Textured Painted Fish

These scaly fish are even more fun to make than they are to look at! Maybe you'd even like to make a beautiful sea for them to swim in....

  1. Ages: 3 - 8

  2. 1 hour - 2 hours

  3. Messy

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Materials you'll need

Step-by-step tutorial

  • Step 1

    One of my kids' favorite ways to create is to paint. And we paint pretty often, so we're always interested in new techniques and mediums. Combine that with fish, and it will surely be something we'll love!

    Photo reference of how to complete step 1

  • Step 2

    Our fish will be displayed on a background we made--we just cut a piece of cardboard, squirted on paints, and painted the cardboard with combs, making texture and ocean waves. We sculpted our fish--an angler fish, a puffer fish, and a gold fish.

    Photo reference of how to complete step 2

  • Step 3

    Natural clay is easy to work with... if you need to smooth it, just rub spots with a wet finger. Maddie thinks popping your finger in your mouth does a fine job, but I find a tiny bowl of water more effective!

    Photo reference of how to complete step 3

  • Step 4

    We let our fish dry for just a few minutes, then started painting.

    Photo reference of how to complete step 4

  • Step 5

    Here comes the very best part! You can let your paint dry for a while, if you want your design to come through. Or, if you're impatient and excited like us, then grab your mesh and put a rag in it. You can either pat your wet paint, or put a small amount of new color on your mesh-covered rag, and start lightly blotting. If the mesh is coarse, it will make a really great fish scale pattern on your fish!

    Photo reference of how to complete step 5

  • Step 6

    Some kids (like my son, the creator of the dreaded angler fish) may choose to to leave their creations looking fierce and undecorated...

    Photo reference of how to complete step 6

  • Final result!

    ...and some (like my daughter, who's a glitter-and-sparkles sort of gal) may want a few sequins and sparkles to liven things up. Happy fishing!

    Photo reference of how to complete step 7

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