Lantern Tail -- Little Orca's New Cloth Tail

[Little_Orca]

Well, while I am still saving for a nice wedding tail, I scrounged some funds and waited for a sale in order to make myself a new cloth tail for my new fin. I have nicknamed it the "Lantern Tail" since it is purple with gold spots and the concept drawing I did reminded me of the lanterns from the film Tangled.

I will post a more detailed sketch later, but for now, I have an image of the fin, which Mr Orca cut for me, and the fabric. It's the same thickness as the spotted tail's material, but it's in purple.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/96c746d6-ace8-4d0b-b0b9-3e317998462c_zps41ba1b18.jpg http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/8ee1917f-cc02-4c56-a06f-8fa18f07bc63_zps5800c5bd.jpg

Pardon the poor quality, they were taken with my phone and the flash is not always friendly to the subject matter.

[Mermaid Tula]

How pretty! Can't wait to see more pictures!

[PhaylennMurúch]

cool!

[AniaR]

lovely. Can't wait to see the result!

[Little_Orca]

Sketch of the tail:
http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/a0317770-12e4-4304-9a45-6e2ad6aa889a_zps972b7054.jpg

Fabric Color -- Shiny Violet
Fringe -- Clear / Translucent with paint
Paint Colors -- Pearl White, Brass, Halo Gold, and Purple
Fin Type -- Finis Competitor
Spots -- Undetermined pattern at the moment; two tones - Brass and Halo Gold

[Mermaid Oshun]

that fabric is BEAUTIFUL!! Is that Supatex / Rubber Latex material??
I was thinking of getting some of that and then brushing on a thin layer of CLEAR liquid latex and laying a net around the fabric for a scale texture.. letting it set until tacky and then remove the net. This should leave the color of the fabric visible but emboss a scale texture over top and make it slightly thicker.

I like supatex a lot more than neoprene. Much more feminine and shiny/fish like. While neoprene looks dull and seal like even painted. I can't wait to see this tail finished!

PS Is that polycarbonate Mr Orca cut for your fin?

[Little_Orca]

Golden--
It is a lycra material. It is very thick which is why I like it, and of course it is lovely and shiny. I am not sure how it would take latex, since a family member is allergic to that and we don't bring it into the house.

The fin is a Finis Competitor monofin. Mr. Orca got it for me for the winter holiday. He was apprehensive about cutting it, but I told him I believed in him and he did a great job. The fin has the same propulsion in the water (tested it last night in the pool) and looks so much more fun.

[Echidna]

:O
The fin looks very translucent!
Looks so much better than the black one I have!

[MerAnthony]

Looks like somebody has been watching Tangled a bit. LOL looks great though.

[MermaidHyli]

I LOVE this tail =]!

[Little_Orca]

Looks like somebody has been watching Tangled a bit. LOL looks great though.

You have no idea... Check out my blog: http://tresstwinedtower.blogspot.com/

[Ariel-Starfish]

Ooh lovely sketch! :o

[Mermaid Oshun]

I just checked out your blog. I think I will go to walmart and get myself a Rapunzel doll to put on the shelf. Looks pretty.

[Little_Orca]

I just checked out your blog. I think I will go to walmart and get myself a Rapunzel doll to put on the shelf. Looks pretty.
Better character-design ones come from the Disneystore / Disneystore Online. ;)

[FreshWaterMermaid]

Definitely a Tangled tail! Love it! Can't wait to see the finished product! ^_^

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

[Little_Orca]

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/551124f7-e230-4025-afab-9456bdf66b53_zpsf798193a.jpg

The paint job on one side of the flukes. The vinyl at the bottom was cut to so it is more like fringe now. I anticipate it will look better in the water than lying on the table... and I hope it looks better with a real camera versus my phone.

[Mermaid Tula]

Uuuhh! I can't wait to see the whole tail! <3 It's looking so awesome so far!!

[AnnaAbyss]

I love the sketch and the tail so far looks awesome. I'm not usually one for fabric tails but this one looks beautiful.

[Little_Orca]

Another update photo:

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/83c01508-1975-45d1-a4b2-b8989e3cfdc5_zpsa2e4cf4a.jpg

I started working on the scales today. They are done with a stencil I made and cut from plastic. Then I mixed two lumiere paint colors and water in a spray bottle and sprayed it over the stencil. It is taking a while to do to make sure that the scales are visible and overlapping. When the scales are done, they will be highlighted in gold (as seen in the test pic below) and the belly will have a pearl addition so it is lighter than the back.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/1608b6c2-da82-44d6-8e99-30ef4accd7c4_zps238c35f6.jpg

[Little_Orca]

And here is my cat, Selkie Pearl, supervising.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/87e92802-ad73-49e3-ae66-b2dd1bee6e3e_zps9d856b84.jpg

[Ariel-Starfish]

I'm in love! <3

[PhaylennMurúch]

love it!

[Mermaid Oshun]

gosh this design is gorgeous and I am in love with selkie pearl

[Disfusional]

Love it! I am also glad that you have such a great supervisor on duty. Wouldn't want anything to happen! Too Cute! I feel like a lot of mer-folk have cats for pets...interesting considering we are all fish... hmmmm

[Little_Orca]

Just an update picture:

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/b9f14235-11f5-4793-8165-c9340355076e_zpsc5101ebd.jpg

All of the scales were painted on using a spray bottle filled with lumiere paints and water. Now I am going back by hand and adding the gold highlights. I'm probably 2/5 the way done with that part of the process.

[Mermaid Oshun]

Looks really amazing. Where do you get those clear fin materials? Is that some sort of shelf liner? I never saw it before. Where do you find it?
I love the 3D paint job with Lumiere!

[Mermaid Tula]

Goddess those are gorgeous! <3<3<3<3<3

[Little_Orca]

Looks really amazing. Where do you get those clear fin materials? Is that some sort of shelf liner? I never saw it before. Where do you find it?
I love the 3D paint job with Lumiere!

Shelf liner at Home Depot. It will be cut just like the fluke fringe was once I am done with the scales and accents.

[Ashe]

Oh my gosh that is so pretty!! I can't wait to see it in action <3

[Jadestone]

Ahhh this is lovely so far!! What beautiful inspiration :) Your painting skills never fail to impress me!!

[tealmermaid]

n/a

[Mermaid Danielle]

This is gorgeous! I can't wait to see it finished!

[Little_Orca]

Update pictures; these were taken last night after I finished the back portion of the tail. I still have the sides and the belly to paint scales on then some final details to the tail and the fins before I fringe-cut the fins. I may also trim the fringe in the middle of the fluke to make the transition from center to point a little more dramatic.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/bdc7747d-918c-4f55-9f35-11b0c6853682_zps98ac6155.jpg
Close up.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/d6b59eff-ca8d-43a1-9014-3f4bcf3292eb_zps57dd19fb.jpg
Photos taken with cell phone, color of the tail is thus slightly muted.

[Echidna]

Aw man. Where is the cry smiley??
That is so darn beautiful.
I wish I was as talented.

Would you consider selling tails?

[Little_Orca]

Aw man. Where is the cry smiley??
That is so darn beautiful.
I wish I was as talented.

Would you consider selling tails?

I had considered at one time offering to paint tails that were sent to me. I semi dismissed this idea since the cost of the paints (about $6 per bottle) would be expensive (especially if multiple colors were desired) and it does take many hours to do them. Just the fluke takes about 1-3 hours per side, then the scales were a whole other story. Just one side of the tail took about 1 day to do the base coat of the scales, then another 2 days to paint the gold accents. By the time it was all done and over with, a painted tail from me would, I believe, just be too expensive to charge for.

[Mermaid Oshun]

Wo this is beautiful!! On the note of selling them, if you could get the fabric preprinted like that somehow, it would cut down the work time a lot. Maybe make them out of this holographic spandex fabric
12259
http://www.spandexhouse.com/products.php?navId2=289&navName2=Fishscale&navId=43&navName=Hologram
Coat the fabric with something (maybe a fabric stiffener or some other waterproof clear coating [clear fabric paint?]) so it doesn't delaminate in chlorine water.
PS They do sell a tail in the above fabric on ebay for $49.00 I think it may be from the same company Raina bought her little friend's tail. Their fluke needs a little work though imo. For example I would extend the scale pattern down in a V below the toes. Lengthen the fluke and paint the fluke as you have.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Beautiful-Silver-Mermaid-Tail-with-Scales-by-Fin-Fun-Mermaid-Great-Buy-/271171867042?pt=US_CSA_WC_Swimwear&var=570146521839&hash=item3f231a51a2
12260

[Little_Orca]

Using pre printed fabric is like cheating to me. It is like taking a page from a coloring book and trying to pass it off as fine art.

[Little_Orca]

It's done! I will have better pictures on Saturday / Sunday, but I could not resist taking some pictures now. I still have to fix my belt and hair clip. Pardon the mutedness of the colors, these were taken on my phone.

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/4812b964-cb1e-4317-8aea-d22cda11473b_zpsb394e805.jpg


http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/a838a965-1146-4cd6-8d9a-9cc9191d90c8_zps6d01f530.jpg

http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff176/Little_Orca/My%20Mermaid%20Tail/4b5fa3c5-c9b9-4003-b513-5b422312e9e8_zps374edf69.jpg

In the dark.... OoooOOoooOOoooo

[MerEmma]

WOW! So gorgeous!<3

[Mermaid Tula]

Wow! That's so gorgeous! <3

[Mizuko]

So beautiful! :D

[Arella]

Love it!!!!

[MerAnthony]

:jawdrop: GORGEOUS TAIL!!!

[Ciesl2ja]

This is fintastic! Great job :) You look beautiful!

[Mermaid Danielle]

OMG! THIS IS AMAZING! It turned out fantastic! Great job!

[Azurin Luna]

Wow! Very nice! :D

[Mermaid Dottie]

Oh, Merlissa! you are like the goddess of paint!

[Jadestone]

You put so much work into your tails, and they turn out so lovely :)

[Ariel-Starfish]

Damn girl!! :jawdrop:

[Marlin]

Looks amazing! Love the design/colors on the fluke! :D

[Lotus]

Great job Little Orca! You are a very talented painter! :)

[FreshWaterMermaid]

Merlissa this is a gorgeous tail! Love it! You're so beautiful And talented :)

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk 2

[Mermaid Lilium]

amazing <3

[Mermaid Allie]

ORCA THIS IS BEAUTIFUL OMG!!! Your scales are PERFECT.

[Max-Mermaid]

Wow. I guess practice makes perfect.

[H-SAMA]

WOWWW It look awesome! <3