More recently finished fish mounts

keep6matt · #1 04-12-2013, 02:57 PM

Happy Friday fellow AO members, here are a couple of more fish mounts I just completed, just looking for your feedback on them, I am not a pro but definitely getting better and better with each fish, 3 down and 7 more to go plus 3 more incoming next week, love this hobby! The pike is a 27 lber and I had to reconstruct the back three fins as they were completely destroyed upon arrival to me (the tail fin was missing more than half of original size) The rainbow is a 4 lber along with a replica grayling of one I caught last fall in Northern BC. I saved a spot below the grayling for my 7.5 lb rainbow for when its done...can't wait, will be starting on more fish all day tomorrow as the weather forecast looks crappy (again!!) Have a great weekend everyone!

K44 · #2 04-12-2013, 03:02 PM

Looks great

BeeGuy · #3 04-12-2013, 03:13 PM

post up a bunch of pics of the process if you dont mind

looks great

keep6matt · #4 04-12-2013, 03:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

post up a bunch of pics of the process if you dont mind

looks great

Ok BG I will, I was hoping to hear your feedback as your opinion on the laker I did was much appreciated.

Bound2Fish · #5 04-12-2013, 03:36 PM

I think they turned out great. Love the colors.

keep6matt · #6 04-12-2013, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

post up a bunch of pics of the process if you dont mind

looks great

Ok so the pike as you can see had to receive a massive amount of fin reconstruction (my apologies on the crappy camera quality) and I did decide to go with a replica head as that is a huge suggestion by many of the pro taxidermists as it cuts down time and really works well. I also went with a replica head as well fro my rainbow and both of them turned out great. No shrinkage and definitely a time saver as for re stuffing, drying time, filling in then sanding, then filling again and sanding. I am quite picky on the airbrushing aspect of it, that pike looked great but when I kept looking at it, I still wasn't quite happy so I re did it in an evening again and glad I did, the way I look at it is if I don't like then certainly the owner of that fish will not either. Has to look as if it came out of the water. I am toying with replicas and molding now as well, stayed tune for that.

fishman · #7 04-12-2013, 03:40 PM

I love to make a glass coffee table and put my fish into that with gravel on the bottom and some structure.........looks good by the way

tight line · #8 04-12-2013, 09:13 PM

Looks awesome!

BeeGuy · #9 04-12-2013, 09:30 PM

So what are they made of?

Skin mount?

body?
head?

Air brushed body?

huntin'fool · #10 04-12-2013, 09:47 PM

Look nice Matt!
Feedback wise - one thing I noticed was the tail of the Pike, you've got almost a square tail on it. Could just be the angle of the photo, but most pike I catch have a long, deeply forked tail with a bit of red in it.

So you say you have a bunch more fish incoming, do you run a business? I'd be interested to see more!!

OneGirlWolfPack · #11 04-12-2013, 11:12 PM

Those look great!

waterninja · #12 04-12-2013, 11:38 PM

wow! those look great matt. don't see how you find the time. and a replica? thought you could only do that in ontario, in a lab. if your not carefull you'll have to quit your day job.

bisonhunter · #13 04-13-2013, 06:04 AM

This is not an attack my friend, but you need to use reference material a little more. The first thing i saw was the tail on that pike. It belongs on a salmon. Here's a reference photo for you, ignore the goofball holding the fish.

I wish I had your talent, keep it up.

cheers

Lefty-Canuck · #14 04-13-2013, 04:37 PM

Nice! Decent work but I have to agree with a couple of the other folks a great improvement would be to have the tail a little bit more characteritic of a pike.

Considering what little you had to work with on the tail I think it still looks good FWIW.

LC

THERICARDO · #15 04-14-2013, 01:40 PM

Did you airbrush the replica heads? Badass job man, looks great. As for the tail on Northern I agree but it still looks amazing...

Nice work and thanks for sharing definately got a new appreciation about something I knew nothing about

keep6matt · #16 04-19-2013, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeeGuy

So what are they made of?

Skin mount?

body?
head?

Air brushed body?

all are skin mounts except the grayling (which is fiberglass) and the heads are also replicated with fiberglass too. Yes all are airbrushed colors as you can see there is virtually no color on the dried rainbow.

keep6matt · #17 04-19-2013, 10:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bisonhunter

This is not an attack my friend, but you need to use reference material a little more. The first thing i saw was the tail on that pike. It belongs on a salmon. Here's a reference photo for you, ignore the goofball holding the fish.

I wish I had your talent, keep it up.

cheers

Thank you for the straight up feedback, and I am going to re paint the tail and other top fin on the pike this weekend, the picture I was going from the fellow on his pike had a dark red pattern on it but yes that picture you provided definitely reflects a better example of a pike tail fin. Thank you good sir!!! And definitely was not an attack on me whatsoever, I would rather have a straight up honest answer than "oh that looks great" when it really isn't hahaha, just will make me do the best I can do. Honesty to me is the best policy for sure.

keep6matt · #18 04-19-2013, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntin'fool

Look nice Matt!
Feedback wise - one thing I noticed was the tail of the Pike, you've got almost a square tail on it. Could just be the angle of the photo, but most pike I catch have a long, deeply forked tail with a bit of red in it.

So you say you have a bunch more fish incoming, do you run a business? I'd be interested to see more!!

I am going to re do the tail of the pike as I agree with all the comments made, definitely gonna resolve that this weekend. as for a business...no, i strictly do it part time when time permits as I have a great career already, I just love this as a hobby and love the painting aspect. Trying to get better with every fish and I guess gotta follow the common saying "practice makes perfect" Thanks everyone for your great feedback, I appreciate the opinions in order to make my work the best it can possibly be. Happy Friday everyone and have a great weekend!

lake side · #19 04-19-2013, 10:44 AM

I'm glad to see your still doing some fine fish work. Hopefully I will be in touch this year with one of my own.

BTW....thanks for the PM. I still have that twenty fold CD you gave me years ago!

LS

keep6matt · #20 04-19-2013, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lake side

I'm glad to see your still doing some fine fish work. Hopefully I will be in touch this year with one of my own.

BTW....thanks for the PM. I still have that twenty fold CD you gave me years ago!

LS

Awesome!!! Btw the new band Keep 6 (well not so new, 7 years strong now lol) is doing great, we are nominated for recording of the year with The Edmonton Music Awards and gala will commence on April 28/13 plus we are doing a 5 city, one week tour across western Canada on the first week of June in Victoria, Vancouver, Kellowna, Edmonton and Calgary. We need to have a beer together soon my friend, have a great weekend!

lake side · #21 04-19-2013, 10:55 AM

I would love to catch up and have a beer. Good luck on the mini tour,I'm sure you will slay them. You will have to post the Edm date and location on here. Tight lines bud!

LS