SPA Modeler

While the walleye was drying out...I got my smallmouth replica in!
It is one inch shy of my biggest smally...I don't eat bass...plus it was early in the season and I released her, so she could spawn.
This was the biggest that this company offers, at 22.5 inches. To get one the size I caught, I'd have to go to another company...which cost a fair amount more, and didn't look as good.

As it comes out of the box...



It is cast from an actual fish.
Side and peck fin are separate (all the fins along the center line are molded in), and there's a silicone insert for inside the mouth...



The fish is molded in halves, the company cleans up the mold lines...but it's up to me to detail...



I got started on the belly. I use a curved wood carving "gouge"(???...not really sure what it's called)



I had to drill out the molded in eye, replaced with glass eyes, set with Magic-sculpt...also finished "scaling" the smoothed areas...



I used CA to get the mouth insert in place, then Magic-sculpt to fill in the gaps...



Belly has been "scaled"...




I used a Dremel to thin down the edges of the fins (they are pretty thick), as well as rough up the edges...
The dorsal fin needed a LOT of help...



Ready to start the finishing process!

LyleW wrote:This is something I’ve always wondered about...the howzit done. Is the fish going to sing like Billy Bass?

If you close your eyes...and have a good enough imagination...she'll sing like an angel!!!

Lord that is one ugly critter!

FeRmis, that is some masterful work! Wow!

Stikpusher wrote:Lord that is one ugly critter!

Walleye are NOT a "handsome" fish....D-E-Licious...but yup, a face only a mother could love!

Stikpusher wrote:Lord that is one ugly critter!

Maybe so but they fight like hell once hooked on.

You are a man of many talents, brah.

Had a rain day, today...off to the paint booth!

Before that though...I "antiqued" the fish. Just a wash, really...



Next were the base colors. I used MM Metalizer..."magnesium" for the belly, and "gold" for the sides...



I used Polytranspar lacquer ("special" taxidermy paint) "Dark Bass Green" to spray the mottle pattern, followed by a light mist coat, to "green" it all up a bit.
"Super hide white" followed by "Sparkling white" for the belly...





Now I gotta put the other fins on, got those caught up, paint-wise...then there is some more colors to go on.

Somebody fire up the grill! She’s already looking like supper. Spectacular work!

Smallmoouth is complete!








I can say...I will definitely be doing more repro fish in the future!
We'll have to wait and see how things go with the walleye...whether or not I'll do any more traditional skin mounts.