Repainting old FB decoys

[TXHonkerHunter]

I know this has been covered before, but I'm looking for a little more information before I start throwing paint around. I am just starting out in goose hunting and purchased some old Carry-Lite Canada full body decoys and thus far I have flocked the head and tails and now I'm ready to put some new paint on them. The original paint is pretty beat up and is very dark in color, id like to lighten up the paint and breath some new life into these things. I want to try and use rattle cans if possible instead of buying an airbrush. Has anyone ever done this? What colors produced the best results for you? I'm open to any and all advice/info. Pictures would be great as well! Thanks in advance!!

[field-n-feathers]

http://www.flockfooler.com/Home.html

Best system out there, IMHO. So easy, even a caveman can do it.

[TXHonkerHunter]

I looked at their website lastnight, but do they use airbrushes to paint with? They're website is lacking in information regarding their product IMO

[goosechaser125]

I use a air brush and it is fairly fast, originally I was using small brushes only, now with the mixed airbrushing and "dry brushing" the detail is much better. Best thing is to pick your worst decoy and practice several times and methods on it.

When you get one you like put it in front of you and paint the others the same, but with some subtle differences so they do not look like a bunch of clones

If you need to paint the entire body first I would use a darker color and then "dry brush" colors over it, if you have a decoy that was molded in a light buff/tan color, when you get wear on the detail it will look good (Bigfoots use a great base plastic color)

[TXHonkerHunter]

GooseChaser125 - I picked up a inexpensive airbrush kit this evening and have been fiddling around with it all night. What brand and colors are you using to paint your decoys? I picked up some burnt umber tonight, but it seems waaaay too light. The decoys are a really dark color, so I'm going to have to paint the entire decoy my base color first. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[goosechaser125]

I order paint from TESTORS, the model paint company, go to "military colors" - tans , sand ect., also the tan from Hunter's Specialties called "marsh grass" at Gander mountain or other outdoor store. Base colors are a lot harder, I've been mixing paints to get good colors too. You need to get paint thinner too, so you can run paint in your air brush, experiment, experiment, experiment, is my best advise. I even paint new decoys for added detail so they are different from the guys a couple of fields away. I actualy have "family groups" based on painting 6 to 12 decoys at a time with the same colors and patterns.

Just keep trying different things, the great thing about using a air brush is the coats are thin and easy to paint another color over if needed.

Trust me some will be UGLY and need to be re-done, that's why I say pick one and keep painting it until you like what you see, and it will take time to do, it is not quick, paint ,then and done.