Rainbow Fish

Living in the emerald island, Ireland, green is the predominant colour! Adding a bit of colour in our gardens is a tradition, and it can come adding colorful flowers or, why not? A colorful craft. I love animals and - living in a country where it always rains - I like rainbows, then this rainbow challenge on Instructables is an excellent opportunity for me to show you an easy way to decorate your house or your garden.

TOOLS:
- Drill: a simple drill or a drill press

- Jig Saw or a band saw for cutting the wood

- Brushes for acrylic colours to paint the fish

- Clamps: to hold the wood while you're cutting it

- Sander: belt, orbital, hand, choose your favourite.

SAFETY

Please bare in mind that, even if this Instructable is easy, it can always be dangerous working with power tools. Always use protection goggles and glowes while working.

MATERIALS:

- Wood: a simple pallet or some reclaimed wood will fit your need.

- Rope: I have some polytunnels and I use simple reclaimed ropes I usually use for vegetable plants. You can use also shoe laces.

- Acrylic colours: choose the colours you prefer! I like colours, then I chose to create a rainwbow pattern. I use something like these: Acrylic Paint

- A Marker: just to draw your fish on the wood. You can of course also use a simple pen, or pencil.

Find a pallet in your area and simply remove few boards from it.

You can use a simple mallet, but I personnaly chose to buy a pallet buster which is really fast and easy...especially if you have, like me, back problems!

You don't need a perfect board, even a broken one will perfectly suit your needs: you'll remove the broken part lately.

Now it's up to your fantasy! I chose to draw some fish over my timber boards, but nothing stops you and your personal taste.

I strongly suggest to make easy shapes: even the simplest shape can give an impressive result. Keep in mind that the harder the shapes are, the more difficult will the saw part be.

Fix your board with two clamps, wear your gloves and your goggles and take your saw.

I start cutting the parts I won't use and then sawing the fish following the draw.

You can also fix the fish directly on the claps in order to cut the most difficult spots.

The funny part is finished... now the boring one. Sand as best as you can, to remove chippings and to refine your work.

The fish will be all attached to a wooden base. Repeat the previous steps as in taking one board from a pallet or reclaimed wood, give it the shape you wish and sand it.

Wear your goggles, your protective gloves and drill the fish and the base.

The hole diametre depends on the rope you choose to use. I decided to drill the fish from the top to the bottom to make the rope pass through.

Now it's again where your fantasy comes! Paint your fish with the colours you prefer: you don't have to be very precise, just have fun.

Let some time between one side and the second, in order to dry it.

Remind yourself to paint the base too! I chose an "ocean/river wave" pattern because... well, where do fish swim?

Drill your base too, if you didn't do it earlier. Maybe a couple of paint retouches will be necessary near the drill holes.

Pass your rope through the fishes and fix them to your wave base. You're done!

This rainbow, colorful fish creation will give some colour to your garden...even when it's raining!