Fish printing is a very popular activity, so you may have to wait a while before you can step up to the tables and print. This year, the exhibit will focus on the Great Lakes. Perhaps you'll find inspiration for your gyotaku in the displays on Great Lakes fish species, water quality, shoreline management and more. Gyotaku prints can easily be made at home, with just a few simple items. Gather together all the necessary equipment before you begin printing.
Dark colors give the best effect.
If you plan to eat your fish after printing, be sure the paint you use is non-toxic. In traditional gyotaku the fish is printed whole and intact, but using a cleaned fish stuffed with paper towels also yields good results. Rinse the fish and pat it dry with some paper toweling. Cover a table with several layers of newspaper and lay the fish down on the paper. Place pieces of modeling clay under the tail and fins to raise them up, making them level with the body.