Sheep Eye!

[popeshawnpaul]

I was talking about this with Michelle the other night.  I wanted to illustrate my point.  Sheep eye.  They are flame orange and impossible to copy.  We have some talented taxidermists on this site.  Bucklucky did an amazing job on my dad's elk.  Elkstuffer did an amazing job on my moose.  

I wanted to show people what a sheep eye looks like.  This is the first thing I see on a sheep now.  Like people, there are differences in individual's eyes.  Some sheep are more orange than others but most are like this.  The first 5 years I was into sheep I never noticed this and now it's the first thing I notice.

How do you taxidermists copy this eye?  I think the "life" feeling you get form a mount comes from the details and the eye.  Anyone know how to duplicate this?  

[popeshawnpaul]

Here is a clearer version.  Love how you can see the sky, mountains, and bushes in the glare.

[Ballance1]

call Vandykes or another eye company to see if they can replicate it. 

[cabin308]

Awesome pictures pope!  Great clarity and the reflection you captured in the eye is stunning.  Interesting appearance of the inner eye, looks like fluffy chocolate pudding or lumpy gravy  .

[NWBREW]

  gravey  Nice pics....I never realized that before.

[popeshawnpaul]

Do any of the taxidermists have pictures of the eyes they use on sheep?  I would be interested to find out how close they are.  I don't think I have never seen a 100% spot on eye in a mount before with sheep. 

[RyanD]

Hey Pope,  I am not a taxidermist at all but I took a quick look at Mckenzies and here is what they have for sheep eyes.

http://www.mckenziesp.com/Sheep-C1666.aspx

[BLKBEARKLR]

Pope, I dont think any painted eye will ever match the real thing. On a painted eye it is what it is, you will never have the depth that a real eye contains.

I picked out a couple for you that were somewhat close.

[bow4elk]

I know some incredible model makers who could probably replicate this amazing detail, but it would take considerable trail and error.  The samples shown just have an airbrushed iris, which takes away the depth you're after, I think.

[coachcw]

killer shots, any artist out there ?

[carpsniperg2]

i think BLKBEARKLR  hit the nail on the head hard to truely reproduce it like mother nature can awsome photos
 

[popeshawnpaul]

Pope, I dont think any painted eye will ever match the real thing. On a painted eye it is what it is, you will never have the depth that a real eye contains.

I picked out a couple for you that were somewhat close.

The top eye matches the best for me.  These are better than most I see on sheep.  Do a lot of people not use sheep eyes when mounting them?  I see some that aren't orange at all.

[heavy hauler]

great pics pope

[BLKBEARKLR]

Pope, I dont think any painted eye will ever match the real thing. On a painted eye it is what it is, you will never have the depth that a real eye contains.

I picked out a couple for you that were somewhat close.

The top eye matches the best for me.  These are better than most I see on sheep.  Do a lot of people not use sheep eyes when mounting them?  I see some that aren't orange at all.

I think a lot of times they won't spend the money for higher quality, but to also defend the taxidermist world, every year the supplies are getting better and the quality is higher....

[Michelle_Nelson]

Pope sheep are a rare thing in any taxidermy shop.  Most will not keep sheep eyes on hand.  They order them as they get them in to mount.  Their are several different Sheep eyes on the market.  Some will be closer then others.  Like I told you befor not all sheep are going to have the same color of eye.  They will be diffent shades.  Everyone has their preferance.