- 1). Pour in however many beads to be painted into a clear plastic bag. Six- or 8mm beads are a good size. Squeeze in three or four drops of non-water-soluble acrylic paint. The paint should match the color of fish egg your are simulating.
- 2). Close the bag and shake it until all the beads are completely coated. If the color is not quite deep enough, open the bag and add another drop or two of paint.
- 3). Pour the beads into another plastic bag and add a few drops of white acrylic paint to make mottled beads. Before sealing the bag at the top make sure to trap a lot of air in the bag. Shake the sealed bag so the beads look like popping popcorn. Stop shaking the bag when the beads look mottled. Avoid coating the entire surface of the beads with paint as in Step 2.
- 4). Pour the beads out into the lid of a cardboard box and separate them so they can dry without sticking to one another.
- 5). Spray the beads with clear lacquer varnish once the paint has completely dried. Set the can down and roll the beads around and spray a second time. Repeat until each bead is well coated with varnish.
Source...