Fish rolling Gyotaku - Arts, Crafts and DIY

This is a traditional Japanese form of painting

Material

1 Bottle of blotting ink
1 Fish
1 Large piece of art paper or fabric

Method

This uses the actual fish to leave an impression on your paper or fabric, so catch or obtain a whole fish (we do it with any especially big or special fish caught)
Wash the fish's natural slime off and cover it in ink
Roll the fish gently onto the paper or fabric once, you only do one side so start from the top spine and roll down

Notes

This is a very delicate way of recording a special fish, please be kind and make sure the fish has been humanely put to sleep and only kill fish you intend to eat!

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This project was posted by:

- mle00
- 19 Mar 2014
  3:52 pm

59 Comments

- - mom19782016 said
  - 16 Oct 2020
    4:57 pm
I had to reread the instructions but it’s an actual fish!! Wow!!

- - mom81879 said
  - 01 Nov 2019
    2:24 pm
There’s so much detail left behind, so very life like. I don’t come into contact with real fish though so not an option for me

- - mom111059 said
  - 15 Aug 2016
    2:55 pm
Very crafty and original but I’m not sure about using a real fish. Thank you for the idea
- kjgarner replied
  
  22 Jun 2018 , 9:39 pm
  I am with you I probably won’t use a real fish either
  - kjgarner replied
    
    28 Jun 2018 , 8:44 pm
    
    Maybe an adult craft more so than child
- - mom165081 said
  - 25 Nov 2015
    1:44 pm
So incredibly beautiful – I really didn’t expect the instructions to be what they were – like the effect, but not sure I would do it – not quite sure why. Thanks so much for sharing.

- - mom109229 said
  - 28 Sep 2015
    11:37 am
It’s a nice idea but I’m not going to try it with my toddler.

- - mom152736 said
  - 31 Aug 2015
    11:14 pm
that is superb try to attempt

- - geometricfro said
  - 31 May 2015
    2:39 am
What a wonderful idea for a keepsake to do after a day of fishing between daddy and kiddies

- - mom62624 said
  - 15 Mar 2015
    7:37 am
Thanks for sharing; a very interesting and unique idea!.

- - keeleynme said
  - 27 Nov 2014
    11:36 am
I wouldn’t want to eat it with the ink been put all on it :/

- - mom93821 said
  - 06 Nov 2014
    7:04 am
Thanks for sharing this creative idea; looks very effective.
- mom93821 replied
  
  05 Oct 2016 , 7:03 am
  Great holiday project for fish lovers.
- - mom94125 said
  - 01 Nov 2014
    1:07 am
this is a great effect that you get
- mom94125 replied
  
  07 Oct 2015 , 9:46 pm
  CHEERS FOR POSTING THIS GREAT ART IDEA. FRAME THIS AND PUT IT ON THE WALL.
- - shortaez said
  - 15 Oct 2014
    7:21 pm
Very creative way for a fish

- - Kate Sander said
  - 02 Sep 2014
    8:36 am
Wow, totally different to other ideas but in a good way, quite creative, would not have thought of this myself.

- - ginoula5 said
  - 10 Aug 2014
    7:24 pm
wow would never have thought of this, kids would love this

- - mel_phillips said
  - 30 Jul 2014
    4:17 pm
This is such an interesting idea! The fish outline looks so accurate and clear!

- - skbou said
  - 21 Jul 2014
    3:12 pm
Odd idea. I fish and then eat them but I don’t know about coating them in ink, I suppose it would make for a very lifelike stamp.

- - rachaelchara said
  - 11 Jun 2014
    12:38 pm
Thanks for sharing. I have never seen this done before.

- - lou3 said
  - 10 Jun 2014
    8:11 pm
Awesome ideas

- - fionaellis said
  - 07 Jun 2014
    8:41 pm
This is a great form of art.

- - no1ladydj said
  - 31 May 2014
    10:21 pm
I can’t wait to let my brother know about this, so that he can keep a record of some of the fish that he catches. He always tells tales about “the one that got away”, so now maybe he can keep the fish and have a pictorial record of them.