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For centuries, animals and humans have been preserved for sport, religion and tradition.

Taxidermy - the art of creating lifelike models from real specimens - was initially popular during Queen Victoria's reign, but the science has seen a resurgence in recent times.

And those in the business of stuffing dead creatures are now said to make around $600 million (£382 million) in the US alone.

I'm late! Taxidermy - the art of creating lifelike models from real specimens - was initially popular during Victorian times, but the science has seen a resurgence recently. This mouse has been styled as the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland

Amanda Sutton runs workshops at Bart's Pathology Museum in London to teach people about taxidermy, including the history and science behind the hobby. 

The origins of taxidermy are linked with tanneries in England during the 19th century, she explained.

One of the most prominent taxidermists - and Ms Sutton's inspiration - was Walter Potter, who was among the first people to dress up preserved animals in costumes. 

Reports also claim Captain James Cook, who brought the first kangaroo skin back to London in 1771, as well as naturalist Charles Darwin were early proponents of the art. And Mr Darwin is even rumoured to have learnt the skill from a Guyanese slave. 

'I love museums and taxidermy in general, but I fell in love with the Walter Potter collection when I was little,' Ms Sutton told MailOnline. 

'My parents took me on holiday one year, where we visited the museum. The memory of the little animals depicted as humans inside the old cases really stuck with me.

The process varies from taxidermist to taxidermist, and also depends on the animal being mounted. Taxidermist Amanda Sutton doesn't use animals that were killed for taxidermy, instead she uses reptile feed, road kill and animals that died naturally and creates taxidermy to preserve the beauty of the animal (a bathing mouse from Ms Sutton's Amanda's Autopsies collection is pictured)

'I intended to visit it again, but the museum sold off the collection to private collectors, so I couldn't view them anymore. So I decided to make my own instead.' 

Ms Sutton doesn't use animals that were killed for taxidermy, instead she uses reptile feed, road kill and animals that died naturally, and said she creates taxidermy to preserve the beauty of the animal.

The process varies from taxidermist to taxidermist, and also depends on the animal being mounted.

'People like to use foam forms,' explained Ms Sutton, 'which you can buy from taxidermy suppliers, these can cost a fair bit of money though. 

Taxidermists are said to make around $600 million (£382 million) a year. Ms Sutton runs workshops at London's Bart's Pathology Museum to teach people about taxidermy, including the history and science behind the hobby. She made this artwork of mice sword fighting

'Or a taxidermist may make a mould of the animal after it has been skinned, and create their own solid form, others use wood wool, which is wrapped and bound to re-create the shape of the animal.

'On occasion, the cleaned skull may still be used, with clay modelling to re-construct the muscle structure on the features.' 

For a smaller animal, such as a mouse, the process takes around two to three hours, but a larger cat or hare can take up to three days, said Ms Sutton.

'Mice can be created with the most basic form of taxidermy, but larger animals need to go through a step-by-step process, and each step can take a while to complete.' 

For example, to mount a mouse, the taxidermist must first create a so-called 'voodoo doll.'

THE TAXIDERMY OF MAMMALS AND FISH 

To mount a mouse (pictured), the taxidermist must first create a so-called 'voodoo doll.' This is a version of the animal, made typically out of cotton wool and string, that is the exact shape and size of the creature being immoralised

MICE AND OTHER MAMMALS

For example, to mount a mouse, the taxidermist must first create a so-called 'voodoo doll.' 

This is a version of the animal, made typically out of cotton wool and string, that is the exact shape and size of the creature being immoralised. 

Eyes need to be placed on the 'doll' that will be placed through the sockets of the animal's pelt, and there are companies including Live Eyes that specialise in creating eyes that look as realistic as possible. 

An incision is made along the back of the mouse using a scalpel, and the skin is pulled away from the body in the same way a butcher would skin an animal. 

Borax powder, which is a compound of boron also known as sodium borate, is often used to help preserve the skin and the fur - particularly from insect infestations. 

Formaldehyde can also be used to preserve the specimen, but tends to be a harsher chemical to work with. 

This body and insides are thrown away, and the legs are removed and replaced with wires. 

Alternatively, acetone is used to clean bones if they are to form part of the final mount.

Once the pelt has been cleaned and dried it is placed around the cotton wool 'voodoo' version, and sewn up. One technique of cleaning pelts involves cornflour.

Rubbing cornstarch to clean pelts with a damp cloth draws moisture and dirt from the inside of the pelt. 

This can be repeated if the pelt is particularly dirty. Once dry, the cornstarch can be vacuumed off the skin, and a toothbrush can be used to style the fur. 

This process is similar for most mammals. 

FISH

It's also possible to mount a fish, but the process if very different. 

A fish's skin loses colour once it dries out, which means the skin needs to be recreated using specialist paint. The process involves removing the eyes, and scraping skin and flesh from the bones. 

A fish's remains are then preserved using salts, such as Borax, and formaldehyde. 

The skin is either stuffed with sawdust or is stretched over a mould and shaped around foam - which is often the case with cold water fish like salmon because their skin is thin and smooth.   

The origins of taxidermy are linked with tanneries in England during the 19th century. In these tanneries, animals were gutted and tanned and then stuffed with straw and sawdust, before being sewn back up. One of the most prominent taxidermists - and Ms Sutton's inspiration - was Walter Potter, who was among the first people to dress up preserved animals in costumes (similar to the creature pictured)

This is a version of the animal, made typically out of cotton wool and string, that is the exact shape and size of the creature being immoralised. 

Eyes need to be placed on the 'doll' that will be placed through the sockets of the animal's pelt, and there are companies including Live Eyes that specialise in creating eyes that look as realistic as possible. 

An incision is made along the back of the mouse using a scalpel, and the skin is pulled away from the body in the same way a butcher would skin an animal. 

Borax powder, which is a compound of boron also known as sodium borate, is often used to help preserve the skin and the fur - particularly from insect infestations. Formaldehyde can also be used to preserve the specimen, but tends to be a harsher chemical to work with. 

This body and insides are thrown away, and the legs are removed and replaced with wires. Alternatively, acetone is also used to clean bones if they are to form part of the final mount. 

Rubbing cornstarch to clean pelts with a damp cloth draws moisture and dirt from the inside of the pelt. This can be repeated if the pelt is particularly dirty. Once dry, the cornstarch can be vacuumed off the skin, and a toothbrush can be used to style the fur. 

This process is similar for most mammals. 

It's also possible to mount a fish, but the process if very different. 

A fish's skin loses colour once it dries out, which means the skin needs to be recreated using specialist paint. 

The process involves removing the eyes, and scraping skin and flesh from the bones. The fish's remains are then preserved using salts, such as Borax, and formaldehyde in a similar way to a mouse.  

An incision is made along the mouse using a scalpel, and the skin is pulled away from the body in the same way a butcher would skin an animal. One of Ms Sutton's students is pictured working on a mouse in London. Borax powder, which is a compound of boron also known as sodium borate, is often used to help preserve the skin and the fur of the specimen - particularly from insect infestations

The skin is either stuffed with sawdust or is stretched over a mould and shaped around foam - which is often the case with cold water fish like salmon because their skin is thin and smooth.   

Ms Sutton creates generic taxidermy, jewellery, wet specimens and steampunk-themed pieces on commission as a self-funding hobby, and occasionally teaches and performs live taxidermy for educational purposes.

Ms Sutton continued that most tools used in taxidermy can be found in the home, such as nail scissors, wool, salt, wire, tweezers and glue. 

There are also tutorial videos on YouTube, and Ms Sutton teaches basic taxidermy lessons. 

During the Victorian era, wealthy people would fill their homes with mounted animals, and as game hunting became more popular, this trend increased. A home adorned with mounted animals in New York is pictured. In the 1970s, the so-called stuffing of animals stopped and taxidermists began to stretch the animal's skin over sculpted molds, or mannequins, typically made from foam

For a smaller animal, such as a mouse, the process takes around two to three hours, but a larger cat (kitten playing croquet from the Walter Potter collection is pictured) or hare can take up to three days. Some taxidermists mount crocodiles and large animals such as horses

In the early days, animals were gutted and tanned and then stuffed with straw and sawdust, before being sewn back up.

There were no preservation chemicals or techniques used, and the animals eventually rotted away. 

During the Victorian era, wealthy people would fill their homes with mounted animals, and as game hunting became more popular, this trend increased. 

In the 1970s, the so-called stuffing of animals stopped, and taxidermists began to stretch the animal's skin over sculpted moulds, or mannequins, typically made from foam.

Ms Sutton continued that most tools used in taxidermy (kittens from the Walter Potter collection pictured) can be found in the home, such as nail scissors, wool, salt, wire, tweezers and glue. There are also tutorial videos on YouTube and Ms Sutton teaches taxidermy lessons

Ms Sutton told MailOnline she was fell in love with the Walter Potter collection (example pictured) when she was young, but when the museum sold off the collection to private enthusiasts, she decided to make her own specimens instead

'It's a good idea to look into what chemicals you use,' continued Ms Sutton,'as preserving can involve some toxic formulas, so heavy duty gloves and goggles may be needed for protection. 

'Research is the key, make sure whatever you are using is safe, for you and your customers.'

When asked why she thinks the art has had a sudden resurgence, Ms Sutton said: 'It's mainly due to more artists using the medium in their work, a lot of young students have been influenced by them, and want to re-create artwork in a similar style.

'Also Victoriana has really taken off in decor and entertainment, pubs, bars and shop are filled with salvage objects and taxidermy.'

She added that shows such as Salvage Hunters have really contributed to the movement.