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A couple years ago I purchased a mountain lion, 3 x 29 x 49. Then I got a form from HQ, MTL-848L. I couldn’t get the skin over the head because it was so big. But I did think about getting a change out head to save it. Then as I continued I saw that also the skin would not fit around the upper front legs or the upper rear legs so I could sew it up. I didn’t figure I could return it being that I had screwed it together.
Fast forward to last week. I got a form from Research. It was a 2-1/2 x 29 x 42 (L-401) I figured I could extend the length of the form a couple inches to make up for the difference in the length. The skin did go over the head so that was encouraging at least but I still ended up with the same problem with the front and rear legs being too big around for the skin to fit as well as not being able to pull the skin down around the chest area well. I tried to stretch it but it will not reach. (It was cast as one piece and has not been altered; it is exactly as I received it.)
Maybe I just need to vent my frustrations! I know some form alterations are normal but as many of you know, I am only a hobbyist. I am hesitant to start cutting up/shaving the form that I may end up with a huge piece of foam that I will have to cart to the landfill.
So now I have $700.00+ in forms that are worthless to me (along with a skin that I can’t find a form to fit it). My lion is a female. Is there a difference in the way they are sculpted? I never had that problem with a fox or raccoon regardless of whether it was male or female.
Vic
They will need altered no getting away from it, no 2 animals are alike and those forms are sculpted from a particular animal , there isn’t anything that I mount that doesn’t get altered
May 6, 2012
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Vic, your frustration is warranted! Felines are always a challenge. there is a fine line between proper form alteration that allows for all the loose skin that needs to show. the skin, and hair patterns are a road map you need to follow, as you adjust the form to the skin, and not the skin to the form. start at the easiest place, the feet. they are weight bearing, and you need to show that. move up each leg following the hair pattern. then move to the tail and head. Cat’s have “heavy tails”. Once you have those 6 things fitting and correct, move to the body. Alter for proper length, and your girth should have much loose skin. that’s what you want. after tucking the legs, it is just using some old school methods to fill and shape to duplicate the loose skin to finish your mount. Hope this helps Vic
Thanks for the information Marshy Creek. For the time being I have put the skin back in the freezer (in a sealed bag of course). I think I need to work on doing alterations on medium mammals a couple times before I start carving up this cat. Not that I have money to burn but if I mess up that form too badly it is a lot less expensive than the cat form. I guess like most things, after you do it a couple times it becomes sort of routine and you don’t think/worry about it too much. I am not there yet.
Vic
May 6, 2012
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Vic, I hope this picture helps with my reply about loose skin, and the advice about starting at the feet and making them weight Bering. Notice the fat deposits in the cats chest. that needs to be carried into the body after proper leg alterations. you must have proper weight bearing on the legs and feet to pull of a quality cat mount
Thanks for the photos and explanation Marshy Creek. I had a good idea of what you were talking about from our house cat. He has a lot of loose skin himself. Anyways, the chest area is still too big for this female I have. Right now I will just wait until I practice doing more serious alterations on less expensive forms before I attempt this one.
Vic
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