Serious message in fun times

Kids colour their fish ready for printing.

Kelly Tarlton’s interactive exhibit highlights conservation and lets people unleash their creativity.

Hundreds of new, colourful marine creatures - from spotty fish to starfish adorned with the New Zealand flag - are being created at Kelly Tarlton's Sea Life Aquarium.

But don't freak out - it's not genetic engineering bringing these animals to life.

Kelly Tarlton's is using a scanner and 3D printer to animate customers' coloured-in pictures of marine creatures.

The aquarium's Amazing Creations exhibit is the first of its kind in New Zealand.

Visitors colour in one of six animal templates and put it in a scanner. A life-like 3D version is then printed and put into a glass tank to "swim".

The initiative was inspired by similar attractions in the UK and Turkey.

Colouring-in brand Crayola had sponsored Amazing Creations.

Kelly Tarlton's marketing manager Claire Wheeler said the aquarium had been pleased with visitors' response.

"It's been really cool to see people's creativity. People's patriotism has definitely come out."

But it's not just fun and games. Amazing Creations had an important conservation message.

Wheeler told the Herald on Sunday that staff hoped people would "fall in love with these amazing creatures, see them in new ways and then want to protect them".

"Some of the world's most amazing, colourful, exotic and exciting fish live in coral reefs, which are actually quite a vulnerable part of the ocean that need support."

The exhibit, which runs until January 30, had been as popular with adults as kids, Wheeler said.

"You'd think it would just be for kids but everybody loves colouring-in."

Kelly Tarlton's general manager Tim Keeling agreed.

"It's a great chance for the entire family to use their imagination and get the creative juices flowing."

The exhibit is free with entry to the aquarium and is open 9am to 4.30pm.