tail making anxiety!!

[Imogen Finnly]

so I have been away for a while and finally had (rather made) time to start my tail, and now that I got the template for it down, I am getting such awful anxiety over it! I am so afraid it isn't going to turn out like I want or itll be ugly or something will go wrong.. I know what I have to do, so making it isn't an issue, its just so stressful! Does anyone else get this?
Basically all I need to do is search for latex..than paint it.

I just need some reassurance from some fellow mermaids.

[Seatan]

I get that way about crafts sometimes because I am such a perfectionist. Press through it--nothing is perfect, and you won't have anything unless you try!

[Mermaid Julz]

Yup, still do... and my tail is almost complete.... you wouldn't think so much with my videos, but I am a ball of nerves every time I work on that thing....

[Prince Calypso]

I'm right there with you. I'm so Grr! argh! ugh! cause I feel like i will never be able to start my mermaid tail. Money has been the biggest deciding factor lately and I've gone through almost an entire two industrial sized packs of drawing paper trying to come up with a unique design that's still true to my Mer-sona's background story and origins.
I get on Mernetwork checking out everyone's progress and I just wanna bang my head against a wall cause i feel like a failure for not even having a scale mold made or a monofin purchased or made yes. Its driving up the wall!

[Aziara]

Yeah, this is one reason I took so long to start my tail. I'm almost never satisfied with stuff I make because I'm such a perfectionist. I finally just decided to jump in and see what happens.

[PearlieMae]

I have that perfectionist streak, too, but I've learned to just start making whatever project it is I'm making...I call it prototyping!

And once you've made one, you have the excuse to make another..a BETTER one!

Just 'dive in' and start making your tail and try not to get bogged down in tiny details or obsess over your original vision. The process often changes your direction and usually for the better!

[Imogen Finnly]

Thanks guys! you seriously made me feel so much better! Knowing that I am not alone with my anxiety makes me feel more confident going into it, especially when you have all over come the same anxiety! I love you guys!

[Mermaid Oshun]

Yeah let me tell you... I have ZERO desire to even start my own tail. I've handled enough sticky, nasty, goo for the moment thank you very much. I've had enough stressing over making paint that someone else will appreciate. Let someone else stress over their tails for them. So I need a break and am in no hurry to start again.

[WillowAnne]

I feel that way, too! I've had the money set aside since may (I've already been swimming in my monofin lots during the summer), and every time I go to order neoprene, I chicken out and second guess myself with "what if I didn't get enough" thoughts that make me stop. sheesh.

[Mermaid Oshun]

And how often are you really going to want to put on all of that gear to enjoy the water really? I enjoy FEELING the water. I really don't want that much of an armor between me and the water. I want to Feel it and flow with it au naturale. I am the fish. I dont need a costume for real!
A monofin YES. A mermaid style monofin like the Oceanika or mertailor's merfin YES but a thick dress ....ugh so much work and why bother? I would LOVE a scaled bathing suit!!! but not a whole thick 20 pound dress all the time to go swim!! So I really want a scaled silicone bathing suit and a mermaid style realistic monofin and that's it for now! I want to feel my own skin in the water with that pretty scaled bathing suit.

[Imogen Finnly]

I'm also getting kinda frustrated over these bras. My boobs are either too big for the shells and it looks rachet or it falls apart and its nip slip city.

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[Anahita]

I'm also getting kinda frustrated over these bras. My boobs are either too big for the shells and it looks rachet or it falls apart and its nip slip city.

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I feel you on this one. :(

Have you thought about abalone? (I'm thinking of it, but with my bustline, even they might be too small, though I think if you're F or under they should work) I know a lot of mers also put the shell on an actual bra and "fill in" with sea-greens.

Maybe too, if you're not fond of the greenery, you can try to sculpt yourself bigger shells, cast them, and then make them out of latex to add to a neoprene or bra-base (that would give you a small-scale thing to practice on too, which can really help getting over "starter's" anxiety)

[Aino Revontuletar]

Expensive, risky projects that you have never attempted before are always going to bring anxiety. It's one of the many reasons why I have put off making my silicone tail until at least after I have made a neoprene/ sequin tail. It's totally normal to be apprehensive about stuff like this, especially when it is something you have never tried before and it is costing you a lot of money.

[Imogen Finnly]

I really decided when I started to take everything slow and not rush because I wanted my first tail to be something I could show off and not have falling apart because I rushed or I was so anxious I screwed something up.

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[Imogen Finnly]

And that is a great idea anahita. How would I make a cast ..of my boobs or the shells? Haha like when women have babies and paper mache their stomachs?

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[emma11]

Making a cast make sure to wear what you'll be wearing/ putting whatever you're making on. Essentially, put the bra on for the top haha. Cover yourself is Saran Wrap! You can use use duck tape on top of that to make a duck tape mold and then full it with foam, or you can use plaster gauze. You can either do a half mold that will pop off of you, or you can do a wrap around mold in which case just make sure you can be cut out of it. ;) you definitely need someone to help! But it's a ton of fun


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[Imogen Finnly]

I really want to try this! Haha!

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[emma11]

Haha it's a lot of fun!


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[Imogen Finnly]

Could I use the plaster of Paris?

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[emma11]

Yes but only once plaster gauze is off of your skin. Plaster of Paris is really dangerous to put onto your skin because it can heat up really hot. There was a girl who got third degree burns from it... So once it's off of your body you can strengthen the mold or fill the mold to make a replica of your torso.


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[Imogen Finnly]

Ohmygod no way!! I had no idea that plaster of paris could do that well here is what I got so far for bras17692

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[PearlieMae]

That is so cute!

I made a plaster cloth cast of my front when I was pregnant with my daughter, and I cherish that piece. You don't need to do a thick layer of it, and it is so easy to work with.

It's only a few dollars a roll in the sculpting section of most craft stores. Play with a roll!

[Imogen Finnly]

I think I have to at this point haha how can I not! Did you frame it or put it up as a decorative piece? Ill use the rattiest work bra!
I made this one, but the glue wasn't strong enough to hold it on my boobs. haha I decided to frame it and hang it up as decor.17694

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[Anahita]

Plaster bandages are what I recommend, because they're meant to be on your skin (they still warm up, but they won't burn you like plaster of paris does).

If you can't make a mold of yourself, but you think you can make the shells flexible enough, you might be able to sculpt them without the body cast beneath - but you'd still have to make sure you made them domed enough to accommodate how they'll be worn (if you don't and sculpt them flat, they'll get weird when you try and put them on. Pucker and fold in some places and such.)

[Imogen Finnly]

Could I take the cast and adhere it to something like a nude bra? Or do you think I could try to make a bra out of neoprene and adhere it to that?

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[Imogen Finnly]

I was talking to my dad about plaster of paris and he said it just gets terribly hot. I feel bad for that chick that got burned by it

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[Anahita]

I'd adhere it to a nude bra. Doesn't have to be neoprene - that's just what popped into my head - just as long as it's not in direct contact with your skin. I guess people who aren't allergic to latex still can get sensitive to it after extended contact. This is why (most? all?) latex tails are neoprene backed.

[Imogen Finnly]

That makes sense. You think I could cast a whole bra piece that covers the stapes and junk?

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[Anahita]

I'd cast it in at least three pieces.... That way you can have smaller molds, and more places for alteration. So say one cup and half the band, the other cup and half the band, and then the straps (which would use the same mold for both sides if you're doing something symmetrical). Or if you're using the same shell for the bra, one shell mold, the half of the band mold, and one of the straps

If that makes sense... reading over that I'm not so sure it does... I have the picture in my head, but I'm not sure how to describe it, lol.

[Imogen Finnly]

I see what you're saying. Id need to saran wrap mah straps too. This is gonna be fun man. I'm stoked!:D

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[Mermaid Zipora]

I'm also getting kinda frustrated over these bras. My boobs are either too big for the shells and it looks rachet or it falls apart and its nip slip city.

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check out Jacquard 3-D paint. It's like puffy paint but won't crack or chip off. There's a video on the website. This can be a good embellishing option.