Ok, so I’ve been fascinated with taxidermy since I was a child.
I have access to a lot of capes and skulls, and want to start with a fallow deer. I know these animals well and have set one aside. I am skilled with my hands, tools, and materials. Actually I want to use epoxy to create the eye sets and other modifications to the form, rather than clay. Epoxy resins are magical materials when you know what additives, catalysts, fillers and colors you can use, and I’m not working on a clock, so the longer setting up times suit me fine.
The form will come from the US, either from Van Dykes or McKenzies, depending on which one I choose.
But now the questions begin…
Can I use a pedestal form if I am prepared to modify it, or do the angles just end up looking weird?
I want to do a left turn, to show off one side more. However the forms I like most are designed for use as a pedestal. I understand that this means they won’t take into account clearance for the antlers, which on a fallow deer tend to sweep back and may not fit on a wall. But by looking at the photos on the websites, if I imagine cutting and filling the space on the pedestal form so it would fit on a wall, then I end up with something like a head low sneak pose.
Here is a link to the form I’d like to use http://www.mckenziesp.com/FD151P-P5533.aspx
Any advice for a first timer is also greatly appreciated, I’ve started looking at a videos on youtube, and picked up a few nice bits of info, like for example to sculpt and prepare the ear butts and liners on the form first, then take them off for slipping into the ears.
Cheers.

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