Step 1:
Make Skinner blend sheets at the thickest setting on your pasta machine or cut slices from skinner blend blocks. These are small sheets. Just 1.5" X 1.5". You will need two sheets of each color. This you tube video shows how to make these block blends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtxXtbd2vaw
Step 2:
Layer the sheets so that the dark and light ends are together.
Step 3:
Make two jelly roll canes. One cane will start rolling with the solid colors. The other cane will start the roll along the blends.
Step 4:
Form a fish body. For this one I used a ball of clay 1.6" in diameter.
Step 5:
Use the jelly roll with the color gradient to layer slices on the body like scales. Start at the tail and work towards the head.
Step 6:
Flatten the other jelly roll cane. Slice it in half. Sack the layers and repeat until you have a very short block cane with as many layers as you want.
Step 7:
Cut slices from the layered cane. Gather and squish one end of each slice to make the fins and tail.
Step 8:
Cut slits into the body of the fish to insert the fins. I learned this trick from a fellow member of the Tucson Polymer Clay Guild. If there is someone else I need to cite please let me know!
Step 9:
Add eyes and a mouth.
Here are some variations.