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First Fish Feedback

Discussion in 'Fish Taxidermy' started by Jon Heller, Apr 6, 2021.

  1. Apr 6, 2021 #1
    Jon Heller

    Jon Heller New Member

    10
    15
    South Dakota
    I would like some feedback on what you like and what I could do better as this is my first fish if willing. I have tried going to the state association but has been closed down for two years. I am currently using woods & water paint and not currently looking to switch to Laquer paints. I know this isn't a competition-grade and that is not my current goal, just to have happy customers and improve with every experience. Thank you for your time. IMG_0777.jpeg Screen Shot 2021-04-06 at 10.04.34 AM.png
     
  3. Apr 6, 2021 #2
    Clew

    Clew Help a child, Build our future

    5,743
    9,956
    York, SC
    Get you some pastels and powders
    Your paint is to harsh
    Lay down your base colors and make it alive with the powders
    Your base colors look ok
    But the markings ??? Not so
    Play with those pastels it will make a world of difference
    Where did that blank come from? Don’t answer
    Get a good blank,
     
    msestak likes this.

  5. Apr 6, 2021 #3
    Mandi

    Mandi Well-Known Member

    179
    286
    My first fish was awful, so were my second and third. I got a complete replica and just keep stripping it with lacquer thinner to repaint again and again to practice. It does make me want to stick to mammals though! I will say it needs improvement but not bad for a first attempt.
     
    msestak and Clew like this.
  6. Apr 6, 2021 #4
    Clew

    Clew Help a child, Build our future

    5,743
    9,956
    York, SC
    My first several were terrible
    Filled with sheet rock mud mixed with styrofoam balls
    Painted with laytex paints
    Just about 50 years ago
    Mandi is correct practice!
    Don’t give up
    I now love doing fish mounts
     
    msestak likes this.
  7. Apr 7, 2021 #5
    crablover

    crablover Well-Known Member

    417
    944
    Like Carl said, the paint is to harsh and that blank is horrible. It actually looks like a spawned out female rather than the original male with a Kype. Notice the upper and lower jaw difference between the two. Tone down your markings and keep at it
     
    msestak likes this.
  8. Apr 7, 2021 #6
    Mudbat

    Mudbat Well-Known Member

    663
    1,237
    I’m no master fish guy so take this for what it’s worth.
    Why do people jump right to paint in critiques? It starts with anatomy. Does your fish anatomically look anything like the fish in the photo?
    Start with step one then move on to the next step.
    Advise is Dont use flex eyes for any species of salmon. Pupil shape on a salmon is way different from most all commercial eyes.
    I’m assuming it’s a blank. Was it sold to you as a chum? Because it most certainly is not.
    Paints not to bad. But the fact that it’s a anatomical nightmare detracts for any of that.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2021
    msestak likes this.
  9. Apr 7, 2021 #7
    Jon Heller

    Jon Heller New Member

    10
    15
    South Dakota
    Thank you all for the feedback, it is much appreciated. I did order the blank from a reputable seller of blanks as a male chum. I also felt the Kype was off, but first fish. Thanks for confirming my thoughts that the colors were harsh and bold. Great point on the eyes, I ordered in a few different standard Salmon eyes and picked the best size. I should have reordered the best one in the correct size. I found out that there is a huge difference between different brands of eyes. Learned a lot and thanks again for community support in growing myself.
     
  10. Apr 7, 2021 #8
    Clew

    Clew Help a child, Build our future

    5,743
    9,956
    York, SC
    Jon
    If you do a jam up job on the paint it takes away from a poor blank
    But don’t give up
    Your off to a great start
    Allot of customers don’t know a thing About anatomy
    But they want a pretty fish
    I have another triple tail I’m working on now (custom repo)
    And I’ve had several come in my shop and say
    Dang what a nice crappie
     
  11. Apr 8, 2021 #9
    Mudbat

    Mudbat Well-Known Member

    663
    1,237
    I’ll disagree on the anatomy part. Now it’s just me but a mediocre paint job on a anatomically well done fish looks way better then the other way around. Does that look like the vent fin on a chum to you? It’s not the OPs fault. There’s no way that blank is what he was sold as being. Shame on who ever sold it to him.
    I will agree about what people see though. Numerous time Ive had people comment on photos on my Instagram page “ looks great!, is that one mine?” While it’s the same species it looks nothing like their fish.
     
    Last edited: Apr 8, 2021