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Mermaid Photine
07-25-2011, 10:28 PM
I was thinking about vinyl, the shower curtain stuff, and how wonderfully clear it is, like the edge of a goldfish fin. If some of it were painted, letting the paint fade out to the edges, it would make great dorsal fins, side fins, and fluke fringe. I am soaking some in (fresh) water right now. It's made to deal with fresh water, so I doubt anything negative will happen. Tomorrow I'll set some of the clear kind out in the sun, and the next time I go swimming, I'll bring back a bottle of pool water spooge (ew!) to test more little vinyl squares in.

Has anyone done this before? Do you know how well vinyl takes paint and what kinds? I can sharpie them, but I doubt it'll stay for any ammount of time.

Another idea is to use the clear kind, take two pieces and paint the insides of them, then sandwich together, so the paint can't rub off. The problem is that it'll make the whole thing thicker and not as flowy, especially with many kinds of glue being inflexible.

I'll post what happens to the vinyl squares I have.

Submerged in Fresh Water for 13 hours: No change from the control. I put a paperclip on the square so I'd be able to find it in the water (the vinyl is clear), and one corner is now bent in the shape of the paperclip, but it can be flattened out. That's more of a storage issue than anything.

CoralMoonMermaid
07-25-2011, 10:37 PM
Vinyl is a b to paint... it flakes and cracks, even if you use like the spray paint that you use that says vinyl on it....
The only thing about it is that vinyl rawts faster than anything, but I fully support the idea in it, I think it would be to cool if you can make it work.

I will look around and ask a few friends about the paint and let you know what I can stir up :)

Mermaid Sirena
07-27-2011, 08:53 PM
What if you airbrushed the paint on with a dragon skin paint? I think that might stick well and would be completely flexible while still allowing transparency. Also if you covered the finished ones in the silicone spray many mer's are using on their tails to protect paint and tail alike that might help with deteriation and paint flaking! Or give it the spray first then paint so it has a little more to hold on to? Just thoughts.

Taylor is a Mermaid
07-27-2011, 09:25 PM
Wow, this would look so cool. I would love to have a fluke that faded out to transparency, since my dream tail would be modeled after a Blue-Green Damselfish. I hope you can make this work, and if you do, I want pictures! :)

Spindrift
11-18-2011, 02:58 PM
So whatever happened to this?

Mermaid Saphira
11-18-2011, 03:34 PM
Did the vinyl work out?? we are all dying to know! :)

Mermaid Photine
11-18-2011, 05:19 PM
Alas, I could not take my pool spooge home for testing. The fresh water turned out fine, and the vinyl set out in the sun didn't show any noticable difference, either. Being fall, I don't really have any access to any other sources of pool spooge, but I want to try and get some home for testing next year when pools open.

AniaR
11-18-2011, 06:42 PM
my practice tail is made out of stretch vinyl. It fits well- but you can't paint it I dont think, the material has too much sheen and stretch the paint would crack and flake the first time you put it on if it even bonded at all

AniaR
11-18-2011, 06:45 PM
here's some pics: stretch vinyl is better because it clings to you:
http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad266/thefineart/223776_240424152659002_183327321702019_775472_2503 928_n.jpg
http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad266/thefineart/165738_183619638339454_183327321702019_469960_7758 532_n.jpg
http://i942.photobucket.com/albums/ad266/thefineart/180560_183342685033816_183327321702019_468249_5598 001_n.jpg