Cork Can Drake and Hen

[Scott O.]

I am a little leery of posting this due to recent events but I've decided to come out of the carving closet and am looking for your constructive input
Before I go any further, let it be said that I have been here since 2000 (I have tenure) so don't give me a lot of shit. I'm old. And I'm slow to develop.
BUT in those 15+ years I have been honing my carving skills, day after day, watching the Furias, and Chessers and Tischs and that guy from Illinois.
And to be perfectly clear. I am not necessarily mentioning the vilification directed my way when I kept the traveling decoy 2 FREAKIN' days too long
Nor am I necessarily bringing up the fact that I had to seek professional counseling after the STEALTH 1200 debacle...I still cant drink out of plastic cups.
What I'm asking for is honest input on an honest effort to show you that I am not JUST a fish painter. I'm more than that. Way more.


So take a look at this pair of cans that I recently did in dense cork. My wife says they look a little "doughnutty" whatever the hell that means. (For the record she doesn't know jack about duck decoys like we do)
I know they need a little fine tuning and once painted I think I can solve that (before you say it, I know the hen is a little one dimensional)


Anyway


[inline corks.jpg]

View attachment corks.JPG

 

[Chuck J]

Scott,

First thing I learned about carving, is there are no flat spots on a duck...round off those "shoulders" (or whatever the resident biologists want to call them) and for crying out loud knock off those raised primaries!

Chuck

PS if we really wanted to send you over the edge, we could talk about Swiss army egrets and paper mache corn

 

[george w]

i would drop shot over them!

 

[Steve Sanford]

Good morning, Scott~

I'm afraid they look more like Ringers to my eye...

Nevertheless, the drake has great attitude! I can certainly envision flocks of pochards circling the rig endlessly...

SJS

 

[tod osier]

What shows of the median wing coverts in that pose is off, they should extend higher on the wing. Those decoys are not even worthy of having shot from a Taurus Judge dropped on them.

 

[Scott O.]

... Swiss army egrets and paper mache corn

Ahhh...two of my most successful concepts. (Blushing now) I am very proud of those Chuck, thank you for mentioning.

I appreciate your thoughtful feedback

 

[Scott O.]

Good morning, Scott~

I'm afraid they look more like Ringers to my eye...

Nevertheless, the drake has great attitude! I can certainly envision flocks of pochards circling the rig endlessly...

SJS

I think it's the way the light hits them Steve, but thank you

 

[Scott O.]

What shows of the median wing coverts in that pose is off, they should extend higher on the wing. Those decoys are not even worthy of having shot from a Taurus Judge dropped on them.

Your critical eye cuts thru me like a laser, Tod

PS I sold the Judge...my trick shooting days are over

 

[Scott O.]

i would drop shot over them!

High praise indeed George.

I intentionally took the "angry" look off the drake's face. They are decoys after all so I went for the "come on in, everything is safe down here" look

 

[MLBob Furia]

They would easily win the "Annual John Lawrence Memorial, Legend in His Own Mind, Develop a Personal Style and then Tell the Peasants to F%C*-Off, Award."

 

[Scott O.]

They would easily win the "Annual John Lawrence Memorial, Legend in His Own Mind, Develop a Personal Style and then Tell the Peasants to F%C*-Off, Award."

And they're not even painted yet... Man, that just gave me goose bumps.

 

[tod osier]

What shows of the median wing coverts in that pose is off, they should extend higher on the wing. Those decoys are not even worthy of having shot from a Taurus Judge dropped on them.

Your critical eye cuts thru me like a laser, Tod

PS I sold the Judge...my trick shooting days are over

No "thank you" to me for taking the time to help you?

 

[Scott O.]

What shows of the median wing coverts in that pose is off, they should extend higher on the wing. Those decoys are not even worthy of having shot from a Taurus Judge dropped on them.

Your critical eye cuts thru me like a laser, Tod

PS I sold the Judge...my trick shooting days are over

No "thank you" to me for taking the time to help you?

I am nothing if I am not a gracious cork smith, "thank you Tod"

 

[tod osier]

What shows of the median wing coverts in that pose is off, they should extend higher on the wing. Those decoys are not even worthy of having shot from a Taurus Judge dropped on them.

Your critical eye cuts thru me like a laser, Tod

PS I sold the Judge...my trick shooting days are over

No "thank you" to me for taking the time to help you?

I am nothing if I am not a gracious cork smith, "thank you Tod"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD1IuMnEaS8

 

[MLBob Furia]

[reply
And they're not even painted yet... .[/QUOTE]

Of course, the only choice is oils.

The good news is that they turn poor painters into great ones..... and they can mastered in a week - but only if you buy Keith's book.

I also heard there's a special secret formula topcoat! If followed by a week under marijuana plant cultivation lights, it will bring out that instant, aged 'patina' we all strive for.

 

[Scott O.]

[reply
And they're not even painted yet... .

Of course, the only choice is oils.

The good news is that they turn poor painters into great ones..... and they can mastered in a week - but only if you buy Keith's book.

I also heard there's a special secret formula topcoat! If followed by a week under marijuana plant cultivation lights, it will bring out that instant, aged 'patina' we all strive for.[/QUOTE]

Flat Rustoleum is "oil" right? I have found that standing off a foot or so away while spraying thru an old sock generates a natural, stippled look.

The ducks love it and I'm not even charging anyone for that advanced piece of enlightenment

 

[tod osier]

[reply
And they're not even painted yet... .

Of course, the only choice is oils.

The good news is that they turn poor painters into great ones..... and they can mastered in a week - but only if you buy Keith's book.

I also heard there's a special secret formula topcoat! If followed by a week under marijuana plant cultivation lights, it will bring out that instant, aged 'patina' we all strive for.[/QUOTE]

This is all only true if you only use the most select material culled from amongst the local supply and laminated.

 

[Scott O.]

What shows of the median wing coverts in that pose is off, they should extend higher on the wing. Those decoys are not even worthy of having shot from a Taurus Judge dropped on them.

Your critical eye cuts thru me like a laser, Tod

PS I sold the Judge...my trick shooting days are over

No "thank you" to me for taking the time to help you?

I am nothing if I am not a gracious cork smith, "thank you Tod"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iD1IuMnEaS8

HAH! They do burp! It sounds a little like the movie "The Enemy Below"

But I didn't see any bubbles.

 

[Vince Pagliaroli]

Looks like a good matched pair. The drake even being larger than the hen. To bad they aren't painted, ya could have sent them to the Worlds...

 

[Paul Meisenheimer]

Scott, I was originally a little concerned that the crowd here might turn on you for your abundance of artistic license. I am please to see that they are supportive of your efforts to push your carving boundaries. Despite your wife's "doughnutty" comment I believe your skills are rounding out nicely.