Painting with oils

Paul Scott

Paul Scott

Active member
Hello guys, just a quick question. I am going to start painting my decoys in oils and I want to know what to use as my base coat. I take it I still will sander-seal it but what comes next. I use gesso with acrylics. Went to the craft shop yesterday and they didn't know.

Thanks for your help. Paul
 
Paul,
Much like Acrylics there is more then one right way.

I'll tell you what I do and why.

I seal my decoys with spar varnish. Sanding sealer would certainly be acceptable before doing it. Since your just starting out. Go to a hardware store, or big box lumber yard and you should be able to find a Spar varnish, or spar urethane, just be sure its acceptable for outdoor use. I use two coats.

After that because I use cedar and it can bleed through light colors in time. I use a base coat of flat black. I use Ronan's but Rustomleum is acceptable as well and easy to fine. I block in my base colors after that and start painting.

Like I said lots of ways to do it but that is my process.
 
I just finished my first decoy. I used Spar varnish (2 coats) then a base of Kilz II followed by rustoleum oil based paints. Should I be expecting problems? I top coated with another couple of coats of Spar just to add more protection, don't know if that was necessary or not but I'm happy with my first attempt.
 
I am not a fan of spar but it will work. Early on I sealed all my birds with it and paint chipped off easily. I have learned to apply paint better and do not have that issue but I don't use spar for sealing a decoy either. I used amber shellac on my last oils birds and really like it then based in Ronan's.
 
I too have switched from spar to shellac. Spar unless thinned gets too gummy to sand. A couple coats of shellac due to the fast drying nature of the denatured alcohol goes a bit more quickly. I've used a thin coat of spar followed by shellac as well. It just important for the proper drying of the oils to have the sealer so the oils from the tube oil paints don't suck into the wood and leave the pigment on top... which then will never dry. I know this from experience as, I 've had this happen in areas I've over sanded before and couldn't understand why that area was just not drying. The pigmented priming of black or grey is not a necessary step, but helps with getting a uniform starting point for painting and hides blemishing from pitch later. This is what I understand. If someone sees a flaw in what I've just said, I'm still learning and am open to correction.
Thanks, Frank

Middletonboatworks.com
 
There is some great advice there thankyou all. I have a afternoon booked with a chap next month how is going to get me started on using oils so want to make sure I have a decoy ready.

Thank you all again.
 
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