Online Course: Skinning & Tanning
Online! Join us for this live 2-night demonstration seminar on skinning and tanning with Allis Markham.
*We have included a lower price and a slightly higher one in order to support students in different situations during this time. Pick the one that works for your budget; there is NO difference in the course experience.
This is an introductory course where students will learn the correct techniques for museum-level mammal skinning and tanning (leatherization) of specimens for taxidermy.
This is not a hands-on workshop, and you do not need anything at home. This is an in-depth demonstration and presentation course. While students will not participate physically or take home any pieces, they will be given a comprehensive lesson on the most important step in taxidermy: proper skin preparation.
Students will also be sent a follow-up email with a recording of the course, a PDF copy of the presentations, a step list, a supply list, and a list of resources discussed in the course.
Course Curriculum
Night 1
- Presentation on overall prep and skinning types
- Mammal skinning step-by-step demonstration (Likely baby Raccoon specimen)
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- Initial Incision
- Skinning
- Removal of all toes
- Tail skinning
- Facial Skinning
- Opening ears
- Splitting of the nose, eyelids, and lips
- Whisker work
- Salting
- Q&A
Night 2
- Class 1 Recap
- Fleshing demonstration
- Tanning overall process presentation
- Tanning demonstration
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- Acid pickling
- Fleshing / skin prep while in pickle
- Tanning & neutralizing
- Washing & degreasing
- Oiling
- Review of materials for students (Copy of tanning formula, recordings, step-by-step PDF, supply list, and resources.)
- Q&A
This course is open to students of all ages. Please be aware that we will be demonstrating on actual dead specimens. We will send an email the week of the course to confirm all information about how to watch live on ZOOM. The day after the course, all students will receive a link to watch the recorded course videos which will be live for at least a year.