What's the easiest way to paint vermiculation?

NickR

NickR

Well-known member
Next week I will be painting a drake bluebill and my previous attempts at vermiculation, aka lacey-backs, haven't been real impressive.

My plan is to use flat white rustoleum for the back and flanks, and then use flat black rustoleum for the vermiculation. Obviously, I could mix them and make varying shades of gray. I had also considered stealing a doiley from an old lady and using it as a stencil for spray paint.

I live in a town of 200 people, so my options for acquiring other materials are fairly slim and my objective is to keep it as simple as possible.

On another note, I will also be painting a drake canvasback next week, and I have some info that says to mix burnt umber, burnt sienna, and white for the head. I have all the colors and I suppose I just need to start mixing colors, but if anyone has any tips before I get started, I'd be glad to hear em.

Thanks in advance!

NR
 
Next week I will be painting a drake bluebill and my previous attempts at vermiculation, aka lacey-backs, haven't been real impressive.

My plan is to use flat white rustoleum for the back and flanks, and then use flat black rustoleum for the vermiculation. Obviously, I could mix them and make varying shades of gray. I had also considered stealing a doiley from an old lady and using it as a stencil for spray paint.
Click to expand...

The simplest way is to comb it. And there are two ways to do that:

Texture the surface, with textruing paste (or some other paint thickening stuff) which you may be able to find at a hobby store, lay on a good coating, then scratch the surface with squigley to create high and lows. Base coat with white, dry brush with black.

-or-

Base coat in black, let that dry, coat in white, and use a comb (either a fancy one you can order from a carving supply place OR a piece of a plastic hair comb) and scratch off some of the white to show the underlying black.

Or the really painful option is to hand vermiculate, base in white, get a really small brush and a bottle of advil and paint on all those little lines.

On another note, I will also be painting a drake canvasback next week, and I have some info that says to mix burnt umber, burnt sienna, and white for the head. I have all the colors and I suppose I just need to start mixing colors, but if anyone has any tips before I get started, I'd be glad to hear em.
Click to expand...

I have never done a canvasback, but can be done as simple as base of Burnt Sienna and drybrushed with black. Willy has a very basic paint scheme on his cyberclassroom:

http://www.theduckblind.com/cyberclassroom/index.htm
 
I think Chuck covered the bases well. If you are using artist oils for the burnt sienna that alone will work.
I like to shade with UM blue and highlight with a little yellow but the birds don't care.I prefer to do the
backs by the combing method. Make sure the white has started to set before you comb or it will flow
and cover your efforts. I prefer to use the course end of the comb. Cut it off in 2" sections and use what
you like. It's all trial and error and both have been plentiful for me.
Good luck, have fun, John
 
Hi Nick,
There's a Pintail tutorial on my website with pictures & step by step directions.
www.lockstockbarrell.com
Basically, brush on some texturing paste, comb the surface. Paint it white & let dry. Dry brush over that with black, leaving the valley white and the ridges black.
Lou
 
Lou,

Do you use the texturing paste with oil paint or only when using acrylics?

Best,
Scott
Click to expand...

Hi Scott,
I do both with excellent results. The golden regular gel is my gel of choice for vermiculation & texturing. I use it will all the goldens acrylics.
I also experimented with vermiculating the gel.....force drying it with a hair dryer and then painting with the FME. The FME painted well over the gel and holds up/bonds very well also. When using oils, just be sure that the gel is dried completely.
Win-win.
Lou
 
Nick,
Chuck and Lou covered the combing method well. That will work very well. I use it on several birds myself. Another option, depending on style of decoy and preference is to use a fan brush. I have some that are 1 1/2 to 2 inches wide and by just using the tips with light amount of paint you can do the vermiculation on the back very quickly. This style is often seen on Chesapeake style working decoys.
Just a thought. Good luck with your rig.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top