Fast and furious tailmaking journey

[merwandering]

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[PearlieMae]

Hehehe!

[PearlieMae]

Have you discovered the part where resin on your nice carpet makes a sharp, lumpy, permanently solid chunk in the most inconvenient place, yet?

[Luna Dreamtide]

Your sculpts look great!! And this is by far the most entertaining tailmaking thread I've read yet!

[Imogen Finnly]

This thread is so good. Its just so...pure hahab

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[Theobromine]

Following this thread so hard.

[Mermaid Tami]

This is by far the most amusing thread! More pictures of the mishaps would be great! ( my husband thinks I must be related to you sine prepping my work space is a foreign term to me) [emoji85]


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[PearlieMae]

"Here's the first"...

WHERE?

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I NEED THAT CROWN. Just saying.

[PearlieMae]

I NEED THAT CROWN. Just saying.

I WANT ONE, TOO!

[Theobromine]

ME THREE

[Dancing Fish]

HAHAHA!! This is awesome! I was grinning and nodding the entire time, yup, that's happened to me, too.... I love your scale shapes and colors!

[PearlieMae]

Your tail is going to come out absolutely gorgeous, and all this effort is going to be so worth it - how do they say? - warts and all. Honestly, you're going to be the only one who sees the imperfections. :mermaid kiss:

[Keiris]

I agree with Pearlie. It has beautiful and interesting color transitions and texture. When people look at it they look at the beauty of it as a whole and marvel at the ingenuity behind it. No one will scrutinize it the way you do. Keep at it. It's looking FINTASTIC!

[Jonny]

Everything looks so pretty :jawdrop::swoon: I am so impressed/ jealous that I do not have your creativity

[Theobromine]

That looks amazing!!! I looove the vintagey look you gave it, and the colors!!

Edit: Keiris and Pearlie and everyone are right about how no one else will even notice the flaws you think are so glaring. I can barely even see them and I am notoriously nitpicky. I think you did a beautiful job. But I definitely understand exactly how you feel. I'm always so unsatisfied with my own work that I literally spent an entire fucking year working on my silicone tail, focusing on tiny little details no one will ever even see, because I am also a nutcase. Welcome to the club, you're in good company here.

[Mermaid Catkid]

This thread is like a quick spiral into insanity..... I like it.

[PearlieMae]

Yes, fifty scales = practically finished tail. Don't ever forget it! :lol:

Your tail turned out AWESOMELY FUCKING INSANELY GORGEOUS! Congratulations and happy, safe swimming! :mermaid kiss:

[Theobromine]

Aw, thank you so much Merwandering! I just had to go and remind myself what my Facebook page looks like, bahahahaa!

[PearlieMae]

(I may or may not have neglected a few resposibilities of day to day life in favor of making mermaid accessories. Um...)


Oh, you have no idea. ;)

[Fifi Tigg]

Omg! This tail is stunning and I love the old worldly feel :D xx

[Acqua Luna]

Hi Merwandering I have a very stupid question to what is probably a very obvious answer. You did a mold for the fluke but made each scale and layered them on fabric with silicone?

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Girl, your tail is one of the most beautiful things I have seen created on this site, and I've been around here for a hell of a long time. Honestly, no one would have guessed that you made the damn thing in your living room with no previous experience. It's gorgeous and perfect just how it is, 'flaws' and all, and I will beat that truth into your head if need be.

[PearlieMae]

It surely is a LOT of work.

[Keiris]

Merwandering, it just came out BEAUTIFULLY! The whole thing! The girls are right. It has a fabulously vintage feel to it. The photo possibilities are endless and it makes me smile every single time I look at you in it! CONGRATULATIONS!!! You look like you have been doing it for years. As Theobrombine, Pearlie, Raven, The Twins, Mike Van Dahl, Fifi, Anceos, Hannah, myself and countless others that have oozed blood trying to create something fantastic and driven ourselves CRAZY (and a few around us with the fallout), WELCOME TO THE FAMILY of perfectionists!!!! It's the joy and curse of being a talented, driven artist. You wouldn't be any good if there wasn't a little cray cray going on!:lol:

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Lorelei you have no idea how much that means to me, I just want to give you a huge hug<3

-hugehugs-

[LouLouBelle]

I like the peacock scale - it's pretty!


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[PearlieMae]

Lorelei you have no idea how much that means to me, I just want to give you a huge hug<3

Keiris Thank you like crazy for being so supportive and cool:) So much love- artists rock:)

Pearlie it is a ton of time, and I forgot to factor in the exponential increase for you in your many multi process and gradient and multi sized scales... which basically makes it humanly impossible...."oracle of the ocean"... it's all coming together for me now... SHE'S MAGIC Y'ALL!!!!!!

I laughed when I looked at this picture- I was excited because I was happy with some peacock scales I made (though I realized I don't really want peacock scales, I want a bright blue and green gradient tail with peacock feathers painted on the fluke!) but- pictured is a microcosm of my little world. A bit of my daughter's unfinished fluke. Paper towels from half cleaning up a spill but- I'm painting, I'll deal with it later. and not pictured....my actual tons of stuff I need to be doing today.
not pictured.
uh huh.
I need a button I can push when I catch myself, that has a recording that says- "put your hands up and back slowly away from the project!"
37658

I NEED THIS. (Insert grabby hands)

[PearlieMae]

I've given up on that button, I don't think it exists! But I will pm you my address!

[Marinus Mortimer]

Wow Merwandering, I just read through the whole thtead and let me tell you, your tail looks like its fallen from grace an absolute marvel I just love the simplistic beauty of if.

[Lili]

Those scales are so beautiful, I can already picture an entire tail that's made out of this stuff :O I can't get over the beautiful colors

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[MermaidClaudy]

OMG, I am soon doing my tail after seen yours! It's fantastic!!! Question though: how do you attach the fluke to the body with individual scales???

[PearlieMae]

(tbh, that instagram shot of the "mermaid meat locker" is not my studio, it's my living room. Don't feel bad in the least.)

[PearlieMae]

My entire house is my studio!

And I live in New Jersey. I think carcinogens are the least of my worries!

[PearlieMae]

Mine is mid-thigh, and ALWAYS in a bun when I'm working! Only an infant is more hair-grabby than silicone.

[Theobromine]

My hair is butt-crack length and I'm constantly yelling at myself "don't get silicone in your hair, dumbass!"
...because I am very sane.

[Mermaid Kate Silverfin]

Mine is to my shoulders or shorter, and yet I still get silicone in my hair :/ I think it might be one of the rules of the universe...

[PearlieMae]

My hair is butt-crack length and I'm constantly yelling at myself "don't get silicone in your hair, dumbass!"
...because I am very sane.

HAHAHA! Fibber! Sane?

Riiiiiight! ;)

[AelianaNympha]

How did I not see that? Your studio is your living room?
(tbh could I think you are more magical??)
lol
A word on mineral spirits... gross.
I guess I got spoiled by the smooth on NOVOCS solvent, but, while I think I have the low-carcinogen version, it's so much more messy, less effective, just- ew. Smooth on solvent it is. A can of mineral spirits I can get for a few bucks, and is readily available, so if, with shipping and minimum order, I'm willing to pay waaaaaaay more, and WAIT TWO DAYS which feels like a millennium... I mean it. (If the shadiness and possibility of cancer didn't discourage you in the first place)

Boo.... I guess I'll look into NOVOCS.


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[Mermaid Sirenia]

This tail is SO PRETTY

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[Mermaid Lieke]

Your tail is amazing! I don't have words for it!

And about the hair, I learned it the hard way while cutting out a patterns years ago. I lift up the paper and fabric to find a ton of hair on my table. Since then it's as up as it gets while working on any artsy project.

Btw, do you have any idea how much scales you used? Can't seem to find that bit of information

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[MermaidClaudy]

Hahaha , it looks amazing !Best dining room ever!

I can't wait to see the final result.

[Theobromine]

HAHAHA! Fibber! Sane?

Riiiiiight! ;)

37890

[PearlieMae]

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

[PearlieMae]

I'm a size 16, and the tail part of my tail took 1200 scales, from 1.5" scales in the ankle area, 2" scales to mid thigh, and 3" scales around my butt.

Hope that helps.

[PearlieMae]

Has anyone made a band, like you would make for a blended waist, but then put it under the scales and attached to them from the inside, kind of a belt? I guess the whole construct of the tail is already like that, but- was just thinking- would it help keep the back up a little better, and keep it more in place, taking more advantage of the tail stretch, for example when you lean forward when sitting? I guess I just wondered if there was a non-muffin-top-but-extra-snug addition that would give more hold there?

That probably makes no sense
Dear 3:03 am,
This is it.
I never want to see you again.
Ever.

I'm not sure how you'd be able to attach something like that on the inside without just making a 'blended waist'. You couldn't sew it, the holes from the needle would compromise the silicone and tear, and if you layered it inside with silicone, it's just making a blended waist, really.

A couple of tailmakers have made 'gap wraps' and other waist cincher-type things, but I haven't seen many of them in use, nor heard of many of them being sold.

(I really do wish you would get out of my brain. You are browsing around in the Pearlie Mae Secret Stash of Ongoing Projects, and you always manage to mention one just as I am about to roll it out!) :mermaid kiss:

[Theobromine]

Yeah, I had a really similar idea to that and I was all excited about it because I thought I was so genius to think of it first. Then I came back to the forum to see both Pearlie and Keiris talking about almost the exact same thing. Oh well.

At least....we're all smart and we're all having some very similar ideas so there must be some merit to them, right? Right??

[PearlieMae]

I'm premiering my waist-belty-anti-gaping-thingy at the end of the week, hopefully!

[Keiris]

I have sold seven of my silicone blended waist belts so far. The tricky thing is matching the colors and not making them TOO tight.

[PearlieMae]

I have sold seven of my silicone blended waist belts so far. The tricky thing is matching the colors and not making them TOO tight.

Can you point me to a link? I don't remember seeing them! :mermaid kiss:

[Keiris]

Can you point me to a link? I don't remember seeing them! :mermaid kiss:

Hey Pearlie, I discuss it briefly in my Hybrid Thread with a pic or two of the first one I made.

[MermaidClaudy]

Hey Keiris,

What is your shop?

[Keiris]

Hi Claudia. I haven't taken the time to set one up. People have just contacted me directly.

[MermaidClaudy]

Oh Ok :)

[Mermaid Whisper]

GODDESS. Amazing work by an incredibly beautiful woman!


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[merwandering]

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[merwandering]

omg, Whisper- Thank you!!!

[PearlieMae]

So incredibly beautiful! Great work! :mermaid kiss:

[merwandering]

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[TheSaltySiren]

Wow, that is seriously awesome tail! jelly :)

[moniee]

Merwandering can you please please post some more photos / a link with more photos if you have one? Will you have a video by any chance? Your tail is absolutely fabulous and one of my personal favourites! The colour reminds me of Viktor's paintings which is a huge insiration to me and one day I hope I can make a green/golden tail too! I love everything about your tail from the scale size through colour as mentioned, to the fluke shape and texture! THIS IS MERKING AMAZINGH AND YOU ARE INCREDIBLY BEAUTYUFULL :cheerleader:

[AelianaNympha]

Thank you Pearlie!!!!! So much.
I started uploading to show Aeliana a different one, but it was too big, then was about to ramble about a few issues with the tail that I feel like fixing right.this.second. because looking at a picture of it drives me nuts.... But lol then realize midnight is for sleeping, not for silicone...

HO-LY CRAP, MERWANDWERING! You are {*#%=$} BEAUTIFUL! Your tail is amazing and makes my insides hurt and gurgle. Also might have been the takeout last night. But I'M BLAMING YOUR GORGEOUSNESS.


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[merwandering]

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[AelianaNympha]

I'm absolutely speechless. Thank you so, so much!!
Moniee, your compliments mean the world, coming from such a talented artist. And before you guys pointed it out I hadn't thought about it, but his paintings are such an inspiration and to think that his influence shows in my tail makes me so excited!
Aeliana---holy cow thank you!!!!! And it has been so fun to make tails with you, and yours is coming along so beautifully and is so close I'm dying!
love to you both<3

Aww! Stop it! Yours is way better than mine!


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[Mermaid Lieke]

Wow! Just wow, your tail is amazing. I'm speachless

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[merwandering]

Thank you so much Lily!!

Aeliana- you are crazy. lol. I love your tail!!!

[merwandering]

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[Mermaid Aria]

Merwandering, your tail and photos are absolutely stunning! You continue to just blow me away! I wish I had your skills!

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[merwandering]

Aria!! Thank you!!!

[merwandering]

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[PearlieMae]

Also- word to the wise, folks- I realized that I kept wriggling through the least flattering positions- I know there are mermaid modeling threads, and it didn't occur to me that those would be helpful to everyone, not just mermaid models! I need to browse some of the threads on how to look more like a mermaid and less like a fish before I take more pictures...
lol

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(collabrative effort: Pic - Theobromine; Copy - Pearlie Mae)

[merwandering]

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[LouLouBelle]

Both you and your tail look stunning. And I can honestly say, I don't see anything wrong with the first line of scales at all!


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[merwandering]

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[merwandering]

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[AelianaNympha]

And btw Pearlie, you would be so proud, because while this whole problem is the result of experimenting on my tail a few weeks ago, instead of somewhere else, which I seriously have no clue what I was thinking, now that I realize it I am TOTALLY experimenting elsewhere:) It really is the best advice in the world, and I'm not sure why it takes so much to override the "just jump" in my DNA....

"Just jump" Lol you were that kid that tried to climb in the enclosures at the zoo, weren't you?


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[merwandering]

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[AelianaNympha]

Ok here's what's funny though. As a kid I was pretty cautious. As I got older though, I was a lot more adventurous- I'd like to think they were well calculated risks, but sometimes no.
There's on one hand this ultra responsible side, the camp director, foster parent, teacher mommy side, that is always jt naturally looking at every situation and making sure everyone is safe and everything is organized.
But then... ha. I dunno. An example of stellar judgement in the audacity of my youth:
Part of my job for a while was managing and leading ROPES courses. We had to have training in different types of rescues, in case equipment failed, especially since we were out in the wilderness- if emergency services couldn't reach us quickly, we needed to be able to climb up and cut someone down safely. We took this very seriously. So once at about midnight, I was sitting in the middle of Zilker park (in the middle of the city) with a co-worker, and there is a moonlight tower- I can't really describe it, but it is I think about 150 feet tall and has lights on the top. We decided to use our skills to CLIMB UP because we knew it would have an amazing view.
We stopped when we noticed that a thick wire we were using as a hand hold had a huge warning label DO NOT TOUCH DANGER HIGH VOLTAGE
I mean... what? I would never have climbed 5 feet on a ropes course without several equipment checks, and I was soooo paranoid about safety on the course, and yet...???????
uh huh.
But the zoo comment is funny because LAST YEAR I got a group of disabled preschoolers YELLED AT because I was a parent volunteer on a trip to a little zoo, tucked in the trees. At some point I guess we got off the trail, and we saw that we would have a better view of the monkeys from the side opposite where we were. SO we went around and a zookeeper came SCREAMING at me saying WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU THINK it is okay to go BEHIND AN ENCLOSURE to get a better view! If a kid got close the monkeys could reach through and put them in danger!!!!!
In my defense- girl you could NOT tell where the trail was.
But... I was going to say "not at all!" to you about the enclosure comment, but....maybe:/
ha

Dude if it's not labeled that's THEIR BAD. Hahaha but well done!


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