Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Since I always enjoy getting old gear back in shape for use, I could not help but pick up 16 old (1950s or 60s) L. L. Bean Coastal Black Duck decoys from one duckboats.net member - and fixing them up for another member. Here are a bunch of photos of the process - boiled down from the full, step-by-step account that can be found on my site: http://stevenjaysanford.com/re-painting-l-l-bean-coastal-blacks-and-mallards/
I started with 16 - and kept the 2 best in original paint to keep me company in the shop.
Note how the dowel is pinned with brass.
I filled the major body voids with epoxy and microballoons - then sanded.
I tightened some heads with deck screws - and replaced one set of eyes - then on to the varnish - to seal the thirsty cork.
Hanging the varnish-soaked birds let all the varnish drip and drain to a single low point - on the tip f the tail.
Bottoms and heads were primed with a Grey oil primer.
I painted the Black Ducks first. Ten would remain as Blacks and four would become Mallards. I had a can of Black Duck Body in FME (Flat Marine Enamel) from Lou Tisch at Lock, Stock & Barrell. It served as both the primer and the topcoat on the bodies. (I added some White to prime the Hen Mallard you can see in the background. I always like to prime my birds in tones close to the final colors - so they still look OK when worn a bit.)
The face is Behr Mocha Accent - in a sample-size jar.
The crown and eye-stripe are almost Black - Behr's Black Suede.
The bill is Yellow Ochre acrylic from a tube. The Black Line of Demarcation separates the face from the bill - and has a little black triangle at the hinge.
The streaks are Behr Fedora -a medium brown. I suggest the edge of the cheek as distinct from the neck.
On some birds, I over-painted the dark flecking with paler (Behr Ashwood) streaks - to get that "wormy" effect. I also used the Ashwood on the lower eyelid to give it a bit more depth.
I think the pale tertials are important identifiers for other Black Ducks from above.
Here is a close-up in natural light.
Here is the whole bird - done.
And here is the Big Ten - ready to hunt.
Mallards are the toughest species to paint, in my opinion. Hens need to look streaked - and to reflect the subtle color differences from stern to bow. I usually paint decoys starting at the aft end to suggest the natural overlap of the feathers. A Hen Mallard is pale at the stern and a bit ruddier up forward. So, the undertail area is lightly streaked with White.
The speculum usually shows more often on Hens than Drakes. I put a fair amount of detail in these - just because I enjoy it. I used two shades of Ultramarine to suggest iridescence.
The back started dark but needs bold, lighter streaks of tan - Behr's "Collectible".
The sides need bold, dark streaks that sweep upward as they flow aft.
And the chest suggests the reddish cast that the Drake has.
The face has a "mustache" in addition to the eye stripe - and the orange bill has a dark "saddle".
Here's the full effect on the face.
The Drake needs some blending on his back - especially the tertials and scapulars.
The cape feathers show as more distinct points or triangles against the warm Grey (Behr Elephant Skin).
The flanks fade to White at their after edge.
The cheeks and sides of the neck are Green while the crown and back of the head are almost Black. The chest is Black Duck Body lightly over-painted with a "barn red".
Here are the Final Four.
And here's the whole rig - ready for the vigorous life on Great South Bay in winter.....
I hope that George Soule would approve.
All the best,
SJS
I started with 16 - and kept the 2 best in original paint to keep me company in the shop.
Note how the dowel is pinned with brass.
I filled the major body voids with epoxy and microballoons - then sanded.
I tightened some heads with deck screws - and replaced one set of eyes - then on to the varnish - to seal the thirsty cork.
Hanging the varnish-soaked birds let all the varnish drip and drain to a single low point - on the tip f the tail.
Bottoms and heads were primed with a Grey oil primer.
I painted the Black Ducks first. Ten would remain as Blacks and four would become Mallards. I had a can of Black Duck Body in FME (Flat Marine Enamel) from Lou Tisch at Lock, Stock & Barrell. It served as both the primer and the topcoat on the bodies. (I added some White to prime the Hen Mallard you can see in the background. I always like to prime my birds in tones close to the final colors - so they still look OK when worn a bit.)
The face is Behr Mocha Accent - in a sample-size jar.
The crown and eye-stripe are almost Black - Behr's Black Suede.
The bill is Yellow Ochre acrylic from a tube. The Black Line of Demarcation separates the face from the bill - and has a little black triangle at the hinge.
The streaks are Behr Fedora -a medium brown. I suggest the edge of the cheek as distinct from the neck.
On some birds, I over-painted the dark flecking with paler (Behr Ashwood) streaks - to get that "wormy" effect. I also used the Ashwood on the lower eyelid to give it a bit more depth.
I think the pale tertials are important identifiers for other Black Ducks from above.
Here is a close-up in natural light.
Here is the whole bird - done.
And here is the Big Ten - ready to hunt.
Mallards are the toughest species to paint, in my opinion. Hens need to look streaked - and to reflect the subtle color differences from stern to bow. I usually paint decoys starting at the aft end to suggest the natural overlap of the feathers. A Hen Mallard is pale at the stern and a bit ruddier up forward. So, the undertail area is lightly streaked with White.
The speculum usually shows more often on Hens than Drakes. I put a fair amount of detail in these - just because I enjoy it. I used two shades of Ultramarine to suggest iridescence.
The back started dark but needs bold, lighter streaks of tan - Behr's "Collectible".
The sides need bold, dark streaks that sweep upward as they flow aft.
And the chest suggests the reddish cast that the Drake has.
The face has a "mustache" in addition to the eye stripe - and the orange bill has a dark "saddle".
Here's the full effect on the face.
The Drake needs some blending on his back - especially the tertials and scapulars.
The cape feathers show as more distinct points or triangles against the warm Grey (Behr Elephant Skin).
The flanks fade to White at their after edge.
The cheeks and sides of the neck are Green while the crown and back of the head are almost Black. The chest is Black Duck Body lightly over-painted with a "barn red".
Here are the Final Four.
And here's the whole rig - ready for the vigorous life on Great South Bay in winter.....
I hope that George Soule would approve.
All the best,
SJS
