An expert craftsman shows how to turn out your own classics-covering everything from selection of wood to finishing stains and lacquers. Step-by-step instructions for every project, plus insider's tips and clear illustrations make carving easy--even for beginners. "a fine book for beginners."-- "Carvers Journal . Over 200 photos, plus diagrams. 164 pages (4 in color), 214 b/w illus., 8 x 10.

Detailed instructions and full-size templates for constructing 16 beautiful, marvelously practical decoys according to the time-honored South Jersey method.

Contemporary techniques to replicate the grace, flow, and imperfections found in antique-style ducks. Carving painting and aging instructions are included.

Finest book on duck carving in years. Describes the bluebill, mallard, merganser, canvasback, plus other species -- their anatomy, actions, positions. Shows how to shape, carve and point the head and feathers for a lifelike texture.

Fish decoys were originally used by Native and Early American ice fisherman to lure food fish within range of their spears. Carved and painted to mimic the appearance and behavior of prey for pike and muskies, the hand-crafted fish decoy has become enshrined in American culture as a treasured form of traditional folk-art. Although the practicality--and sanity--of ice-fishing with spears is up for debate, traditional fish-decoys have seen a recent surge in interest and have become highly sought-after both as collectables and to be used under the ice. If you're someone who appreciates traditional American folk art and you want to learn to carve your own fish decoys, then this is the book for you. Life-long fisherman and decoy-carving instructor James Cottle makes it fun and easy to get started with detailed instructions, contextual information, history lessons, and tips on tools and techniques. This book contains 22 traceable patterns for decoys including trout, perch, bass, suckers, walleye, pike, muskies, sunfish, and walleyes, plus a mouse and a frog. Every step of the process is described clearly, with instructions that will guide you through cutting, carving, weighting, painting, and adding fins and tail to your decoy. Then it's ready to use--on your mantle or under the ice. With full color photographs of finished decoys and tips for developing your own painting style, this is the definitive guide to making your own traditional fish decoys.

Fully illustrated instructions and exact-size templates for carving 16 species of ducks in beautiful miniature form. Plus tips for beginners, advice on painting, much more. All decoys in color on covers.

Step-by-step instructions for carving and painting 17 realistic decoys: brook trout, large-mouth bass, yellow perch, lake sturgeon, muskellunge, coho salmon, more. Profile, top-view and front-view patterns provided. All shown in full-color photographs.