Volcano & Fish Printing Notes

Our volcano model of stacked nesting mixing bowls (upside down) with a small cup on top (right side up) covered in tin foil and placed on a cookie sheet with wooden trees around worked beautifully. Here is the recipe:

Pour into vessel
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup white vinegar
a few drops clear dishwashing liquid
a few drops red food coloring

When it is time for the "explosion," pour in 1 T baking soda very quickly.


The children in her class were very impressed with the volcano model and enjoyed Natalie's presentation quite a bit. The fish printing also went over big. This was a new project for me and here are the notes:

1. thin paint (or calligraphy ink) works best

2. thin paper such as newsprint (or rice paper) works best

3. a foam brush works better than a foam roller for quickly covering the fish but still preserving detail and not overpowering it with paint. If your fish has too much paint on it do two prints and keep the second

4. having the children choose which hand will hold the paper steady on the fish and which will slowly and carefully press all the parts of the fish before they lay their paper on the fish is a good idea

5. so is having them write their name on the back of the paper first

6. rubber fish are a fantastic invention (otherwise you have to use EXTREMELY fresh dead fish which can be hard to get hold of)

7. two rubber fish is plenty. Set up two fish printing stations instead of having to pick up wet painty/inky fish with your hands when the child decides she wants to do the other one

8. set the fish on a cafeteria tray for easy cleanup


Acorn Naturalists is a good source for replica fish as well as other goodies for the naturalist in us all; they also sell a complete Fish Printing Starter Kit.

UPDATE 06/02/2017: Acorn Naturalists is no longer the supplier I recommend... I get my Gyotaku Fish Printing Replicas from Dick Blick.