Making of two silicone mermaid tails!

[Mermaid Nautica Rose]

So I started a thread elsewhere and mentioned that I would be making two silicone mermaid tails as part of my art portfolio for college, for parties and because my friend, Calypso, and I just wanted silicone tails. Calypso has helped out with cutting scales and wants to help out a lot with her tail however, I'll be doing my tail on my own. So I just wanted to start a thread about our tails and the progress...

I now feel it an appropriate time to flail in spastastic excitement because I ordered the monofins today, I should be done laying scales within the week and our indiegogo and website should both go live this week as well!!!! :yay:

[teeth4u]

Awesome! I'm working on a silicone tail as well and I'm super excited :) It's a lot of work but it's pretty fun

[PearlieMae]

Alright! I'm so excited to see everyone's progress!

Is it me, or is there a sudden surge in the number of people building their own silicone tails lately? :D

[lynsea]

There definitely is!

[Mermaid Nautica Rose]

The two monofins we've ordered are leaderfins, and I'm the type of person that likes to watch the shipping progress until my package is at my door. So, I was wondering if anyone knows if you can get a package tracking number from leaderfins?

[PearlieMae]

The shipper would have to provide the tracking number to you.

[teeth4u]

There totally is a surge of people making silicone tails which is awesome! Unfortunately, I'm no longer constructing my tail and I'm just trying to save up and buy one. It's great how much success everyone is having!

[Mermaid Nautica Rose]

Update: So, I went ahead and emailed leaderfins about the tracking number and they quickly responded with the tracking number. So for anyone who orders from leaderfins and is concerned about the tracking number just send them an email, they're great at responding. :D

[Mermaid Nautica Rose]

So, I've been really lax on updates but here is an update on the tails.

-the scale sheet is laid and prepped for casting
*cut and laid about 3000 foam "scales"
* painted a layer on top of basic acylic paint
*covered the painted scales in a layer of glue to seal the scales from absorbing the plaster
*made a mold box out of: cardboard, duct tape and clay
* will cover in mold release and cast in plaster hopefully this weekend

- pectorals for my tail have been sculpted twice now (didn't like the first sculpt). I have a total of four pectorals; I have a larger fin that will have a smaller fin layered on top of it
15518 the larger fins15519 a close-up of the larger fins (which have now been cleaned up) 15520the smaller fins (I apologise for the weird angle which makes them look different sizes)

-I'm working on my fluke which is approximately 5 ft across in 5 hour increments and hope to be done with the sculpting within the next week

[PearlieMae]

FIVE FEET ACROSS? Wow, I cut mine back from four to three feet wide! That's gonna be heavy! Looks way cool, though!

[jazz2453]

Nice! May I ask what clay your using?

[Anahita]

-I'm working on my fluke which is approximately 5 ft across in 5 hour increments and hope to be done with the sculpting within the next week

Your fluke is as wide as I am tall.... For some reason this is making me giggle :D

[MerEmma]

WOW. I have to say if you successfully make a five foot fluke...biggest fluke out there!

[Mermaid Oshun]

FIVE FEET ACROSS? Wow, I cut mine back from four to three feet wide! That's gonna be heavy! Looks way cool, though!
I made a 3'x4' fluke and "swam" in it over the summer. It was IMPOSSIBLE to move my legs with something that big. YOU CAN NOT push that much surface area of water unless you are a HUGE MUSCULAR MAN. And even they would probably not be able to move that much water with their legs. So at 5 feet it would not be swimmable at all. It would only be good for photo shoots. You do not get propulsion with something that big because you can not even move it (ie you can not push that much water)
15545

[PearlieMae]

Five feet is huge!

Mine, pictured in my other thread, is just under 2 x 3. It's wider than my Finis Rapid, but not much longer. I'm a very powerful distance swimmer, so I'm not afraid I won't be able to move it. The one I'm working on is also going to be on the thinner side.

Keep your fingers crossed for me!

[Soulstrifer]

My Lunocent monofin is 4' from tip to tip when it's not flexed, flexed it's 3.5'. But it's blades are only about 7 inches wide. So length wise it's not long but it's a wider than my shoulders when I don't have the blade flexed into it. It will get harder the more surface area you have, especially if you do not know how to do a proper dolphin kick.

[Mermaid Nautica Rose]

Hey, guys! I apologise for seriously neglecting this thread so, prepare for a massive update...
Warning: some of the pictures are blurry and they're really big (not sure how to shrink them)

My fluke sketch

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The sculpting of the fluke

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My scale sheet being cast in resin... I actually had to make three scale sheets because I tried to cast the first two in plaster and they were not having it.

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Silicone test strip

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Poured the first side of the tail body

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Test seamed the test strip while the body cured

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Poured the second side of the tail body

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The first scale sheet laying on my mannequin

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Both sides trimmed and pinned together

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First side seamed together

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Paint Tests

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Tried on the body: found some flaws in the fit; had to take it in at the knees and add some scales so I could get my butt in

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The extra panels I added for my bum

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The fluke mold after pulling it... sorry, I didn't take any pictures right after pouring the resin

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The fluke mold in the process of being cleaned out

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Poured the first side of the fluke in silicone

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Both sides of the silicone pulled and put together on my monofin

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Tried on my fluke after siliconing the sides together


http://youtu.be/D4MpNb4S4cQ

Tried on both the body and the fluke

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Painting the fluke

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Painting the body

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It's finished! (the strangely flat bit has been fixed)

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Took my tail outside to see the colours better

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My tail, top and belt pre-first swim

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Extremely short first swim clip


http://youtu.be/-piDvFQVLCA

Sorry, the clip is so short. I’m going swimming again tomorrow and hope to get some longer and better pictures and videos.

So, in the end she's not perfect but, I'm extremely pleased with how she came out...

[PearlieMae]

WOW!!!!!!

[Mermaid Wesley]

Gorgeous!!!


Sent from my shellphone using Tapatalk

[Mermaid Nautica Rose]

Thank you!
http://media.giphy.com/media/rpf0Du8NasK6Q/giphy.gif

[Aziara]

Wowza! Love the colors, and I'm not usually a pink lover. Dat Fluke! Did the size give you any trouble maneuvering?

[Mermaid Adriel]

SPECTACULAR!

[Mermaid Galene]

Spectacular! I love the color scheme.

[Mermaid Nautica Rose]

Thanks! No, my fluke hasn't given me any maneuvrability issues... I'm sure it's heavier than most flukes but, I still got some great propulsion an movement; I was still able to do flips and stuff...

[Aziara]

Thanks! No, my fluke hasn't given me any maneuvrability issues... I'm sure it's heavier than most flukes but, I still got some great propulsion an movement; I was still able to do flips and stuff...

Awesome! You used a medium hardness Leaderfin, right? I think I saw you say that somewhere on another thread...

[Mermaid Nautica Rose]

Yep, that's the one... it's a great monofin :)

[PaolaMF]

hand painted ? whit pigments? thank you

[Raayvhen]

hand painted ? whit pigments? thank you


Holy shit. Stop reviving dead threads. Do a search for the information instead.