On the wooden surface, lightly sketch your composition using a pencil. Draw the outline of the fish (imagine it like a rounded rectangle) then rows of connecting scales using rounded triangle shapes.
Position the point of each scale toward the fish’s head to suggest natural movement and structure.

Use the Red marker as your primary color base. Shake the closed marker to distribute the paint, take off the cap, and depress the nib 2-3 times to saturate before using.

Begin filling in the body of the fish by using the red marker to color in the scales. Take your time and leave small gaps between individual scales where highlights will be added. Pump the marker as needed to maintain steady flow and even coverage.

Next, use the Orange and White markers for outlining each scale to add depth. Outline the scales by filling in the gaps with orange and then apply white next to
orange for the lightest parts.

Apply the Metallic Gold marker to selected scales and gill area to create shimmery highlights.

Use the Light Blue marker to outline the fish and refine its shape before filling in the rest of the sky on the wood plaque. Allow some of the wood grain to show through for texture and contrast.

In the far-left part of the plaque, draw a vertical pole with a round cap using the Metallic Gold marker. Draw thin connecting lines from the pole to the fish’s
mouth with the White marker.

To emphasize movement, use three colors from your composition to create flowing ribbon-like streamers at the top of the pole.

Feel free to draw in clouds or accents of your choosing that will add interest to the overall scene.