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ladybusinessIn a recent edition of Sidetracks, I shared my Sincere Excitement about the Federal Duck Stamp Contest (happening around 12 hours after this post goes live), where over two days judges will pick the artist with the best Duck Art and create the next official Duck Stamp. They will have their art on all the duck stamps sold (which also operate as hunting licenses and funds wildlife conservation). Lady Business focuses on books/media, and so, I reasoned: "literally none of the people who follow Lady Business care about an art contest about ducks." Then I went: "But I care deeply about these ducks. I have followed some of these ducks since they were baby sketches!" So, with apologies to those who come here for Only Books/Media, please allow me a slight detour into Duck Art Joy.
Renay's Duck Lore: growing up, I had my own pet duck, Hudson, which was gifted to me by a dear friend who knew I loved ducks but did not realize that although I lived in "the country", it was not the type of country that was suitable for ducks. Hudson would have been eaten in one chomp during his first night outside alone, even in an enclosure. Beasts outside my rural Arkansas home laughed at enclosures. He was a loud, happy beautiful mallard. He rode around on my shoulder until he got too big, then wanted me to carry him everywhere like a baby. I hand fed him lots of snacks, like a spoiled prince (affectionate), and he grazed only in the most quality of wild rural Arkansas yard under close supervision. Eventually, we found a nice (and safe) farm with a family friend. Hudson went to live with the ducks there...who promptly made it clear he was not welcome. Luckily, the chickens were less snobby about the whole "raised by a human" business and let him join their flock, where he got very fat (deserved) and thrived until he reached the ripe old age of nine years old.
I learned about this contest from artist Kira Sabin, who has been entering for a few years. I highly recommend all their videos about the contest. They know so much about the artists and the history of the contest. I discovered them when they entered last year and have been following since. It's always neat to follow an artist as they expand their skills. As a bonus, many other people have decided to start entering the contest and I've gotten to follow them, too. More duck art for everyone.
This is the first year where I'm actively engaged with the contest as it's being judged and I'm very excited. In the first round of the judging, a majority must vote to keep a piece IN. 3-5 INs mean that piece moves on to round two, and so I'm hoping to see some of my favorites get at least 1-2 INs, even if they don't proceed. There are 239 duck paintings this year. I've been browsing through them on a loop since they dropped (and forcing everyone else to browse through them with me) and I have Opinions.
It's not surprising that myself and the judges often have divergent taste. The Official Duck Stamp is both a hunting license and a collector's item, so stark realism is prioritized. The stamp itself is very small, so any artwork needs to look good when it's in a reduced size. It's understandable, but a little regrettable that more modern or artistic interpretations don't have a high likelihood of being chosen. People are so creative! I love that artists keep entering with their cool art styles regardless of the outcome. Here are my 15 favorite duck paintings for this year (to be reasonable).
1. Duck #12 — I love the water on this one.
2. Duck #19 — Both the male and female duck are in this one, we get a full body shot (this sounds creepy to say about ducks…), and the water is cool.
3. Duck #32 — I love action scenes like this. I especially love the way the light shifts from left to right.
4. Duck #42 — I love the soft lighting on this piece, all the beautiful shadows, and the feathers!!!
5. Duck #46 — This is a cool action shot from a neat angle that shows off the great feather colors.
6. Duck #62 — These are geese (because geese are eligible for the list of ducks each year)! But they're so beautiful. I love this piece because of the excellent color work on the feathers and the great water movement.
7. Duck #63 — Listen, I never say no to well-done dunking duck butt, and as a bonus the colors and composition here are perfect. That water reflection!
8. Duck #83 — This is paint. Someone rendered this duck, in this water, with these waves, in paint.
9. Duck #95 — I'm in love with this duck. I want to know the artist so I can order a print. I want this on my wall in my home so I can look at it every day.
10. Duck #107 — More geese! The lighting on this is wonderful and the water is looking like not paint (it's paint).
11. Duck #135 — The Aqua Teen Hunger Force reference here is *chef's kiss*. There are some other references I don't know, too. The creativity here is neat. I love people.
12. Duck #130 — I just can't get over this duck's whole "EXCUSE ME?" vibe. It cracks me up. I love it so much.
13. Duck #137 — There's a lot happening in this one (might not shrink well), but regardless, it's so pretty. Really leaning into the "sea duck" vibe with the water.
14. Duck #200 — IT'S PICKAXE. I love him and hope he does well! The colors give the piece a dreamy, foggy morning feel. His feathers are beautiful and that water! The growth between last year and this year…wizard level.
15. Duck #201 — Puffcorn. :) I know Kira has talked a lot about their progress in their videos, but it's been so cool watching them grow as an artist. It's really inspiring. Puffcorn is a handsome gentlemen; I am hoping for at least three IN's for him (OR MORE)! HE DESERVES IT.
I have no clue what the judges will do, but based on my Limited, Past Experience, I'm trying to get better at predicting. Here are the paintings I think will do well.
1. Duck #34 — Great colors and incredible detail. The only thing holding this one back might be the fish—it's not going to show up well when the image is small and may take away from the ducks.
2. Duck #52 — The lighting and color work on the duck feathers is so rich. I also love they included both male and female ducks, but worry that the female duck might get lost when the painting is smaller.
3. Duck #62 — Part 1 of me putting GET SOME IN'S vibes out into the world.
4. Duck #81 — Looking at past winners, this duck has a lot going for it between the duck, the simple background that will reduce well but rewards closer glances. The little duck feet in the water really lends a good sense of movement to the water that already had plenty.
5. Duck #83 — Again…this is paint.
6. Duck #94 — Pairs of ducks often do well in this exact composition. What made this stick out for me is the crisp lighting and sense of movement that comes from the water reflections.
7. Duck #95 — Part 2 of me speaking some IN's into existence. I really want this one to be recognized! The vibe is so cool. It's really capturing that icy seascape feeling. You can imagine what the breeze feels like and the chill of the water.
8. Duck #107 — Part 3, of, yes, shout about the IN's you want the judges to hand out and hope they receive your hopes in their sleep. I love the delicateness of these geese and the way the water works to make you hear the sloshing on the shore. Plus, the way the light hits all their feathers to gloss them up…gorgeous.
9. Duck #122 — These ducks have eyes that will not quit, and so it's hard to make them look natural. This painting captures their roundness without so much of the appearance that they've been startled. The lighting on this is great, too, and I love how the water reflection captures both the duck and the light source offscreen.
10. Duck #123 — If you said, "Okay, choose a duck not on your favorites list you think will win" it would be this one. Two ducks, perfect angling to capture the beauty of the feathers, a distinct background that makes the ducks stand out perfectly but doesn't detract from the subject, and lighting that really calls forth the imagery of a wintery sunset. I can see it in my head. This artist gave themselves a huge chance to take bragging rights home, even if they didn't choose the most popular duck this year.
11. Duck #124 — The hooded merganser was the duck with the most paintings, and there are a lot of great ones. This is one my partner and I stopped on for a few minutes to talk about the use of light and water motion. He said it was the one with the best churn in the water from fast paddling and I don't disagree! I also like the way the water interacts with the ducks where they're sitting in it with the bubbles.
12. Duck #128 — He's perky! He's fun! He could be #1! It's obviously a tough field this year. This duck caught my eye not only because the artist captured a duck having an Distinct Emotion, but also because the color work on the feathers is…so good. This is paint.
13. Duck #157 — Detailed ducks: check. Two-duck composition: check. Water that looks like you could dive in: check. Excellent lighting: check. The movement from the water here is so good. I'm running out of ways to say, "Check out this effing WATER. IT'S ACTUALLY PAINT."
14. Duck #172 — Flying compositions get chosen a lot! I'm hoping this one gets some recognition because it's doing The Most. There are so many Brants in this painting and the horizon line is epic, although I don't know if the judges want selections that are so geographically anchored.
15. Duck #177 — When I think "duck stamp that operates as a hunting license and raises money for conservation" this is the image that comes to mind. I love the detail work, from the feathers to the shadows to the little puffs coming from the cattail. This may be a legit winner.
16. Duck #200 — Part 4 of "GIVE ME THE INS, JUDGES!". I'm hoping for at least one IN, but would be pleased with two. Pickaxe deserves the world.
17. Duck #201 — Part 5 of speaking IN's into the universe. Although I know Puffcorn probably won't win due to the lighting choice (sob), I really want this artist to get their flowers for all their improvement and do better this year than they ever have before.
18. Duck #202 — Because the hooded merganser was in so many submissions this year, artists who chose it also chose Duck Stamp: Hard Mode because you've got to be good good to stand out of the pack. This is one I think does that well. The duck detailing is great, water is good, and the positioning of the duck is excellent. The one downside is the lighting, which is cool instead of warm. This artist also manages to get the eyes regular and not in "PANIC!" mode.
19. Duck #215 — This is an extraordinary painting. The colors! The movement! The ruffled feathers. The "Am I the drama?" of it all. The downsides are that the realism is broken up in the bottom of the painting where the brush strokes are more obvious and the colors are cool rather than warm. But gosh, it's so pretty and really demand that the viewer feel the breeze.
20. Duck #220 — I feel like this painting is going to do well because of its detail and the mood the coloring invokes. But it only hints at a body of water, and while paintings like that have won in the past they're in the minority in recent years. Water really helps give a solid mood. That's been replaced here with the clouds, which I love, but who knows what the judges will think. Based on watching the 2022 and 2023 judging, I sometimes have no clue what judges want.
21. Duck #224 — Another pair of hooded mergansers that are hitting all the checkboxes. What caught my eye about this one was the excellent lighting that made those water bubbles stand out.
22. Duck #231 — This is made of paint. A human being made this with paint.
23. Duck #238 — One last hooded merganser that's checking the lighting, composition, and water boxes. When my partner and I were looking at this one, we kept finding little details to look at and consider, like the foam on the water and the reeds that you can see through the waves. Honestly. With paint.
You can browse all the entries via this Flickr gallery, watch the 2024 Federal Duck Stamp Contest on Youtube (tomorrow, September 19! Or NOW if you're reading this on September 19 after 8AM), browse past winners, and get your own 2024-2025 duck stamp at USPS.
(You can also tell me your favorite duck paintings from this year. No pressure.)
Renay's Duck Lore: growing up, I had my own pet duck, Hudson, which was gifted to me by a dear friend who knew I loved ducks but did not realize that although I lived in "the country", it was not the type of country that was suitable for ducks. Hudson would have been eaten in one chomp during his first night outside alone, even in an enclosure. Beasts outside my rural Arkansas home laughed at enclosures. He was a loud, happy beautiful mallard. He rode around on my shoulder until he got too big, then wanted me to carry him everywhere like a baby. I hand fed him lots of snacks, like a spoiled prince (affectionate), and he grazed only in the most quality of wild rural Arkansas yard under close supervision. Eventually, we found a nice (and safe) farm with a family friend. Hudson went to live with the ducks there...who promptly made it clear he was not welcome. Luckily, the chickens were less snobby about the whole "raised by a human" business and let him join their flock, where he got very fat (deserved) and thrived until he reached the ripe old age of nine years old.
I learned about this contest from artist Kira Sabin, who has been entering for a few years. I highly recommend all their videos about the contest. They know so much about the artists and the history of the contest. I discovered them when they entered last year and have been following since. It's always neat to follow an artist as they expand their skills. As a bonus, many other people have decided to start entering the contest and I've gotten to follow them, too. More duck art for everyone.
This is the first year where I'm actively engaged with the contest as it's being judged and I'm very excited. In the first round of the judging, a majority must vote to keep a piece IN. 3-5 INs mean that piece moves on to round two, and so I'm hoping to see some of my favorites get at least 1-2 INs, even if they don't proceed. There are 239 duck paintings this year. I've been browsing through them on a loop since they dropped (and forcing everyone else to browse through them with me) and I have Opinions.
My Favorite 2024 Duck Paintings
It's not surprising that myself and the judges often have divergent taste. The Official Duck Stamp is both a hunting license and a collector's item, so stark realism is prioritized. The stamp itself is very small, so any artwork needs to look good when it's in a reduced size. It's understandable, but a little regrettable that more modern or artistic interpretations don't have a high likelihood of being chosen. People are so creative! I love that artists keep entering with their cool art styles regardless of the outcome. Here are my 15 favorite duck paintings for this year (to be reasonable).
1. Duck #12 — I love the water on this one.
2. Duck #19 — Both the male and female duck are in this one, we get a full body shot (this sounds creepy to say about ducks…), and the water is cool.
3. Duck #32 — I love action scenes like this. I especially love the way the light shifts from left to right.
4. Duck #42 — I love the soft lighting on this piece, all the beautiful shadows, and the feathers!!!
5. Duck #46 — This is a cool action shot from a neat angle that shows off the great feather colors.
6. Duck #62 — These are geese (because geese are eligible for the list of ducks each year)! But they're so beautiful. I love this piece because of the excellent color work on the feathers and the great water movement.
7. Duck #63 — Listen, I never say no to well-done dunking duck butt, and as a bonus the colors and composition here are perfect. That water reflection!
8. Duck #83 — This is paint. Someone rendered this duck, in this water, with these waves, in paint.
9. Duck #95 — I'm in love with this duck. I want to know the artist so I can order a print. I want this on my wall in my home so I can look at it every day.
10. Duck #107 — More geese! The lighting on this is wonderful and the water is looking like not paint (it's paint).
11. Duck #135 — The Aqua Teen Hunger Force reference here is *chef's kiss*. There are some other references I don't know, too. The creativity here is neat. I love people.
12. Duck #130 — I just can't get over this duck's whole "EXCUSE ME?" vibe. It cracks me up. I love it so much.
13. Duck #137 — There's a lot happening in this one (might not shrink well), but regardless, it's so pretty. Really leaning into the "sea duck" vibe with the water.
14. Duck #200 — IT'S PICKAXE. I love him and hope he does well! The colors give the piece a dreamy, foggy morning feel. His feathers are beautiful and that water! The growth between last year and this year…wizard level.
15. Duck #201 — Puffcorn. :) I know Kira has talked a lot about their progress in their videos, but it's been so cool watching them grow as an artist. It's really inspiring. Puffcorn is a handsome gentlemen; I am hoping for at least three IN's for him (OR MORE)! HE DESERVES IT.
2024 Duck Paintings I Expect to Do Well
I have no clue what the judges will do, but based on my Limited, Past Experience, I'm trying to get better at predicting. Here are the paintings I think will do well.
1. Duck #34 — Great colors and incredible detail. The only thing holding this one back might be the fish—it's not going to show up well when the image is small and may take away from the ducks.
2. Duck #52 — The lighting and color work on the duck feathers is so rich. I also love they included both male and female ducks, but worry that the female duck might get lost when the painting is smaller.
3. Duck #62 — Part 1 of me putting GET SOME IN'S vibes out into the world.
4. Duck #81 — Looking at past winners, this duck has a lot going for it between the duck, the simple background that will reduce well but rewards closer glances. The little duck feet in the water really lends a good sense of movement to the water that already had plenty.
5. Duck #83 — Again…this is paint.
6. Duck #94 — Pairs of ducks often do well in this exact composition. What made this stick out for me is the crisp lighting and sense of movement that comes from the water reflections.
7. Duck #95 — Part 2 of me speaking some IN's into existence. I really want this one to be recognized! The vibe is so cool. It's really capturing that icy seascape feeling. You can imagine what the breeze feels like and the chill of the water.
8. Duck #107 — Part 3, of, yes, shout about the IN's you want the judges to hand out and hope they receive your hopes in their sleep. I love the delicateness of these geese and the way the water works to make you hear the sloshing on the shore. Plus, the way the light hits all their feathers to gloss them up…gorgeous.
9. Duck #122 — These ducks have eyes that will not quit, and so it's hard to make them look natural. This painting captures their roundness without so much of the appearance that they've been startled. The lighting on this is great, too, and I love how the water reflection captures both the duck and the light source offscreen.
10. Duck #123 — If you said, "Okay, choose a duck not on your favorites list you think will win" it would be this one. Two ducks, perfect angling to capture the beauty of the feathers, a distinct background that makes the ducks stand out perfectly but doesn't detract from the subject, and lighting that really calls forth the imagery of a wintery sunset. I can see it in my head. This artist gave themselves a huge chance to take bragging rights home, even if they didn't choose the most popular duck this year.
11. Duck #124 — The hooded merganser was the duck with the most paintings, and there are a lot of great ones. This is one my partner and I stopped on for a few minutes to talk about the use of light and water motion. He said it was the one with the best churn in the water from fast paddling and I don't disagree! I also like the way the water interacts with the ducks where they're sitting in it with the bubbles.
12. Duck #128 — He's perky! He's fun! He could be #1! It's obviously a tough field this year. This duck caught my eye not only because the artist captured a duck having an Distinct Emotion, but also because the color work on the feathers is…so good. This is paint.
13. Duck #157 — Detailed ducks: check. Two-duck composition: check. Water that looks like you could dive in: check. Excellent lighting: check. The movement from the water here is so good. I'm running out of ways to say, "Check out this effing WATER. IT'S ACTUALLY PAINT."
14. Duck #172 — Flying compositions get chosen a lot! I'm hoping this one gets some recognition because it's doing The Most. There are so many Brants in this painting and the horizon line is epic, although I don't know if the judges want selections that are so geographically anchored.
15. Duck #177 — When I think "duck stamp that operates as a hunting license and raises money for conservation" this is the image that comes to mind. I love the detail work, from the feathers to the shadows to the little puffs coming from the cattail. This may be a legit winner.
16. Duck #200 — Part 4 of "GIVE ME THE INS, JUDGES!". I'm hoping for at least one IN, but would be pleased with two. Pickaxe deserves the world.
17. Duck #201 — Part 5 of speaking IN's into the universe. Although I know Puffcorn probably won't win due to the lighting choice (sob), I really want this artist to get their flowers for all their improvement and do better this year than they ever have before.
18. Duck #202 — Because the hooded merganser was in so many submissions this year, artists who chose it also chose Duck Stamp: Hard Mode because you've got to be good good to stand out of the pack. This is one I think does that well. The duck detailing is great, water is good, and the positioning of the duck is excellent. The one downside is the lighting, which is cool instead of warm. This artist also manages to get the eyes regular and not in "PANIC!" mode.
19. Duck #215 — This is an extraordinary painting. The colors! The movement! The ruffled feathers. The "Am I the drama?" of it all. The downsides are that the realism is broken up in the bottom of the painting where the brush strokes are more obvious and the colors are cool rather than warm. But gosh, it's so pretty and really demand that the viewer feel the breeze.
20. Duck #220 — I feel like this painting is going to do well because of its detail and the mood the coloring invokes. But it only hints at a body of water, and while paintings like that have won in the past they're in the minority in recent years. Water really helps give a solid mood. That's been replaced here with the clouds, which I love, but who knows what the judges will think. Based on watching the 2022 and 2023 judging, I sometimes have no clue what judges want.
21. Duck #224 — Another pair of hooded mergansers that are hitting all the checkboxes. What caught my eye about this one was the excellent lighting that made those water bubbles stand out.
22. Duck #231 — This is made of paint. A human being made this with paint.
23. Duck #238 — One last hooded merganser that's checking the lighting, composition, and water boxes. When my partner and I were looking at this one, we kept finding little details to look at and consider, like the foam on the water and the reeds that you can see through the waves. Honestly. With paint.
You can browse all the entries via this Flickr gallery, watch the 2024 Federal Duck Stamp Contest on Youtube (tomorrow, September 19! Or NOW if you're reading this on September 19 after 8AM), browse past winners, and get your own 2024-2025 duck stamp at USPS.
(You can also tell me your favorite duck paintings from this year. No pressure.)
