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Rehydrated and reformed my first fox face. I'm happy with how they turned out. They're such a cute marbled fox, I'm glad I was able to get their ears into a position I liked, and that I could reform their face a bit.
Such a cutie.
Yeah, this is real fur off of a real fox. This is a fur remnant from a pelt that was most likely used for garments, and instead of the face being thrown away I bought the face to repurpose it. For now as a decorative piece on my shelf of oddities, but I might turn them into a mask or something similar in the future.
Such a cutie.
Yeah, this is real fur off of a real fox. This is a fur remnant from a pelt that was most likely used for garments, and instead of the face being thrown away I bought the face to repurpose it. For now as a decorative piece on my shelf of oddities, but I might turn them into a mask or something similar in the future.
Category All / All
Species Vulpine (Other)
Size 1280 x 1070px
File Size 171 kB
Thank you! :D It's not that difficult once you get started, I was really nervous because I didn't want to accidentally rip it or anything, but it went pretty smoothly.
They definitely look better once they've been reformed, with their ears perked up all nice, ahaha. xD
If you'd like, the second post at the following link has good condensed info on how to rehydrate faces: http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,306501.msg2102502.html#msg2102502
One thing I was reading, and what I did, was to add a handfull of salt to the bowl of water I was rehydrating the face in (the salt works a bit like an anti-bacterial agent). I also wrapped a little bit of a damp paper towel around the nose/snout area and around the ears before I put it in the fridge. About eight hours later the face was good to go! To form the ears I cut triangles out of paper towel tubes so that the ears curved properly. Then I stuffed the head part itself with newspaper, and this morning (after about ten hours) I replaced it since the original newspaper was wet.
Hope that helps, if you're going to work on your fox face. :3
They definitely look better once they've been reformed, with their ears perked up all nice, ahaha. xD
If you'd like, the second post at the following link has good condensed info on how to rehydrate faces: http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,306501.msg2102502.html#msg2102502
One thing I was reading, and what I did, was to add a handfull of salt to the bowl of water I was rehydrating the face in (the salt works a bit like an anti-bacterial agent). I also wrapped a little bit of a damp paper towel around the nose/snout area and around the ears before I put it in the fridge. About eight hours later the face was good to go! To form the ears I cut triangles out of paper towel tubes so that the ears curved properly. Then I stuffed the head part itself with newspaper, and this morning (after about ten hours) I replaced it since the original newspaper was wet.
Hope that helps, if you're going to work on your fox face. :3
No problem! :D <3
I definitely recommend getting a face to try it out on first. Most faces you'll find being sold are discards and remnants, so they might have some faults to them (missing fur, cuts, etc) but they're a good starting point, I think.
I found that the leather on mine was really pliable after hydrating it. The ears felt really thick to me, and on my face there was some thicker skin at the base of the ears on the underside that I was worried wouldn't hydrate well, but after eight hours in the fridge it had gotten soft enough that I could manipulate it pretty easily. One thing that I also did while it was in the fridge, was I took it a couple of times to test how the leather was hydrating, just feeling through the bag how the stretch was. It let me open up the ears from their crinkly shape and get a feel to see if that thicker part of the ear was hydrating well.
One thing I'd recommend when you pull your face out of the bag after it's been hydrated, is to just gently start stretching it in a few directions, it'll help it limber up so you can form it better. :)
I definitely recommend getting a face to try it out on first. Most faces you'll find being sold are discards and remnants, so they might have some faults to them (missing fur, cuts, etc) but they're a good starting point, I think.
I found that the leather on mine was really pliable after hydrating it. The ears felt really thick to me, and on my face there was some thicker skin at the base of the ears on the underside that I was worried wouldn't hydrate well, but after eight hours in the fridge it had gotten soft enough that I could manipulate it pretty easily. One thing that I also did while it was in the fridge, was I took it a couple of times to test how the leather was hydrating, just feeling through the bag how the stretch was. It let me open up the ears from their crinkly shape and get a feel to see if that thicker part of the ear was hydrating well.
One thing I'd recommend when you pull your face out of the bag after it's been hydrated, is to just gently start stretching it in a few directions, it'll help it limber up so you can form it better. :)
Thank you! :D I was hoping to shape it up properly. I didn't want to overwork it since I didn't know how the leather would hold up to me manhandling it, but for the next face I work on I'm going to do a paper mache form to reform it on, hopefully to give it a more realistic look.
I'm wanting to make either this face, or another, into a mask more for personal reasons if anything, but I definitely wouldn't be wearing it, well, at most places. I think the only places you can safely wear fur masks or costumes using animal parts are places like Renaissance faires and similar conventions. But that's pretty okay with me, like I said its more of a personal thing. :3
I'm wanting to make either this face, or another, into a mask more for personal reasons if anything, but I definitely wouldn't be wearing it, well, at most places. I think the only places you can safely wear fur masks or costumes using animal parts are places like Renaissance faires and similar conventions. But that's pretty okay with me, like I said its more of a personal thing. :3
Ah, sorry, that comment was for another comment but for some reason FA posted to yours? D:
Thank you! :D Aww the ears were my favorite part, I'm so happy they came out looking so cute. xD I'm glad to hear you like them too.
Aw man, I am sorely tempted to say that if you do plan on selling that red fox, you should let me know. ;)
Thank you! :D Aww the ears were my favorite part, I'm so happy they came out looking so cute. xD I'm glad to hear you like them too.
Aw man, I am sorely tempted to say that if you do plan on selling that red fox, you should let me know. ;)
It is definitely not something for everyone. My dad is fine with it, my mom is okay unless faces are involved, because I guess then it becomes 'more real', and that's something I totally understand. :)
I'm just starting out, ahaha, but it is really amazing to me to work with a fur and help it return to at least some of its former shape.
For a face like this, it'll still be a bit floppy after drying. Once I pull the paper out from inside the only parts that will have dried hard enough to support themselves are the ears, the snout/muzzle area, and around the eyes a bit. The back of the head, the sides where the cheeks are, and between the ears is softer and more floppy, so without support it will lay almost flat. I'm planning on work with another face in a bit where I will make a face-form from paper mache, that way the face will have support to keep its full form even when placed on a flat surface, and I'll make one for this face as well.
I'm just starting out, ahaha, but it is really amazing to me to work with a fur and help it return to at least some of its former shape.
For a face like this, it'll still be a bit floppy after drying. Once I pull the paper out from inside the only parts that will have dried hard enough to support themselves are the ears, the snout/muzzle area, and around the eyes a bit. The back of the head, the sides where the cheeks are, and between the ears is softer and more floppy, so without support it will lay almost flat. I'm planning on work with another face in a bit where I will make a face-form from paper mache, that way the face will have support to keep its full form even when placed on a flat surface, and I'll make one for this face as well.
Ooh, rehydrating? I've never thought of that!
I have a coyote pelt given to me by a friend from work, maybe I should try that. Such a beautiful girl, though she has a few holes I ought to patch up to reinforce it.
Didja just use water? And-- Is that paper you used to stuff with to reshape?
I have a coyote pelt given to me by a friend from work, maybe I should try that. Such a beautiful girl, though she has a few holes I ought to patch up to reinforce it.
Didja just use water? And-- Is that paper you used to stuff with to reshape?
You could definitely try it, just make sure you only rehydrate the head part when you go to reshape it. It'll give the face a much nicer look. xD
Before you start, I do recommend snipping a small/tiny piece of pelt off and soaking that in water for a few minutes. Then give that piece of hide a pull, like you are trying to stretch it. If it starts ripping, you might not want to rehydrate it, but if it stays in one piece you should be fine. The reason is, sometimes the way a pelt was tanned can cause the hide to be weakened when wet. I have a wolverine paw I didn't reshape all the way, because the hide was so weakened when it was wet, it was ripping each time I tried to stretch it.
Here's a link you might find helpful: http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,306501.msg2102502.html#msg2102502
You're going to want to use room-temperature water with salt in it (the salt help keep bacteria from growing on the pelt and possibly causing the fur to fall out). After the face soaks for around 10 minutes, wrap it in plastic and put it in a fridge overnight (or for at least four-five hours, that worked for me). Then you can use paper/newspaper to help reshape it. That's what I did. :D I switched out the paper about four hours into drying, and then left it there for about a day for the hide to really dry well.
Hope that helps!
Also, I'm jealous that you have a coyote pelt. xD I'm hoping to save up to get one for myself for my birthday. x3
Before you start, I do recommend snipping a small/tiny piece of pelt off and soaking that in water for a few minutes. Then give that piece of hide a pull, like you are trying to stretch it. If it starts ripping, you might not want to rehydrate it, but if it stays in one piece you should be fine. The reason is, sometimes the way a pelt was tanned can cause the hide to be weakened when wet. I have a wolverine paw I didn't reshape all the way, because the hide was so weakened when it was wet, it was ripping each time I tried to stretch it.
Here's a link you might find helpful: http://www.taxidermy.net/forum/index.php/topic,306501.msg2102502.html#msg2102502
You're going to want to use room-temperature water with salt in it (the salt help keep bacteria from growing on the pelt and possibly causing the fur to fall out). After the face soaks for around 10 minutes, wrap it in plastic and put it in a fridge overnight (or for at least four-five hours, that worked for me). Then you can use paper/newspaper to help reshape it. That's what I did. :D I switched out the paper about four hours into drying, and then left it there for about a day for the hide to really dry well.
Hope that helps!
Also, I'm jealous that you have a coyote pelt. xD I'm hoping to save up to get one for myself for my birthday. x3
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