Overview

Make Your Shorebird Decoys Come to LifeCarving shorebird decoys has been a folk tradition for centuries, and now, with this authoritative guide, you can finish your own carved and collected decoys with realistic color and detail. In Painting Shorebird Decoys, expert carver and wildlife illustrator Anthony Hillman gives you advice on painting your decoys based on his life-long experience. With 16 color plates, this guide gives profile and top views of 16 shorebird species at the time of breeding, when their plumage is most brilliant: Dunlin American avocet Common snipe Greater Yellowlegs Whimbrel Sandrel Kildeer American oystercatcher Red knot Ruddy turnstone Black-bellied plover Long-billed curlew Black-necked stilt Piping plover Spotted sandpiper Short-billed dowitcher This invaluable guide provides advice on selecting brushes and paint, mixing colors, and step-by-step instructions on painting your decoys. Additionally, it includes a list of colors needed for each species shown. The plates give exacting detail for authentic hues and shading. Collectors and carvers of all abilities will find Painting Shorebird Decoys an invaluable tool to help in rendering beautiful decoys that truly stand out. Be sure to add other guides by Anthony Hillman, published by Echo Point Books, to your library: Painting Duck Decoys, Carving Miniature Duck Decoys, Carving Waterbirds, Carving Favorite Songbirds, and Carving Traditional Fish Decoys.

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9781648370694

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"Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1948, the shore was rich in wildlife which held his youthful interest. Hunting was a prime activity since he was 14 years of age, and many full days were spent on marsh, field, and in the ""Jersey pines."" Tony was active as a commercial illustrator during the 1960s and developed a talent for drawing and painting local wildlife during this time. After service in the Marine Corps from 1968-70, he returned to painting wildlife and story illustration. During the early 1970s he started to design and carve duck decoys for his own use. Soon he had requests from friends to make some birds for their gunning rigs. Woodcarving ultimately began to occupy more of his time and interest. While his carving origins started with decoys, somewhat more decorative birds, fish, and animals were requested by many patrons of his art. Most of his work is done in white cedar; he also carved in basswood, butternut, mahogany, maple, ebony, oak, and several species of pine. The painted finish of his bird and fish carvings are what help to make each carving special. Mr. Hillman has authored and illustrated over 30 carving and painting how-to books, most with Dover Publications. Three of the earliest titles were done with Harry V. Shourds, the grandson of the famous Tuckerton carver. Thousands of wood carvers have used their series of carving and painting patterns for over thirty years. Tony added other titles which included several painting how-to books, fish carving, and weathervane subjects. Tony was invited to Washington, D.C. to the American Folk Life Festival in 1983 by the Smithsonian Institute to demonstrate his craft, one of only 3 carvers in the state to be so honored. He still carves full-time and his favorite subjects are the shorebirds which migrate to and from our coast each year. Tony has lived in Cape May County for the past thirty years, and his carvings reflect a lifetime of careful observation of our unique coastal heritage. Since 1999 his presence on the internet has allowed Hillman to spend more time carving and selling directly to patrons, rather than attending scattered shows around the country. His website, www.HillmanArt.com, features several from a selection of hundreds of original works, with directions to his home and contact information."

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