What's On Your Workbench? February 2023

I wanted to do a strutting hen, but I didn't want to spend the time on the legs and wings, because my wife was a little under the weather and I didn't want to spend too much time away from her, so I just did a pedestal mount. My wife was having a little trouble with her dementia, so I would work on it for an hour and then spend a hour with her. As soon as I set the saddle feathers in the silicone Which was the last procedure of the mounting process before preening, when I got a call from my wife that she wasn't feeling good, so off the ER. We returned with devastating news, so I haven't touched it since I set the saddle feathers. I just went out there and took pics.

I did the head conventionally and will do a good habitat for it when I feel better. Anyway, here it is.

 

Pan pastels for the head, no paint.

 

Thanks for posting this, even though I'm sure you're going through a lot now.

 

Ya, gotta keep my mind busy. After a while I'll get it finished.

 

Gotta get me one of those trio's Cinni is beautiful

 

OK inquiring minds need to know . . . Why string on the other two and not the greenie? Just wondering the when and why to add the string as I know what it does.

 

Great job BTW Brooke as always

 

Great job on the teal trio!! Queen of the taxi-net bird mounters

 

I really like the base concept. Very clean and balanced presentation. Birds are very nice but that goes without saying.

 

I second that.

 

Thinking about you Man, hang in there.

 

Personally I never understood the string thing , I’ve always wanted the fluffy look .. But tell ya what It works for Brooke cus her work is flawless .. I hate doing Standing birds and luckily over the last so many yrs I’ve only had one or two Standing birds to do , but this yr I’ve had quite a few , more than I like .. almost forgot how it’s been so long , they’re coming out pretty good less the damn pinfeathers .. I did find that I can use Formalin for duck feet instead of the messy masters blend .. Works on small geese too , not as well as the ducks … And defiantly not with honker feet .. guess they’re too big they shrink up so they get messy masters blend to keep them plumped …

 

wood duck salted skin color variant, eyerings are a little big will fix later


marbled teal salted skin



merganser spent 30+ years in freezer

 

What's the secret to rehydrating ,skinning and mounting a bird that long in the freezer ? Looks great!