Ok so it was suggested I post my designs... (image heavy)

[Mermaid Lilium]

I'm going to link to the fb album here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10151808181002345.1073741827.637072344&type=1 which will have all my sketches, progress images etc - I've set it to public (even though I'd rather it be friends only) so that you can all access it.

Firstly... Yeah I'll be doing some personal designs but my idea at the moment is to make a neoprene+sequin tail for the time being while I loose weight but I'm wanting to work on silicone tails... and I'm not just talking about for myself. IF people would be seriously interested, then I'm thinking of going into tail making for others as there are no euro full-silicone tailmakers that I know of. There is also a chance that in the not-too-distant-future I'll be moving to PA so I'm trying to make sure that if I am going to be making tails, that they're going to be something different.

so... first off, a personal design that I may open up to making for others (especially the fluke design) I was thinking black shadows with a purple highlight

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these ear prosthetics are to go with it.
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and now, for something completely different....

fresh-water or plant based designs:

(initial sketch inspired by this post: http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?4526-Top-for-a-fresh-water-mermaid )

"just an initial sketch and it's not coloured or anything (petals could be any colour, I was thinking a graduated rosy pink as I was drawing) and the 'scales' are leaves and fins could be made from leaves or half-fronds of fern."
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and then from there...

'beech' type leaves
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'maple'/acer leaves (was thinking a gradual blend of autumnal/fall colours)
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petal design (totally un-coloured or anything here, will be playing around with colour in photoshop shortly)
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and then inspired by Mermaid Melaina.. seaweed design sketches (done today using my phone to pull up reference images) most of these sketches are for flukes or dorsal fins but I was just too lazy today to mirror the fluke designs ;)

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Please note that most of these have been done in the last few days while I've been really ill and stuck in bed or on the sofa going crazy lol

I've purposefully not coloured these initial sketches so that they are more open for other people to have ideas about colours etc for if they are interested in these designs

feel free to use them as templates to play around with colour ideas but please do NOT steal the base designs/concepts =)

Let me know what you think! *runs and hides*

[Mermaid Saphira]

I like the very first design :)

[Aziara]

The 'leafy' designs are very nice. Makes me think of water fae or a naiad/dryad. My favorite though has to be the first picture. I've always liked the look created by having the tail spines extend beyond the fin. Kinda like a saltwater catfish. Venomous >:)

[Mermaid Kelda]

Ooh, they're beautiful! So many different types of seaweed <3

[AniaR]

what a totally unique idea :D

[Mermaid Lilium]

*comes out of hiding* phew you guys like them XD thanks for the support guys!

and yeah in terms of the first design I love the idea of all the 'streamers' flowing in the water cause most of the tails I've liked the most have had the trailing spines on the fluke.

I have quite a gothy style so I guess the 'spikiness' comes from there lol I was never going to go for the cutsey mer look ;D

I'll work on some more traditional tail bases and keep you updated - I'm going to have a mess with the petal fluke in photoshop and construct some full versions of the seaweed flukes for you guys to see a bit better. I've also been trying to learn how to use zbrush 3D suite so that I can sculpt my designs in 3D once I have the hang of it. My older brother is teaching me as he's a game design student =)

I'm glad you like the seaweed sketches Melaina - I tried to look at what would work best and keep fin ideas and combinations open, but the designs still need work so I'll need your expert opinion on these ;)

Again, thanks for the support everyone <3

[Mermaid Lilium]

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so I started doing a bit of colour work - working my way through finally and thought I'd share this one - I have versions of it with some side fins up in my fb album (linked at the top in the OP) for those who'd be interested.... anyways on to the next one! lol Let me know what you think anyways now that you can see a bit better what I was meaning/intending by that initial idea xx

[Azurin Luna]

Wow, that would look really nice. You would be a flower mermaid :D
I love the colors you picked

[Mermaid Lilium]

arghhh I thought I'd posted these....

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[Mermaid Dottie]

OOOOHH my gosh..... I love the seaweed-inspired design...
I'd make one, but I wouldn't want to steal your idea...

[Mermaid Lilium]

OOOOHH my gosh..... I love the seaweed-inspired design...
I'd make one, but I wouldn't want to steal your idea...

Well I'm looking at starting up as a tail maker so you could always commission one from me? Let me do all the hard work ;P

[Mermaid Dottie]

My friend actually did a drawing for me when I first got into mermaiding, and all she had seen were fabric tails. It was also seaweed inspired, but looked a little different, and included a top that looks like a less detailed version of the one that Raven just released.

[Mermaid Danielle]

They look great! I love the flower-ish theme!

[Mermaid Lilium]

My friend actually did a drawing for me when I first got into mermaiding, and all she had seen were fabric tails. It was also seaweed inspired, but looked a little different, and included a top that looks like a less detailed version of the one that Raven just released.

cool =) I can imagine it was probably a little flatter in design if she had only seen fabric based tails - I do love raven's top design and I'm trying not to encroach on her work with this.

[Mermaid Dottie]

*nodnodnod* I totally see where you're coming from there. I was like that with one of shelly's items. She started making baby pajamas with tails on them, and my face was :jawdrop:.
I actually went and asked her how she felt about me selling a similar kind of item, since I'd been working on the design for weeks before I saw hers. she was totally cool with it.

[Mermaid Lilium]

hehe I think this whole thing plays into my work as a photographer.... i mean, something I produce is always going to be different to something raven might make. I would always try to make my work different because with so few tail makers out there, what is the point in copying? When it comes to photography, it's incredibly hard to keep your work totally original because it has 'all been done before' so my experience with that should pay off =)

[Miyu]

Oh my gosh, I love your designs! All of them! The trailing bits on the first fluke are awesome, I've been wanting to see more of that in tails. And your plant-based designs are just lovely for a freshwater Mer, it really does look like the tail a water nymph or what-have-you turned into a mermaid... which is an idea I've been working on for writing. I always felt that any water spirit/nymph/whatever could transform into a mermaid, that it, have a tail.

When you think about it - in the old legends and tales, the water nymphs (and all the other elemental beings) have been around much longer than humans. Yet they mostly seem to be depicted as looking like humans (with some exceptions, such as earlier depictions of sirens, and mermaids). Would a water nymph always look like a human, or take on human form when around humans? Do they just swim through the water looking all awkward with two scrawny legs, or would they grow more appropriate appendages for their environment, such as webbing or tails? I like to think that various water beings would be a bit of a shapeshifter, growing tails quite like yours (in relation to their environment and personality).

Which leads me to think about tails based on localities - maybe a cherry blossom tail for freshwater Japanese mers (or, alternatively, something almost kappa-like), and Japan also has a ton of interesting seaweed for saltwater Japanese mer tails. A tail made of tropical flowers local to, say, Hawaii, or the Caribbean or what-have-you. A tail for a rainforest mer... (which could be so varied, seeing as how there's different kinds of rainforest - I live in one here in Oregon, even!

I can't wait to see what you come up with, I'll be saving up for a silicone tail, and I'd love to have one of yours be my first (not-homemade) tail!

[Mermaid Lilium]

Oh my gosh, I love your designs! All of them! The trailing bits on the first fluke are awesome, I've been wanting to see more of that in tails. And your plant-based designs are just lovely for a freshwater Mer, it really does look like the tail a water nymph or what-have-you turned into a mermaid... which is an idea I've been working on for writing. I always felt that any water spirit/nymph/whatever could transform into a mermaid, that it, have a tail.

When you think about it - in the old legends and tales, the water nymphs (and all the other elemental beings) have been around much longer than humans. Yet they mostly seem to be depicted as looking like humans (with some exceptions, such as earlier depictions of sirens, and mermaids). Would a water nymph always look like a human, or take on human form when around humans? Do they just swim through the water looking all awkward with two scrawny legs, or would they grow more appropriate appendages for their environment, such as webbing or tails? I like to think that various water beings would be a bit of a shapeshifter, growing tails quite like yours (in relation to their environment and personality).

Which leads me to think about tails based on localities - maybe a cherry blossom tail for freshwater Japanese mers (or, alternatively, something almost kappa-like), and Japan also has a ton of interesting seaweed for saltwater Japanese mer tails. A tail made of tropical flowers local to, say, Hawaii, or the Caribbean or what-have-you. A tail for a rainforest mer... (which could be so varied, seeing as how there's different kinds of rainforest - I live in one here in Oregon, even!

I can't wait to see what you come up with, I'll be saving up for a silicone tail, and I'd love to have one of yours be my first (not-homemade) tail!

well I'm going to be slowly saving up to make the first tail, but I have decided that if anyone wants to take a chance on buying my first tail I will do it for cost only. So there's always that option if you're going to save up =) means you wouldn't be saving as long! ^_^

I'll have a think about the cherry blossom one and the tropical flowers/leaves. I can definately see some silicone flower head pieces made of flowers and blossom that might naturally exist at the edge of the water or overhang it. I can see an amazonian tail working well, but I wonder would it be more fish based or plant based - they would have to develop as a more warrior like race too due to the other predators in the water so perhaps even as a fish-based tail, it would be slightly more armor-like?

I think at least in my head the story of these 'waterhouse' mers would be that they evolved separately from other mers once they became land-locked and have evolved to have placed their 'egg-sacks' (like sharks) on the underside of leaves on the branches overhanging the lakes. And that once they were 'hatched' they would fall into the water and take their first swim like a water-baby. I know some toads reproduce in a similar way - attaching the eggs to leaves so that the tadpoles fall into the water when they hatch - protecting them from predators in the water.

Even if my back-story were true, I could see nymphs and sprites shape shifting to go and play with their 'mer friends' in the water. A bit like the 'selkies' of the lakes I guess?

[Mermaid Dottie]

Now that is different! I like that story. It would be cool to see an animated version of that.

[Mermaid Lilium]

Now that is different! I like that story. It would be cool to see an animated version of that.

Was already planning on it ;)

[Miyu]

Just out of curiosity, how much would it cost me to invest in your first tail? I need to have an idea in my mind of how much I need to save... Because seriously, the idea of a cherry-blossom freshwater tail has been driving me crazy, I keep thinking about it all the time, and it's made its way into my dreams LOL... basically, I really really want a plant-inspired tail, and I'd love to help you get started offering those (but OMG, I need to make monies...)!

[Mermaid Lilium]

Just out of curiosity, how much would it cost me to invest in your first tail? I need to have an idea in my mind of how much I need to save... Because seriously, the idea of a cherry-blossom freshwater tail has been driving me crazy, I keep thinking about it all the time, and it's made its way into my dreams LOL... basically, I really really want a plant-inspired tail, and I'd love to help you get started offering those (but OMG, I need to make monies...)!

Just to clue-in others who are reading this now, moonlight and I are PMing about her tail! lol I may offer up one more discounted tail (not cost only, but not full price) but it would be for a more basic design than a cherry blossom tail :P

[Mermaid Oshun]

any thought on how you plan to make your scales yet?

[PearlieMae]

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so I started doing a bit of colour work - working my way through finally and thought I'd share this one - I have versions of it with some side fins up in my fb album (linked at the top in the OP) for those who'd be interested.... anyways on to the next one! lol Let me know what you think anyways now that you can see a bit better what I was meaning/intending by that initial idea xx

I love the flower petal coloration. Reminds me of stargazer lilies!

[Traveling Merman]

They look like upside down lotus blossoms

[Mermaid Lilium]

I'm planning on doing a few different scale molds that people can choose from - 'standard' scales in 3 different sizes, a 'layered leaf' one and moonlight is wanting layered cherry petals/flowers so that will be available eventually too. I'll get some sculpting done soon hopefully so you can see my ideas and maybe vote on the one I should make the first mold of?

And yep the colour work was based on stargazer lilies (my mum's favourite flower) and an upside down water lily / lotus flower =)

[Traveling Merman]

There's something very Egyptian hyroglypic about them :) 13514

Ou could wear these with the tail;
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[Mermaid Lilium]

nice ^_^ and yeah I guess they do have a slight egyptian style - Not intentionally lol! But I mean I'm going to be making these, it's up to the people who buy them how they want to style their look =) Would be cool to do a more angular one sometime for someone who wanted a more egyptian theme.

[Mermaid Lilium]

So I hope Miyu doesn't mind but I'm going to post some of my most recent sketches for her tail!

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some initial studies and thinking about the scale design - essentially heart shaped scales with slightly rough edges and stamen details towards the midle of the scale/petal

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Looking at more oval/traditional scale versions, an initial fluke design and looking at ideas for extra fins.

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trying to refine that idea slightly and looking at dramatic trailing fluke-tips possibly with clusters of blossom at the end (this is more of an art/show tail than a practical workhorse tail design fyi) Was also looking at possible paint jobs and more fin designs.

I haven't done any sketching or design work in a little while due to family drama (go check the b!tch it out thread for a full explanation).

BUT! hopefully in the new year we should be moving house, and we'll be trying to find a place with a proper workshop space for me or room to set one up outside :D

[Mermaid Julz]

ok, i clicked all 3 links... all deadend links

[Mermaid Lilium]

ok, i clicked all 3 links... all deadend links

eeps! fixed =) my login had timed out while I was posting originally so that'd probably why it messed up >_<

[Miyu]

Yaaay concept design on my tail! :D

I seriously am so excited about this :) Yep, it's definitely going to be more of an art tail for sure. I do plan on having at least one other silicone tail that is more of a "working" tail, as well as a few fabric tails as well. I'm a mer who needs options :P

But this is my "dream tail", I feel like your "Waterhouse" style will make for such an elegant and dream-like mer!

[Mermaid Daenerys]

Okay, so I'm a bit late to this thread, but Lilium, your designs are lovely, especially the lily ones. Good luck if/when you begin professional tailmaking!

[Mermaid Corabelle]

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so I started doing a bit of colour work - working my way through finally and thought I'd share this one - I have versions of it with some side fins up in my fb album (linked at the top in the OP) for those who'd be interested.... anyways on to the next one! lol Let me know what you think anyways now that you can see a bit better what I was meaning/intending by that initial idea xx

This is just beautiful! I love how creative you are! I have never seen anything like this.. how pretty!

[Mermaid Lilium]

Thankyou guys! Sorry I've been AWOL from MN for a while X_X I was trying to get through the crazy last half of my final year at uni... graduated with a 2:1 *YAY*
But my life tbh has kinda been falling apart, we moved into temporary rental accom and will be moving into a permanent home in april, but I should be able to start some work on my first silicone tail over the winter and spring. Just gotta put lots of tarps down to make sure I don't wreck carpeting and such. BUT yeah... going to put a post in the bitch it out thread but to summarise: Husband repeatedly did things to hurt me emotionally as much as possible in the process of self destructing his life, I'm getting divorced age 25 which was originally his decision but i'm having to file for it aaaand my grandmother died, aaaand I had an attempted burglary on my ground floor bedroom just after I'd gone to sleeep.... and I have no job and no money to buy tail making equipment.

*waves a little white flag and falls over* lol

BUT I shall update you with some good news/plans. I should be getting some inheritance money through at some point from my gran's estate and will be using that to buy equipment, silicone, and a gym membership (and scuba cert lessons if the money will stretch that far)

I'm going to sculpt and do the mold making for my personal fluke and fins design and scale sheet etc. And then hopefully cast the silicone in the spring once the weather improves or may get it done over the winter if I find a safe workspace to do so (my friend is opening a studio space I might be able to hire) The idea is to work out all the kinks in the process with my tail and to provide you guys with evidence of my work. for now check the photoshoot thread for photos of my fabric/training tail and shell bra I finally got around to making in august.

Will hopefully have some more sketches and stuff done for you guys soon (including you miyu) and shall be posting some process photos of my fabric tail and for the neoprene tail i'm about to start. =)

[Miyu]

yaaaaay more sketches soon! I just love your designs, so dreamy and they keep taking me back to the feeling I got when I first decided to be a mermaid :)

[Mermaid Lilium]

yaaaaay more sketches soon! I just love your designs, so dreamy and they keep taking me back to the feeling I got when I first decided to be a mermaid :)

<3 Definately going to try to sketch tomorrow now after that comment hehe thankyou hun! Been having a crappy day so needed to hears that <3<3

[Miyu]

Aaawwww yay! :3 Well I'm glad I could brighten up your day then! <3 :mermaid kiss:

By the way, finances are finally starting to pick back up for us, so eventually I'll be able to actually sock away some money for our tail :) I've had a rough year, financially and otherwise, but I am *not* giving up on our crazy beast of a tail idea!

[Mermaid Lilium]

Aaawwww yay! :3 Well I'm glad I could brighten up your day then! <3 :mermaid kiss:

By the way, finances are finally starting to pick back up for us, so eventually I'll be able to actually sock away some money for our tail :) I've had a rough year, financially and otherwise, but I am *not* giving up on our crazy beast of a tail idea!

likewise! I have no money right now, probably won't make it to ncmerfest this year cause of it =( Supposed to be getting some inheritance money at some point which I'm going to use to invest in tailmaking gear and silicone for my own tail, and soon going to be setting up the business and applying for all sorts of funding to get me going X_x in the meantime... gotta keep looking at crappy jobs lol