Molding and casting a white crappie part 3 (Mold Preparation)
By admin | July 14, 2008
Now I will go over the next stage in the process.
Mold Preparation
I inspect the mold, I am looking for undercuts and overhangs as well as voids and pockets created by bubbles.
This mold turned out well, I had a small spot by the eye that needed to be ground down, I also cleaned up the fin butts byt the pelvic and pectoral fins.
Undercuts will make it harder to remove your casting, and will damage the mold and casting.
We want this mold to last a while, so any trouble spots are ground down with a dremel and voids are filled with epoxie.
The mold is waxed using carnuba wax and a brush.
Be sure to go all the way to the edge of the mold, and work it into every area of the mold. This is your life line, any shortcuts here and you will regret it down the line.
The mold is then left to dry overnight.
Then we buff the wax out.
I dont use a rag on large scaled fish as I have had issues with rag fibers sticking to the scales and damaging the mold.
The brush allows me to scrub into all of the tight spots and have control through the process.
The brush is wetted with a bit of fresh wax before buffing.
This process is repeated 2-6 times depending on the mold.
Once the wax is dry, the mold is sprayed with PVA (Polyvinyl Alcohol)
This creates a barrier and a thin film between the wax and the resin casting. This helps with the release of the casting and the longevity of the mold.
Normally only two coats are needed.
This is allowed to dry overnight.
Next Time I will go over the casting of the blank.
Here is a Video I created that covers the process.
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Molding a White crappie using the bondo method video.
By admin | July 6, 2008
Below are two short videos showing the techniques I used in molding a white crappie with fiberglass resin.
In the near future I will be working on a higher quality DVD showing molding and casting techniques, I will also be offering one on one classes on molding and casting techniques.
Thanks for watching, and good luck!
~Joshua
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Molding a White crappie using the bondo and fiberglass resin.
By admin | July 6, 2008
Here I will go over my basic method for molding a fish in fiberglass resin.
This is a basic rundown there is a bit more involved in my method then this, and each fish is done differently.
Here is our subject. A nice looking 12″ white crappie.
The first thing we do is wash the fish and dry it with a towel.
Then remove the Pelvic and Pectoral fins.
The fish is then Posed and placed in mold bedding to cover one side of the fish (we only mold one half at a time)
I use High Fiber from Hills Brother’s in California.
This is smoothed out using a small sculpting tool and a wet tongue depressor.
(The cleaner and smoother the edges are in the bedding, the easier it will be to separate the mold halves.
Next I add the keys
Now its time for the resin. I use a 50/50 blend of polyester resin, and bondo.
I add both hardeners in the appropriate proportions.
(It will set with just the cream hardener, but the resin will be slightly softer then with both)
After the 50/50 blend sets I add polyester resin, and cover the mold with fiberglass matting.
Here is the mold covered. The goal is to make the mold thin yet strong.
The mold is carefully lifted from the bedding.
I use my finger to slip away the bedding from under the mold, being careful to remove the bedding so asnot to disturb the fins below, once the suction is broken it will lift away easily.
Once the mold is lifted I wash away the remaining bedding and dry the fish and mold.
Then I add a release agent to the edges of the mold. (petroleum jelly)
Then I use a Heat gun to dry the fish, tighten the skin and smooth out the release agent.
(BE CAREFUL NOT TO COOK THE FISH!)
Now we add the 50/50 blend again to the other side. Basically the same method as before.
Again as before, fiberglass matting is added.
Carefully open the mold with a screwdriver, working along the edges until it opens.
Here is the finished mold.
Next time I will cover the preparation of the mold and casting of the blank.
If anyone has question feel free to ask.
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An adjustable carving template
By joshua | November 1, 2007
Here is my technique for making an adjustable carving dorsal template for fish.
It was always difficult to decide on the exact pose of a fish before I skin it. Often if it is in a rather dynamic pose it can be difficult to hold the fish in the exact pose while an accurate dorsal template is traced.
I was given this tip by a friend who does fish carvings. It works very well for me, I hope it can help you as well.
First the fish is traced and measured. when it comes time for a dorsal pattern I trace the fish in a straight position. I will also use a calipers to make careful width measurements as I go.
The next step
I cut the head off of the dorsal template behind the gills.
I then tape e piece of string to the center of the template.
I continue down the body, cutting the body roughly every inch while taping.
When all is done I have a Dorsal template that can be posed in any position while maintaining the integrity of the dimensions. This allows you to be fairly creative in the form shape as well as giving you more time to think up that killer pose.
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Step by step walk through on painting a Pumkinseed sunfish
By joshua | October 20, 2007
Well Ive gotten many requests from other Taxidermists for this, so rather then showing everyone individually I figured it would make a good tutorial.
Id like to start off by saying, I feel it is important for each artist to learn by observation of reality.
For years Taxidermists who specialize in fish have been competing with each other by copying each others work.
Looking at other artists work is Inspirational, but can lead to the duplication of another artists bad habits, and we all have them.
The trick is to learn when to stop duplicating the techniques of others and when to experiment and fly solo.
So I am presenting this as an explanation of my techniques on this fish. I hope you find it helpful.
Paints
I use artists acrylic tube paint. Brands like Grumbacher or Winsor newton are favorates of mine.they have a smooth texture and fine pigment. Liquatex and createx make some Very nice iridescent and interference colors.
I also have started using a product called Liquid Scales, a very smooth clean metallic color set I highly recommend you try it.
Brushes
Yes Brushes not airbrush. I don’t use airbrushes unless I have to, I will use them when applying solid colors or in some cases when the smooth fuzzy edge is needed, aside from that I use hand brushes.
Sizes 0 and a flat 1/2″ are my two favorites, although you can never have enough brushes.
Technique
I use a combination of tinting and tipping when I paint. I go over the scales adding color as I go, keeping in mind how the colors will change when I add tinting washes over the surface. This adds depth and complexity that draws the eye in.
On to the fish
Here is an animation that shows the steps sped up, but I will go through them step by step.
The fish represented an adult female Pumpkinseed sunfish in breeding colors.
The fish was actually a chunky female bluegill from my collection of molds that I altered to a pumpkinseed shape.
The first two steps I didn’t get photos of, but they are very simple.
1 . I painted the blank with a black base coat.
2. I used very fine steel wool to remove the paint on the surface leaving light highlights, This is called Antiquing.
3. I lightly scrubbed in the bars and darkened the fins with Raw Umber. Then I added the spotting in between the bars with Burnt Sienna. I darkened the gill flap and eye with Mars Black, and added the red spot on the gill with Cadmium Red.
4. A Wash of Yellow Ocher is applied with a heavier wash in the belly area.
5. A wash of a blend of Hookers Green with a bit of Medium Yellow added to brighten it up is added to the back of the fish.
6. The pattern on the head is applied with white (for white I use Liquitex Gesso)
The pattern here seems random , but it follows a few Pumpkinseed specific rules.
A few of these lines are in the same spot on every Pumpkinseed. The line on the top of the gill flap leading toward the cheek, The line on the Bottom of the gill flap leading to the cheek, and the line in front of the eye below the nares.
Studying referance is key here.
7. The pattern on the bars on the top half of the fish are also done in white.
8. The pattern on the lower half of the fish are added, again in white.
9. After this another wash of Yellow Ocher is added. I try to keep in transparent, we are just tinting to add depth.
10. The patterns are again Highlighted in a Pearl (createx) and White blend to add depth.
A wash of Burnt Sienna is added to the fins.
11. The Pearl White blend is added to the scales at the fin butts as well is along the bely and into the fins. Many people miss the subtle scaling on the soft rayed fins, this detail adds a more complex realism.
12. I then added a thin wash of Cerulean Blue over the markings on the body, head and tail. I also applied a thin wash of gloss Medium to again add depth. A faint Interference Blue was added to the gill and cheek.
13. I again added another thin wash of Yellow Ocher as well as a faint Burnt Sienna over the fins. Being Subtle is key now, a little goes a long way.
14. Now the fun part. I added Iridescent tipping to many of the scales. Greens, Oranges, Violets and Blues were all used.
The markings only got tips of Blue and Green. I also added the markings on the fins with a Pearl White blend.
15. Guess what was next! Thats right another Yellow Ocher wash, very thin.
16. For the last stage I added the pelvic and pectoral fins and did any apoxie work and touch up in those spots. I also went over the fins with a Burnt Sienna and Medium Yellow blend to orange them up.
17. Last pictures after the gloss is applied. A bit better light in the last few shots.
I hope this is helpful for some of you.
Like I said before, This is how I do it and how it works best for me. That is the key in any art. What ever you have to do to get the desired effect is the right way.
Had this fish been a male I would have intensified the orange in the belly by adding a bit more red, and would have avoided the Yellow washes on the markings as well as making them a more Intense blue green.
Good Luck and have fun.
Josh
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Lake michigan, Sheboygan. october 6th
By joshua | October 18, 2007
WOW was it foggy and chilly out there!
We had trouble finding fish at first. We went out on the south pier first and turned around. The water was churned and muddy off of the lake side. I had plans of site fishing the schools of coho salmon and muddy water wouldn’t do, so we headed to the north pier.
On the north pier was saw a few large brown trout close to the wall, but no cohos at first. after an hour of walking the length of the pier i had my first coho move in after my shiner. after several swipes he decided to move off. At least it was a salmon.
I started scouting out further, it was hard to see but through the chop you could finally see some schools moving through. I spotted a likely fish and took my cast. I aimed about 40 feet in front of where the fish was, trying to time the sink rate of my bait with the speed of the fish hoping for a connection. Bingo! first fish on. A male coho 26″ still silver.
This game continued throughout the morning. My dad and I chasing pods of salmon up and down the pier. until around noon when they suddenly moved out in one massive school.
I ended up with 3 coho salmon 26″-31″ and one nice looking Shasta strain rainbow trout about 25″ she was molded the next day to add to my collection. Unfortunately luck was with me and not my dad, he went home empty handed. Next year we will hit the pier heads earlier now that we know the pattern. Ill make sure he walks off with a limit!
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New fish replicas avaliable
By joshua | October 18, 2007
I have just finished the first few production molds for my own line of fiberglass fish reproductions.
After the long hard task of collecting fish throughout the summer :D.
The slow process of molding the fish, Casting the master, then remolding for production is under way.
Each blank will be 2 sided and have all of the seam work and main fin work finished.
Due to the many preferences in eye styles I will leave this work for the artist.
I am listing them for sale on my website under the products for taxidermist heading.
http://www.knuthart.com/joshua/taxidermyproducts.html
Topics: taxidermy | No Comments »
White Bass on sept 17th
By joshua | September 20, 2007
I went fishing with my dad in Fond du Lac, Looking for White bass and Walleye.
The walleye were nowhere to be found, but after some work we got into a school of white bass.
We were using cut shad on a simple shotted line. the fish ranged from 12″-15″
Air temperature was in the 60s with a Light south wind. A warm front was moving in the following morning.
Here is My dad With one oour many fish
This weekend we are headed out on lake Michigan, Ill post another report on Sunday.
Topics: Fishing | No Comments »
Life List
By joshua | August 28, 2007
I am constantly on the lookout for additions to my fishing Lifelist.
I will be constantly updating my efforts as I explore new waters.
Topics: Fishing | No Comments »
Fishing Log
By joshua | August 28, 2007
I will be posting an ongoing fishing log, not only for my own records but for others who may be interested.
Topics: Fishing | No Comments »
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