SPA Modeler

This isn't modeling, in the traditional sense...(the reason we're all here).
In a "loose" way, it kinda, almost...maybe???...fits!

This is something I have always been interested in, but was too afraid of completely failing.
I've watched a few videos and realized that "start up" cost can be quite cheap (quite expensive, though...if I wanted to do this on a pro level).
Anyway....I picked up a few supplies from the local hardware store, and caught me some fish!

Got a nice pair of walleye, last friday evening...



They aren't "trophy" size...but nice enough to give this a shot!

I wrapped one in a damp towel, and stuck it in the freezer, to be done later.
I skinned and fleshed out the other...after tracing the outline on freezer paper.
I put the skin and head in a mix of denatured alcohol/water for a few days.
While that was soaking, I glued 3 pieces of foam insulation together...once dried, I cut out the rough shape...



Using a rasp and sandpaper, I carved the body form...





Just like in modeling...TEST fit!!!



Satisfied (mostly)...the skin went back in the mix. I carved out the foam and added a wood mounting block...



I coated the form with glue, wrapped the skin and sewed up the back side. I pinned the head in place with coat hanger wire.
I'm not overly thrilled with the angle of the head...but pleased enough for my 1st go at this.
Fins are "carded", to keep em flat, straight, and splayed open while everything dries out...



It has to dry out for about 2 weeks...so, by next weekend, it'll be about ready to start painting.
Got all my paints and glass eyes in, yesterday.....can't wait!!!

taxidermy? It's a model for sure - just got bits of the real-deal in it. Nice couple of fish BTW. Best freshwater fish I ever caught on the Kern river in the south eastern Sierras

Would like to have had you mount that one!

Given your expertise with plastics, detail and painting, I am confident you will master this.

keavdog wrote:taxidermy? It's a model for sure - just got bits of the real-deal in it. Nice couple of fish BTW. Best freshwater fish I ever caught on the Kern river in the south eastern Sierras

Would like to have had you mount that one!

She's a beaut, Clark!
I LOVE trout!!! I really, really, REALLY wish there was a good trout stream close by. You'd think, being in Michigan, every stream would have trout...NOPE...everything with trout is well over an hour away from where I am. (at the closest)
In addition to doing these walleye "traditionally", I also ordered a smallmouth "replica". I'll see how that goes...next on the list is a rainbow/steely.
The replicas are a bit pricey, but still only about 1/3rd-1/2 the cost (if you paint it yourself) of having a skin mount done professionally (which is up to about $20 per inch...YIKES!!!).

Just for a little "one-upsmanship"....

My personal best....23lbs



This sucker could bite your face off!!!



King Salmon...out of the Manistee River. (5-6 years ago)

That’s a few good meals there! Bravo on your first go on taxidermy! That is great work!

That's a nice old hookjaw. Never got to do any salmon fishing but when I moved to SoCal I started ocean fishing. Caught some nice albacore, yellowfin and bigeye. Maybe we should start a fishing thread. I caught that trout on 4lb test. Had my rod and drag set perfectly and I will swear by spiderwire for all time!

My introduction to fishing was in the Monterey area, when I was a kid. Red Snapper and rock cod was about it....then bluegill and stocked rainbow at Lake San Antonio (Cali). When we first got to Hawaii, we had temp housing near Pearl. There was a walking path behind the place we were staying, and there was a couple creeks that flowed into the harbor. I'd go with a tiny hook and use tiny bread balls to catch some shiners out of the smaller creek...then go over to the bigger creek and catch some barracuda....typically in the 18-24 inch range...scrawny "hammer handle" type. Never got anything big out of the ocean.

This Northern was my personal best, up until that salmon. She "tickled" 45 inches and weighed in at 23 lbs....but, she had a roughly 3lb. sucker in her belly.
(I had to take a pic of a printed pic)


She was the 2nd pike I caught, that fits into the "monster" category. I know I've lost several "monsters"...big and powerful fish. My "heavy" gear is 15lb braided line on a light-medium rod and reel. I've been completely "spooled" twice, and cut off more time that I care to count.

Moving along...

The walleye still needs a bit more dry time, before I paint it....but I have done a little more work on it.
I set the eyes with Magic-sculpt, as well as adding some to the tail area, where things had shrunk down a bit...also "built up" a bit in the chin/belly area, which helps a lot to take away the "droopy" look to the head vs. body.
I also "de-carded" the fins. I used Mod Podge on both sides of the fins (they'll curl if you don't) and added tissue paper "fin backer" to the fins. The fins on this fish were split to hell.



After trimming the tissue paper, I roughed up the edges a little bit...I'll do a bit more later.
I'll also have to add the scale detail to the resin areas...





Toothy!!!

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