Reading Time: 4 minutes

This is o-fish-ally a favorite project of young artists! Using fresh and salt water fish as inspiration, you will create a fabulous, colorful fish.

SUPPLIES

Step 1 – Make the parts

Review amazing fish found in fresh and salt water. Draw a fish body (head and belly) on a piece of paper. (1)

Fish body
1. Draw the fish body.

Cut out the fish shape and use as a template for the second side. The shapes should match.

Fold the third piece of paper in half longways, folded side to the left. From the top left corner, draw a diagonal line to the right edge to make a triangle shape and cut so you have 2 triangles for pectoral (side) fins. (2)

2. Draw a diagonal line to the right edge to make a triangle shape for pectoral (side) fins.

Towards the bottom of the paper, from the bottom right corner, draw 2 upward arcs toward the fold. (3)

3. Draw 2 upward arcs toward the fold to make a tail.

Cut to make a tail shape. Use the leftover paper to create other triangle shapes for the top (dorsal) and bottom (pelvic) fins. (4)

4. Layout of fish with fins and tails.

Step 2 – Construct the fish

Staple a pectoral fin to each fish shape. Next, put the pelvic fin and the tail in between the two shapes and staple the fish shapes together along the outer edge, leaving an opening along the top. (5)

stapling bottom edge
5. Staple a pectoral fin to each side, put the pelvic fin and the tail in between the two shapes and staple the sides together along the outer edge, leaving an opening along the top.

Shred or tear the recycled paper and fill the fish. (6)

stuffing fish with shredded paper
6. Stuff the fish with shredded paper.

Once the fish is filled, place the dorsal fin in between the shapes and staple the top closed. (7)

Staple the top
7. Staple the top closed.

Step 3 – Paint the fish

Using the fish references as a guide – or your imagination – paint the fish using Chroma 2 Intense & Opaque Heavy Bodied Washable Tempera. (8)

8. Use Chroma 2 Washable to paint the fish.

Make sure that you include the main parts of a fish: gills, scales, eyes, and the mouth. Paint one side and let dry. (9)

Paint one side and let dry.
9. Paint one side of the fish and let dry.

When the first side is dry, paint the second. (10)

Painting the other side of the fish
10. Paint the other side of the fish.

Tip: If you want your fish to glow like undersea creatures, use Chromatemp Artists’ Fluorescent Temperas – these paints glow under a black light! (11, 12)

Fish with Chromatemp Fluoros
11. Painted with Chromatemp Artists’ Tempera Paint in Fluorescent colors
Chromatemp Fluoros glow under a black light
12. Chromatemp Fluoros glowing under a black light

Optional: Staple a string on the top of the fish to hang it from the ceiling, surrounded by strips of blue crepe paper to give the illusion of water.

NATIONAL CORE ART STANDARDS

Creating Anchor Standard 2: Organize and develop artistic ideas and work.

Responding Anchor Standard 7: Perceive and analyze artistic work

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