Kyle's H20/Mako mermiads inspired tail with a splash of personality!!!

[Trident True]

Update 23/2/2014
ATTENTION: this thread will no longer be updated as this tail never came to be. there were too many problems and i never had all the knowledge I needed in order to create and finish this tail. feel free to look through the thread to see how i went about things.. if you have any Q's feel free to PM me. I haven't given up completely on the extended tail, once i obtain and figure out how to go about it.. I will attempt again.

Ok 3rd times the charm. ive tired twice now to upload this and it doesn't do it. SO i thought it was about time i got in on the action and started to show off the project im working on. I started designing my tail of oct 2012 and offically started my manequin of my legs late November, I knew what i wanted and i had a rough idea on how to get there but i serioulsy didnt think there were going to be this many obstacles along the way. These obstacles have made me MAD, have made me rip my hair out and made me cry, however if I hadn't had these things to go though i probably wouldn't appreciate what ive learnt now not to mention what i have produced. I have been lurking on the forum for some time now but i really didn't follow anyones tutorials as i thought i had it all worked out, and usally once ive got an idea in my head or once ive made up my mind there is no changing it. you could say i can be stubbon at times but i personally have to go with the flow. Im not going to sit here and say that i havent made mistates as i have i wasted 600AUD on trying to get things right. do I regret it. Yes. but i suppose that's the way i learn, yes i make myself learn the hard way and there are so many members here that do it the EASY way. what am I? a sucker for punishment thats what. Now i decided to go with H20/mako Mermaids tail inspired desing but with a splash of personality the only thing im really copying is the layout of the tail and the asethetics. my fins are my desing the flpper has a touch of my personality. But lets not get too overly excited. Im not using Dragons skin as it will not be directly on the skin and its far too expensive here is AUS. So i do ask each and every one of you please do not stated i should be using dragons skin. I am aware of the risks if any. the silicone im using is the mold max 27T and has extreamly similiar characteristics to dragons skin, have alook at the msds sheet. now all this aside lets begin.

things i wanted when creating
easy to get in and out off
slimline, tight on the body
covers my boney knees and hides my ankles
looks realistic as possible with a splash of fantasy




My beautiful body:lol: Obviously this is what I will be using to create the suit and build it on.



prototype of flipper mold


experimenting with macopearl tint




now the creation of the flipper, I used poster cardboard to create my template, cut it out covered it in clear contact so the clay doesnt stick then started crafting. the pic below shows 10 hrs of work.




the flipper took me 1 month to do as i do work full time and all of the detail was only done during daylight hours due to inpropper lighting. the flipper took about 30hrs to complete there is deff alot of work involved.



Complete flipper ready for casting. I done the barrier the HARD way. the clay sits underneath the flipper, Instead of my me just laying it flat on the table.


covered in plaster, works great by the way brings out all the detail and is affordable.


what it looks like turned over after the plaster set. having the cardboard backing really helps with the extraction from the mold.


ta-da the mold has got silcone in it as I was testing to see how deep it was, turns out it wasn't deep enough and i had to make alternations.


moving on to the fins. one for left and right, casted the same way as above.




fins casted,


close up





more images to come later. im actaully alot more along than in the pics im actually up to putting it all together.
here is my neoprene suit i was playing around with my fins ;)




in this pic you pretty much see the final product of the flipper, it has been siliconed together then once it cured the sides were seamed. I used silicone out of the tub first to cover the seam then used a thicker silicone by mixing it up leaving out for 2hrs then leaving in freezer over night. NB doing this will allow the silicone to get very thick as when it cools to room temp it will start to cure.







in currently working on my scales.

[Ariel-Starfish]

Wow this looks incredible! :thumbs up: Can't wait to see it painted!

[jazz2453]

Pretty darn awesome!


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[PearlieMae]

That's wonderful!

I know what you mean by being stubborn, but I've learned to observe others' processes and glean information and adapt and adjust...it really saves some hair pulling and tears!

Can't wait to see more!

PS: your avatar freaks me out! :D

[MermanTyphoon]

THIS IS AMAZING! You should post videos of your progress! Very identical to their tails!

[Mizuko]

This is awesome!! :D Cant wait to see more! :D

[sashiyoop]

this looks really close to the h2o tails. I can't wait to see how out turns out.

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[Ashton]

Looking good so far! I cant wait to see how to paint it!

[Jessica]

The detail on the fluke is just incredible! Everything is just so perfectly even! I'm in awe :) I can't wait to see more!

[Prince Calypso]

Gah I hate you! JK lol
But i am totes jealous at your progress and how well everything is coming out
It looks great
Hopefully I'll be able to start on my tail soon
Cant wait to see more of your progress

[Trident True]

Thanks everyone for the lovely words. Ive got some more photos to show, some are just better photos than what ive posted. the flipper is complete, it has just finished curing today it has been sealed twice so hopefully no water gets in. Ive ordered my last gallon of sliicone and it should arrive this week. So my plans are to add the fins and flipper to the suit then set it in with a silicone skin over the neoprene, this will secure the fins and make it look apart of the suit as well as the flipper. once that has been done the suit will be tried on again to see how flexible my movement is. at this stage i can still bend my legs with ease with the fins down the middle. well i designed it so i could, the base of the fins (that connect to the suit) are thin enough so that they dont cause problems for my legs. as most are aware that the H20 tails do have an extension so they don't really move their knees. while im on the subject, i was going to create an extension for my tail however i feel that i wouldn't have complete control over the flipper. let me explain.. the h20 tails have a rod that connects to a foot plate so when they move their feet the flipper moves as well. I couldn;t create the same effect. however where my feet end in the suit there is a slight gap before the flipper starts so it allows a bit more flexibility but allowing me to have control over my flipper and of course hiding my boney ankles. Hopefully I should be adding my skin to the suit by christmas if everything goes well. ive been doing a test on a scale mold not to fancy but the aim of this what to ensure that it wasn't shallow enough and it would hold the silicone. I will be doing my scales individually then each one will be glued on. how i do my scales will depend on how flexible the suit is once the skin is done. either urethane or silicone. im hoping urethane as this will allow me to keep to the scaley look. At this stage im still deciding on colour schemes ive added a pic but the colour is missing something. thats pretty much what is happening.

template that I used to create the flipper. i used the butterfly effect I learnt in preschool, the best way to get things Symmetrical

fin mold close up

Detailed image of the flipper mold


A splash of colour, on a test piece

a scale test, using plaster of paris. the scale was created using thin cardboard. aim of this was to test to see if it was deep enough to hold silicone or urethane.
Completed flipper, all sides have been sealed twice.

[MermanTyphoon]

Nice, words cannot even explain how awesome this is going to be :)

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[PearlieMae]

Hahaha! I hope you didn't change your avatar on my account!

[Trident True]

Hahaha! I hope you didn't change your avatar on my account!

haha, yeah i did :lol:

[Trident True]

I've been doing a scale test and my objective was the following. make identical copies of the same thickeness and take the STRESS out of having to roll out MMG to get the right thickness. I DONT THINK SO. im going the easy way. my plan, to create basic shape, recast with MMC, add detail, recast then make several ones using the mold to create my sheet. (note im making my mold like an ice cube tray they wont be overlapped) what do people think, over done of just right? Itsz quiet difficult to come up with a design but i was thinking of handpainting some so i thought this detail would bring out colour quiet well.

mold of the two, larger and smaller one




detailed scales

[PearlieMae]

I, too, am doing individual scales, but I want some variation among each scale. I have a pasta machine to roll out my clay to a uniform thickness, and I'm using a set of oval cookie cutters to cut uniform-sized disks of clay. For my scale texture, I'm pressing each one across a seashell - scallop, I think - peeling it off and laying it flat. They are pretty thin, and the silicone sets up nicely in the shallow scale mold. I've thinned the top end of each scale as well, so I don't build up a lot of bulk under the overlying row of scales.

I think we are on to something very different!

[Trident True]

Scales, scales, scales. ok so this is what ive come up with, im very happy with them. they look better in person, what do you think?

[sashiyoop]

Those look really cool!

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[Mermaid Adriel]

You're doing a great job!

[AnnaAbyss]

Awesome! It's really encouraging to see another Aussie making a silicone tail. :group hug:

[Trident True]

ok a little update, ive painted one of my fins only one coat at the moment but I finally decided on a Colour design this actaully has been doing my head in. all these colours to choose from and do you think i could come up with anything :crazy: all i can say is that its not bright colours im going for a realistic low key type of tail...... with a splash of colour so will see what happens. hoepfully I should have somenthing to show by boxing day. plans have changed once again as work keeps getting in the way. :mad:

[Trident True]

A little Update. I am currently painting my flipper in the following colour scheme. the camera doesnt really show the true colour its slightly more vibrant than in the photo. Im not going for a Exotic tail im going to make mine look as realistic as possible. well colour wise. Some of you many hate it some may love it but im happy with what ive come up with. The photo shows only two coats of colour and what it will look like in the water.

[emma11]

That's wonderful!! The translucency is really beautiful. So I'm guessing you're using a clear/ lexan monofin?


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[Trident True]

thats for your kind words. Im not using a monofin as i feel that i wont get the realism im looking for. not to mention they are extreamly expensive here.

[emma11]

Ah gotcha. How is the price of lexan? You could make your own and that only costs about 35-50 dollars depending on sales.


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[PearlieMae]

IF you can find it in the size you need. I spent 67 bucks on a 36 x 48" piece at Home Depot last week.

[emma11]

Yeah, around here it's about 45 for the same size. I manages to catch a local man going out of business. I got 4 pieces 48x60 for 35 dollars cause they were big and he needed them gone


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[Mermaid Oshun]

add to the $67 the cost of zoomers or other booties and shipping

[Trident True]

I Decided not to use a monofin at all as they are too expensive not to mention im very particular when it comes to fitting. I don't want it to rub on my heels. I can't add a monofin as the flipper has already been sealed. To my understanding a monofin allows complete control over the fluke which is great however i had to change alot of things in the creation process when things just wern't working out. my flipper will be starting at the end of my toes so think of it this way... a monofin with out the foot pockets being there. by doing it this way i should have control over my flipper, that's why i didnt end up adding a large extension as i wouldn't have had contol over it and by doing it this way i will. I think another reason why i didn't use a monofin is becasue my tail isnt; a silicone skin tail it has a neoprene underlay for reasons ive explained. so i kinda have a little leaway in creating this. I've nearly finished one side of painting my flipper it looks fab but its been extreamly HUMID here so its taking longer to cure. i will post a pic when i get a chance and try to get the REAL colour.

[Trident True]

here are some pics. the camera just won't pic up the colour but the zoomed in shot is what the colour looks like. without flash. is it missing a colour?

[PearlieMae]

I like it!

[Trident True]

Thanks :D

[Mermaid Caspiana]

This looks amazing so far! Can't wait to see the finished product! Good luck! :)

[lynsea]

WOW, that fluke turned out beautifully!

[Mermaid Mhara]

This looks amazing! Can't wait to see more :) I'm hoping to make a H2o inspired tail one day so this just makes me wanna do it sooner rather than later :D

[Nicoseamus]

This looks amazing! I can't wait to see the finished product, I love your fluke!

[Trident True]

Ok here is an update. Ive made my Extension. now i tried and tried to come up with a way to create it like the ones in H20 But failed as neoprene suit has already been made, thus not allowing enough space for me to build it. plus i would have to make a foot pocket to add the rod or spring. so i've came up with this. basically it will work as the extension. this starts where my feet end and its soild. so it will hold its shape. I had to make it a little longer than what i wanted as it tapers of nicely at this size. this in theory will move up and down as i move my legs and also as its made out of 12mm flexible foam it wont hold water and it will float so hopefully take of some of the weight from the flipper and make it a little bit easier to Manoeuvre. In theory of course. it feels like im never getting though this. inside foam has been siliconed in

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this is a test piece to see how well silicone sticks to the foam.

[jazz2453]

Very cool! Definitely will follow this to get some ideas for my tail:)

[lynsea]

Are you worried that this might add too much buoyancy to the end of the tail?

[Trident True]

not at all, im heavier than it so there shouldn't be a problem

[Mermaid Oshun]

this looks great. Since I am 5'8 I can't see any reason to add any length to myself in a tail except perhaps to put my fee a few inches above the fluke. I cant wait to see what you and Jazz come up with.

[jazz2453]

Golden Pearl, for me it's mostly about the movement instead of the length. The extra length provides flexibility for the tail to move as realistically as the one in your gif :)

[Mermaid Oshun]

Good luck. I hope the fluke can offer propulsion if it is following in a serpentine motion.

[Mermaid Oshun]

To get my personal feet above my fin I just bought a pair of Snap Body glove fins and will put them on top of a lexan fluke with an extension on top. This way I add a few inches without having the hazards of swimming with a pole attached to your feet
18245

[Trident True]

Ok a little Update. i have created my extension NOW this thing wasn't easy. coming up with HOW to create it was the difficult part. it will be attached below my feet with a neoprene sock that I will create and it will move freely. it is solid by hollow in the middle to create flexibility. some pics. I originally tried to create it with foam but it was something Pearliemae suggest to jaz that made me think again. you freet are lighter than the rest of the body so uisng foam i deff would of be a yoyo. of course i origianlly though my weight would keep in down. live and Learn. I suppose.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/kylecharmedone/20140216_105202_zpsffa20255.jpg (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/kylecharmedone/media/20140216_105202_zpsffa20255.jpg.html)

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/kylecharmedone/20140220_141703_zps2b718c90.jpg (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/kylecharmedone/media/20140220_141703_zps2b718c90.jpg.html)

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/kylecharmedone/20140220_141712_zps5d8496e9.jpg (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/kylecharmedone/media/20140220_141712_zps5d8496e9.jpg.html)


Q: ive left the bottom open. where it tapers off. should i leave it open or slicone it back up? Ive had to recast my flipper in two halves again as my current flipper was too heavy and it just won't attach the way it was initally intended to. so a major setback. the two haves of the flipper will be places over the top of this extension then siliconed together. but im alittle worried with water not being able to escape. what shall i do?

[PearlieMae]

How about closing it up, but leaving openings every couple of inches so water can escape? I seem to remember someone using drinking straws to leave channels, once the silicone cures, slide the straws out.

[Jessica]

How about closing it up, but leaving openings every couple of inches so water can escape? I seem to remember someone using drinking straws to leave channels, once the silicone cures, slide the straws out.

^^ That was me! I've used straws, rulers, a plastic folder cut into strips....you can use anything really! It's a good idea to have your drainage channels a 1/2" or less....wider ones will allow water to run up the fluke if you're just sitting around :)

[Trident True]

Ok Ive put up a photo ive how im going to put my flipper together. I was initially going to silicone all the sides togther so that no water got in but as the extension goes in-bewtween the flipper i can't necessarily leave it close otherwise it will drage me down. pealiemae, do you mean channels though the flipper itself? or just the extension? does this image help?

[PearlieMae]

^^ That was me! I've used straws, rulers, a plastic folder cut into strips....you can use anything really! It's a good idea to have your drainage channels a 1/2" or less....wider ones will allow water to run up the fluke if you're just sitting around :)

I THOUGHT so! You're so smart! You know I'm your biggest fan, right? :D

---

Tri, I meant through the flipper, but consult Jessica...my tail assembly is completely different.

[Trident True]

Ok here is an Update. the Extension has been attached to the suit. and now im playing around with hight of the flipper. the extension adds about 5 inches to the suit. I decided to this is sufficient as going any longer would be simply a fail. I don't believe I would have control over the flipper thus, just kicking water not to mention hard to manoeuvre. the pics show how long the tail is. now im quiet tall so don't get too freaked out with the pics. what does everyone think of so far? btw once i get up to the scaling im going to be JUMPING FOR JOY i can't wait for this to be finished. August of 2014 is 2 years since starting this project.









PS. after speaking with Jessica i have decided to add 6 channels. would this be sufficient or Insufficient?

[Deepsea merman]

Hello!
could you tell me how you will get the silicone tail, will use positive and negative mold? as the site: http://www.h-sama.com/2013/08/como-fazer-um-molde-positivo-e-negativo.html (have to translate into English because it is in Portuguese: \)
Thank you.

[MermaidBrandie]

this is looking amazing. :)

[Trident True]

UPDATE: the flipper has been attached should be cured by tomorrow. I had to cut back the extension slightly as when was playing around with the flipper for the extension the flipper was out of proportion to my body. the flipper just looked too long. there is an image you can see looking down at it. it gives a better view of what it looks like. now i may be tall but i am a walking skeleton so the fluke is perfect for my body and size. tomorrow i will be siliconning into place my fins.

[Mermaid Jaffa]

Amazing!

[TheChimera]

Amazing work you have done here,

[Trident True]

Update: the fins have been attached, I'm pretty much up to the silicone skin, then scaling. getting closer and closer to finishing.

[Mermaid Adriel]

great!

[jazz2453]

So cool! I can't wait to see how your extension works! You you just used silicone to create it?

[Trident True]

yes, I used silicone to create it, its about 1cm thick around the edges and hollow in the middle. it has some stiffness to it but is flexible. but if i was to do this again. i would make it 8mm thick and not 10mm. Im just Hoping that it works the way i want it too. i think that is worrying me. but its all a learning experience.

[jazz2453]

Yeah, it visually looks amazing though! The second you finish, take a video of you swimming! I'm super excited to see the result :)

[Mermaid Saphira]

I am obsessed with the h2o tails and this one looks like it is going to be pretty amazing! I can't wait to see it in its full glory :D Props on the fluke ;)

[PearlieMae]

Wow!!! Fins crossed it all comes together just like you planned!

[Ariel-Starfish]

Omg this is so rad!!! :jawdrop: I wish I had the skills on making my own tails!

[Mermaid Wesley]

Ooh this looks great except I would strongly advise that you test tht foam out in water.


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[Trident True]

a update. first off i should of NEVER tried to replicate this tail. its been a total disaster the h20 tail extension ended up collapsing in, so by by tail. ive been spending the last 3 to 4 months on a different approach to the design, I've had to remake a new fluke as the current on was too large for the new tail i designed. AGAIN a total fuck up, but i ended up salvaging it. i created it to look like the hooks tails but truth be told it just didn't work. i had to cut back the extension so there is only about 3 inches but i have full faith that this will work great in the water. the pics will show you what it looks like pretty much the same as the others but only in silicone. the silicone 'skin' is about 1cm but not quiet and when on the body quiet light. the idea of this was to have it tight on the skin. wrong, my mannequin was done up to my specs but its slightly too loose. but i have figured how to make my skeleton body fatter. NEOPRENE suit. Ive had to redo my fins as they were not salvageable from the H20 tail. The fluke is very, very basic it makes me sick to show everyone here. all i have to do now is scale and that's it.













HOOK INSPIRED. DIDN'T WORK

[Ashton]

Im sorry you have having trouble, it looks nice in the photos tho.

[Mermaid Wesley]

It does look really cool! I'm curious, are you putting clay directly onto the silicone? Why is that?


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[Trident True]

the clay scales are only there to see what they will look like on the final piece. I'm not sticking on clay scales :)

[Mermaid Wesley]

Ohhh ok good I was confused. I think the simple fluke will make this tail really understated and cool. I actually love it. Don't fret!


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[MermaidBrandie]

The tail looks good! And I love that fluke actually!!

[Aziara]

I'm actually rather fond of your fluke, Trident. It looks quite realistic. And the scales are going to look amazing!

[Trident True]

Ok UPDATE, UPDATE YAY. I was having some trouble with casting my scales, i was originally using smooth ons colour match BUT i was getting bubbles in between the casting. I tried multiple times to correct it, no go. thank god i only bought a sample kit. I invested in another plastic. Aussie brand. and its works great. NO bubbles and it dries crystal clear. but i add my tints to mine. here is a couple of photos the first is scales casted in macropearl a little lighter than expected. they kinda look like a pale pearly white colour. the other you see is the silver in combo with the pearly whites. im going to add a green to the pattern as it think it will look good. ive got green in my tail but what shade? HMMM.

[Mermaid Wesley]

Are your scales going to be plastic?

[Seatan]

So you're doing plastic scales like the literal H2O tails have? I would do some major testing to see how sturdy they are because resin will break really easy (and also pop off). It is my understanding that the actual H2O tails required a TON of upkeep and maintenance.

[Trident True]

there is nothing wrong with the plastic, its quiet pliable and will fit the tail fine. i will do a small test, but quiet frankly I don't really care. its taken me too long to do this project. more than others on here, most people know that its H20 inspired, however having silicone scales looks false to me. fish don't have raised scales most a flat along the body.

thanks for your concerns.

[Trident True]

Since I decided to plan and create a tail, i never thought that i would have this many problems. I can be very ignorant at times. thinking that things will work out in the end but this has pretty much lead me up the garden path. realistically i should Of never attempted this type of tail. I feel that I'm too armature to do something like this. when i look at people's progress that are attempting their tails for the first time, they never really have any major problems, which is something that I always have had doing this tail. its been nearly 3 years since i started on this project and Im only up to the scaling of the piece. If I new it was going to take this long I would of been happy to hand over many, many coins for someone else to do it for me. I was keeping record of costings but i can clearly say ive spent roughly 2.5K. i personally Enjoy art but think this project has pushed the boundaries to an extent that if any more issues arise, i will simply give up on this project all together. My shed looks like a twister has been through it. So if I do end up giving UP on this Project. I have to apologise to everyone in advance that is watching this thread.


Ok. another set back. originally i was going to do my scales out of a urethane. as you can get a glue that will adhere them to silicone, BUT I kept getting air bubbles in it. then I moved on to another resin. which turns out to be a polyurethane, which is very difficult to adhere, especially to silicone. so using my moulds, I will be casting my scales in silicone. well I don't have a choice really do I, I've done test pieces and they look really good. nice and thin which is what I am after and of COURSE will adhere to silicone. I was using a butter knife to add the silicone to the moulds but it can be quiet dainty so I'm going to try to thin the silicone down and then use a syringe to put the silicone into the scale moulds. My sales are individual and will be glue on individually, all of my plastic scales will be kept to make a large scale sheet for a more simpler tail in the future. Perhaps.

[PearlieMae]

Don't lose heart! I think you might have bitten off a little more than you could chew with this project, especially being a first tail. I, too, have often been guilty of the same, usually on a deadline, too, only to have to settle for less than my original vision. It's no fun.

If you'll pardon the pun, scale back your project and make it a bit more typical swimming tail, get the hang of the materials, swim around for a season...that's when all my best ideas and solutions come to me

Retreat a little, rethink and regroup. Forcing it and impatience are just going to piss you off and ruin your efforts.

As for your scales, I use a plastic artists' palette knife, it's offset blade makes it easier to "butter" in the silicone, otherwise, I just use my finger to spread it around. Use gloves if you are using silicone caulk, the acetic acid is irritating. True, fish don't have raised scales, hydrodynamics would dictate otherwise. But we are merfolk! The stuff of legend! And besides, textured scales add drama!

Don't give up!

[Ariel-Starfish]

Wow this looks incredible!!

[H-SAMA]

OMG. I think you are doing such a great work!!

[Trident True]

Scales in silicone silver jacquard pigments. looks more grey than silver, but does have a silvery flick when you look on an angle. the other colours i will be using are macropearl and a dark green. the scales are thin so they lay flat which is something im very happy with. thanks pearliemae of your kind words, and you are right. I did bit of more than i could chew but i have learnt so much along the way. This is more of a positive for me at least ive learnt something. thanks everyone else for your kinds words.

[PearlieMae]

Nice!

Try putting a thin coat of silicone over the top of those and it should make the scales shinier. The have that dull cast when you pull them from tho mold and I find a 'slime' coat really brings up the color.

:D

[Trident True]

ok i will try that out, ive just finished making another scale sheet so a total of two sheets makes about 101 scales of large, now im currently casting plastic ones to create my smaller ones. All I did was glue the scales down on a piece of wood. I used just a glue stick, sticks quiet well actually. then simply mixed up plaster and poured. Note: when pouring plaster its best to pour from one point and allow to cover area i have found this helps minimize bubbles. pics are from start to finish. some people may ask themselves why so many scale sheets? the answer is. as im casting my scales individually and in silicone, cured castings take 24hr sometimes longer due to the cooler weather. So by having more scales sheets to cast im creating more scales in that 24hr time frame. thus speeding up the time frame. I've yet to decided if im going to use an air bush to paint my scales or by hand. scales will be coloured with a tint. what would others suggest?

[PearlieMae]

Ah, but thinner casts cure faster. I use the slow set dragonskin and that has a cure time of 7 hours, but with a warm light bulb over my molds, I can demold in an hour or two, depending on temp and humidity.

Looks good! Are you going to experiment with coloring the scales in the mold? Maybe dark/silver up near the points and micro pearl along the wide edge? Or perhaps a dark or light stripe down the middle...there are a lot of options you can try within your color palette!

[PearlieMae]

23308

This is what your tail is going to look like when it's done, right?

[Trident True]

Ah, but thinner casts cure faster. I use the slow set dragonskin and that has a cure time of 7 hours, but with a warm light bulb over my molds, I can demold in an hour or two, depending on temp and humidity.

Looks good! Are you going to experiment with coloring the scales in the mold? Maybe dark/silver up near the points and micro pearl along the wide edge? Or perhaps a dark or light stripe down the middle...there are a lot of options you can try within your color palette!


I was originally going to colour the silicone with the tints or have a more solid colour, No to sure about it actually, i may play around with different colours within the scales as you mentioned. colour designs are limitless but I will see what i come up with. Yes the colours of the merman tail will be very similar to mine. Actually pretty close.

At the moment I'm about to test my silicone by thinning it down, see if it cures, if all goes well, then the scaling will start very soon. I've still got to test my tail before i start scaling, but in the mean time it won't hurt to get as many of them casted.

[Trident True]

ok Update....... Im pleased to advise that I have tested my tail. it works extremely well. my Fluke has no monofin inside it but it was definitely pushing water away, I wasn't just bobbing along. the negative thing though is it doesn't fit me like a glove and im pissed off about it has I made leg castings to build it on so it should of fitted me perfectly. So the suit will have to be taken in small set back though. My foot pocket will also have to be made larger even in the water i couldn't slide my feet any further. My friend told me that my fins down the middle stay in place then don't move in and out which was something i was worried about and they don't restrict my movement. I ended up doing the dolphin kick, I don't find it difficult as i normally swim like that. there was a negative though as the suit isn't tight around my waste (yet) as i was swimming through the water at a fast speed my zip started to unzip. ive already came up with an idea to fix this. also my tail is very light, now being close to 1cm thick its so weightless in the water, I felt naked as it was so light. so things are coming along, a few set backs but this is the testing stage. As my fluke is thin it moves very nicely in the water. my friend loved how it looked and moved in the water. scales are being casted.

[Trident True]

A bit Of Colour. this project is near completion, both sides of the tail fin have been complete and both fins have been complete. all there is to do is to attach the tail fin to the tail once cured and then I'm on to scaling. My estimated time frame to have this complete is by the end of November due to work, life etc. its NOT blue is more of an Aqua greenish colour, quiet nice actually.

[Prince Calypso]

Can't wait to see the finished thing
bet it gonna be freaking beautiful

[Mermaid Kassandra]

O my fins!!!! That is amazing!!! Your tail looks just exactly like the one made for the tv show!!
You're amazing!

[Trident True]

thanks for the kind words. so a little update. i've done another test swim once again it was fine, however I added neoprene to the inside of the suite. its not siliconed in its put in to make me fatter. in some places its more baggy. I suppose this is what you get for waiting so long. so while i was swimming it was OK, it was only when i was stationary in the water that i started to rise to the surface, so im going to but weights in to hold me down. Im also going to be putting in leg straps. Yes i am aware that they are used in mako/H2o tails, however i feel that i need to add them as my body tends to shift. its very tight around my ass and thighs so it doesn't creep down. so that is a positive for me.


I do want to state here. this design has been a challenging one. i wouldn't really recommend it for a beginner. I bit off may more than i could chew and it has been seen from all the fuck ups i've made, however i have learnt so. much along the way.

[Aphros_Triton]

Totally excited for you! Can't wait till its complete :D


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[lewismassey]

THIS LOOKS AMAZING!!!! AHHHH, I WANT TO SEE MORE :jawdrop::lol:

[SeaMansa]

*splashes in* I can't wait to see it when this is done :3 *splashes away*

[Merman Chatfish]

How much have things cost so far?

[Trident True]

that's a hard one as there have been mistakes etc. product waste getting things perfect etc. but my rough estimate would be 1800 possibly more.

[Trident True]

Ok. So I feel that i owe an explanation as to why i haven't update this thread. Simply put i cut off more than i could chew, I wanted to create a tail that took away the illusion of legs but it has just been one NIGHTMARE after another. Im not going to sit here and explain how much F ups ive had as there have been many, actually too many.. it's been 3 years since i started this project and I never thought something like this would take so long... I mean i find it draw dropping to see so many people on here that create tails in less than 6 months and they look Fabulous.. as for me 3 years is long enough on one Project which in my case hasn't gone anywhere there has been no end result. The suit or silicone skin i created doesn't fit me anymore. its too big and baggy and just doesn't fit how it should. In this time frame i have created a total of 3 flukes as the the original one was too big etc. the list goes on and on. one of which will be used for another tail that i will be starting in the next 2 weeks, the Fluke has has already been turned into a mold. I'm not giving up on tail making but I am giving up on the Extended Tail Design.. as i feel i just don't have enough knowledge on how to go about creating it.. I thank everyone on here for their kind words and support. I will be Re-cycling stuff from this project for my newer Project. My newer project will have a Scale sheet and the fluke will be attached to my feet. there is one thing I will be aiming for.... and that is....... to get it done in less that 6 months..

[Echidna]

Sorry to hear this!
It would have been so exciting to have someone manage a true extended tail :(

I can understand you want to cut your losses though, especially after it took so much time.
As my swimmable snaketails are a bit too short for my liking, I'm tackling another version of extended tail myself soon, wish me luck :p

[Mermaid Alea]

I am sorry your project didn't work out and took so long. :(
I hope the tail you will be making now takes you less than 6 months. This is my first time seeing this thread and you did wonderful work on the tail. Hopefully now making a regular sized mermaid tail will be like a piece of cake for you. :)

[Prince Calypso]

I'm so sorry to hear that after such a long road it got you nowhere.
the idea was great and the design came along wonderfully but i understand you completely.
its frustrating and taxing when you have an idea in your head and you come so far only to have it go nowhere and be riddled with so many problems
here hoping your next project with be great

[AnnaAbyss]

Aww sorry to hear that happened. :c I hope your new tail is a lot easier for you to create.

[Trident True]

thanks for the support and Understanding.. Echidna good luck with your new Extended tail :) I hope to try again with the extended tail once i find out how to do it properly. here is a little teaser for my newer tail... the Fluke shape was inspired from the Movie MERMAIDS their tails are gorgeous. a silvery skin glow to them, the bones in the fluke is my design, ive made them to resemble bones they look good. I will make a new thread for the newer tail.

[Echidna]

ah yes, I remember the MERMAIDS tails.
They looked better than the H2o/Mako ones imo.

Good luck with your new project!

[Coradion]

thanks for the support and Understanding.. Echidna good luck with your new Extended tail :) I hope to try again with the extended tail once i find out how to do it properly. here is a little teaser for my newer tail... the Fluke shape was inspired from the Movie MERMAIDS their tails are gorgeous. a silvery skin glow to them, the bones in the fluke is my design, ive made them to resemble bones they look good. I will make a new thread for the newer tail.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/kylecharmedone/20150206_121720_zps384a0c02.jpg (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/kylecharmedone/media/20150206_121720_zps384a0c02.jpg.html)

An extended tail isn't too hard but you have to be comfortable working with nylons and glassing things. It gets really expensive to get the equipment, if you have any friends who make surfboards I can tell you how they made the extensions in the H2O tails and the prosthetics materials you'll need

[AnnaAbyss]

TRIDENT OMFG WE ARE MAKING THE SAME TAIL!!!!! Your fluke sculpt is bloody beautiful and so much smoother than mine. Damn you and your great sculpting skills. xD Good luck!

[H-SAMA]

Hello!
could you tell me how you will get the silicone tail, will use positive and negative mold? as the site: http://www.h-sama.com/2013/08/como-fazer-um-molde-positivo-e-negativo.html (have to translate into English because it is in Portuguese: \)
Thank you.

e porque não perguntou no post do H-SAMA BLOG que está em português?? :confused:
De qualquer maneira elas mostraram como fazer no primeiro post daqui do forum com fotos . É só voltar e ver.;)

[H-SAMA]

A bit Of Colour. this project is near completion, both sides of the tail fin have been complete and both fins have been complete. all there is to do is to attach the tail fin to the tail once cured and then I'm on to scaling. My estimated time frame to have this complete is by the end of November due to work, life etc. its NOT blue is more of an Aqua greenish colour, quiet nice actually.

http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n133/kylecharmedone/20140909_164801_zps63af9de0.jpg (http://s111.photobucket.com/user/kylecharmedone/media/20140909_164801_zps63af9de0.jpg.html)

Those look AMAZINg. Are you also going to put a zipper on it? how do you get in your tail?

[Trident True]

thanks Anna, to help with getting it smooth i used a rolling pin, very, very tedious work though. another may to get it smooth is to use a pastry maker.

H-SAMA- there is a zipper in the tail you just cant see it due to the fins covering it.

[AnnaAbyss]

Thank you! Can you tell me how you got the long tail bones that smooth and stuck down well?

[Trident True]

My tail bones were done with individual pieces of clay.. rolled out like a snake then placed on.. try to get them the same thickness as this will help when sticking them down to the piece. to get them smooth i used a tail tool. it has a rounded edge to it and a knife looking edge. its wooden that you get in most clay tool packs. heat up the clay but don't melt it then use the tool to smooth it out. by rubbing away from yourself it seems to smooth out better. I used the same clay tool to stick my bones down. i simply dragged the curved angle of the tool down the side of the bone to fix it to the fluke.