Hen Redhead Paint for hunting

[Bill Burruss]

Hi. I'm getting ready to paint some hen redheads "gunning decoy grade" and trying to figure out the paint scheme. Would like to do something a little better than one shade of brown, but do not want to be painting individual feathers, either. I painted some hen bluebills with #6 FME and used a little lighter brown to lighten up the side pockets, and would like about the same level of complexity on the hen redhead body. I've been working with FME, but would consider going to acrylic for this project. Suggestions or pics would be much appreciated.

The companions:

Thanks,
Bill

 

[Chuck J]

Bill,

if you want to keep it simple, but not a solid color, you might try using Pat Gregory's approach with stimple feathering using that lighter color you mixed in and going over the darker base coat.

http://www.duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=32589#32589

Chuck

 

[Terry Desilets]

Here's a hen Bluebill I recently completed. I happen to like the results and I would probably do the same for a Redhead.

 

[Rutgers]

Bill, the decoys you posted look real nice! I like to use the FME tan color for the lighter color on diver hens and add a little light or dark grey to it so it's not as stark.

 

[Carl]

I paint my bluebill hens the same way you did except I use grey for the side pockets.
For redheads, I dont have any pics handy, but I basically used a lighter brown (almost tan) for the body and head and added some grey on the side pockets. Will see if I can get some pics when I get home tonight.

 

[Tom Modin]

check out this thread probably my favorite redhead hens

http://duckboats.net/cgi-bin/forum/gforum.cgi?post=169529;search_string=redhead;#169529

 

[Bill Burruss]

Terry,
Thanks. Nice work! Your pic makes me want try putting some feathers on my plain old hens...

-Bill

 

[Bill Burruss]

Chuck/Tom,
Thanks. I really like Pat's work, but do not feel quite ready to try something that complicated.

-Bill

 

[Chuck J]

Chuck/Tom,
Thanks. I really like Pat's work, but do not feel quite ready to try something that complicated.

-Bill

Pat might take offence to those words

Honestly, he'll tell you he developed his system to be simple, quick and effective in making multiple bird rigs. Think about it this way, take your darker 'base coat' and with that 1" chip brush, cut to a rounded end, simply stamp on lighter feather outlines. Still too dark, go over it again. Too light, re-base coat it.

Chuck

 

[Bill Burruss]

Chuck,
Hope he is not offended- something easy for a tallented artist may not be so easy to a guy who can barely paint-by-numbers ; ) I may try the technique after learning a few more of the basics.

-Bill

 

[Rutgers]

Maybe if we all ask nicely we could get Pat to do a tutorial.