Dermestid Beetles for Artists: Animal Skull Art

Animal skull art is an art form inspired by mother nature that uses bone as the canvas. Animal skulls are used in art through a variety of means. From carving to painting, and glass mosaic work to mixed media art, animal skull art is used in a wide range of creative expressions. However, before the animal skull can become art, dermestid beetles for artists from the best beetle seller must be used to remove all the flesh from the skull until it is in the right state to be used in artwork.

Why are Dermestid Beetles for Artists Prefered Over Boiling Skulls?

There are several reasons why artists prefer using dermestid beetles to clean animal skulls over the boiling method. First of all, boiling skulls can damage that delicate honeycomb-like crevice of fine bones found in the nostril cavity and around the eye sockets–the most noticeable parts of the skull. In addition, boiling allows the fat to soak into the bone giving the skull a yellow color. On the other hand, dermestid beetles for artists are ideal because they eat away every last remnant of flesh and fat–even the miniscule pieces in the nostril cavity. This is ideal because every part of the skull is completely cleaned, with no damage occurring, and the skull’s natural color is kept giving artists a fresh, natural look for artists to use as a base.

Dermestid Beetles Should be Part of Any Artist’s Supply Kit

Just as you have your paints, brushes, carving tools, mosaic pieces, beads, and other objects used to create animal skull art, dermestid beetles are equally important to your ability to produce flawless, perfect works of art. And like your paints and brushes, quality is everything. So when it comes to prepping the skulls for artistic expression, you will need high-quality dermestid beetles to get the animal skulls completely cleaned, in the most efficient manner. 

Artists Use Dermestid Beetles for Symbolic Purposes

In addition to using beetles as a process for cleaning and preparing the skull for art, animal skulls artists also use the beetles as part of their artistic expression. Animal skull art is traditionally used in art genres that include western, Santa Fe art, native art, industrial art, and organic art. However, animal skulls have also been used in modern and abstract art. One thing all of these genres have in common when animal skulls are the central canvas is the natural, organic mode of cleaning–the very thing that enabled the birth of the canvas. The beetles can take on a variety of symbolic gestures that artists transition into their work, and into the very meaning of the art, the story it tells, and what it stands for. That said, when you use dermestid beetles to clean the animal skulls you intend to use in your artwork, they become artistic tools but also a part of the artistic process itself. 

Dermestid Beetles are Ideal for Skull Carving Artists

One of the hottest artistic forms in animal skull art is carving, and when it comes to carving animal skulls the lace carving technique is at the height of popularity. Skull carving and the lace technique requires a set of very fine cutting tools capable of intricate, miniscule cuts at varying degrees of depth, and in many cases some staining is introduced. 

The first thing artists need to secure is the quality of their canvas. Just as a traditional painter will choose to create his art on a pristine, high-quality canvas that will absorb the paint correctly, a skull artist must make sure his canvas of bone is completely clean and free from damage, and also ensure the skull is in the right shape to embracing each carved stroke without splintering or fracturing. When novice artists boil animal skulls in preparation for carving, the integrity of the bone is weakened and a yellowing color develops giving the piece a sickly look. Boiling also increases the chance of cracking when the artist goes to carve the skull. However, dermestid beetles clean the skull completely, without damaging bone density or integrity, and this method also enables the bone to keep its natural white color. Skulls that have been cleaned using dermestid beetles simply result in better quality carvings than those that have been boiled, and this is why experienced artists invest in dermestid beetles from trusted sellers like Kodiak Bugs & Bones. 

Artists Use Dermestid Beetles for Animal Skull Art Painting

Experienced animal skull artists use dermestid beetles for the cleaning process not just because the integrity of the bone is protected, but because this cleaning method enables paint to better take to the skull. When animal skulls are boiled, the skull is left with a texture that’s more slick and flat. When the skull is cleaned using dermestid beetles every miniscule nook and cranny is preserved, as is the porous surface, and this is exactly the best surface for absorbing paint without streaking or running. 

If You are an Animal Skull Artist, Call Kodiak Bugs & Bones for the Best Dermestid Beetles 

For over a decade Kodiak Bugs & Bones has been supplying the best dermestid beetle colonies to skull artists for flawless cleaning and preparation. All beetle colonies are disease-free, clean, healthy, and come with everything an artist needs to raise a thriving colony that will last them throughout their artistic career. Call today to learn how we support animal skull artists, and discover how dermestid beetles will help you take your artwork to the next level.