Silicone scale and pigment questions

[Mermaid Tuwala]

So, I'm looking into making my own silicone tail (i've been looking into it for like a year haha ) and I have a few questions so please bare with me!

1. what do people use to make scalloped looking scales? I know for plain round scales, craft foam circles are commonly used but I can't find what to used to detailed scales. All I can think of is maybe they are all sculpted out of clay but that would take a million years and they would all look different not the same.

2. How much more challenging would it be to do an individual scale tail vs a scale sheet tail? I love the no seams look but I'm worried about casting all those scales individually and having to get it all done in 72 hrs. I liked what Jazz did with the puzzle piecing together the seams so it looks better but I can't find a video of it and can't wrap my head around how she did it so nicely. I may have to experiment with that

3. What is the best micron sized pigment to use for pigmenting silicone? I do want to use glitter but don't want to go too big!

4. What is the best place to get very iridescent/holographic pigments that change to be different colours at different angles? I see pearl ex has a couple of duo colours but I have definitely seen tails that are like a rainbow of colours depending on the angle and really love that look!

thank you so much for any advice! <3

[lotusauriel]

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[Glinda Rose]

Try this for the chameleon pigments: http://solarcolordust.com/

[Mermaid Tuwala]

Thanks so much Glinda ! That site has so many cool pigments! I just wish they would show you better what they look like since they just have a static image for their color shifting ones haha
I'll have to dig around for videos/ reviews
But they seem to have great colors!

[MermaidDalni]

1. what do people use to make scalloped looking scales? I know for plain round scales, craft foam circles are commonly used but I can't find what to used to detailed scales. All I can think of is maybe they are all sculpted out of clay but that would take a million years and they would all look different not the same.

Personally for scalloped scales, I sculpt a single scale, take a mold of it and press clay in to duplicate the scale for a sheet. Lots less waste than foam.

2. How much more challenging would it be to do an individual scale tail vs a scale sheet tail? I love the no seams look but I'm worried about casting all those scales individually and having to get it all done in 72 hrs. I liked what Jazz did with the puzzle piecing together the seams so it looks better but I can't find a video of it and can't wrap my head around how she did it so nicely. I may have to experiment with that

You can take more time with individual scales! Just pin them to a model of your legs and stick with more silicone, place the scales as they're made. Jazz uses a lot of overlap and cuts the scales with a circle indent on the top.

3. What is the best micron sized pigment to use for pigmenting silicone? I do want to use glitter but don't want to go too big!

Pearl ex is a common choice, but most Micah powder works. The best reallyou is sil pig from smooth on but it's expensive. Be careful with glitter as it might cut out through the silicone.

4. What is the best place to get very iridescent/holographic pigments that change to be different colours at different angles? I see pearl ex has a couple of duo colours but I have definitely seen tails that are like a rainbow of colours depending on the angle and really love that look!

The pearl ex interference powders do cause that effect