Where to buy a skull cast in the UK?

**redscraps** · August 4th, 2010, 02:58 PM

As the title says. I'm in the mood for doing some long observational drawings, and I'd like to get a skull cast but I can't seem to find any store that actually stocks these things. Been searching over an hour too.

Anyone who is somewhat more familiar the subject know where I could order these? It'd be greatly appreciated.

Edit: plastic and cheap is fine, but even that seems to be nigh impossible to find.

**OmenSpirits** · August 4th, 2010, 03:03 PM

search harder next time.

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Human-SKULL-an...item1e5bd99d67

**LORD M** · August 4th, 2010, 03:05 PM

5 seconds in google. These ones are actually pretty good looking, might buy from here in the future.

http://skeletonsandmore.com/cart/ind...ex&cPath=60_28

**redscraps** · August 4th, 2010, 05:22 PM

OmenSpirits: Thank you. I didn't even think of looking on Ebay for this kind of thing, though I suppose it would be the first stop. I tried looking at online art stores instead.

Honest mistake, really :p

Lord M: great site, unfortunately in the US. The royal mail can't get an order to student apartment inside a month when the delivery takes three days from Amazon.co.uk , so I am not too hopeful - though I'd love to shop there.

**Nubian_Greene** · August 5th, 2010, 05:48 AM

anatomy tools,previously freedom-of-teach make great stuff.

http://anatomytools.com/products/skeletons/?show=skulls

I ordered an anatomy figure from there,but that was years ago when the exchange rate was great,and they didn't charge import tax and it was free international delivery (hard to believe ey?)

**brianvds** · August 5th, 2010, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Nubian_Greene

anatomy tools,previously freedom-of-teach make great stuff.

http://anatomytools.com/products/skeletons/?show=skulls

I ordered an anatomy figure from there,but that was years ago when the exchange rate was great,and they didn't charge import tax and it was free international delivery (hard to believe ey?)

If you think YOU are screwed by the exchange rate, try living here in South Africa. Most of these wonderful things I see on the web are way out of my budget. And they don't make anything of the sort here. Heck, I asked local art supply shops where I could find plaster casts to draw from, and they had no idea what I'm talking about. I asked the lecturers at the local university's art department the same question, and they looked at me like I'm from Mars.

Lucky for us there are nowadays plenty of very good books and online images available, and one always has oneself as a model. Those anatomical models are marvelous tools, but they are hopefully not absolutely essential. If I ever find out that they are, I'm going to become a grave robber, that's what.

**Qitsune** · August 5th, 2010, 05:52 PM

You can try the coop store of a university that has a medical faculty. THey might even hae full plastic skeletons and hands and feet.

**Psychotime** · August 5th, 2010, 09:03 PM

Goodness knows that when I finally start looking for a good one I'mma try to go a cheap as I can.

**brianvds** · August 6th, 2010, 07:26 AM

Originally Posted by Qitsune

You can try the coop store of a university that has a medical faculty. THey might even hae full plastic skeletons and hands and feet.

Hmm, now there's an idea. Not sure what such things would cost, mind you. But it is certainly worth looking into...

**redscraps** · August 8th, 2010, 04:23 PM

It shouldn't cost very much. After all, they're there for med students to take home and study as well- that's why they're made. They're bound to have cheap ones sold at the faculty for the students.

**LORD M** · August 8th, 2010, 06:06 PM

I bought the male figure version 3 from that site anatomytools.com and I can say it was worth every cent (even though I live in Europe and had to pay extra taxes and shit and it came out expensive). it is incredibly detailed and I have looked up other anatomy models on various sites and none have been as impressive as this one. I have constant use for it And it is a lot taller then you can imagine it to be, I am still quite baffled over how large it is, it is like a miniature human (with no skin) posing for me 24/7. And by drawing from life and studying depth and foreshortening with it I have learnt a great deal that I suspect would have taken longer to understand for me otherwise.

I hope I don't sound like someone posting on sites to do commercial for things like this - but I can really recommend it if you got the money for it.

**brianvds** · August 9th, 2010, 07:31 AM

Something I would at this point like almost as much, if not actually more than, a skull, is a good model of the pelvic girdle. Or even just an online virtual one that can be rotated so I can see how all the bones fit together. The problem with anatomy books is that they all show it from the front and from the side, but seldom with any other views, so I can't form a clear 3D image of it in my head. If I have to draw a skeleton in "three quarter" view, I'd be completely lost when it comes to the pelvic area.

**LORD M** · August 9th, 2010, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by brianvds

Something I would at this point like almost as much, if not actually more than, a skull, is a good model of the pelvic girdle. Or even just an online virtual one that can be rotated so I can see how all the bones fit together. The problem with anatomy books is that they all show it from the front and from the side, but seldom with any other views, so I can't form a clear 3D image of it in my head. If I have to draw a skeleton in "three quarter" view, I'd be completely lost when it comes to the pelvic area.

Ah yes I know what you mean, I had a great trouble understanding it in space - untill I saw this video on youtube showing the simplified forms of the pelvis right beside a highly lifelike model:

**B u r l** · August 9th, 2010, 12:00 PM

The member bjorn sells his own casts. You can view them at www.cast-drawing.com

**bjoern3000** · August 10th, 2010, 02:11 AM

Thanks Burl!

Yeah this is true. I´ve looked for affordable drawing casts when I made my cast drawings but only found suppliers in the US and very few in Europe. I could not afford those just for one or two time drawing them. Those are more for ateliers where different students can use them over and over again.

I thought "But what, if I need a cast only one or two times and have a low budget as young people always have?". Then I made my own casts. I made molds of it and now I sell them for all interested in the classical atelier approach. There are more casts to come as well as other drawing supplies like fine paper and charcoal.

I´d be glad if could help those with an interest in cast drawing.

**brianvds** · August 10th, 2010, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by LORD M

Ah yes I know what you mean, I had a great trouble understanding it in space - untill I saw this video on youtube showing the simplified forms of the pelvis right beside a highly lifelike model:

Thanks, that does indeed look quite useful. It is just the kind of thing I had been trying to come up with myself, but it is difficult to do when you don't have a 3D model to begin with!