hung them on the wall In the shop. Helped me tremendously with flying poses.

And as stated above. The carcass is key!

 

Hi Brooke,

Do you happen to know the authors name for that Breakthrough article? I called Breakthrough to order copies but they didn't see that in issue 39.

I have trouble with neck positions as well and that would be very helpful to have.

Thanks!

 

I'm in the deer stand now, but we are going home tonight. I will look and make sure of the issue and post it either tonight or tomorrow here. It's a great reference tool!

 

Here's a pic I believe came from Nancy c. I hope she doesn't mind me sharing it... I kept it for personal use....

 

Thats a sweet pic ryan!!

 

Hi everyone
Here are some pictures from my workshop. Maybe it will helps.
Greetings
Tom

 

body and neck with head

 

Wing bones

 

Leg bones

 

And ready bird

 

Great pic Ryan and LTB great job on that bird! Thanks for those!

 

It was issue 49 not 39. Dave Luke. 3 pages front and back.

 

Thanks Brooke, That will be very helpful!

 

You're welcome!

 

My biggest issue has been that really relaxed posed where the birds head is literally sitting on the body of the bird. I have struggled with this and have come up with simply cutting the entire neck out only to use some poly fill to shape the neck to be compressed. It has worked well and is a lot easier than trying to manipulate the neck to this position. Maybe some of you guys can post some pics of your set up on this.

 

Matt, have you tried some multi-strand copper wire for the neck wire for the pose you are suggesting?
It will get you a lot more flexibility. I would try 14 gauge.
I got lambasted when I earlier suggested notching out the backer rod material to allow flexibility, but hey it works for me. Perhaps you to try.
Good luck,
Dan

 

The copper wire works great. I use 12 & 14 gauge for all my resting poses and there is a lot less fight with wire spring back.

The backer rod could be affecting your results because it's pinching and not moving the way it should be. Try using cotton rope after you have bent the wire into the proper shape. Then bind the cotton to the wire with some thread.

If you want to build the neck before bending make sure you don't have the cotton wrapped too tight or you will not get the bends you want