Koi Fish Scrolls

My Around the World Art Project mini summer campers created Koi fish scrolls based on the traditional Chinese scroll art. Koi and fish in general are considered symbols of good luck in many Asian cultures. In fact, you will often see many coins at the bottom of a Koi fish ponds as the Chinese and Japanese believe that throwing them will bring good luck.

This was such a popular project I decided to give it another go. The above works were created by kindergarten thru 3rd graders. I showed the children a chart of Koi or Carp which are bred for their beautiful markings. They could choose a variety from there or come up with their own. We went thru a simple direct line drawing lesson and then they used watercolor to bring their work to life. Some added lily pads and lotus flowers to their work. They then created a stamp or "chop" out of a piece of styrofoam that they carved with a ball point pen to create their own artist signature. This was then printed onto their artwork using red acrylic. Finally two black cardboard strips were added to the top and bottom to imitate the look of a traditional Asian scroll. I added some black yard to the top so it could be hung at home.