Take the fish and lay it flat on a table on its side. Do not clean the fish. Apply a layer of paint to one side of the fish. Ensure the paint evenly covers the entire side of the fish to get the best impression of the fish onto the shoji paper.
Lay the shoji paper evenly against the side of the fish and press the paper to the fish. Rub the paper with your hands by pressing it against the fish to create the imprint of the fish onto the paper. Slowly lift and remove the paper from the fish. Hang the paper or lay it on a flat surface to let it dry.
When the base impression of the fish is dry, lay the shoji paper on a flat table or an drawing desk and add detail to the painting. Paint and color the fish's details such as the eyes, scales and fins. Hang the painting again or lay it on a dry, flat surface to allow it to dry.