How to Paint Fish for Taxidermy
- 1). Print a picture of the original fish for reference. Find a picture in a book -- or on the internet -- if you didn't take a photo at the time of the catch.
- 2). Mix the paint color that dominates the body of your fish. Create a wash -- and thin the paint -- by adding water. Glaze the fish with a primary coat of this color.
- 3). Apply a thicker layer of color -- using the mix of the primary color -- where the fish is darker. Follow the pattern of the scales to get a natural looking and even coat.
- 4). Create a wash of white paint. Paint the lighter areas of the fish, including the underbelly. Tint the white with cadmium red or yellow ochre, depending on the shade of the fish.
- 5). Shade the darker areas of the fish with black paint. The fish will generally be darker in areas that are the further away from light spots.
- 6). Paint accents in sap green, cadmium red, yellow ochre and chrome yellow. Paint the fins, mouth, tail and gills, and tint the edges of the fins and tail.
- 7). Allow the fish at least an hour to dry, more for a thicker layer of paint. Spray on an even coating of clear acrylic varnish when the fish is completely dry.
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