RiverDragonKaringan
08-27-2017, 11:29 PM
Hello fellow water-folk! You may know me as the kindly River Dragon from Oregon who made all those cute chibi mermaids. Well, my creativity is going even farther as I make my first ever tail!
Now, I wasn't sure about doing this thread, as I usually put all my updates on karingan.blogspot.com. But I decided having extra input would be helpful. All in all, I think I'm about 40% done with everything, most of what's left is the construction all together.
First off, the main body sketch:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/611bed2ade17fff6302d829882a690b1.jpg
This is where I decided what I wanted the overall look to be, or close too it. I ended up making revisions to the fluke and added belly scales.
Next up was fabric! For the main body I decided to use this:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/eb3d55f89ed48d43e2de59ef368cc745.jpg
A gorgeous 4-way stretch 80/20 polyester spandex mix with color-shifting iridescent scales. It's super pretty.
Next is the vinyl. I am using a rubber-backed boat vinyl fabric in a shimmery green that I will be painting with purple haze outdoor vinyl and sealing with a non-glossy sealant.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/af0c417e5ef3f201dcd72055a3a8edb2.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/e39c168a57650344243c5f83e0382486.jpg
To the pattern! I made this with my circumference measurements divided by two and drawn in about an inch. I also sketched out my Finis Aquarius monofin that I'm using in the tail.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/1ca0aa08e2f257430695b3e6d8e9cced.jpg
The next part was designing the fluke, keeping in mind how much fabric I had at the bottom of the body to attach to the vinyl. (I'll give an example.) Essentially, the middle tail and "veins" will he a continuation of the body fabric down the tail.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/7b3d2a0cc4fcd2b897779fe0ff9271b9.jpg
Then I got to cutting out the vinyl for the fluke, the two side fins, the pectoral fins, and individual belly scales.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/36f073e61af0d46cf9374010bd434c37.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/9596e47234c0669cdf3de7e684a4be9a.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/5b86d9ea8d505a213353aa0c8c384861.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/a56b77b19af103b3cebc4a19b74e671c.jpg
And just this weekend I got to spray painting the fins and scales, and tried attaching the pectoral fluke veins.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/0a70fe67eeb15e8a6fc751630ea0a7f7.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/b321b7c8f0f11390e674b2c7a24f35f6.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/83118243dba862c7572246ba78445359.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/182de667989c5a49fe1d6b7ebd13d3f1.jpg
So far, so good! I've still got the other fin to do, then figuring out my huge dorsal that still needs painting, veins, and construction. The fluke is going to take the longest and for this to all work, I need to attach the fluke veins and stitch the Velcro to close it before stitching the body closed, due to how big and cumbersome it is!
Still, I'm super excited! I can't wait to do this!
At the same time, I am getting a neoprene/silicone tail made for me by Purple Mermaid Studios in the same design, so we'll see if this one is more for dry land or not.
Thanks for stopping by!
-Karingan
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/0e48afbeddf9946853dea35387a27a0c.jpg
PDX River Dragon! They/Them pronouns, please!
Now, I wasn't sure about doing this thread, as I usually put all my updates on karingan.blogspot.com. But I decided having extra input would be helpful. All in all, I think I'm about 40% done with everything, most of what's left is the construction all together.
First off, the main body sketch:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/611bed2ade17fff6302d829882a690b1.jpg
This is where I decided what I wanted the overall look to be, or close too it. I ended up making revisions to the fluke and added belly scales.
Next up was fabric! For the main body I decided to use this:
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/eb3d55f89ed48d43e2de59ef368cc745.jpg
A gorgeous 4-way stretch 80/20 polyester spandex mix with color-shifting iridescent scales. It's super pretty.
Next is the vinyl. I am using a rubber-backed boat vinyl fabric in a shimmery green that I will be painting with purple haze outdoor vinyl and sealing with a non-glossy sealant.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/af0c417e5ef3f201dcd72055a3a8edb2.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/e39c168a57650344243c5f83e0382486.jpg
To the pattern! I made this with my circumference measurements divided by two and drawn in about an inch. I also sketched out my Finis Aquarius monofin that I'm using in the tail.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/1ca0aa08e2f257430695b3e6d8e9cced.jpg
The next part was designing the fluke, keeping in mind how much fabric I had at the bottom of the body to attach to the vinyl. (I'll give an example.) Essentially, the middle tail and "veins" will he a continuation of the body fabric down the tail.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/7b3d2a0cc4fcd2b897779fe0ff9271b9.jpg
Then I got to cutting out the vinyl for the fluke, the two side fins, the pectoral fins, and individual belly scales.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/36f073e61af0d46cf9374010bd434c37.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/9596e47234c0669cdf3de7e684a4be9a.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/5b86d9ea8d505a213353aa0c8c384861.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/a56b77b19af103b3cebc4a19b74e671c.jpg
And just this weekend I got to spray painting the fins and scales, and tried attaching the pectoral fluke veins.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/0a70fe67eeb15e8a6fc751630ea0a7f7.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/b321b7c8f0f11390e674b2c7a24f35f6.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/83118243dba862c7572246ba78445359.jpg
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/182de667989c5a49fe1d6b7ebd13d3f1.jpg
So far, so good! I've still got the other fin to do, then figuring out my huge dorsal that still needs painting, veins, and construction. The fluke is going to take the longest and for this to all work, I need to attach the fluke veins and stitch the Velcro to close it before stitching the body closed, due to how big and cumbersome it is!
Still, I'm super excited! I can't wait to do this!
At the same time, I am getting a neoprene/silicone tail made for me by Purple Mermaid Studios in the same design, so we'll see if this one is more for dry land or not.
Thanks for stopping by!
-Karingan
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20170828/0e48afbeddf9946853dea35387a27a0c.jpg
PDX River Dragon! They/Them pronouns, please!