Whew, finally finished this baby! This whopping 9 inch coyote skull (that's HUGE for a 'yote) was salvaged from a naturally deceased animal in Death Valley, Ca. This was a very old male with big snaggle teeth and a slightly crooked jaw; lots of personality in this fellow. Old age had broken some of his tiny incisors and cost him one teeny tiny tooth in the back lower jaw but the rest of his teeth are fairly perfect. I beetle-cleaned the skull, sterilized it, ran it through a degrease/drying process and cleaned the teeth with old dental tools to remove age-related buildup.

I hand-carved a sliver moon into the cranium and slightly widened the foramen magnum (aka the spine opening) so a very small LED light would fit inside. Then I hand-painted the skull in deep, rich shades of midnight blue that blends into almost black in places, and added a speckled 'star field' of paler blues, purples and a hint of white along the muzzle, cranium and brow. (He almost looks like he has freckles now...star freckles?) The paint darkens to almost black in the orbital sockets and at the muzzle (among other places) to add depth and accent the natural curvature of the skull.

Then I added some sparkle in the form of two dozen+ white Swarovski crystals (2mm and 1/2mm) to represent larger stars - these are scattered primarily on the cranium with a few of the smallest ones extending to the muzzle to even things out. The sharp white glitter of the crystals makes for a beautiful contrast against the deep blue.

The skull has been finished with a glass-like acrylic gloss coat to protect and provide a deep, reflective shine.

Lastly, the skull comes with a small LED light insert that fills the skull with yellow light. The light glows through the moon carving and even through the natural nerve openings in the eye sockets, creating a striking effect when the room lights are turned off. Put him on your coffee table, fire up that LED, turn off the overhead lights and watch your guests do a double take when they walk into the room. }:)

Bonus: 'Midnight Sky' comes with the black-stained pine display plaque seen in the photo. The underside of the plaque is engraved with my shop name, The Silver Caribou. The skull can sit on the plaque or be placed anywhere in your home separate from the plaque; this piece is quite versatile.

More info and photos can be found at the link below. You can of course make 'Midnight Sky' yours at that link, too. USA sales only.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/194315312/midnight-sky-paintedcarved-coyote-skull?