Beginning my mertale!

[Mermaid Veruliya]

I'm mentally planning my tail. I'd like a sturdy, durable, customizable surface, so in thinking neoprene? I can't afford thousands, I'm on a college students budget! I was wondering if anyone knows how Hannah Fraser's tail is constructed? Her first blue one, I'll attach a photo.
I like how the fluke is sturdy and seems to move only somewhat flexibly, so it seems easier to push through the water, but the legs seem like fabric. Does anyone know how this is done?
As I said on another topic, I love her geometric scales pattern, and I'd love to incorporate that into my tail too! :)12931

[Mermaid Dottie]

Now following this journey like a dolphin follows her pod.

[Mermaid Melusinah]

hand painted neoprene. she has a custom monofin i believe. and im pretty sure that this tail uses shelf liner. but im not 100% sure.

[Theobromine]

I believe that tail is just neoprene sewn together and painted with screen printing inks. There's a thread around here somewhere with close-up pictures of some of Hannah's tails (the later ones though, with the sequins) showing how they are put together. I thing there may be a zipper that is hidden by dorsal/fringe.

[Mermaid Allie]

Somehow i thought she had a cut competitor monofin but im not 100% sure. neoprene is a great option and not too expensive. She does use screen printing inks I know that. theres a zipper at the bottom where the monofin is and i think one on the dorsal. Good luck ill be keeping track of this thread :)

[Mermaid Veruliya]

Thanks so much guys! Yes I believe her blue one was one of the more simple constructions. I wonder if I could jut handprint with acrylic or some specialty paint instead of printing. Ill do some more research after you guys helpful hits :)

[Mermaid Veruliya]

So most of the time when people make silicone tails, they add the scales for effect. I actually haven't seen a silicone tail without that, which makes me wonder if that's the only pro. I don't want scales because I want bigger scales that fade and gradually get bigger again.
But I'm ordering the gallon size shell shock and dragonskin and I feel like I'd waste if I only did my fluke. Could I just make a flat mold?

[Jessica]

Hi Keri,

depending on your fluke design, you may use most of your dragonskin. I know jazz used a lot for her fluke because she sculpted it rather thick and I used almost a gallon (1/2 part a and 1/2 part b). Since dragonskin is actually 2gallons, one gallon part a and one gallon part b, I had 1gallon left over. However, my fluke is pretty thin at the end so you might use more than I did.

You will also use silicone to paint your fluke. You will have to do several layers (light colors are harder to do and take more layers).

You can make a flat mold or you can just brush dragonskin on your neoprene.

[Mermaid Veruliya]

There's no other paint for silicone? I know neoprene is pretty good with acrylics. I'm trying to go at this the most money saving as possible :)

[Jessica]

Keri,

you can use most powdered pigments for your tail. I'm using pearl ex by jacquard and they work great. Just do a few tests first and don't mix too much pigment in the silicone. It usually takes a few layers to get the color you want.

[Mermaid Veruliya]

I understand :) I'm really rather small, size 00 jean and 5"4', and I was hoping for a thinner fluke lined inside with a linoleum sheet, so do you think the one order of a gallon (really 2 gallons) would be okay? Maybe I could just buy the trial size if I run out while painting

[Jessica]

You should be fine with one gallon order. You can always order more, but I doubt you'll need it.

[Mermaid Veruliya]

Thank you for all your help!
My updated total is about $370, which includes a $40 monofin, which I will be watching eBay like a hawk to get something way cheap, and $50 for paint, since I'm a perfectionist with painting. If I could get a monofin for $15 (I've seen it!) and use the paint I have, my price would be cut substantially. Also, if I can get this clay in the city that meets all the requirement for cheaper. Not including coupons and gift cards.... I'm going to knock your socks off with my bargain shopping!!!

[Mermaid Syrena]

I can't wait to see your progress! *sends sea kisses*

[MermaidHyli]

That craft store I mentioned in Richmond carries the Jacquard pigments just as a fyi =]

[Mermaid Veruliya]

Sweeettttt, you're such a doll! Do they ever do coupons? or student discounts ahah ;)

[Mermaid Veruliya]

I just went on my usual art suppliers site and found a sulfur free oil base 2lb block of clay for about $12. Assuming I get two blocks that's $24. Also found the jacquard paints and they go about $4 a pop, and there's 3-5 different colors I want. So we'll say $20-$40.
BUT WAIT
and here we have a 45% off coupon, but WAIT IT GETS BETTER
Free shipping. Yep. Nailed it.

(They also have the trial size dragonskin for $5 cheaper, not including the 20%-60% sales, in case anyone's making accessories and such... Or wants to buy bulk instead of the gallon to try and save some $$$$)

[Mermaid Veruliya]

%20-%60 off guys!!! Oh yea, it's dickblick.com, amazing art supplier. Anything you could need.

[Mermaid Dottie]

Keri, I've thought about this before, but I think you'd need clay to fill in the gaps for this idea; what if you made 5 different sizes of Foam Scales and arranged them to create the perfect scale sheet?
Also, if you're just doing your fluke in silicone, what about using the extra silicone to do an extra fluke(for another tail), or extra fins?

[Mermaid Veruliya]

I really didn't want a physical scale you could feel you know? Am I weird? Haha idk haha. Maybe one day I will do scales. But I wanted to test myself to see how 3D I can make them LOOK while still feeling smooth all the way down, like a dolphins skin.

[Mermaid Dottie]

Yup, I figured. ;)
You're going to have so much fun!

[MermaidHyli]

Sweeettttt, you're such a doll! Do they ever do coupons? or student discounts ahah ;)
Yes! and they have that special rewards card thing that gets you tons of discounts.

[Firemaid]

Just a fyi:
you might find it difficult to paint detail with silicone. It doesn't behave like oil or acrylics..

[Mermaid Veruliya]

If there's a will, there's a way!
My tail won't be too detailed. Well, in my opinion haha

[Mermaid Petronella]

looks stunning!

[Mermaid Veruliya]

Update: Placing my first order soon for my monofin and paint, clay and plaster. Here's a list for those who are looking to make a more affordable silicone tail!

1. Finis Wave monofin. Found for $39, free shipping
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2.Prima Plastilina Clay- sulphur free and oil based just like Monster Makers, just so happens to be $9 per 2lb., free shipping. I'm getting 4lb.s.
13018

3. Plaster of Paris- $5 for 4.4lbs. free shipping (I'll probably end up buying more, but I'm just casting my fluke)
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4. One order of Dragon Skin 10 Medium- $202 with shipping, no way around this one
13020

5. Jacquard Pearl Ex Pigments- I'm buying four different colors, starting at 2 each, getting more I need, $4 a jar, free shipping
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The clay, plaster, and paints are all coming from dickblick.com, which runs 20%-60% coupons all the time. So with that, my grand total is now at... $287!
That's without coupons for now. But it's also without needing more paints, something going wrong, unexpected issues, ect. Keeping positive over here.

[Jessica]

Keri,

This is the liquid pearl ex and you need to get the powdered pearl ex by jacquard. I have this paint as well, but I haven't tested it with silicone. The powdered paint works perfectly with silicone but I don't think the liquid would. I have just about every color of jacquard pearl ex so if you want to see a color in silicone let me know!

[Mermaid Veruliya]

Actually, that's my bad, I have the right product in my cart just the wrong pic from google on here! And actually, I would LOVE to! I'm looking into brilliant gold, interference blue, interference green, duo blue green and the pearl white color.

[Jessica]

I don't have brilliant gold or duo blue green but here is a picture of one of my color tests. The light gold is sparkle gold. It's very pretty and I'm using it at the top of my tail so it will blend into my skin. The darker gold is Aztec gold and its great as an accent color. The white next to the teal scales is interference red.( White with just a red sheen) I have the green and blue but haven't tested them yet. Honestly I'm not really impressed with the interference colors. They are basically white with a colored sheen to them. They're pretty and will look good on top of other colors without changing the base color if you apply a thin coat but by themselves I think your tail would just look white.

The blues in the first picture are all tints of sky blue. I think I mixed micro pearl with it to lighten the color. Based on your sketches, I think this color would be perfect if you add white to it.

The teal scales are the duo green purple ( love this color!) hard to see in the picture but it has a purple sheen/sparkles!

picture 2

Pearl white is a great color and these scales were tinted with it.
light blue is sky blue with white
darker blue/green color is sky blue, white and sparkle gold

if you want to see the interference blue and green I can test them later tonight or tomorrow.

Sorry the pictures are crappy...my iPad doesn't take the best pictures!

[Mermaid Veruliya]

I loveeee the blues! And the pretty near white pearl looking color. This makes me even more excited, thank you for giving me a good idea! I was also thinking of test mixing some Mac foundation into silicone that I was gifted that's way too dark for my face for around the hips with some light gold

[Mermaid Veruliya]

I loveeee the blues! And the pretty near white pearl looking color. This makes me even more excited, thank you for giving me a good idea! I was also thinking of test mixing some Mac foundation into silicone that I was gifted that's way too dark for my face for around the hips with some light gold

[Jessica]

Let me know how the makeup works! I think I'm just going to paint a very thin layer of sparkle gold at the waist because its close to skin color.

First picture: sparkle gold on my hand
second picture: interference gold, blue and green ** these look white unless light is shining on them just right

i like the interference gold the best! It would also look pretty at the waist of a tail.

[Mermaid Veruliya]

I love all of them! I'd love to use them as highlights. Now I'm second guessing if I want to make a very unique scale board that follows my design, that I could still paint. I doubt I will though.

[Kumori Kitsune]

Its so pretty itll look great on you

[Kumori Kitsune]

Keri,

This is the liquid pearl ex and you need to get the powdered pearl ex by jacquard. I have this paint as well, but I haven't tested it with silicone. The powdered paint works perfectly with silicone but I don't think the liquid would. I have just about every color of jacquard pearl ex so if you want to see a color in silicone let me know!

I love these to colors complement each other well