Question about the APA Standard of Perfection

[Chris09]

Quote:
That is true.
It says that right in the front of the SOP.

Quote of the 2001 APA American Standard of Perfection (Page 1):
The color pictures in the standard of Perfection are the artist's interpretation of the written description of each breed and variety portrayed. Their purpose is to give a general idea of each bird. DO NOT take these portraits as examples of the perfect specimen. The written text is the description of the ideal bird.

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Chris​

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

About a half hour ago I came across a very good example of why paintings can be better than photographs.

I was outside planting flowers by the pool when I heard a lot of cheeping. My initial thought was that an older chick who is in a cage on the porch was unhappy about something. I wanted to get finished before the rain changed from a light sprinkle to something more, so I finished up as I kept hearing the cheeping. Finally done I stood up and turned around. A small bird of a kind I have never seen in my yard was the one cheeping, not my chick. It was perched on the diving board of the pool, but flew around and perched at the edge of the pool, then flew around and landed several times. A very small bird, light build, pure black on head, back, wings and tail with a blindingly white belly. A little bit of a crest, like a cardinal or blue jay, but slightly smaller than either of those. Looked like a small bird in a cutaway tailcoat.

I have a bird book that is arranged by bird colour, so I looked in the black and white section and found a photo of a bird that might be the correct one, but the colours looked to meld together, not to be stark black against stark white, and it looked like there might be brown in the plumage. Nothing else was even close. So, I came over to the computer, went to whatbird.com and looked up the bird. BINGO! The painting was an exactmatch for the bird I had seen. http://identify.whatbird.com/obj/169/_/Black_Phoebe.aspx

 

[Professional]

Quote:
Yes, some of the new artists are real artists, not cartoon illustrators, but as I understand it, only varieties which have not previously been depicted will be in the new edition, leaving all of the current ones to stay the same. How long will this go on for? I think that there should be some time limit on how long a sponsor of a standard drawing has the "right" to have it published in subsequent issues, especially those drawings which do not depict the variety well.

The black and white touch ups are great, for the chickens, but the waterfowl leave a lot to be desired. Some of it has to do with the fact that many of the waterfowl breeds were not in such a high state of perfection in Schilling's time as they are today, and so the examples shown are of a very primitive type, but it almost hurts to go from looking at his chickens to his waterfowl.

BTW, why are you not on TPC?

 

[Professional]

Quote:
Then you don't understand Schilling's work. Best of both worlds.

 

[Pathfinders]

IMO, it's always best to go by the written part. The illustrations are just that, illustrations. And the best way to develop one's eye is to look at birds with an experienced breeder. If you go to a show most breeders are more than happy to give you tips and help you see what you need to see, which you can't do from a picture no matter how wonderful it is.

 

[slc]

I thought that was funny too. However it is true. My rooster looks at me like there is more going on up there than any of the other chickens.

pips&peeps :

I love the ameraucana description that says the eyes must be "expressive". WTH???

I guess I'll buy some falsies for the next show and teach my gals how to blink them.......

 

[lildinkem]

I guess everyone has an idea of what a medium comb is.

 

[NYREDS]

I've never been quite sure what the "politics" is that is so often cited as a criticism of poultry shows but that's probably due to my own limitations.
I found the last post a little hard to follow butI'll try to respond in part. A bird is evaluated on it's totality not just on a single part. Assuming a bird described as having a medium comb displayed a larger [huge!] comb. That's a cut of I believe 1-2 points-don't have my standard here. Anyway if that bird was otherwise the best in the class the size of the comb would not keep it from being best of breed.
I would offer the same suggestion I always offer to critics of judges & judging. Get in the apprentice program & get your license. I'm sure the fancy would benefit from having at least one judge that knows what they're doing.

 

[lildinkem]

In my Schutzhund doggy club, our trainer has us fighting for those lost 2 points. And IF in our control, we should do the same.

 

[HallFamilyFarm]

Expressing your thoughts on this forum is good. Better is expressing your thoughts to your APA District Director!