How To Monofin

[Mermaid Alea]

29336

I know this is really simple and from what I have seen on this site everyone seems to get the idea of how to swim in a monofin once you put it on and get in the water, but for those who don't have a monofin yet and haven't swam in one, this might help give you an idea of how to swim in one. It can also help you explain to people how you swim in a monofin since I am sure people are curious about how you swim in your tail.

This was something I made this semester in one of my graphic design classes. :)

[Mermaid Jaffa]

It took me several months!! I finally got the hang of it after I switched from watching dolphin kick videos to finswimming competitions. That was when I understood what my body was supposed to do.

I did watch the mermaid swimming ones, now looking back, some of them kicked with legs, knees, ankles etc. And I do remember hurting myself a couple of times when I copied them...:lol:

The hardest part of monofinning mermaid style is to relax the bottom half of your body (legs) and let the motions carry you forward.

[malinghi]

That's really cool. What program do you use for your graphic design work?

[Mermaid Alea]

Well in my graphic design classes almost 100% of the work is done in Adobe Illustrator, which is what I used to make this. I like making things in Adobe Photoshop too, but we normally don't make graphics in Photoshop.

[MermaidCelesteFL]

I made a really shoddy (and outdated!) one on my Deviantart some 6 years ago to be read alongside my best friend's "How to make a mermaid tail tutorial" http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/104/8/d/Dolphin_Kick_Tutorial_by_deliriumdreamer3.jpg

[Mermaid Alea]

So I am guessing this is your friend's tutorial that yours went with? http://minxfox.deviantart.com/art/How-to-Swimmable-mermaid-tail-118291015

I wish I would have seen your tutorial sooner. I used your friend's tutorial some when I was making my first fabric tail. The part about what stitch to use was extremely helpful to me!

[MermaidCelesteFL]

It was actually Colt-kun's tutorial. There is a picture of her and I in our first fabric tails in it. http://colt-kun.deviantart.com/art/How-to-Swimmable-mermaid-tail-118291015

It's funny too, because her tutorial is cited on this site under the "making tails" button.

[Mermaid Alea]

Yeah I think that is how I found the tutorial is through this site. I like your mermaid photos on your deviantart. :)

[AniaR]

I love it! I'd love to share it around with your permission. I'd love to add it to my FAQ haha "how do I use a monofin?" "look at this awesome diagram that mermaid alea made- that's how!"

[Mermaid Alea]

Sure definitely feel free to share this! :)

[Merman Chatfish]

I made a really shoddy (and outdated!) one on my Deviantart some 6 years ago to be read alongside my best friend's "How to make a mermaid tail tutorial" http://fc03.deviantart.net/fs44/f/2009/104/8/d/Dolphin_Kick_Tutorial_by_deliriumdreamer3.jpg

AHH! Celeste I didn't know that was you in those pictures with Colt-kun!

[MermaidCelesteFL]

Yeah, that was me in my first fabric tail, a loooong time ago. Everyone has to start somewhere.