I need some major help designing a tail!

[XMermaidMarinaX]

I have seen some amazing people on here with great skills in coloring things and making things look pretty. So since I am finally going to start saving for my very first silicone tail, I want it to be something that suits me! I have a picture of myself, and the picture of the tail. I'm going to order a tail from Jazz for $900, since I want one set of fins on the hip. I'm also going to get the Sabertooth fluke. But what my dilemma is, is that I have absolutely no idea what looks good on me. Like color wise.. I'm not generally caring about that stuff anyway, if it fits and I think it's comfy and nice looking I'll wear it. I just want my tail to be something different. It suits my hair color, eyes, and skintone. My skintone in pictures I'm not sure are always the best, but it's decent. So here's my pictures, and the picture of the tail so you don't have to go hunting around the forums. Also, I apologize if this message is cluttered, but it won't let me add any spacing between words and pictures :( http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af19/WolfGirl28/Saber-tooth20finish202_zpsab3c38dd.png (http://s989.photobucket.com/user/WolfGirl28/media/Saber-tooth20finish202_zpsab3c38dd.png.html) And then me, sorry for looking so mad in this, it was taken months ago.. Also, its two to give a better idea, and my hair is no longer dyed blue at the end. I cut it off once my hair starter turning grayish green. Ick! http://i989.photobucket.com/albums/af19/WolfGirl28/c76dea91-d49c-4f49-8c30-feec1b616e99_zps6c3d8342.jpg (http://s989.photobucket.com/user/WolfGirl28/media/c76dea91-d49c-4f49-8c30-feec1b616e99_zps6c3d8342.jpg.html)

[XMermaidMarinaX]

Okay, so its not letting me edit.. http://aquaanimania.com/?attachment_id=1863 This is a fish I thought was really pretty, but I'm not sure how it would do with my skin and all that stuff..

[deepblue]

I think it would look great with your skin. White tips on fins and fluke, all pretty shimmery blue everywhere else. Really great idea.

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Here's the pic, I was able to add it in.

Oh and little dark blue dots in a row like that.

[New York Mermaid]

ironically im making a tail with the blue damsel as a color inspiration. I just helped merman typhoon with his tail design, so i'd love to help out. Well I have a few questions, what colors do you like to wear?, are you looking for something bold or simple? Any fish and/or colors are your favorite?

[XMermaidMarinaX]

My favorite colors are blue and purple. I like bold, but also simple.. I don't mind which. I just want it to be fishy

[PearlieMae]

Print out a few copies of the Saber Tooth Purple Rainbow tail templates and get some markers or paints and go crazy! Eventually you will hit upon an idea you like!

[XMermaidMarinaX]

BUMP! My mother says were going to be getting the money to buy this tail soon, so she wants me to start designing it! I still haven't had access to a printer yet, and I can't seem to get Corel to work very well for me.. So if someone could help, much appreciated!

[Miyu]

Something like this?

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(sorry about the smaller pic, Mernetwork doesn't like large files :P I can email the big one to you or something)

[Miyu]

Also, I am sorry Jazz, I have no printer, so I just traced it from my screen! I hope this is ok, I gave you credit for your fluke design... ;_;

[Aycrin]

First off, Miyu, your design is so adorable X3 and I love how you colored the tail!

Next, Marina, here's a couple other ideas. For tail one, the side fins are spiky and you can change the length if you need to (although I much prefer Miyu's). For tail two, it's mainly to give my thought of the tattoo you mentioned and to show the more "elegant" option for the side fin. I'm not the greatest at tattoo stuff but I figure if nothing else, someone can take my sketch and actually make something out of it. I think for the "elegant" fin, that pic you sent would be a better reference for Jazz than my sketch. Tail two was more or a quickie. Also, the skin colours you see here are the best I could interpret from the picture you have but you can always change them for a more accurate depiction. One more note, when I started out, the "gradient" was flipped but I thought it would look better if the darker blue was closer to your skin. Let me know what you think!

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[Miyu]

OH GOSH. Your shading. I LOVE EET. And that speckling on the back is adorable. And I really like the idea of having more dark blue at the top and gradating down to lighter, I think it would look nice with her skin.

And thank you :) I was just trying to get a quick idea down so we could play with the color palette a little :P



Also... I envy your skillz... Digital means better colours, haha! Those are the colours I used, but my scan came out not so vibrant :P

[Aycrin]

Argh thank you for your kind words ( ; w ;) Your design seems so much more usable though and it's showing creativity in that you didn't just try to copy the fish to the tail. I'd have to agree that the best thing about digital art is the vibrant colours (and the innumerable choices thereof) but traditional is so much easier to work with and, for me, it's so much faster.

Getting back to the tail, the random gold flicks sounds like a fun idea. I'm not that familiar with Jazz's tails but if she does a scale pattern on the tail, maybe the gold flicks could be at the tips of random scales or maybe whole scales! Gold freckles sound so cute for a tail~ It'd be like Rainbowfish meets Vermeer<3

[XMermaidMarinaX]

I'm so torn right now.. I love the pectorals and the left side fin on Miyu's but I'd want the pectorals placed a few inches lower since the waist and all.. not sure how high it'd go on me.. and then also the side fins a bit more above the knee or where they're at.. It's confusing. Aycirn I really really like your color scheme and I love the pretty colors and the speckled look on the back and how it goes from dark to light as it fades. I'm so torn.. Not really a big fan of the one with the mermaid on it though.

[Mermaid Caspiana]

So I think I mixed Miyu's and Aycrin's to get the best of both worlds according to your post right above. ;) And to Jazz, I gave you credit because I couldn't print it out either so sorry for any differences, I hope there is none or very small. Hope you like it Marina!

[Aycrin]

How's the decision going? Don't forget, you don't have to go purely with one design; you can always mix and match the aspects that you like best so that you can get the tail you really want! :)

[Kumori Kitsune]

all of those look amazing