How do you achieve a dimensional look for the scales on fabric tails?

[MermaidFinley]

Just wondering if anyone has advice for how to give mermaid scales more dimension just through coloring? Preferably digital coloring. Kinda like what finfolk does with their neoprene tails. I want to print my own design but I'm not a huge fan of the cartoony scale look of many of the finfun and suntails tails. I tried looking for vectors online without much luck.

[SirenGita]

Its all about details. Erase a few details and everything looks cartoony. No quick fix I'm afraid.

[SirenGita]

Also, i don't recommend taking the art of others to print off to make your tail. That's not cool and you will be found out very quickly, which even if meant in flattery will get you in major trouble.

[MermaidFinley]

Oh no, I wasn't planning to do that at all! I meant like vector files and stock images lol. I'd never steal, I'm a graphic designer myself. I did ask someone in another thread if I could use one of her freebie designs for inspiration for a personal tail while crediting her. Perhaps I worded that poorly.

[Azurin Luna]

Using shadows usually does the trick. You will have to try out which way of using shadows on a scale works best for you. For me it's usually a mix between hard and soft shadows. Hard ones to define each part, in this case a scale. Soft shadows to give it details and 3D likedness.

If this makes any sense :sweat drop: I'm a pencil artist.

[MermaidFinley]

Using shadows usually does the trick. You will have to try out which way of using shadows on a scale works best for you. For me it's usually a mix between hard and soft shadows. Hard ones to define each part, in this case a scale. Soft shadows to give it details and 3D likedness.

If this makes any sense :sweat drop: I'm a pencil artist.

So you mean like, detailing the scale itself would use soft shadows and highlights and the drop shadow beneath each scale should be darker?

[MermaidFinley]

So I was messing around with making tails that use a vinyl insert and I came up with this! I'm super happy with the dramatic shape. Then I noticed when I flipped it upside down that I had accidentally made the fin in the shape of a moth. Hence the name!

[Azurin Luna]

So you mean like, detailing the scale itself would use soft shadows and highlights and the drop shadow beneath each scale should be darker?

Exactly.

Love the shape of your fluke!

[SirenGita]

My apologies! Weighted lines also work wonders! Take a look at the suntails heel fins, i STILL can't believe they are 2d they did such an amazing shadow and placement job! Even looking right at them! Lol

[MermaidFinley]

My apologies! Weighted lines also work wonders! Take a look at the suntails heel fins, i STILL can't believe they are 2d they did such an amazing shadow and placement job! Even looking right at them! Lol

You're fine! <3 I understand being worried. Especially since I'm new! And Suntails does have some really pretty linework! I've always liked their designs a little more than FinFun's for that reason! I'll definitely keep trying.

I've noticed when I draw my scales it seems to muddle the colors underneath. I know I'd have to go back and color them anyway but it's shocking how lines can suck the vibrance out of things sometimes. Clearly I'm still learning. *Shrug*

[SirenGita]

Pmd ^_^

[selkie.astraea]

So I was messing around with making tails that use a vinyl insert and I came up with this! I'm super happy with the dramatic shape. Then I noticed when I flipped it upside down that I had accidentally made the fin in the shape of a moth. Hence the name!
THATS AMAZING

[Darius]

That fluke looks amazing and yeah shading should do the trick

[Naiadele]

That fluke shape is so cool! I love how is dramatic but also drapey at the same time.

You sound like you know a lot more than me, but I thought it can’t hurt to throw in my two cents. You can get stock photos of real roach fish scales which I think is what the finfolk scales are based off. The way I was thinking I would do it would be to create a layer using the stock image but removing most of the internal scale colour, then that layer could be overlaid with transparency over any tail design. I would think getting the right balance on the transparency would be the trick to give it good dimension..


Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork

[MermaidFinley]

That fluke shape is so cool! I love how is dramatic but also drapey at the same time.

You sound like you know a lot more than me, but I thought it can’t hurt to throw in my two cents. You can get stock photos of real roach fish scales which I think is what the finfolk scales are based off. The way I was thinking I would do it would be to create a layer using the stock image but removing most of the internal scale colour, then that layer could be overlaid with transparency over any tail design. I would think getting the right balance on the transparency would be the trick to give it good dimension..


Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork

I'll definitely give that a shot! Thank you! I didn't know they used roach fish scales! Interesting!

[MermaidFinley]

THATS AMAZING


That fluke looks amazing and yeah shading should do the trick


That fluke shape is so cool! I love how is dramatic but also drapey at the same time.

Thank you all so much! I honestly didn't know what I was doing but I'm really glad people like it!

[MermaidFinley]

https://imgur.com/X6YfzXn

Figured I would show you guys the actual tail so far. Credit to BettaMax for the original idea. Her work is amazing and I fell in love with her Rainbow koi adoptable. Still tweaking spot placement and colors. Also have to give the tail itself some more dimensional shading but I really like it more and more as the tail comes to life.

[SirenGita]

Ooh that's cuuute

[MermaidFinley]

https://imgur.com/a/zciiUZL Testing out how scales look on this thing. Still planning to draw my own but for now I'm using a public domain pattern just to see how it looks.

[TybeeMermaid]

I’m giving my Finfolk fabric tail actual texture by embroidering it. It’s quite the process but the results are definitely worth it. You could probably do the same if you got this printed on some thick neoprene.


Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=95032)

[SirenGita]

Thats a good idea! I thought about hand quilting mine but its too thin :)

[MermaidFinley]

I’m giving my Finfolk fabric tail actual texture by embroidering it. It’s quite the process but the results are definitely worth it. You could probably do the same if you got this printed on some thick neoprene.


Sent from my iPhone using MerNetwork mobile app (http://r.tapatalk.com/byo?rid=95032)

That's actually a really neat idea! I'd love to see how it comes out when you finish with it!

[selkie.astraea]

That design looks amazing! I really hope you can bring it to life!

[MermaidMakena]

Hi, to get a dimensional look on a fabric tail is, at the top of the scale make it darker, kinda like a shadow. Then as it get bigger make it become lighter. Its all about shading. P.S. this is just for 1 scale so you would have to do all the scales like this:D

[BlueCorvidae]

Draw one single scale. Draw the scale as if you plucked it from the fish, and it was sitting by itself on the table. Shade the scale, but not the background of it. The scale should be sitting by itself in a white void. Properly shaded, the scale should pop like it's own 3d object. Now turn your scale into a repeating pattern.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJFcI_8XXp0

This is the tutorial I used for figuring out how to make a repeating pattern in Photoshop. I had to experiment a bit to make the top scales overlap the ones below it, but it wasn't too hard to do.

My method was to start with a decently sized file, and to draw a single scale in a way where the linework touches every edge of the canvas. I shaded it like you would any other drawing, only I kept it in greyscale. If I wanted colored shading, I'd adjust the color balance of the scale pattern on the file for whichever tail you're working on. I then for the most part followed the steps of this tutorial.

[Merperson Danny]

The same thing can be done for a program like Clip Studio Paint, since you can 'import pattern from image'. Forms a scalable (hah) pattern that you can then put over the colour design. Since you're a graphic designer, this information is probably redundant, but I thought I'd throw it out for anyone not as skilled with digital art and design - using a multiply layer might be the best bet rather than having the scales semi-transparent, since it'll let you keep all the tones and shadows without dulling/muting any of the colours below with the translucent white/grey areas ♡

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