Making Seawing: My First Full Silicone Tail!

[Mermaid Shaylee]

My friend MerQueen Nerissa designed me a beautiful tail that I am now bringing to life!:) So far I have made my scale molds and some scales, made a mold for my mini side fins, and have drawn out my fluke and big side fins. I'm using the Mahina Merfin for my fluke and the Pearlie Mae method when making my scales. It's so exciting to see them pinned on my body cast!!!37075370763707737078

[UtahMermaidPearl]

That's gorgeous!! Have you thought about doing commissions?

[Mermaid Shaylee]

No, I'm just making this tail for myself. I only know what I'm doing because MerQueen Nerissa is guiding and teaching me throughout the process. She is an amazing friend!

[Mermaid Mia]

This looks BEAUTIFUL. I hope all goes well for you :3


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[Luna Dreamtide]

I like those scales and the colours are so pretty. Looks great.

[Dancing Fish]

Lovely!! Nice job so far!

[LouLouBelle]

I love the design and what you've done so far looks great. I'll be watching this one! [emoji4]


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[Kait]

Super cute colours, keep it up!

[Mermaid Shaylee]

Thank you everyone! Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Here's some pictures of where I'm at now. I have the entire front sealed and almost all of the back pinned. 37393373943739537396

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Very nice job!

[Mermaid Lieke]

You tail looks great! How deed is your scale mold? I made a top with individual scales and they are a bit see through :)

[Reef Fish]

Beautiful job so far

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[Luna Dreamtide]

Wow you've done an awesome job. Those scales look very well finished and professional. I can't wait to see your fluke.

[The Water Phoenix]

Scales are flawless! You should become a tailmaker! :)

[Mermaid Cataleya]

How are u sewing them on?


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[Mermaid Shaylee]

I've pinned them on and I attach them by putting silicone under each one. When it cures the scale is stuck to the power mesh under it and the scales touching it.


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[Merman Arion]

This is a fintastic job! Keep up the good work! :clap: :clap: :clap:


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[LouLouBelle]

This is looking gorgeous!


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[Mermaid Caspiana]

Holy carp! You've moved along so quickly! This only ispires me to do a silicone in the Pearlie method when I get the funds! <3 This is so gorgeous I can't wait to see it completed!!! :D

[Mermaid Aika]

Wow! this is coming together so fast! Its beautiful!

Edit: just realized i practically said the same things as Mermaid Caspiana. oops, :doh:

[Mermaid Shaylee]

Thank you so much everyone! It's nice to have encouragement :)


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[MermaidClaudy]

Omg you inspired me to do my own tail, this looks amazing!!!

[Mermaid Cataleya]

So what is underneath or is that just a cast to hold your tail in place until set ??? This is beautiful btw


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[merwandering]

Can't wait to see it with the fluke!!! Lovely!

[Mermaid Chrissa]

This is looking so amazing! Very inspiring. I'm excited to follow this thread and see the progress!


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[MerDragon Arie]

Wow such a pretty tail and it's already almost done! You are doing amazing work on this! Can't wait to see it all finished.

[Mermaid Shaylee]

[QUOTE=Mermaid Cataleya;254086]So what is underneath or is that just a cast to hold your tail in place until set ??? This is beautiful btw

Thank you :) there's an ironing board under it to keep it off of the carpet. I tend to shed a lot so it keeps the hair off lol.


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[lynsea]

Wow, this is one of my favorite individual scale tails I have seen so far. I'm starting to favor this method more and more. No seams and minimal work space required (no giant scale sheets).

[PearlieMae]

Well done! Your work is absolutely lovely! Can't wait to see it swim! :mermaid kiss:

[Sabrina the Selkie]

Wow!

[Becoming_A_Mermaid]

What did you use to make the molds, and what silicone did you use for the scales?

[Mermaid Shaylee]

What did you use to make the molds, and what silicone did you use for the scales?

I used fiberglass resin to make the side fins, plaster of Paris for the fluke, and Dragon skin 10 medium silicone.


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[Mermaid Shaylee]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160627/8bed166941934fb23110642d716139b8.jpg

Finally got around to sculpting my fluke :)



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[Mermaid Summerlilly]

nice!

[LouLouBelle]

Pretty fluke shape! [emoji4]


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[Sabrina the Selkie]

Looks great!

[Amindele]

Wow! That looks amazing! It's hard to believe this is your first full silicone tail!

[Mermaid Shaylee]

Wow! That looks amazing! It's hard to believe this is your first full silicone tail!

I can't believe it either!!! XD It isn't perfect...but I try very hard to fix my mistakes. I can relate to Merwandering and the drips she got when sealing her scales...but hey imperfections make it unique, right?

And Pearlie Mae that means a lot coming from you! Your tail is so inspiring! Without learning to make a tail like you did, I would be stuck at fabric level forever.


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[PearlieMae]

Thank you!

But remember, there's nothing wrong with fabric tails...my next personal tail is probably going to be fabric, or maybe a fabric/silicone hybrid (or maybe sequined. I don' think I've made myself insane enough, yet! :lol: ). A full silicone tail is awesome, but the effort, care, and - let's face it - hassle of 25+ pounds of rubber can be exhausting!

[Mermaid Shaylee]

My fabric tail is a hybrid that has silicone covering the scales. There are places where the silicone is peeling off...would you know how I could fix it so that won't happen?

Oh and I didn't mean to sound like I was dissing on fabric tails!!! I just realized might have come off that way. I LOVE my fabric tail but I'm really curious to see what swimming in silicone is like

[PearlieMae]

Do you have a photo of it?

[Mermaid Shaylee]

Do you have a photo of it?

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160628/2c0ece2caa2a59a5b3be9c330388bebd.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160628/69102daa9d242433f8301841cd460093.jpg



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[Mermaid Shaylee]

I'll probably need to cover the whole body in silicone, not just the scale outline. But I'm not sure if it will keep from peeling away from the fabric.


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[Hydra1337]

I'm really loving this tail thread. Blue tails are a huge weakness of mine.

[Mermaid Shaylee]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160629/e19b20fdf0ba4f329c3c23876a01a3d2.jpg
Woo staying up late and seeing how my fluke mold turned out! There's bubbles....but I tried everything to avoid them :/


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[Marinus Mortimer]

Wow you've out done yourself in this. The tail looks gorgeously elegant plus its the same colors I want for my tail.

[merwandering]

Yay!!!! so exciting:)
There are several ways to pretty easily fill the bubbles. It looks great!

[Mermaid Shaylee]

Wow you've out done yourself in this. The tail looks gorgeously elegant plus its the same colors I want for my tail.

Thank you! Lifting that mold was SO HARD!! And merwandering, I'm going to fill them in with clay the best that I can :)


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[Lili]

I had to get my dad to help me lift the mold, it was quite the workout [emoji14] I know how you feel haha

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[Mermaid Shaylee]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160630/bf3a1ec4ebdc3f3a859015d2d7299ec8.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160630/015954f70004f4a9181edc8c8082bf68.jpg
Woo side fins and 1st fluke cast!!!!


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[Marinus Mortimer]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160630/bf3a1ec4ebdc3f3a859015d2d7299ec8.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160630/015954f70004f4a9181edc8c8082bf68.jpg
Woo side fins and 1st fluke cast!!!!


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Looking awesome

[Becoming_A_Mermaid]

The fins look amazing! I can't wait to see the tail all put together!!!

[MermaidRaegan]

What cute fins!! They remind me of stained glass.


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[Lili]

Yay those are looking marvelous !

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[Mermaid Shaylee]

What cute fins!! They remind me of stained glass.


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I couldn't put my finger on it, but you're totally right Mermaid Raegan!


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[PearlieMae]

Hmmm...as for your fabric tail. I don't know if there's much to be done to save it. Might be worth keeping to experiment on!

[Marinus Mortimer]

:bulldozer::dance::yay:Cant wait to see the tail completed!:cool:

[Dame Melusine]

OMG! Your tail is going to be AMAZING!!!!! Question, how much silicont does it take to make a scaled silicone tail? Also, how do you get the proper size for your leg dummy, I would be afraid mine would end up too bit with the stretch of the silicone...

[PearlieMae]

OMG! Your tail is going to be AMAZING!!!!! Question, how much silicont does it take to make a scaled silicone tail? Also, how do you get the proper size for your leg dummy, I would be afraid mine would end up too bit with the stretch of the silicone...

All that information is on the site...just have to do a little research.

[Marinus Mortimer]

OMG! Your tail is going to be AMAZING!!!!! Question, how much silicont does it take to make a scaled silicone tail? Also, how do you get the proper size for your leg dummy, I would be afraid mine would end up too bit with the stretch of the silicone...
Yeah PearileMae is right if you read though this site you can build any type of tail out there, every bit of info is here on Mernetwork.

[Mermaid Shaylee]

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160727/1bff97037b5ff1107c21f125f7e51284.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160727/f454b335ee648615d4dbd2c20455a8f9.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160727/2d4ed39e263f9985946ff765a637e636.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160727/93cc9bd07f3cd3700ce5cbb5f5c8e16f.jpghttp://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160727/23b49cfb0a64e242cd957c5d9810d19d.jpg
So happy with my tail! I finished a few weeks ago, but I've been too busy to post about it. I can't believe I did it!!!


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[Lili]

It's so amazing! Oh my gosh :O

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[Mermaid Mystery]

you two kill me! those tails are perfection!!

[Mermaid Mia]

Its so beautiful!!


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[PearlieMae]

Looks great!!!

[MerQueen Nerissa]

I love how violently purple mine looks!! I wish my phone's camera didn't hate purple so much.
Guys her tail looks amazing, and the fluke has great flow to it in the water! I have some video but I'll need to edit though it a bit before it's ready for the internet.

[Mermaid Whisper]

Seawing is quite the stunner [emoji54] I just love blue tails!

Nerissa, your tail is gorgeous as well!

I like how both your fluke outlines are nearly the same [emoji108][emoji5]


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[the.tattooed.mermaid78]

Omg this is amazing. I've been looking though loads of tail making stuff and I'm loving this way of making tails with individual scales. I'm making my own fabric rich tail at the moment using courtney the Vancouver mermaids tutorials she did a couple years ago. I think making your own tail is such and exciting journey and I think you appreciate them more because of the love you've put into them xx

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[PearlieMae]

Omg this is amazing. I've been looking though loads of tail making stuff and I'm loving this way of making tails with individual scales. I'm making my own fabric rich tail at the moment using courtney the Vancouver mermaids tutorials she did a couple years ago. I think making your own tail is such and exciting journey and I think you appreciate them more because of the love you've put into them xx

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You willl learn to hate it before you love it again. Good luck!

[the.tattooed.mermaid78]

Hahha well see how I go lol xx

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[Theskydancingmermaid]

Your tail came out absolutely gorgeous!! excellent job!

[Mermaid Shaylee]

Thank you! It’s been almost three years and she’s still like new! I’m so happy that I decided to make it myself, even though it is not at all easy. I really believe that it takes hidden artistic talent to be able to fully create your idea without flaw


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