Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, All~
I just finished rehabbing 10 birds from the midwest. I reported on the 2 drake Bean's Whistlers (Goldeneye) previously – both here and on my website:
http://stevenjaysanford.com/rehabbing-beans-goldeneye-drakes/
I have also posted previously a tutorial on rehabbing a Bean's Coastal of the Drake Pintail persuasion:
http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=266063;search_string=Pintail%20tutorial;#266063
I did not photograph the rehabbing of these birds step-by-step as I often do. I saw no need to repeat the process of repair, sealing and priming. And, with the paint on the Greenwings and Hen Pintail, there was only one of each AND I was not certain how I would proceed. I was in the "let's try it and see" mode throughout.
Here are the ten – 7 Bean's and 3 fronds. I do not know who made the fronds – and it was the first time I ever saw a frond in-the-flesh. I would love to carve one sometime but have yet to find a Palm Tree here in Washington County....
The shapes of these birds were somewhat whimsical – so I gave them a whimsical new set of clothing.
My mission was to paint all 3 as Eclipse Drake Bluewings – presumably for an Early Teal Season. We used to have a Teal Bonus in early October here in New York – and we never saw any sign of nuptial plumage in the drakes. I gave these birds a drake's bright coverts + speculum but painted the faces a bit more like hens. And, overall, I painted the Bluewings a bit greyer than the Greenwings (or Pintails, Mallards or Gadwalls for that matter). The darker tones were Behr's Intellectual (PPU 18-19), the bodies were base-coated with Behr's Mocha Accent (720 D-5), and the pale edgings were done with Graceful Grey (PPU 18-12).
BTW: Home Depot/Behr keeps changing their system for coding their colors – I have seen 3 different alphanumeric systems in about 4 years - but they assure me they can mix anything as long as they have a code. They also change the names of each color. I have often wondered who has that job? English or Art History majors I presume....
On the Greenwings and Pintails, I showed the speculum on the hens but not the drakes – which reflects the natural tendency, I believe. Because there was only one of each, they got a bit more individual attention than they would had they been part of a herd.
The Hen's eyes were a bit loose and quite goggle-eyed – so she got new pinpoint pupil eyes set more deeply into the head.
The owner did not want "sprigs" added to the Drake Pintails – a practical decision. Bean's typically mkes their Drakes with high-heads and Hens with low-heads. With a little paint, 3 Hens became 2 Drakes and a Hen.
Here is the Hen Pintail overall. My approach was to make her a bit warmer than Bluewings but not as tawny as a Hen Mallard. Also, the head and back need a reddish cast and the face does not show strong crown and eyeline markings like most hen puddlers do.
The body was based coated with Behr Mocha Latte ( PPU 5-4) blended into the darker, greyer Intellectual ( ) on the back.
The edges of (some of ) the tail feathers were highlighted with Graceful Gray - and the undertail was streaked (with a larger, flat brush) with the same.
The dark streaks on the sides sweep upward toward the stern. I put in just enough to meet the "gunshot away" criterion.
I edged some of them later on in the process. The rows of breast feathers flow back into the side feathers.
The speculum et cetera was Moroccan Henna (PPU 3-19) with a Black bar then White bar. The speculum coverts are a rusty cream.
I added some streaks of Moroccan Henna on the back – and added a few paler streaks (Graceful Gray) – just to break it up a bit.
The crown and face are flecked with the Moroccan Henna; the Graceful Gray edges the eye. The bill is a more muted version of the Drake's racing stripe.
Off to UPS.......
All the best,
SJS
I just finished rehabbing 10 birds from the midwest. I reported on the 2 drake Bean's Whistlers (Goldeneye) previously – both here and on my website:
http://stevenjaysanford.com/rehabbing-beans-goldeneye-drakes/
I have also posted previously a tutorial on rehabbing a Bean's Coastal of the Drake Pintail persuasion:
http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=266063;search_string=Pintail%20tutorial;#266063
I did not photograph the rehabbing of these birds step-by-step as I often do. I saw no need to repeat the process of repair, sealing and priming. And, with the paint on the Greenwings and Hen Pintail, there was only one of each AND I was not certain how I would proceed. I was in the "let's try it and see" mode throughout.
Here are the ten – 7 Bean's and 3 fronds. I do not know who made the fronds – and it was the first time I ever saw a frond in-the-flesh. I would love to carve one sometime but have yet to find a Palm Tree here in Washington County....
The shapes of these birds were somewhat whimsical – so I gave them a whimsical new set of clothing.
My mission was to paint all 3 as Eclipse Drake Bluewings – presumably for an Early Teal Season. We used to have a Teal Bonus in early October here in New York – and we never saw any sign of nuptial plumage in the drakes. I gave these birds a drake's bright coverts + speculum but painted the faces a bit more like hens. And, overall, I painted the Bluewings a bit greyer than the Greenwings (or Pintails, Mallards or Gadwalls for that matter). The darker tones were Behr's Intellectual (PPU 18-19), the bodies were base-coated with Behr's Mocha Accent (720 D-5), and the pale edgings were done with Graceful Grey (PPU 18-12).
BTW: Home Depot/Behr keeps changing their system for coding their colors – I have seen 3 different alphanumeric systems in about 4 years - but they assure me they can mix anything as long as they have a code. They also change the names of each color. I have often wondered who has that job? English or Art History majors I presume....
On the Greenwings and Pintails, I showed the speculum on the hens but not the drakes – which reflects the natural tendency, I believe. Because there was only one of each, they got a bit more individual attention than they would had they been part of a herd.
The Hen's eyes were a bit loose and quite goggle-eyed – so she got new pinpoint pupil eyes set more deeply into the head.
The owner did not want "sprigs" added to the Drake Pintails – a practical decision. Bean's typically mkes their Drakes with high-heads and Hens with low-heads. With a little paint, 3 Hens became 2 Drakes and a Hen.
Here is the Hen Pintail overall. My approach was to make her a bit warmer than Bluewings but not as tawny as a Hen Mallard. Also, the head and back need a reddish cast and the face does not show strong crown and eyeline markings like most hen puddlers do.
The body was based coated with Behr Mocha Latte ( PPU 5-4) blended into the darker, greyer Intellectual ( ) on the back.
The edges of (some of ) the tail feathers were highlighted with Graceful Gray - and the undertail was streaked (with a larger, flat brush) with the same.
The dark streaks on the sides sweep upward toward the stern. I put in just enough to meet the "gunshot away" criterion.
I edged some of them later on in the process. The rows of breast feathers flow back into the side feathers.
The speculum et cetera was Moroccan Henna (PPU 3-19) with a Black bar then White bar. The speculum coverts are a rusty cream.
I added some streaks of Moroccan Henna on the back – and added a few paler streaks (Graceful Gray) – just to break it up a bit.
The crown and face are flecked with the Moroccan Henna; the Graceful Gray edges the eye. The bill is a more muted version of the Drake's racing stripe.
Off to UPS.......
All the best,
SJS
