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There's something fishy about Sammy the Salmon

How do you make a fish look cute? That was the challenge mascot designer Josh Wilson set himself after being asked to give the Steveston Salmon Festival's Sammy the Salmon a makeover.

How do you make a fish look cute?

That was the challenge mascot designer Josh Wilson set himself after being asked to give the Steveston Salmon Festival's Sammy the Salmon a makeover.

"I was asked (by the festival's organizers) to update their mascot," said Wilson, of JBW Mascot Design.

"However, I wanted to make him much more appealing and modern.

"It took me about a month on and off. But fish always take a bit longer to do because they don't have fur and the skin needs a bit more work."

From the design phase to the finished product, Wilson built a basic body, formed the skin with fabric and then applied the paint.

"It's one thing to lay the design out on paper, but it's something else bringing it to life and making a fish look cute; that's the challenging part," added Wilson, who has, for the last 20 years, worked from his home studio on mascots such as: an eagle for Surrey Parks; Active Jack for West Richmond Community Centre and has done work for the Vancouver Canadians, the BC Lions and IKEA.

The new and improved Sammy the Salmon will be out and about all day Monday at the 68th Steveston Salmon Festival and is unlikely to feature on the famous alder wood fire barbecue.

acampbell@richmond-news.com