How to create spots for Trout carving Since I began to carve trout full-time for a living, I was continually trying to represent the scales or spots of a fish. How does one do that? There are many different ways to accomplish this, depending on the style and look you want to communicate to the viewer. Since I use exclusively exotic hardwoods for my fish, I had to experiment with different ways to accomplish this and as I do not paint my fish, I had to come up with an idea to represent those spots or markings in a creative and balanced way.
My solution was to drill holes into this beautiful wood that I had just carved and spent many an hour creating. Was it scary to start drilling into this beautiful carving I had just completed? The answer is a resounding yes! They say that one must fail in order to succeed – I failed many times before getting it right! The processes of creating spots or markings on a fish are actually quite simple. You have so many spots drilled onto the fish, one’s eye cannot focus on any one spot. Sound simple? Let’s go through the process from start to finish.