Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, All~
I was recently asked for my Behr paint colors for Ruddy Ducks. Although I had carved a few, I had no Behr list - and had never carved or painted a Hen Ruddy.
I'm guessing many of you have found inspiration in the famous Ruddies featured in Joel Barber's Wild-Fowl Decoys. (I hope you own a copy!) I first read that book when I was 12 or so, I believe. Although already steeped in everything duck-shooting by that age - thanks to my Dad - the Dudley Ruddies told me I needed to make decoys someday.
I made this Ruddy for Susan sometime in the early '80s. I hollowed the walls of the body to about a quarter-inch - mostly just to see what I could do with my drill press and a razor sharp bent gouge. I still get a kick from others' expressions when they heft it for the first time. Like Dudley, I wanted a very simple paint job.
Here's one I did - inspired by a fellow duckboats.net member - way back in the 'teens (2016). He got a fussier wardrobe.
That White cheek against the Black cap is one of Nature's master strokes, to my eye.
I used a portrait of the original Drake to make my Behr chart - with a simple gunning paint job.
I had to paint a piece of card stock to mimic a Hen. Her paint got a few more brush strokes - from me, not from Nature. (And, the greyish feather edgings look a bit too blue-ish in this photo.)
As I usually do, I selected colors that I use on other species. Only the Drake's bill needs a bit of custom mixing - if "needed" by the painter.
BTW: I have never shot a Ruddy. We do not have many on Long Island. Whenever I encountered a bunch, though, I never saw them in the air. Even when chased, they seemed to fly as little as required at the moment - and then hurry back down, on or under the water. Wonderful little birds - and I'm happy just to share the Bay with them.
All the best,
SJS
I was recently asked for my Behr paint colors for Ruddy Ducks. Although I had carved a few, I had no Behr list - and had never carved or painted a Hen Ruddy.
I'm guessing many of you have found inspiration in the famous Ruddies featured in Joel Barber's Wild-Fowl Decoys. (I hope you own a copy!) I first read that book when I was 12 or so, I believe. Although already steeped in everything duck-shooting by that age - thanks to my Dad - the Dudley Ruddies told me I needed to make decoys someday.
I made this Ruddy for Susan sometime in the early '80s. I hollowed the walls of the body to about a quarter-inch - mostly just to see what I could do with my drill press and a razor sharp bent gouge. I still get a kick from others' expressions when they heft it for the first time. Like Dudley, I wanted a very simple paint job.
Here's one I did - inspired by a fellow duckboats.net member - way back in the 'teens (2016). He got a fussier wardrobe.
That White cheek against the Black cap is one of Nature's master strokes, to my eye.
I used a portrait of the original Drake to make my Behr chart - with a simple gunning paint job.
I had to paint a piece of card stock to mimic a Hen. Her paint got a few more brush strokes - from me, not from Nature. (And, the greyish feather edgings look a bit too blue-ish in this photo.)
As I usually do, I selected colors that I use on other species. Only the Drake's bill needs a bit of custom mixing - if "needed" by the painter.
BTW: I have never shot a Ruddy. We do not have many on Long Island. Whenever I encountered a bunch, though, I never saw them in the air. Even when chased, they seemed to fly as little as required at the moment - and then hurry back down, on or under the water. Wonderful little birds - and I'm happy just to share the Bay with them.
All the best,
SJS
