Nim's Tailmaking Disaster-Diary

[Freshwater_Nim]

...or not so disasterous. We'll see!


I'm very excited to be doing this! Here's the first entry of my tailmaking diary. Somehow youtube completely butchered my voiceover - So I apologise if it tortures your speakers or if you can't understand a word... which is more likely. The next one will be much better I promise.

(In case the resolution won't go above 360 that might be because it's still uploading. I was so excited I couldn't wait with the posting *noob*)



Comments and suggestions about the design are always welcome! I know there are many skilled tail designers out there, so if you feel inspired please feel free to share! I'd love to see if I can recreate it in the flesh... scale.

[WaterDragon]

Your tail Design looks absolutely lovely.

[Freshwater_Nim]

Thanks WaterDragon :-) I'm glad you like it.

[Luna Dreamtide]

Love your design. I like that it still has a fairly natural look. I'm excited to see how you fare in your experiments for disguising the heels

[Freshwater_Nim]

Thank you Leina (love that name btw).

I'm still considering adding one more or a pair of fins somewhere...

Updates coming in soon!

[WaterDragon]

Thanks WaterDragon :-) I'm glad you like it.

I'm sure it will turn out amazing. watching your video I had to laugh, the Alligator type scales you drew are similar to the scales I have sketched out for my tail.

[Freshwater_Nim]

Ep 02 is dry-docked! (ouch. Bad pun day over here, I'm so very sorry) Off we go!

Hints, suggestions and comments welcome as always! Looking forward to hearing what you lovely merfolk think of my first scales.



Thank you for the vote of confidence WaterDragon! I can imagine more reptilian scale shapes will suit your dragon-self spectacularly

[Mermanda]

I'm definitely following this thread!! I can't wait to see how this turns out
The color scheme in the second cast of scales are absolutely to die for!

[SeaGlass Siren]

I'm totally following this.
aside, your voice *o*

[Freshwater_Nim]

Thank you Mermanda! I'm super pleased you like it I think someday I'd love to make a tail for an Asian or Asian inspired mermaid/-mad and go totally nuts on the koi-theme.

Thank you too SeaGlass! Glad my babbling is somewhat enjoyable!

I'll do my best to up a new episode soon. Working on my claymodels as I type this. (I've never really worked with clay before; so much fun!)

[Froth]

I LOVE the second scale patch (the translucent one), the colors are exactly what I want in my tail and the placement of the scales look so natural! keep going I can't wait to see more!

[PearlieMae]

That scale patch is SO realistic! It looks like the scales on one of my favorite fish, the arawona! That translucent look would make a lovely blended waistline.

You'll need to add more pearl pigment to your back layer to make the scales opaque.

Excellent work! And your voiceover is lovely! You could do that professionally! I'm excited to see how this progresses! Good luck!

(PS, I like your name...before I was Pearlie Mae, I was Nimuë la Mer!)

[Freshwater_Nim]

Thanks Froth! I love your tail design. Huge fan of more muted colours myself and I can see how my colouring could fit the 'belly' side of your tail! My own design is somewhere in the same say 'family' of designs (which makes me remember I haven't posted the coloured version yet... *derp*) so we could end up looking like mer-cousins. How fun would that be.

Thank you too PerlieMae! I'm realising - after doing some rip-and-tear-test with my sample to utter destruction - that the scales need to be even thicker. Possibly even with some powermesh lining, which should help with the translucency. But I'm definitely going for a blended waistline with that effect. Also the arawona is awesome, he looks so grumpy! Learned about a new fish today.

Some progress has also been made with the heel-disguise. Looking forward to sharing it with all of you guys.

(PS Yay to a fellow Nim!)

[Ashe]

Absolutely beautiful scales! It's the kind I would love to have on a tail of my own one day, so seeing them in action was awesome Wonderful pigments as well, so shimmery and metallic! This tail is going to be really beautiful

By the way, where did you make your avatar? I can't find the site anywhere!

[Freshwater_Nim]

Thank you Kalani, I'm glad you like them!

Ooooh wait that was azaleadolls.com... something like that. Ah, there it is: http://www.azaleasdolls.com/mermaid_scene_v1.html Have fun!

[WaterDragon]

another amazing update!
do you know when you will post the colored tail design?

[Freshwater_Nim]

I just did! Over in the taildesign thread It's just a rough sketch but it gives an idea of the direction I'm hoping to take. I'll repost it here once I'm more certain that that is precicely the one. Decisions decisions... Sooo difficult.

Oh what the heck, here! Far easier to find.

[WaterDragon]

the soft colors are wonderful

[Freshwater_Nim]

Happy to hear you like it WaterDragon. Another design at the back of my mind that's even closer to my heart is higher in contrast and more fierce looking - but I've decided to go with one that works on shoots and also doesn't scare the bottoms of children when they see it - Not that I think all children are like that at all! Most I know are totally bad ass, pardon the language, but sadly the mothers that have to hire you think anything beyond candy and pastel colours is somehow unacceptable. Beats me why, truly.

Still I love it in its own way and the desaturated colours will teach me soft shading, being careful with pigment amounts and distribution and a lot of airbrushing skills. So I really look forward to making it

[SeaGlass Siren]

*o* I'VE WANTED A TAIL LIKE THAT!!! Though i was convinced it'd never look good on me.

seeing what you've done so far, i have full confidence that you will be able to pull it off.