Hen Canvasback paint colors
- Thread starter Jason R1
- Start date
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, Jason~
If you will be using latex, here are the Behr colors I use - from Home Depot in their 8-ounce sample jars.
In addition to Flat Black and Flat White:
Body & Head - Aging Barrel (PPU5-2)
Facemask - Ashwood (720D-4)
For the Grey on the sides and back you can just mix Black and White to get a medium cool grey. I probably just used a Grey Primer on these hens. Or, you could use Elephant Skin (PPU18-16). (I need to ID a good Behr color for medium cool grey.....)
Similarly, for the eye-ring, you can add some White to the Ashwood or use Graceful Grey (PPU18-12)
The bill and primaries (wingtips) are just Flat Black. I exaggerate the primary groups so they stand out against the body.
All of these colors are useful on many other species - so for just a few dollars per jar, it never hurts to have them in your paint kit.
One other note on painting Cans: Compared with their close relatives - the other "pochards" like Scaup, Redheads and Ringnecks - Canvasbacks have much smaller dark areas on their chests and tail sections. Notice on the drakes how the line between the sides and the chest slants forward (toward the waterline) - and how the black at the tail begins aft of the molded-in side feathers. The bodies on all of the pochards show dark-light-dark on the water - but Cans show more "light" in their mid-sections.
Hope this helps,
SJS
If you will be using latex, here are the Behr colors I use - from Home Depot in their 8-ounce sample jars.
In addition to Flat Black and Flat White:
Body & Head - Aging Barrel (PPU5-2)
Facemask - Ashwood (720D-4)
For the Grey on the sides and back you can just mix Black and White to get a medium cool grey. I probably just used a Grey Primer on these hens. Or, you could use Elephant Skin (PPU18-16). (I need to ID a good Behr color for medium cool grey.....)
Similarly, for the eye-ring, you can add some White to the Ashwood or use Graceful Grey (PPU18-12)
The bill and primaries (wingtips) are just Flat Black. I exaggerate the primary groups so they stand out against the body.
All of these colors are useful on many other species - so for just a few dollars per jar, it never hurts to have them in your paint kit.
One other note on painting Cans: Compared with their close relatives - the other "pochards" like Scaup, Redheads and Ringnecks - Canvasbacks have much smaller dark areas on their chests and tail sections. Notice on the drakes how the line between the sides and the chest slants forward (toward the waterline) - and how the black at the tail begins aft of the molded-in side feathers. The bodies on all of the pochards show dark-light-dark on the water - but Cans show more "light" in their mid-sections.
Hope this helps,
SJS
You didn't mention how many decoys you were painting.
These were painted using Parkers Coatings hen canvasback paint:
You can order their decoy paints individually, or as a kit for canvasback. I add 1TBsp. of boiled linseed oil per 8oz. can of paint, shake it,and leave it overnight. The linseed oil limits the "Chalking effect" when flat painted object rub against each other.
http://www.parkercoatings.com/PDF/decoys/Canvas-Back%20Drake%20and%20Hen.pdf
These were painted using Parkers Coatings hen canvasback paint:
You can order their decoy paints individually, or as a kit for canvasback. I add 1TBsp. of boiled linseed oil per 8oz. can of paint, shake it,and leave it overnight. The linseed oil limits the "Chalking effect" when flat painted object rub against each other.
http://www.parkercoatings.com/PDF/decoys/Canvas-Back%20Drake%20and%20Hen.pdf
Capt J. Stieben
Active member
I am amazed every time I see the work the you guys do, incredible.