Fantasea FX's first casted latex tail!

[Ilonka]

I'v been around this forum and the old one for about a year now, more as an observer than actually interacting.

Most people would recognize me as the "Avatar girl" from the cosplay i did in 2010 of Neytiri.
I was the first to complete that character and post in on the web and from it i won various awards, was interviewed, and even was the cover of a book.
Thanks to that experience I discovered what I wanted to pursue as a career (besides modeling), special FX and movie magic.

As for my career as a model, i'v been at it for 4 years now and im looking for my big break so im hoping the tail will be it. I live in Puerto Rico and no one has much imagination here when it comes to crazy costumes and artistic modeling, so I will be the first to have a tail of this grade here.

Now back to the topic of mermaiding XD
I observed the processes and errors of various mermaid tail artists such as Mermaid raven, Dr.seaweed, Latexmans and others. From this I learned allot, plus most of my special FX skills were learned through Youtube anyways.
I decided to give the rubber latex casted tail a shot, I have worked with casting and latex before but never in large quantities so this will be a learning tool as well.

The tail will be using standard procedures, neoprene, casted liquid latex, monofin.
I bought a gallon of regular high grade special FX latex and half a gallon of crystal clear latex for the fins and fluke.
I got a Rapid monofin which is really big on me so il have to tear it apart and make my own foot pockets, yay...

Here are the rough drawings of the tail and scales. The colors are not final because i used crayons to color and they are really dark. I chose to use Createx Wicked colors for the paint job since Raven's tails always have such amazing colors and the paints are very durable i have read.

Rough drawings of the tail and colors, these are not final. The top area of the hips will be transeparent fading into gold to make a blending effect with my skin.
All the colors will be much lighter than the drawing and pearly in tone.
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I used crayons to color them cuz I couldent find my pencils XD. This is just to show the color tones and fades i want to do so most of the tail will be painted by hand and the base with my airbrush.
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I really never liked pectoral nor dorsal fins on tails, but when i saw Raven's were modeled after the way a fish has their fins i loved the concept so i might add one on each side of my ankle. Design is not final but they will be transeparent like the fluke.
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Mr.Fishy here will be my realistic model for the scales and similar colors. I will be using turquoise, white, gold, green, and cerulean.
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I already sent for the latex, monster clay and casting materials. More updates when they arrive!

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Looks like a good start!

[Mermaid Dottie]

NICE! I'm looking forward to your progress!

[OrcaMatt]

Most people would recognize me as the "Avatar girl" from the cosplay i did in 2010 of Neytiri.Oh, hi! :D

[Mermaid Nyla]

so excited to see how this works out! i love the colors you selected, and your picture of the fish is a neat example. :)

[Kanti]

Where do you get clear latex!?
I've been looking forever! I'll be your best friend :'D

Either way, kickass design! I'll love to see progress too :')

[malinghi]

Oh man, I love these threads. Watching people make latex tails rules.

[Mermaid Sirena]

Can't wait to see where this goes :)

[Ilonka]

I actually found the clear latex on Ebay! I was looking for it like mad too XD
Here is the link, they have different sizes too:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/250911407421?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_1384wt_1117

I had also found it in a site called Cosplaysupplies.com
http://www.cosplaysupplies.com/store.php?p=KR2544

:3

Today I cut my monofin, its a Finis Rapid so its very soft and I was able to cut it using a chicken bone scissor and a kitchen knife LOL
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Im not too fond of my monofin 1: Because the blade is really small and 2: the foot straps are too big and dont hold my feet in place.

Im going to buy diving booties and see if that helps keep my feet in place and also cut the foot straps to make them smaller.

For the blade its going to be re-inforced with vinyl to increase its size because i want a large fluke. The vinyl will also help hide the monofin's shape inside the tail itself. Not sure if i will nail/drill the vinyl directly onto the fin or just glue it inside the neoprene.

The monofin might be removable, im not sure yet because I would like to buy a Competitor monofin in the future.

[Kanti]

Ohh nice :'D

Oooo and Kryolan is nice stuff too :'P

[Kanti]

Youre so brave
I don't want to cut my monofin >_<
I'm too scared I'll mess it up haha

[Mermaid Star]

You can also find Clear latex through monster makers. It starts white but dries clear. The only problem is the color (if you add any) dries Matte. Ilonka, can you let us know how this type of clear latex behaves when dealing with paint/pigment when you get it? Can't wait to see how this turns out! :)

[Kanti]

If you wanted to color latex while still keeping it from getting cloudy
and opaque from the paint you can use glass paint or stained glass
pigment. I used that stuff to color resin gems I made and it allowed
them to look like colored glass rather than get cloudy as most paint
will do.

As for monster makers latex, I didn't know or couldn't find the latex there.
Grafobian or something along those lines sells latex that they say dries
crystal clear. Every other place has "clear" if you put it on in one layer.

Can you post a link to the monster makers clear latex, Star? :'>

[Mermaid Star]

Sure! It is a paint base, dries clear. http://www.monstermakers.com/product/latex-paint-base.html

[Kanti]

Ohh but would you be able to use it for actually casting something? o_o
I suppose I don't see why not but I also wouldn't want to buy it and find out it's not good
enough.

[Ilonka]

My clear latex arrived yesterday, i dipped my finger into it and let it dry which made a nice rubber impression of my pinkie XD
It was white when wet and dried crystal clear so om very happy about that part.
I bought powder metallic tints on ebay which i read is really good for achieving clear colored latex because it wont cloud it.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280858728358&ssPageName=ADME:L:OU:US:1123

Right now im confirming my order with monstermakers.com, they have the best prices for 1 gallon and 5 gallon latex containers so far.

https://www.monstermakers.com/product/RD407-Mask-Latex-for-Halloween-Masks-and-Props.html

[OrcaMatt]

Sure! It is a paint base, dries clear. http://www.monstermakers.com/product/latex-paint-base.htmlI'm not sure that's what we're looking for.

[Ilonka]

So! I got some of my materials arriving already in le mail and hopefuly tonight or tomorow i will begin my life size sketch of my tail.
Yesterday i got "mermaid practice" LOL my first underwater shoot and im really psyched on how the photos came out!!
Tell me what u guys think :D

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[MermaidRaegan]

OAO So beautiful. I love the way your dress/top thing flows in the water. Absolutely stunning.

[Ilonka]

Thank you! I never would have imagined how hard it is to do a professional shoot underwater, and i had legs to move around in so i cant image how hard its gonna be with a tail.
Im going to have another underwater practice shoot but next time its gonna be in the sea because i want my mermaid pictures to be as realistic looking as possible. I chose a small island off the mainland with a huge untouched reef, im so giddy and exited XD

[MermaidRaegan]

I can't wait to see them! You have to post them when you do it!
I agree that underwater shoots are impossibly hard. My boyfriend has taken a few underwater shots of me before to use as referances for paintings and such, and I always have the hardest time holding a pose and staying under for the focas!

[Kanti]

Wow an underwater photoshoot sounds so damn awesome!
I looove the photo you showed us. Do you have anymore? :'D

[Ilonka]

I will have more given to me in the next couple of weeks, the shoot was yesterday so it takes a while to edit/process.
Im really exited to get the rest of the set so once its given to me i'l make sure to post them here ;)

[Ilonka]

So today i finally got to drawing the life size rough drawing of my tail + did my measurements. Most of my materials havent arrived yet, including the clay, so there isent much I can do for now. The tail is about 60 inches long and the fluke is almost 50 inches wide, so its a big tail. I really love large flukes so thats what im going for and i decided to make the monofin removable as well.

The fluke is a bit lopsided in the drawing XD but the paper will be folded in half (mirror effect) and then cut out to use as the final model for the clay 3D figure :D
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[Mermaid Rillia]

Nice! please let me know how this works out. I want to make my own, but i'm so scared im going to mess the whole thing up. And if it works out quite nicely, (which i am sure it will) could you give a list of the final materials you used and procautions to be taken?

[Kanti]

Wow! That fluke is really big O:
The pattern right now sort of looks like a dress! :'D
Can't wait to see more progress~

I'm really excited to see how the clear latex looks~

[Ilonka]

Another underwater photo from my mermaid practice <3
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Gonna check today if i got anything in the mail so i'l post again later~

[Ilonka]

So i got my monster clay and special FX liquid latex today!!! The monster clay is amazing, im so glad i bought it and i was surprised with the amount they send you. The material is so versatile and easy to use and it wont stick nor stain anything~
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn133/rikku_22pic/DSC01096.jpg

Also got some shells and semi precious stones in the mail from my dad in FL.They really have the best shells and stones there for arts and crafts. I sent for a pair of lion's paw shells for my bra and a few starfish to make clips for my hair.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn133/rikku_22pic/DSC01100.jpg

And here is what i have done so far by hand with the clay.
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn133/rikku_22pic/DSC01089.jpg

Its taking a really long time to do, i was at this for about 3-4 hrs :/
I haven't texturized nor added detailing to them which i will do once i finish the scale sheet. Ugh my back hurts too...

[Ilonka]

So the tail has been going slow for the past week because I might be moving plus work keeps me extra exhausted, but so far almost all my materials have arrived!
I decided to make my scale sheet out of craft foam because it was taking waaaaay too long to mould them all by hand with clay.
Here is my finished sheet, i used the clay to make the hold and cracks smooth (brown stuff)
Its not very big but I think it will be better for casting because it will cause less mess and accidents, which i really can't have.

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn133/rikku_22pic/DSC01106.jpg

And here is my clay fluke in construction. I cut it out of my original fullsized drawing using the mirror method so now its nice and even. Its huge too :3

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn133/rikku_22pic/DSC01110.jpg

The bottom edge will be made out of clear latex, hopefully that will go well. I got my powder metallic tints in the mail which i already tested by tinting my white latex pastel blue/green for the color base of the tail.

Maybe later i will test a few drops of it and post some pix~~~~~

Back to sculpting then!

[Kanti]

Wow Ilkona! The scales look amazing!!
I really like how the clay makes them look o_o
I cant wait to see how they turn out!

Also how's the monster makers clay? Is it really
nice stuff?
I got some regular oil based clay in some random art
store and it's alright but I suppose there's nothing
special about it xD

[Ilonka]

Its really good stuff and also worth the price, they give you allot!
I like it because of its properties as a material; You can melt it into a liquid form, mid heat its a nice taffy and its very hard when cold. Only downside is that its very hard to spread, im having a bit of trouble making my fluke bump free. In that area i give it to earth based clay, but this stuff won't crack and ruin my work!

For the scales i really wanted to use a different shape, everyone seems to have the same semi-oval shape and its getting kinda old. I hope they look good once casted.

[Mermaid Dottie]

Looks like fun, Ilonka.
hope you have as much success as Star. :)

[Kanti]

Yea I think people like the oval/half circle cause it's a classic shape and it looks really cute~
I like the style your going for. It seems like the scales a larger fish would have.

And geeze :/ I always hear that about oil clay, it's an ass to smooth. The one I have is alright
but I have the same problem. There's always a little bump or two.
At least a mermaid tail is natural and it can afford to be uneven.

[Ilonka]

You are right! I did get the shape of my scales from a big fish, the aligator gar. Its a freshwater fish but its armor like scales have a really cool shape. I want my tail to look mythical and beautiful but have a dangerous side as well, like the mermaids of old folklore.
If you ever do get to use this type of clay make sure to have a hair dryer, it will be your best friend! ;)
Im using the lumps to my advantage, when i melt them and spread them they leave a cool smear. So im using this to texture my fluke, so far its looking good.

[Kanti]

Yea those scales are definitely more mysterious and scary looking than friendly. I think a lot of
the people in this community like the friendly look, though. It's cute, but I agree, after seeing it
so much it's nice to see some scales like these :'P

They sort of remind me of an arapima (spelling?)
http://farm1.staticflickr.com/45/131717183_860654aee3_z.jpg?zz=1

I love how their colors fade at the end of the tail. Maybe that would look pretty on your tail?
Unless you're going for the soft fade that an airbrush would give you.

[Mermaid Photine]

This tail looks like it'll be beautiful!

I read that you were sending for starfish. Are these to be cast, or used as it? Dried starfish like to rot once exposed to water, but if you have some sort of effective sealer, I'd love to hear about it!

[Mermaid Lorelei]

If you ever do get to use this type of clay make sure to have a hair dryer, it will be your best friend! ;)


I'm working on the detail section of my own fluke right now and I never even considered a hair dryer. Two minutes in and I was sold. Thanks for the info! No more killing my fingers spreading cold clay. O.o;

[Ilonka]

I love how their colors fade at the end of the tail. Maybe that would look pretty on your tail?
Unless you're going for the soft fade that an airbrush would give you.

Yeah my tail is going to have a fade, from green/turquiose to clear. Im going to be using my airbrush for the basic painting and the scales will be hand painted with multiple colored fades (gold, white, blue, turquoise, green)
I really want to make something unique and extremely detailed.

[Ilonka]

Thank you for telling me about the starfish MermaidPandorah (http://mernetwork.com/index/member.php?117-MermaidPandorah) !
I will go to the hardware store and see what kinds of waterproof resins would be best to use for this.

And yush, I learned about the blow dryer from the a special FX blog. Usually a hot air gun is used but hair dryers works just as well and are cheaper too! :3

[Anya]

I love your underwater pictures!! They are breathtaking! Just thought I'd let you know! Can't wait to see how your tail progresses

[Ilonka]

So my cat got into my studio and made a party with my foamie scale sheet :c
I got rally mad and didnt work on my tail for a few days (the sheet took me two days to make! T____T)
So last night i got inspired again and decided to start working on my bra and accesories
Here is what i have so far :

http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn133/rikku_22pic/DSC01126.jpg


The necklace has a real amethyst in the center :3
http://i303.photobucket.com/albums/nn133/rikku_22pic/DSC01124.jpg

I cant believe how heavy a shell bra is! Im going to make a few other bras because i already have a girl interested in renting my tail, but this one was my first and will probably be for me.
Im also going to make myself semi-transparent boobie scales cuz my bf doesen't want me compltely topless (iv always been into the topless mermaid look)

[AniaR]

looks amazing

[Nyx]

Oh wow, this looks awesome!

[jukumerboii]

Amazing!

[Kanti]

!!!
Wow Ilonka that bra is great!
I love how you ended off the seaweed with little pears at the end.
The necklace is also amazing! Maybe you can take a closer picture of it :')

Good work so far!

I also like the topless mermaid look! You should try to mimic what you did
with your Neytiri costume! That would look so awesome *_*

[Ilonka]

Thank you everyone :3
I did forget to take close up pics of the necklace... FAIL
Il take some today! I was thinking of wearing an ass ton of necklaces to cover , which is a good idea. Il probably do both ideas, clear latex boobie scales and the necklaces.

[LittleTreasure]

All of this looks so amazing! I can't wait to see the finished product :) I LOVE your mermaid top and accessories. :drool:

[Mermaid Saphira]

wow...just wow @.@

[Kanti]

Have you tried out your clear latex btw? :')
I'm curious to see how it looks when it's dry

[Ilonka]

I had a pause in my work progress because I just moved to a new apartment and all my mermaid things are still in storage but I should be getting back to work on it soon. Plus I quit my job so now I will have more time and i will be much more relaxed.
As for the latex, nope still haven't tried it and really want to!

[Blondie]

That top is FANTASTIC! Super realistic! How long did that take you to make?

[Ilonka]

It took me about 8 hours, its pretty easy once you have what you want in your head. I drew my design first then made changes while making it. It's really heavy though, caught me off guard LOL

[Mermaid Saphira]

you could do something like this......

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[Mermaid Sirena]

You are simply inspiring in everything you do.

[Mermaid Marina]

Wow you are so talented! It's going to loom amazing, I wish I had your figure as you look wonderful in your pics. May I ask where you bought the net type material for your top please? I'm finding it so difficult in the UK to source materials, they just don't seem to do the range of stuff you guys have out there. Thanks and look forward to seeing how your tail progresses! Xx

[Ilonka]

Those little shells for the nips look really cool!
Asfor the netting I got it on amazon for like $6.00, it doesent bring as much as I would have liked. It's enough for a bra and a belt.

[Ilonka]

More tail progress (finally) I got my.neoprene in the mail and I started casting my latex scales. The latex I bought is very good quality and I'm very happy with the product. I am getting some bubbles in the scales but its nothing too serious. Next tail will be made with silicone because I bought some to make my mould and its so much better than the latex. It's very expensive tho so depending on how my tail comes out, I might sell it and use the money to make myself a dragonskin tail.
The sculpture of the fluke isdone and I'm gonna cast it using gesso wrap

[Prince Calypso]

the scales look beautiful and very unique. can't wait to see the full tail all together.

[Ilonka]

Thank u! I really am aiming for a unique tail, in shape and coloration. So far its been a pain in the butt and I haven't even started putting it together! I just hope it comes out half way decent, I'm pretty much working blindly without any previous experience with a project of this level.

[Mermaid Jewel]

The scales look amazing! So does your top and necklace. Can I ask, how'd you get that amethyst to stay? I've been trying to make a necklace with a stone (an amethyst, in fact) but I can't get it to not fall out. Is it glued into the shell?

[Kanti]

Wow! Those scales are amazing!!
You did a great job at making them stand out from the rest! Your tail is going to be so awesome :'D
Also the latex isn't quite crystal clear is it? Seems a bit cloudy? Looks nice though!

How big is the fluke? Didn't you say it was around 50" wide? xD That's one big mama

[Ilonka]

The latex you see for the scales is foam latex, I just poured the clear one onto the fluke today so I'm exited to see how it turns out. Sofar it looked pretty clear from the parts that were starting to dry. I mixed the clear one with gold metlic powder to tint it. I'll post pics either tonight or tomorrow morning once its dry.
And yeah the fluke is gonna be really big cuz I want it to be flowy at the ends.

[Ilonka]

The scales look amazing! So does your top and necklace. Can I ask, how'd you get that amethyst to stay? I've been trying to make a necklace with a stone (an amethyst, in fact) but I can't get it to notfall out. Is it glued into the shell?
I fastened the stone with silver plated wire. I just wrapped it around in a spiral and then drilled a hole into the shell and put the wire through it.

[Ilonka]

Ok, I checked my fluke today and it turned out awesome! I had casted my fluke using gesso wrap , the same kind used in hospitals for broken bones. I mixed a bit too much gold tint into the latex so it lost much of its transparency, so I'm gonna try again with the scales for my hips cuz I want them to blend with my skin.3264
3265 I had to layer on plenty of latex and I textured it using a paint brush.
These aren't the final colors, its just the base, it does look cool though but it will look better once in through with it. I love painting!

[Kanti]

!!! Wow that looks amazing!
I seriously can't wait till you throw it all together :'D
You're not putting any under-lining on this tail are you? It's going to be solid latex? O:

[Ilonka]

Yes I bought 3mm neoprene, its only going to cover from half my butt to the monofin. The latex fluke will be reinforced with clear vinyl because its much bigger than the monofin. I'm going to make a pocket with the neoprene so I can remove the monofin. I could have made the tail solid latex but I would have had to buy another gallon of latex. I'm good for now, I hope I don't run out cuz the fluke it taking up most of the foam latex which I need to use for the scales.

[Ilonka]

Ok so I cut my neoprene and I'm getting ready to paint some of my scales using clear liquid latex mixed with metallic powdered tint. I was thinking of buying created paint but after seeing how well latex takes colors (maybe too well) iv decided to just go with that and I don't want to risk having my paint job ruined once I get the tail wet. I also casted the other half of my fluke, both are totally different colors right now but that will be fixed later on. I'm super exited that its all coming together ok!327632773278

[Kanti]

Omg it's another one of those threads! I love these~
You're working really fast! At this rate you'll finish it in no time :'D
Do you already have an underwater shoot planned? xD

[LindseyLu]

I can't wait to see this all finished! You're doing an amazing job, it's going to be so bad-ass!!!! :)

[Ilonka]

Omg it's another one of those threads! I love these~
You're working really fast! At this rate you'll finish it in no time :'D
Do you already have an underwater shoot planned? xD


I can't believe how fast I'm going either! I had started buying materials about 2 months ago and I was so frustratedon how slow everythingwas arriving but not that I have all my stuff I'm flying through it all! Is probably be almost done if the latex didn't take so long to dry, almost 24 hrs!
As for the shoot, Yus I do! My underwater photographer is actually the one funding half the project so he's super exited about it. The shoot will be done in a live reef on a smallocal island called culebra. It has one of the last untouched reefs in Puerto Rico

[Kanti]

Bah I want to work on a casted tail but I'm just slammed so badly with other costumes right now -__-
Not to mention the complete lack of money xD

That's so exciting though, I'd love to see pictures of it @_@
It sounds like you have a very nice setup going :'P

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Oh wow, you're really moving quickly on this! I wish I had the free time to devout to my tail. I might actually make some progress. X'D

[Ilonka]

Oh wow, you're really moving quickly on this! I wish I had the free time to devout to my tail. I might actually make some progress. X'D

I wouldn't have been able to if I didn't switch my hours to part time for the summer. Subconsciously, it was probably the main reason I did.

[Ilonka]

So I just discovered that "clear" liquid latex isent very clear at all but it does dry a nice skin color so if you ever think of buying it, buy it to use on the waist of the tail to obtain a nice blending effect with your skin. Because of this discovery I'm just going to paint over my whole fluke even though I would have liked it to have clear edges. For my silicone tail I will try it next time.
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[Mermaid Lorelei]

Hmm. That's nifty. Sad to see that the clear isn't exactly 'clear' though.

[Mermaid Star]

I made mention of the clear being more milky previously. But I have have never seen it yellow. Then again, I never tested it by it self. It is good to know. Thank you! It will still be good for the top of the tail to bend into the skin still, I am sure

[Ilonka]

It has a yellowy tone cuz I added gold tint to it, but like very little , just enough for a bit of sparkle.

[Ilonka]

Quick peek at my half done neoprene lining. I'm using industrial grade waterproof glue, it glues effin anything with amazing strength, il take a pic of the box when I buy a new one. I don't have a good sewing machine so that's why I decided to try with glue.3300

[Mermaid Sirena]

This is jaw-dropping in it's amazingness.

[Kanti]

Eeee it seems you're so close to finishing it!!
I can't wait to see the final result~ It's going to look so awesome @__@

[Ilonka]

Thanks ! I'm super pumped and I'm gonna start painting soon, I'm moving again so I might be a few days on pause, I continue to cast more scales tho cuz my mould is pretty small. I'll probably finish gluing the suit tonight so it will be ready for my scales. Here is the glue I'm using, I highly recommend it for gluing neoprene and pretty much anything else you can find it at wallmart.3326

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I love E6000. It's wonderful stuff.

[Ilonka]

It's keeping my neoprene suit together really nicely, I probably won't need to sew it.

[Mermaid Lorelei]

You'll probably want to add in some reinforcment stitches. Having worked with E-6000, it will come apart after enough stress. It holds together for a nice while, but if stress is repeatedly applied, the bond will fail. :/ Just so you know... Though I haven't tried it on neoprene.

[Ilonka]

Ok then thanks for telling me, il do that then :) hopefully tonight I will start gluing the fluke and some scales, but that's if I get home early which I doubt. I'll be able to work all day tomorrow tho.

[Mermaid Lorelei]

No problem. :> And yay for gluing of scales! I can't wait for that part personally.

[Ilonka]

3345Almost there! Still need to glue everything and paint, I love the green so I might keep it il just paint over it with some metallic paint with a similar shade. It's a weird jade color and il add bronze and some blue greens. It looks mad boss in person I'm so giddy, I'm totally gonna freak a few people out when I take it for a spin. No one has done this here in puerto Rico.

[Ilonka]

With the fluke stretched out. I have 3 layers of material, latex skin, vinyl and neoprene to ensure the monofin won't be visible when I'm swimming(I hate that, takes the magic away) its heavy too and I made the scale sheets nice and thick so they can take some sea damage.33463347

[Azurin Luna]

Looks good! Good luck with the rest :)

[ShyMer]

Looks like your tail is coming along nicely! I actually like the jade color. I look forward to seeing it completed.

[Ilonka]

Started painting today! I bought q kit of pre tinted liquid latex, I really recommend this stuff, its awesome! The box comes with six colors 8 oz jars, brushes, and a gloss! They dry super fast so I'm really happy about that, not as strong as foam latex but they can be casted. I'm mixing them with my metallic tints and the colors are looking amazing.33603361 I bought my kit at a local theatre store, but I'm sure you can find it online.

[Kanti]

Bleh I wish I had theater stores around here -__-
Either way so far it looks amazing! :'D

The kit is really a great idea, I think. I might consider that later on o_O

[Ilonka]

I'm almost done! Already glued all the scales together and the fluke, now I just need to finish painting. The light blue is a base color to which I will add 3-4 different colors to create a fadeing effect. I'm going from the dark blue at the bottom to green turquoise and finally gold.3374
It was really easy to glue the scales thanks to the new latex I brought which are also paints, they dry super fast so it helped allot, I really recommend them. Still trying to figure out whether to seal the monofin inside or make it removeable.

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Loving it!

[Ilonka]

:D

[Ilonka]

Almost done painting the front of the body, I have my test drive on Monday at a friends pool and wensday is my first shoot with it. What do you think?3383

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Lovely! I really like the undershading you did on the scales. It gives them some nice depth.

[MermaidRaegan]

Lovely!! I can't believe how quickly you've finished this.

[Ilonka]

Thank u! I'm so surprised I was able to even make this, let alone finish. I'm so happy, I'm finally gonna live my childhood dream LOL.

[Bellasea]

It is beautiful!

[Merman Zack]

How much did it cost to make your tail all together?? IM sixteen n saving up. :)

[Ilonka]

I spent about $400 on everything which I'm not too happy about but I know it will give me my money's worth.

[ShyMer]

Wow, four hundred including the cost for the molds and everything? I assumed that it'd be way more than that.

I think that's pretty cool considering you have a real latex tail with scales and a sculpted fluke, rather than having to spend around the same amount for an alex tail. Would you be willing to share where you got all your materials from so others can do what you did?

[Ilonka]

Of course!
When I first joined the forum I was considering an Alex tail but since I saw how they don't last for aquatic use I looked for other options.
I decided to go with latex because I'm familiar with the material from previous costumes and I knew it was affordable.

Latex, and moulding clay was bought from monstermakers.com, they are very nice and their products are top notch. I got 5 lbs of clay and one gallon of latex, this was about $80.00

I got additional 35 oz of skin colored liquid latex from eBay for about $30.00

The monofin was from amazon which I actually got free because a mistake with shipping and amazon reimbursed my money. But it was $80.00 for the finis rapid.

Neoprene was bought from foamorder.com, they were really nice and helped me choose my neoprene on the phone, I got 3 mm white neoprene, 2 sheets for $78.00

Glue, craftfoam, and vinyl was from wallmart, about 30.00

The paints were bought at a local theatre store, they are latex paints and came in a kit of 6 paints with sponges and brushes for $63.00

The silicone for casting the scales was bought on eBay, really good stuff. I got half a gallon for $68.00

And the gesso wrap I used for casting the fluke was $18.00 at a medical store but you can easily find it online.

So in reality, and I suspected this, I spent $500, almost the same as an Alex tail but without the headaches of repairs and repaintings.

I highly recommend this type of tail for those who can't afford a silicone one, this is good quality latex and it won't tear or peel plus its not that hard to use.

My advice is to go to monstermakers.com for st of the casting and latex products so you don't have to be all over the internet like I was, call or email them and they will help you out.

Also stick to amazon and eBay, your best prices for shipping will always be there, so compare your items and write a list.

I really hope this can help people's decisions on tailmaking, don't buy Alex anymore for tails its toxic and not meant for mermaid use. Latex is a natural material, very durable, yes some people are allergic to it but its not as many as one would think, and best of all its made for costumes and special fx.

[Ilonka]

inishing up the tail and I'm super pumped for tomorrow! I'm polishing the tail using a product calledShyne by BrandX liquid latex. It came with the latex paint kit I bought and what it does is remove the stickiness latex usually has, adds shine and protects the paint. Really cool stuff and it makes the latex feel smooth. 3416

I also decoded to make the monofin removable using Velcro to keep it in place. I bought Velcro brand industrial strength and it comes with glue that's waterproof. Just in case I'm sewing them in anyways cuz I don't want my fluke to open while I'm swimming, that wouldent be very fun
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[Mermaid Karin]

Its beautiful! :D keep it up!

[Ilonka]

Done! :D 3420

[Coradion]

Let's see you in it!

[LittleTreasure]

It looks gorgeous, have fun swimming in it! :)

[Ilonka]

Tomorrow my fishy friends, il post plenty of pics and wensday is my underwater shoot at a live reef :D

[Kanti]

Wow it looks great!! :'DDD
I can't wait to see you wearing it!
How does it fit, by the way?

[Ilonka]

It's a bit tight and its hard to situp, my buttcrack shows a bit, but I really don't like high waisted tails :l when I lay down it fits ok tho. It's heavy as steel balls though! And its a bit too thick around knees so its hard to bend them. Let's see how it behaves in water, and for my next tail I'm definitely buying thinner neoprene, mine is 3mm that's probably why its so thick.

[Ayla of Duluth]

i dont like high tails either, but i find it odd that we don't make them like jeans. you know, higher in the back and lower in the front, so it still hugs the hips but we can bend over without revealing anything. it doesn't seem like it'd be a problem, since neoprene and latex tails stretch just like jeans do. i think...

[Ayla of Duluth]

also i am loving the shape of that fluke! its HUGE!

[Mermaid Lorelei]

Gorgeous darling! Can't wait to see some action shots!

[Ilonka]

i dont like high tails either, but i find it odd that we don't make them like jeans. you know, higher in the back and lower in the front, so it still hugs the hips but we can bend over without revealing anything. it doesn't seem like it'd be a problem, since neoprene and latex tails stretch just like jeans do. i think...
I did exactly that and added some scales to cover my butt, still need to adjust the front so it doesent open like a mouth when I'm swimming I hate that.
And thanks , I'm glad you like it I really love big flowy flukes!

[Kanti]

You should take a picture once you get it to cover your bum xD
Don't want to expose too much, but I'd really love to see how it fits you!
The fluke looks huge! It looks like it'd be really pretty :')

[Mermaid Caidence]

Beautiful Tail! Great job! Can't wait to see it in the water. :)

[Mermaid Karin]

asdfghjkl its beautiful. <3

[Ilonka]

Thanks ! :3

[ShyMer]

Thanks for the price breakdown. I'm adding this to my list of helpful tail making bookmarks <3

Looking forward to seeing your photos!

[Ilonka]

Got a few of my photos just now, the shoot was done yesterday at a live reef here in Puerto Rico. Had an awrsome time, lo ads of people were really impressed and would watch the shoot.
Tail needs a few tweaks, felt kind of clunky and had some drag so I'm bringing the scales up a bit higher, adding a zipper in the back which I'm going to hide with a dorsal fin, and probably get a new monofin that fits me better. Other than that, I love my tail and the photos are amazing! Hope you like them :)347334743475

[Azurin Luna]

Ooh, nice photos. Your tail looks really cool underwater!

[Ilonka]

Thank u! And yeah the colors looked really nice so I'm glad I chose bright ones.

[Jeblily]

If the tail is slipping down you could do what Hannah Fraser did and add an elastic belt. Looks really nice :)

[Mizuko]

The photos are so incredible! :D

[Ilonka]

If the tail is slipping down you could do what Hannah Fraser did and add an elastic belt. Looks really nice :)
I think im going to do that cuz i really like how it looks low on my hips, it wouldent give too much trouble but every now and then i had to pull it up a tad.

[Kanti]

Holy cheese that tail is AMAZING!!!
I really love how the colors came out they're so awesome!!
How's it swim?? Really nice? It looks nice!!
Ahhhh!! Seriously @____@

[Ilonka]

It swam pretty decent, better than I thought. I want to get a monofin that fits better cuz the rapid is too big on me so I might get a wave, the tail needs better thrust. I swam in 30+ feet of water so it did well and its very durable, no paint came off at all. I have a few things I want to modify and improve but overall I'm happy with my first tail.

[Kanti]

You should be! It looks amazing!
It looks like you got all the measurements spot on because there are relatively no wrinkles and
the scales look great!

I'd love to see a video of it too @__@ <3

[Mermaasai]

Beautiful! 3491

[Ilonka]

More pics! Unfortunately we didn't take a video but we will take it out again just for that after I'm done fixing it.3493349434953496

[lynsea]

Your tail turned out AMAZINGLY! I LOVE the colors and the scale pattern.

[inactive account]

Wow you look stunning!

[Mermaid Saphira]

such a lovely tail! you did an amazing job ;D

[LittleTreasure]

You look GORGEOUS in the tail! Of course so does the tail :)

Slightly unrelated question: how did you get that circlet in the 4th picture to stay on? I made a similar one to go with my pink tail some time ago and it slips right off...

[Ilonka]

Thanks everyone!

If you notice I don't have it in most of the pics cuz it did slip off and it got badly tangled in my extensions so I had to take them off :(

[Ilonka]

More pics! The second photo was taken at about 30 feet of water.

3525354735483549

My tail out of the water, I was super tired after the shoot! I'm really happy with the overall results, no ripping and no paint comming off! Still want a better monofin and fix a few things but I'm happy with my first tail and I know it will last me a long time

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[Ilonka]

Technical difficulties, fixed it tho! Enjoy :3

[Winged Mermaid]

Wow, your tail turned out amazing!!! You and your shots are stunning!

[Ilonka]

Thank u!

[DoubleOSix]

Wow... That's was amazing! I just went from start to finish...bravo! Very lovely!

[Mermaid Dottie]

Oh, Ilonka! You look fantastic! Beautiful colors, really suitable to your surroundings. I love your hair, too. Absolutely gorgeous shoot.

[Ilonka]

Last ones! Almost all the photos taken were amazing and the photographer gave me so many, which is very rare. Friday I have an out of the water shoot with my bf and Saturday I will begin fixing and altering a few things on the tail. I'm going to add small fins on my ankles and a zipper with a dorsal fin to hide it.
Already thinking about my next tail too!

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[Ilonka]

So I have a videoshoot tomorrow for a television program, Yus I'm gonna be on tv! Turns out I'm the first Mermaid in Puerto Rico!
I really hated my tails paintjob, it looked pretty in the photos but in real life it was an eyesore. So I gave it a full makeover and even made it a dorsal fin out of vinyl and clear Alex plus.
What do u think?
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I had allot of defective scales so many got full repairs, the tail looks so different too!

And since I love Mr.van daals tails so much and I know I will never afford one I made a similar dorsal fin to his style out of vinyl and Alex plus, later on il make a better casted one out of latex.
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[Azurin Luna]

Nice looking! Good luck with the videoshoot

[Ilonka]

Thanks! The videoshoot went pretty well, we took awesome pictures tho!

[Mermaid Marissa]

Where do you get clear latex!?
I've been looking forever! I'll be your best friend :'D

Either way, kickass design! I'll love to see progress too :')


I got mine from home depot it's pretty cheap there and you can buy larger amounts of it if need be :D

[Ilonka]

You mean Alex plus, but the latex I used is special fx latex. I did use Alex plus but only for my new dorsavl fin and to fill in my fluke.

[Kanti]

Wow I really like the repaint O:
Are you going to be making another scale top to alternate colors or keeping the same orange one?

[Ilonka]

I want to make a new top, but those shells take so long to arrive in the mail :( I might buy a silicon bra and cover it in gems and stuff like I did with my pasties. I haven't tried those for a shoot either, I might use them for my.next one.

[Ilonka]

So here is my tail with its new paintjob ! Definitely prefer pics in the sea, but the clarity of the water in a good pool is really amazing. Enjoy! 38573858
More pics will be posted later on :)
I also don't have the dorsal fin installed in these pics.

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I kind of miss the old paint job, but you did a very good job on this new color scheme.

[neonmermaid]

GORGEOUS!! Can you explain what you've done to keep the monofin in?? Is it still velcro-ed in?? I have my tail done except for attaching the monofin, and I like the idea of a removable monofin

[Ilonka]

I kind of miss the old paint job, but you did a very good job on this new color scheme.

The old one looked good in photos but in person the tail looked really fake, now it looks much more realistic. I might add some dark blue to the sides as shading but I have to wait till my latex comes in cuz I ran out.

[Ilonka]

GORGEOUS!! Can you explain what you've done to keep the monofin in?? Is it still velcro-ed in?? I have my tail done except for attaching the monofin, and I like the idea of a removable monofin

I tried making it removable, but the Velcro wouldent stay glued to the latex so I'm sealing my monofin inside with Alex plus.

[Kanti]

I think both paint jobs look awesome!
The older one seemed more vibrant and I didn't notice too many problems. The new one still looks awesome
though, it just seems a bit toned down. Either way it's a beautiful tail <3
I can't wait to see what you make next time~

[Ilonka]

Thank you! i cant wait to make my next tail either! Gonna post a new thread today :3

[Mermaid Sirena]

Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful!

[Mermaid Narina]

i just read the entire thread and its absolutely amazing!!!!!!
your so nice, sharing your instructions with everyone :)
your tails looks incredible, and you look like such a natural doing underwater modelling! :D
looks AMAAAAAAAZING! <3

[Ilonka]

i just read the entire thread and its absolutely amazing!!!!!!
your so nice, sharing your instructions with everyone :)
your tails looks incredible, and you look like such a natural doing underwater modelling! :D
looks AMAAAAAAAZING! <3

Thank you! I'm glad you like my tail, I'm not 100% satisfied with it but for my first time its pretty good :)
And I love underwater modelinphotography, it really gives everything a magical touch in the photo.

[Mermaid Crystal]

Cute!

[Mermaid Julz]

Great tutorial! I am reall glad i hunted through the forums to read lots of them and found this one..... very helpful for me to start making my own tail.

[MerKate]

The foot straps on these have a clip to hook them in the middle. I thought mine didn't fit until I used that :)