Easy duct tape mannequin for mermaid tail

[LindseyLu]

So, I was trying to come up with an easy way to make a mold or cast for a mermaid tail and jumped on youtube to see if I could find anything. Some of you may be familiar with duct tape mannequins, but I had never heard of this! How easy would it be to make a mold of yourself? SUPER EASY! With duct tape that is ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=endscreen&v=wsXOxxZhBbI

This video shows you how to make a duct tape dress form. Obviously for a tail you only need to mold your bottom half, but this could come in handy for tops too!

All you would need to do is get an old sheet, wrap it around yourself, cut off the excess material, and pin (or duct tape) the material so it is snug to you. For the monofin, you could cover it with the extra material. Then all you have to do is wrap yourself up and proceed with the video instructions (wrap, wrap, wrap, cut it off and stuff it)! Of course, this would still be hard to do by on your own, so I would highly recommend doing this project with a friend.

There are lots of other videos on youtube like this! Just a thought I'd share incase any of you are as bad at measurements as I am!! :lol:

[LindseyLu]

Oh, and I forgot to mention another benefit! You can use this mannequin over and over for many tails, as oppose to measuring yourself for every tail you make! :) Saves a lot of time in the long run!

[Spindrift]

Here are my duct tape molds!

http://mernetwork.com/index/attachment.php?attachmentid=251&d=1311299252

http://mernetwork.com/index/attachment.php?attachmentid=250&d=1311299246

http://mernetwork.com/index/attachment.php?attachmentid=249&d=1311299241

http://mernetwork.com/index/attachment.php?attachmentid=248&d=1311299233

[LindseyLu]

Crap Spindirft!!! Ah man, when you showed me these before I didn't realise they were molds!!! And now I feela tiny bit stupid that I didn't put 2 and 2 together! And here I thought I was so clever...hope I didn't give away your trade secret :( If I did let me know and I'll delete this post stat!!! :)

[ShyMer]

I saw that the other day and didn't even think about it for tails- you're a doll <3

Using something like this would be super useful for painting a tail or attempting to hide the seams. I could just hang it from a hook on the ceiling or something and work like that.

[Spindrift]

Lol no worries Lindsey! It's not a secret, so no need to delete :P
I thought it was a pretty practical way to do things. We wrapped ourselves in tulle and then duct taped over that. It took about 5 hours to cover the two of us (but mostly because I was super slow at the taping).
One thing i noticed was that the mold was slightly smaller than our actual measurements after we cut ourselves free from it - probably because we were wrapping the tape a little too tightly.

Totally puts another perspective on trying to see if your ass is too big though.

[AniaR]

thats pretty awesome

[Mermaid Saphira]

Smart idea...what can't duck tape be used for?? XD
I might just give this a try!

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I remember seeing the tutorial for the dress form version and thinking it would make a great idea, but said idea flitted away just as fast. XD I really need to write this stuff down or I'm going to forget it.

By the way, nice molds Spindrift.

[Spindrift]

Thank you, Lorelei!

[LindseyLu]

Spindrift, you are so awesome...I just love you girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <3<3<3

[Spindrift]

:D!
<3

[Azurin Luna]

I saw that they use this trick to for those that make fursuits. There they make a total ducktape dummy of you, except your hands, head and feet.

I think I will be using this when I'm going to try making a latex tail

[MerMarla]

Here are my duct tape molds!

http://mernetwork.com/index/attachment.php?attachmentid=251&d=1311299252



Hi Spindrift! I am just venturing into the world of Duct Tape Dummy (DTD) body mold for my neoprene tail (I just bought the fabric). I've watched some YouTube vids, but have a few questions the vids don't seem to answer:

What do you stuff it with?

How do you know how much stuffing to use, so the DTD doesn't deform? (as in fatter hips or too wide from belly button thru to your back)

Or did you want to flatten it for a traceable pattern?

Or does it even matter?

Did you use the DTD for Spandex, Neoprene, or Silicone tail?

Did you wrap your Monofin too? (or is this a cardboard or foam board substitute)

If you have any other hints, or specific guide lines, I would surely be interested.

Thank you for what ever you can offer!

((Hugz)) & Bubble https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/e/B0C'z
Mermaid Marla

[MerMarla]

Anyone else have answers please chime in. Spindrift was the first one that came up in a Google search. Experience helps newbies. Thanks!

Mermaid Marla

[Mermaid Photine]

Hi Spindrift! I am just venturing into the world of Duct Tape Dummy (DTD) body mold for my neoprene tail (I just bought the fabric). I've watched some YouTube vids, but have a few questions the vids don't seem to answer:

What do you stuff it with?

How do you know how much stuffing to use, so the DTD doesn't deform? (as in fatter hips or too wide from belly button thru to your back)

Or did you want to flatten it for a traceable pattern?

Or does it even matter?

Did you use the DTD for Spandex, Neoprene, or Silicone tail?

Did you wrap your Monofin too? (or is this a cardboard or foam board substitute)

If you have any other hints, or specific guide lines, I would surely be interested.

Thank you for what ever you can offer!

You can stuff it with newspaper. I used mine to put in my fabric tail to keep it stretched while I painted. I never thought of flattening it, but that is certainly a thing to try. For toes, heels, and small areas, rip up the newspaper into smaller bits before crumpling so the dummy keeps its shape.

[MerEmma]

On the other duct tape thread, I posted all about the one I did (for a fursuit-like costume, same methods but a dinosaur costume instead :P)

[Mermaid Caspiana]

So you can use this for painting?! Yes! Because when I tested my paint of a swatch of my fabric it when I bend it after drying it was wrinkly. That's not pretty. So thanks everyone! Lol! What else could you use to stuff it?

[Spindrift]

Hey! I stuffed it with old sheets and sweaters/old clothes in plastic bags! :)
It's stuffed until the fullest I could get it - so that it can stay firm. I have two neoprene tails and I mainly used it to triple check measurements, the cut it apart to make a pattern. I did wrap it around my monofin as well. I used tulle as a protective layer around my body and the duct tape, but I'm wondering if clear wrap would work as well.
Hope that helps :)

[MerEmma]

Newspaper & plastic bags, I used!

[Usagi]

Man, I made my tail first and then was gluing scales on, then was like "Oh, I should make one of them duct tape things!" So I did. And I stuffed it with cotton, and it was a little misshapen, but I didn't really think this would affect anything. My tail has a giant bulge on the side. xD

[Mermaid Dottie]

When I do duct tape molds of my self, I use plastic shopping bags as base layer.

[Ottery]

Oh man, this is an awesome idea! I've heard that some people use pillow fluff to stuff it, too. ^_^

[PearlieMae]

I use shopping bags and saran wrap (cling film) and cover it with clear packing tape, it's cheaper than duct/duck tape. I stuff it with pool noodles, more plastic shopping bags, packing peanuts, whatever I have until the form it's nice and firm. When I do the original wrapping of my body, I do it nice and snug to allow for the stretch of the silicone. Works perfectly, I'm recycling, and the packing tape doesnt leave residue on my straight pins.

Also, before building on my form, I cover it with powermesh.