The Best Wood Decoys Books of All Time

Duck carvers of all levels can improve the quality of their work with guidance from legendary artist Bruce Burk! 16 beautiful species, covering both drakes and hens, from the American Goldeneye to the Ruddy DuckFull-body and head patterns, paint patterns, and detailed paint mixing instructionsOver 100 live-bird reference photos, along with inspiring color photos of completed decorative and hunting decoysClassic portfolio of legendary carver Bruce Burk's detailed color patterns and finishing tips & techniquesWhen world champion waterfowl carvers talk about early influences on their careers, they usually mention Bruce Burk.

Decorative Decoy Carver's Ultimate Painting & Pattern Portfolio, Revised Edition offers a classic portfolio of Burk's detailed color patterns and finishing tips and techniques. This book features page after page of full color patterns and detailed mixing instructions. It covers both the drakes and hens of 16 popular and beautiful species, including dabbling and diving ducks:. American GoldeneyeAmerican WigeonBarrow's GoldeneyeBlue-Winged TealBuffleheadCanvasbackCarolina Wood DuckCommon MallardGadwallGreen-Winged TealHarlequin DuckHooded MerganserLesser and Greater ScaupNorthern ShovelerRing-Necked DuckRuddy DuckAn introduction offers practical advice on photography, color, competitions and working with patterns. More than 100 reference photos of the ducks in their natural habitat are provided, along with inspiring color photos of outstanding decorative and hunting decoys for each project. This Revised Edition combines in one volume both Series One (ISBN 9781565232167) and Series Two (ISBN 9781565232358) of Decorative Decoy Carvers Ultimate Painting & Pattern Portfolio. Legendary carver Bruce Burk helped launch the art of contemporary bird carving, and this new edition brings his out-of-print seminal work to life for a new generation of carvers. For carvers who have difficulty making their own drawings, or have limited access to live or mounted birds, this book will become a priceless tool in creating award-winning decoys! "With the technical eye and organizational skill of an engineering draftsman, Burk laid the foundation for contemporary decoy carving and strongly dictated the way most carvers now work.". —International Wildfowl Carvers Association. "Bruce Burk ranks among the master bird carvers in the country and is responsible for getting thousands of other carvers started.". —ChipChats.

Create American Folk Art by Learning to Carve and Paint the Contemporary Antique Decoy. In Antique-Style Duck Decoys, Tom Matus, an experienced wildfowl hunter and a champion decoy carver, introduces you to the special world of the Contemporary Antique-Styled Decoy. Whether you're a novice exploring the craft of decoy carving, a veteran craftsman seeking a change of pace, or a painter looking for a fresh outlet to demonstrate your talents, the author's expert guidance will have you creating your very own stylized contemporary decoy to display and admire.

With the help of more than 370 color photographs and easy-to-follow instruction, you'll master the basics and learn the secrets of:. Carving the DecoyAging the WoodPreparing the SurfacePainting the DecoyAntiquing TechniquesAntique-Style Duck Decoys also includes a 14-page gallery of the finest antique and contemporary antique decoys in circulation and an informative "Appendix of Antiquing Characteristics.".

Traces the history of the decoy, discusses top decoy makers, and shows a variety of carvings.