Collage Pop-Out Fish

This is a fun and colourful fish project suitable for elementary students. I usually do it with Grade 3 classes. I found this project in an art activity book years ago-I will take a guess and say that it might have been from an Usborne book, but I truly don't remember for sure. 

This would be a great project to collaborate with any classroom teachers if they are studying fish and underwater themes. Students could research a specific fish and use the correct colours and shapes of fins, etc. This also makes a really nice hanging display.

So the supplies you'll need are very simple: tissue paper, regular white paper, white glue, aluminium foil

Start by choosing two or three colours of tissue paper for your fish.

Rip them into a bunch of strips.

I had my 2 year old niece try this project out for a little summer activity. Preschool kids can do the collage part, but adults or older siblings would have to do the cutting and folding for them. 

Take some watered down glue in a container and use a flat paintbrush to gently glue down all the strips of tissue paper, covering all the white paper. Paint over-top of the tissue paper as well, to really seal it down.

My niece used ALOT of glue and only managed to cover about 10% of the paper before she lost interest ;)

Overlap the tissue paper to create new colours.

Once you've covered all the white paper, it's time for the aluminium foil.

Oh, you could also add some glitter at this point as well!!!!

Rip or cut the foil into some thick strips and glue those down. Use full strength white glue 

because the watered down glue won't hold it.

Let the paper dry over night. The next day it will have curled at the edges, so it helps to 

flatten it with heavy books for a day or so.

Ok- once the paper is dry and relatively flat, lay it out portrait style and fold it in half 

(bring the bottom up to the top)

Draw half of a simple fish shape- just the body and a tail.

Cut it out. 

Now take the top of the body and fold/bend it down until it almost reaches the bottom fold.

Crease well (the paper will be thick due to the collage layers, so crease it well).

Turn the fish over. Bend/fold the other top edge over in the same way. Crease well.

Unfold. Draw 8 lines going from the bottom fold up to the top fold. Make these about a finger width size. Also cut a mouth. 

Cut the lines, making sure to stop at the top fold.

Open up the fish. At this point, some of the foil may have peeled off- it doesn't seem to stick very well (seeing it's a non-porous surface). You can glue it back on or rip it off in frustration like I did ;)

Ok- now for the 'pop-out' part.

Hold the head and pull the first strip out. Keep the second strip inwards. Keep going, making sure to alternate out, in, out, in and crease each strip well.

Done!

Success!

Now to add the features. Use the scraps of the collage paper (students can swap 

papers to mix and match) to cut out fins.

Glue on a large eye.

If you want to hang them up for a cool display, punch a hole at the top and 

add some yarn/string/ribbon, whatever.

Ta da!