First Mallard (with pics)

[Kathleen Gregory]

I've painted my first Mallard decoy. I have to admit that I struggled quite a bit with it and am not sure if I've got it right. The head doesn't appear as iridescent as it maybe should and I'm not sure about the tail feathers. I tried to make it appear that they cross, but not sure that came off right. Note that I have glass eyes for it, but haven't attached in case I need to repaint. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

Signed: New to decoys...but learning a lot!


View attachment Mallard001.JPG View attachment Mallard002.JPG View attachment Mallard003.JPG
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[MLBob Furia]

Very nicely done. Check out some reference on the neck ring to see how it diminishes and then ends at the back (see attached picture)-- then figure out what your pose would do to it. Other than that, a very nice bird, Kathleen!

View attachment mallard05 014.jpg

 

[Hank Yorke]

Overall its awesome. I really like his head. The two things that jumped out at me are the primaries, and the white ring around the neck, it doesn't go all the way around.

On that note it is much nicer than the 3 drake mallards I have painted so take my critique for what you paid

 

[Pat Gregory]

Great bird with a real, elegant pose Kathleen. I wish my mallard looked that good. Keep up the good work.

 

[Kevin Harrington]

Looks great.

 

[Al Hansen]

That is a beautiful drake and hard to imagine that it is your first. Congrats. I'll look forward to seeing your 100th!
Al

 

[Kathleen Gregory]

Thanks for the photo, I'll make the correction.

 

[John Augustine]

Nice Job Kathleen,
Wish mine looked that good. As to the glass eyes, you should install them before you paint.
By the time they're set and epoxied in place you'll need to repaint the head. I don't use glass eyes
but have seen a lot done on here and other sites. You just scrape the paint off the eyes when
you're done painting.
Is this a good hoby or what!! John

 

[Kathleen Gregory]

John,

Thanks for the suggestion. I obviously didn't epoxy them in to protect them from the paint, but if the paint comes off that easy, I'll attach them in the beginning.

At my brother's suggestion, I am trying to paint and sell decoys to earn extra money. For years, I've painted pictures as a hobby. My brother is a duck hunter and wanted me to paint decoys for him, plus he suggested that since the bank eliminated my job I should try to sell some.

 

[D Behrendt]

I think most people would be very happy with it as is.

 

[Dennis Johnson]

Great lookn block! I'd be proud to have it in my rig anytime. Did you carve it & what's it made of? Keep up the great work.
Dennis

 

[Kathleen Gregory]

Thanks. I did not carve it, only painted. It's made of basswood and I'll be attaching an oak keel, then putting it up for sale.

 

[Paul Dobrosky]

Very complimentary job for your first attempt. Keep up the good work.