Fowl Foolers Launch Pad
Decoy Designs
Painting Instructions
Skip to a specific waterfowl species:
Diver Ducks
Painting Tips
It is recommended to use a primer that is specific for use on plastic surfaces, on the decoy heads before following the topcoat color design schemes. Even if a paint is listed as a paint + primer, many times it are not designed for direct-to-plastic surfaces. Follow the instructions of the paint you plan to use. In the past, Fowl Foolers has used Sherwin-Williams Duracraft. The difficulty of using Duracraft for a small amount of heads is that it is only sold in gallons. Sherwin-Williams does offer another exterior paint called Resilience and All Surface Enamel in quarts, both available in water-based latex options. However, even a quart is sometimes too much paint and can get expensive quick if you are in need of 5+ colors. For this reason, we have heard customers having success with getting 8oz color sample containers at Home Depot. Although color sample paints are typically not high quality, if used in conjunction with a bonding or etching primer for use on plastic, we have heard successful results can be achieved. It is of course Fowl Foolers goal to ensure all decoy builders have the tools necessary to complete their decoy designs and more importantly enjoy using them on the water. If you have any further questions regarding painting, please reach out to us at info@fowlfoolers.com, and we would be happy to provide more guidance/suggestions.
Regarding the decoy bodies, if using Fowl Foolers adhesive and burlap, due to how porous the material is, topcoat paint sticks great even without a primer. If using a different adhesive, check to ensure paint can stick to the adhesive after drying. Some adhesives are designed so that nothing sticks to them like mold/mildew, etc so paint may have a difficult time adhering.
Fowl Foolers Paint Colors
Fowl Foolers Colors | Sherwin-Williams Color Code/Name | Home Depot Color Code/Name |
|---|---|---|
PURPLE | 6825 - Ismir Purple | M560-7 - Muscat Grape |
PINK | 6860 - Eros Pink | P140-5 - Lovebirds |
ORANGE | 6355 - Truepenny | PPU3-01 - Moroccan Sky |
GOLD | 6677 - Goldenrod | PPG1209-5 Yellow Coneflower |
MAROON | 2801 - Roodwood Dark Red | PPU1-02 - Divine Wine |
RED | 6328 - Fireweed | PPU2-02 - Red Pepper |
BLUE | 6528 - Cosmos | M530-3 - Perennial Blue |
BRIGHT GREEN | 6924 - Direct Green | P390-7 - Park Picnic |
DARK GREEN | 2846 - Roycroft Bronze Green | PPG1009-6 - Armory |
LIGHT GREEN | 6193 - Privilege Green | PPG1129-6 - Lottery Winnings |
LIME | 6918 - Humorous Green | P330-7 Luscious Lime |
DARK BROWN | 6069 - French Roast | N160-7 Brown Velvet |
LIGHT BROWN | 6061 - Tanbark | N150-5 - French Truffle |
TAN | 6129 - Restrained Gold | S300-4 Flax Straw |
TAUPE | 7038 - Tony Taupe | PPG1021-4 - Diversion |
GRAY | 7018 - Dovetail | PPG1007-5 - Lazy Afternoon |
WHITE | 7006 - Extra White | 52U - White |
BLACK | 6258 - Tricorn Black | Black |
Sea Duck - Eider
Eider Drake Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body WHITE
let dry
2. Paint semi-circles on each side and back BLACK
Eider Drake Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head WHITE
2. Paint entire beak GOLD
let dry
3. Paint a horizontal dash over each eye BLACK
4. Paint a horizontal dash under each black dash TAN
5. Insert Amber Eyes
Eider Hen Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body TAUPE
let dry
2. Stipple entire body BLACK, dark on the lower sides
Eider Hen Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head TAUPE
2. Paint entire beak BLUE
let dry
3. Stipple entire head BLACK, darker on the mohawk
4. Insert Amber Eyes
Sea Duck - Old Squaw
Old Squaw Drake Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body WHITE
let dry
2. Paint front BLACK
3. Paint three long lines across the top BLACK
let dry
4. Paint thin dashes on the top rear WHITE
Old Squaw Drake Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head WHITE
let dry
2. Paint a circle around each eye TAUPE
3. Paint entire beak BLACK
let dry
4. Paint a smaller circle behind each eye BLACK
5. Paint front of beak PINK, leaving the tip black
6. Insert Amber Eyes
Old Squaw Hen Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body LIGHT BROWN
let dry
2. Paint front and lower sides WHITE
Old Squaw Hen Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head WHITE
let dry
2. Paint mohawk TAUPE
3. Paint a dash under each eye BLACK
4. Paint entire beak BLACK
5. Insert Amber Eyes
Sea Duck - Scoter
Scoter Drake Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body BLACK
let dry
2. Paint triangular mark on each back side WHITE
Scoter Drake Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head and beak BLACK
let dry
2. Paint a horizontal teardrop around each eye WHITE
3. Insert Amber Eyes
Scoter Hen Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body BLACK
let dry
2. Paint triangular mark on each middle side WHITE
Scoter Hen Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head and beak BLACK
let dry
2. Paint dot on each side of beak behind each eye WHITE
3. Insert Amber Eyes
Puddleduck - Black Duck
Black Duck Drake Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body BLACK
let dry
2. Paint feathers on the top rear TAUPE
Black Duck Drake Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head TAUPE
2. Paint entire beak LIME
let dry
3. Paint mohawk BLACK
4. Paint a horizontal dash over each eye BLACK
5. Paint tip of beak BLACK
6. Insert Amber Eyes
Black Duck Hen Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body BLACK
let dry
2. Paint feathers on the top rear TAUPE
Black Duck Hen Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head TAUPE
2. Paint entire beak LIGHT GREEN
let dry
3. Paint mohawk BLACK
4. Paint a horizontal dash over each eye BLACK
5. Paint tip of beak BLACK
6. Insert Amber Eyes
Puddleduck - Blue Wing Teal
Blue Wing Teal Drake Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body TAN
let dry
2. Paint fade top and back BLACK
3. Paint dots on side and front BLACK
let dry
4. Stipple over the black dots LIGHT BROWN
let dry
5. Paint a vertical dash on each side WHITE
6. Paint a horizontal dash on each side BLUE
Blue Wing Teal Drake Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head BLACK
let dry
2. Paint a vertical dash in front of each eye WHITE
3. Insert Amber Eyes
Blue Wing Teal Hen Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body TAUPE
let dry
2. Paint top and top of sides LIGHT BROWN
let dry
3. Paint feathers on rear top TAUPE
4. Paint a horizontal dash on each side BLUE
Blue Wing Teal Hen Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head TAUPE
let dry
2. Paint a mohawk BLACK
3. Paint a horizontal dash over each eye BLACK
4. Insert Amber Eyes
Puddleduck - Gadwall
Gadwall Drake Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body GRAY
let dry
2. Paint back BLACK
3. Stipple top and sides DARK BROWN
4. Stipple front BLACK
let dry
5. Stipple front and bottom sides WHITE
6. Paint a horizontal dash on each side WHITE
Gadwall Drake Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head TAUPE
let dry
2. Stipple entire head DARK BROWN
let dry
3. Stipple entire head BLACK
4. Paint entire beak BLACK
5. Insert Amber Eyes
Gadwall Hen Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body TAUPE
let dry
2. Paint feathers on rear top DARK BROWN
3. Stipple front DARK BROWN
4. Paint a horizontal dash on each side WHITE
Gadwall Hen Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head TAUPE
let dry
2. Stipple entire head BLACK, darker on the mohawk
let dry
3. Paint a horizontal dash across each eye BLACK
4. Paint entire beak ORANGE
let dry
5. Paint top of beak BLACK
6. Insert Amber Eyes
Puddleduck - Green Wing Teal
Green Wing Teal Drake Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body TAUPE
let dry
2. Paint back BLACK
3. Paint a horizontal dash in middle of each side BLACK
4. Paint front TAN
let dry
5. Paint a horizontal dash in back of each side WHITE
6. Paint dots over the tan on front BLACK
Green Wing Teal Drake Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head RED
2. Paint entire beak BLACK
let dry
3. Paint a horizontal teardrop mark around each eye DARK GREEN
let dry
4. Outline the horizontal teardrop mark TAN
5. Insert Amber Eyes
Green Wing Teal Hen Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body LIGHT BROWN
let dry
2. Paint front TAUPE
3. Paint feathers on rear top TAUPE
4. Paint a horizontal dash on each side LIGHT GREEN
Green Wing Teal Hen Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head TAUPE
let dry
2. Paint a mohawk BLACK
3. Paint entire beak BLACK
4. Paint a horizontal dash over each eye BLACK
5. Insert Amber Eyes
Puddleduck - Mallard
Mallard Drake Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body TAUPE
let dry
2. Paint back, top, and sides BLACK
let dry
3. Paint a horizontal line across the back WHITE
4. Paint a triangular dash on bottom of each side WHITE
5. Paint front RED
Mallard Drake Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head DARK GREEN
2. Paint entire beak GOLD
let dry
3. Paint mohawk BLACK
4. Paint a horizontal line on bottom front of head WHITE
5. Paint tip of beak BLACK
6. Insert Amber Eyes
Mallard Hen Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body TAUPE
let dry
2. Paint top LIGHT BROWN
3. Paint a horizontal line across the back WHITE
4. Paint feathers on the top rear TAUPE
Mallard Hen Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head TAUPE
2. Paint entire beak ORANGE
let dry
3. Paint mohawk BLACK
4. Paint tip of beak BLACK
5. Insert Amber Eyes
Puddleduck - Pintail
Pintail Drake Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body TAUPE
let dry
2. Paint front WHITE
3. Paint back and rear top BLACK
4. Paint a horizontal teardrop mark on the middle of each side BLACK
let dry
5. Paint feather lines on the rear top WHITE
6. Paint a vertical line on the middle bottom of each side WHITE
Pintail Drake Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head DARK BROWN
let dry
2. Paint a vertical line on each side WHITE
3. Paint entire beak BLUE
let dry
4. Paint a strip on top of beak BLACK
5. Insert Amber Eyes
Pintail Hen Body Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire body TAUPE
let dry
2. Paint top LIGHT BROWN
let dry
3. Paint feathers on the rear top TAUPE
4. Paint a horizontal line across the back WHITE
Pintail Hen Head Painting Steps:
1. Paint entire head TAUPE
2. Paint entire beak BLUE
let dry
3. Paint mohawk LIGHT BROWN
4. Paint strip on top of beak BLACK
5. Insert Amber Eyes