Let’s make our own fish collage!But what is a collage? Have a look at the pictures and discuss your ideas with an adult, friends or class.

A collage is a picture made using lots of smaller pieces of paper or smaller images.

The lion has been made using lots of different pictures of animals. The artist has made sure each of the images is just the right colour to help make up the larger lion picture. Lots of people have tried similar things by cutting pictures out of newspapers or magazines and putting them together to create a new picture.

The fish has been made using lots of different sorts of paper, all different colours and textures (some rough and glittery, others smooth and shiny). This can help create the feel and idea of fish scales when people look at it or touch it.

Look at these gorgeous fish swimming past!

Talk to someone in your house or your class about what you can see.

- Can you see any patterns?

- Which colours can you see?

- How would their scales feel?

- What sort of shape are their scales?

- What sort of shape and colour are their eyes?

Before we think about our own fish collages, lets have a look at some others…

Let’s think about making our own African fish collage…

- How do we want the fish to feel?

- Which colours would we like the fish to be?

- Which shapes do we need to use?

Now talk with an adult about which materials you will need to use…

- Perhaps some tissue or kitchen roll might be helpful

- Some coloured paper, old magazines, newspapers or colouring pens to add colour to the collage paper

- Some card, tissue paper, post-it notes, string, tin foil, cling film or old cloth could all be useful.

Step 1

On a piece of plain paper, draw your fish design. Think carefully about the shape of your fish. Try to make it look as close to one of the African fish as possible.

Step 2

Cut the paper you would like to use up into small pieces. Think carefully about the shape of the scales.

Should you use circles or does the shape need to be slightly different?

Some of the pieces might need to be different shapes too, for the fins and tail.

Step 3

Glue (or tape, if you cannot find glue) your scales down on to your fish.

You could try different ways of attaching your paper such as overlapping the scales, starting from the tail. Twist paper into long thin sausage shapes to decorate the tail and fins. Roll paper into balls and attach these for the scales.

Step 4

Allow your wonderful African fish some time to dry. When it is finished, take a photograph and ask an adult to send it into school OR if you made your fish in school, put it up in your classroom for us all to see and admire!

Well done!