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Justin,
I would suggest a puddler pattern since most on this forum are more familiar with them than they are with divers. Just a thought. Either way the idea is a really good one.

it's a good idea and one i'm considering, for the very reason you state.......the initial thought was the fact that divers offer both both colors that can be "blocked" in while still allowing for certain blending methods, combing vermiculation, etc w/out getting bogged down in color selection/mixing that can get confusing w/ puddlers. though, the same can certainly be said for divers as well......

admittedly, i could use a whole weekend of "color theory" myself....

i guess, in the end, i'm gonna leave it up to the instructor as to what he/she wants to get accomplished.....

it definitely is something to consider though, justin

shoveler?

gator wrote:novocaine, that's most likely what we'd do so far as the package, but i may get willey to cut out something different than a Can although i love carving/painting them.....i'm thinking possibly a scaup, as they allow for combing in vermiculation, texturing heads, several color areas you don't "see" until you start looking, and dry brushing techniques.

again, this is just something i'm kicking around......but, you get the general idea.

-justin

I picked this little block up yesterday to do some carving. I am picturing maybe a box of toothpics or maybe a popsickle stick or 2. I bet it turns out to be sawdust.

wanted to update everyone on a few things.....

I am pleased to say I've had 2 (two) real strong, firm "yes'" to teaching the class. these 2 guys are good friends, use traditional oil paints, use traditional tools such as knives and hatchets to carve.....they really have excelled carving/painting what is called "counterfeit antiques", meaning they antique the decoys to looked aged and used....

they both excel in creating pleasing, traditional "gunning blocks" as well.

one teaches art classes and decoy classes all over the country.....the other is no stranger to such either.

i'm going to hold off on saying "who" this is, but frankly, they are pretty big deals in the decoy carving world......i know one of them grew up on the chesapeake bay, learning from the old masters as a youngster, and i think the other did as well, but not positive.

i'm leaving for a weeklong turkey hunt but will call them when i get back in town and pencil in dates and locations..........to be honest, i never thought they'd agree to it, so i never thought about "where" we would need to put this on.....

i talked to jeff king (local decoy maker) last night and he mentioned the ag museum.......i'll check on that as soon as i have dates.......

if anyone else has an idea, i'm all ears.........but, just know, this thing is gonna be AWESOME if these guys get over here - and, i really think that's a given at this point.

-justin

If it is on the weekend you can count me in.

I would like to be in also if room, please.

How have I missed this up till now? I'm there, man!

Any potential dates set for the carving class yet?

mark, there isn't yet. i came straight from the seventh circle of hell (new mexico) to work so i haven't been able to call. will call the fellas tomorrow and see both what they need from our end and what dates they can do it.

they both compete in shows a pretty good bit as well as hunt, so the dates will have to be when they can.

i'm hoping to have a lot more info for ya'll by weekends end.

-justin

very cool idea getting this together justin, if you have to cut out a lot of blanks let me know and i can help with that with a little advanced notice, guys i will say that handcarved and painted blocks beat the crap out of any of your finest plastic decoys, finally got to hunt with gator last year and he brought along his first greenhead, think it was his first carved decoy actually, and it just looked so much better than the plastics, so having said that i think everyone planning on going would benefit from it, i'm just a sucker for these type of events as i like to see handcrafted work any day over commercial stuff, and him spending his time trying to organize an event to pass on the craftsmanship that seems to be falling to the wayside these days speaks volumes about ole gator, so if i can help in anyway let me know, and count me in if the weekend works out with my schedule

rjohnson wrote:very cool idea getting this together justin, if you have to cut out a lot of blanks let me know and i can help with that with a little advanced notice, guys i will say that handcarved and painted blocks beat the crap out of any of your finest plastic decoys, finally got to hunt with gator last year and he brought along his first greenhead, think it was his first carved decoy actually, and it just looked so much better than the plastics, so having said that i think everyone planning on going would benefit from it, i'm just a sucker for these type of events as i like to see handcrafted work any day over commercial stuff, and him spending his time trying to organize an event to pass on the craftsmanship that seems to be falling to the wayside these days speaks volumes about ole gator, so if i can help in anyway let me know, and count me in if the weekend works out with my schedule

dang ronnie stop kissing his booty you brown noser you just made his head like 50 times bigger

Sounds good.

any ideas of costs?

Is this still on?? Because Iam very interested in this!! please update us.