Ask yourself questions such as: " What angle will my subject to be viewed from?" (eg. , side, top, bottom) “Do I want my subject in a specific pose?”
Note that plants, objects and other animals can also be used. Don’t be afraid to experiment! If you plan on printing a fresh fish, choose one that you’ll enjoy eating once you’re done; that way nothing gets wasted. Beginners should practice on smaller subjects as the larger you go, the harder it’ll be to print.
Most fish coat themselves in a thin layer of mucus that helps to remove drag while they’re swimming and protect against bacteria. This must be thorougly washed off beforehand, or else it’ll dirty the print. The subject must be thoroughly dried off before printing.
Avoid rubbing ink over the subject’s eyes. They can’t be printed properly as the cornea prevents ink from entering, nor will the ink hold well due to their gelatinous nature.
Remove any wrinkles in your cloth before attempting to blot off exess ink, as the lines formed will transfer onto the print. If you’ve gotten ink on the eyes, wipe it off before proceeding. Try not to remove too much ink, else there won’t be enough detail. Learning how much ink is too much/little comes with practice.
Avoid creasing the paper too much. Small creases are fine and can add beauty to your print, but it’s best to avoid adding too many. Placing a cloth in between your hands and the paper helps to give a more even pressure, while using your hands alone can give a more rustic appearance. Don’t allow the paper to shift, or else the ink will smear and make your print look messy.
If you’re satisfied, move on to the final steps, otherwise restart the process using a new sheet of paper.
It also helps get rid of the print’s soulless gaze.
At this point, if you used non-toxic ink/paint for your printing, you can wash off the fish and eat it.
DO NOT soak the paper. If you’re using rice paper, place the rough side downwards so that it faces the subject.
Try to avoid creating large creases in the paper. Small creases are fine and can add beauty to your print, but it’s best to avoid adding too many. This can be tricky if you’re working with a large subject. Ask for assistance if necessary.
Once again, avoid putting ink where the eyes are, as they don’t print very well. They’ll be painted or drawn on separately later on.
It also helps get rid of the print’s soulless gaze.
At this point, if you used non-toxic ink/paint for your printing, you can wash off the fish and eat it.
You may need help for this step. Rubbing the ink may cause it to spread unevenly.
You may need help for this step. Rubbing the ink may cause it to spread unevenly.
At this point, if you used non-toxic ink/paint for your printing, you can wash off the fish and eat it.
Defining the outline can make your subject stand out more, especially if you choose to add a background. Highlight the underside of the fish by painting it a lighter color than the body. This can make the print appear more 3 dimensional, and suggest a light source.
You can coat your subject with different colors of ink before applying the paper.
Don’t apply extra ink if you’re doing this, as the ghost image will be too bold.
A few examples include googly eyes, buttons ands stones. Go wild!
