# Poor man's trophies!



## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Hey I thought I would share a couple of coyote skulls I cleaned and painted!
The first one I just tried to do an exaggerated skeleton look!










Then this one I originally planned on doing a metallic finish so I picked up some copper paint!
Then I started thinking, copper paint + coyote head = copperhead coyote!

So I attempted a copperhead snake patter! I had a good scale pattern at first but after a few touch ups they all but disappeared! 
I think it turned out okay but I learned some tips for next time!


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## fulch (Apr 2, 2013)

Those look great. I really like the first one.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Well done.


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 29, 2010)

Cool 1st one gets my vote as well. Wonder what it would look like with suspended eyes!! that maybe glowed red in the dark.Now you got me thinking.


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## sneakygroundbuzzard (Nov 1, 2012)

very cool

i like them both but the second one i think is the better of the two

it just a looks a little prehistoric painted like that


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## huntertibbs (Feb 15, 2013)

That's a cool idea, I'll have to give that a shot one of these days.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice work JJ, those are pretty cool !


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## fr3db3ar (Aug 6, 2011)

I may finally know what to do with my 3 year old skull puzzles. Nice work.

Sent from somewhere in the space time continuum.


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

Look'in good JJ. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

awprint:


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## jimmy shutt (Jun 2, 2013)

sweet looks good


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## Fitz (Jul 12, 2012)

Very cool! I've got a hog skull in the freezer. Waiting for my beetles to multiply a little more to clean it.
I like them both. The teeth really stand out on that first one!

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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks for the kind words guys!
I enjoy the creative side and I like the affordable trophies!

Fitz I got my hands on a few hog skulls recently and just finished on this past weekend. I tried to make it look like a live hog but it almost took on a wood grain look!


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

That is awesome! !!


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## Fitz (Jul 12, 2012)

I agree with Ruger!!!

Do you boil your skulls or do you use beetles?

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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks guys!

Fitz I use water maceration! 
When I first started researching the process of cleaning a skull I spoke with a guy who did it professionally with beetles! He suggested I not boil them if I was gonna handle them at all! He said boiling will weaken the bone structure significantly! 
I also have had some folks suggest placing the skull on an ant mound. 
Not only do they not really do much to it but if they build their mound around it the dirt can stain the bone.

Water maceration takes awhile, requires a lot of picking and smells pretty bad, but it gets it done!


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## Fitz (Jul 12, 2012)

Oh ok. I can't wait to test my beetles out! I've put birds in there and they clean 3-4 birds in 36 hours. Depending on how long they've gone without eating.

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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Well be warned! The gentleman who assisted me said his beetles got spoiled!
I don't know if it was something he did or if it just happened!
He said, in the beginning, in between skull cleanings they would be fine feeding on a hotdog or two! After some time they wouldn't touch them!
They developed an expensive appetite!


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## Fitz (Jul 12, 2012)

Ha ha ha ok thank you! I've been feeding them raw meat mostly. A couple pieces of bacon or old lunch meat too but mostly raw.

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## Beta (Mar 3, 2014)

Fantastic, I like them both, and the hog! I've saved a few deer skulls just because with a bit of laziness by just hanging them in a tree in the woods for a couple of years but, the sun would bleached the antlers out. Any real mounts I've done, I'd boil with Sal Soda. Arm & Hammer Washing Soda works too, not to be confused with Baking Soda though. Next time I'll have to break out the airbrush and paint one now!


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Hey guys I thought I would share the other skulls I have finished.
Now go easy on me! These were basically training aids!
I was learning how the bone accepted different types of paints and different techniques!

This one was given to me as a cleaned skull. The guy cleaned it and the bleached it with bleach! Then he wrapped it in a plastic bag and put it in the barn for about five years! The bone is very similar to chalk! In fact the glue holding the teeth in would attach itself to the bone and then the layer of bone would just separate from the skull.
I could scratch a hole through the skull with my fingernail! But, it served it's purpose as something to paint! 
I was going for a "HOGZILLA" look but some have called it a hog zombie!


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

This one I started by trying to mimic cow skin but it just didn't look right.
This was also my first attempt at highlighting the cracks in the bone! That didn't really work out either! It was WAY to intense! 
But again, it was a great lesson learned!


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

This one was in pretty bad shape when I found it in the field! You can see where the squirrels chewed on it a bit just over the eyes!
On this one I wanted to try to get better at highlighting the cracks in the bone! I had a coyote skull almost done cleaning that I wanted to try this effect on! So that is pretty much all I did!
As I got further along and it started to develop, I added a bit of shading to give it an enhanced skull look!
It turned out okay but again, I learned a lot!


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

And then I just had to do a Texas themed one! 
I also tried a different application technique on this one!


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks Beta!
You may be able to bring some life back into the sun bleached skulls with some wood stain on the antlers!
It is worth a shot anyway! 
Make sure to post some pics of your finished products!


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*Great Idea JJ---Boy you've been busy---looking good----------sb*


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

They all look good, congrats.


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## Fitz (Jul 12, 2012)

That dark skull looks awesome!!!

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## Butchman205 (Jun 9, 2014)

JJ that is very very cool! Awesome idea, and it's very cool to see art concepts working through the maturation process. Normally we just see a finished work, and have no idea of the many steps which led the artist to their final presentation. Then we either dig it or not.

Very cool to see your concept growing. Very cool indeed.


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## fulch (Apr 2, 2013)

Looking awesome, keep em coming. I really like the recent dark one, has a mid-evil look


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks for the kind words guys!
I enjoy playing around being creative and sharing the ideas and their results with others!

Butchman205 I very much appreciate the compliment but I wouldn't consider myself an artist! I'm not that talented!
I just like to play around a bit!


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## Beta (Mar 3, 2014)

Very cool! The brown and white/cow skin looks pretty nice, but that black/grey one is awesome too! All I have for paint is Polytranspar water based on hand for my airbrush. Not a lot of experience with it either but I'll have to try it out for fun.


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Beta I have been looking at air brush rigs! That would really open up one's options! 
Make sure to let us know how it goes!


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Hey guys I thought I would share another hog skull I finished!
The photos don't really show it but the paints are metallic!
Chrome base coat with a copper highlight top coat!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice looking scull ! Did you boil it or use beetles.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Those are DYN-O-MITE... "JJ"


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Very nice indeed. Thanks for sharing.


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

They are all good looking skulls. One day I will have to try and paint one myself.


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks for the kind words guys!

Youngdon I use water maceration! It is a bit time consuming but is gentle on the bones! It stinks but it works!


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Hey guys I thought I would share a couple more skulls I finished up!

This one is a small hog skull that I tried a new marbling technique on! It was really a learning process but I think it turned out okay!









This is a cow skull a buddy's dad had in their barn since he was a kid. He is in his 50s now!
This one was fun!


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Really nice work, thanks for sharing.


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

It has been a while since I had time to mess with any skulls! Life has been busy lately!
I finally got a cheap air brush rig and played with it a bit! I still have a lot to learn with it but I managed to try another copperhead coyote skull so I thought I would share!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice work JJ !


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## catcapper (Feb 11, 2010)

:thumbsup:

awprint:


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Looking real fine.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*i WANT ONE ----NICE WORK MY FRIEND-------------SB*


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks guys!
I really enjoy playing around with them!

SB we may have to work out something out! ????


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

Nice looking coyote skull. How did you get the snake skin look painted on there?


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks dwtrees!
Fish net stockings! ???? Then you just paint from the appropriate directions with the appropriate color so that the back side of each scale is darker then the front to add depth!

You should see the look the clerk gives you when you purchase fish net stockings and 4 bottles of hydrogen peroxide! ????


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Here is my latest skull.
Digital camo skull!


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Again nice.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

They sure are cool looking... Your a great that doer! ????


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*GREAT JOB!!!!!!!!!*


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Unique, but I like the snake look even more.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

You're an artist JJ , NICE JOB ..


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Here is my attempt at digital camo and my first raccoon skull. I have seen a few raccoon skulls done and thought they looked nice! Pretty fierce! The smaller size skull also made the intricate details of the digital pattern a little more manageable!
I think it turned out okay but I learned a bit during the process!


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

C2C said:


> You're an artist JJ , NICE JOB ..


Thank ya sir!
I like to play around with them and try different techniques. It is all a learning process!
I appreciate the feed back!


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Nice work, nice set of dentures on that one.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Nice...


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## "JJ" (Aug 6, 2011)

Thanks guys!

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## Bigdrowdy1 (Jan 29, 2010)

Awesome work JJ.


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## slingitcustoms (Nov 6, 2015)

:thumbsup: nice work!


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