becca's silicone fin-venture

[MermaidLychee]

Alrighty, my second fin, my first silicone attempt. I'll update this thread when I make significant progress with pictures and supplies!

Today I bought the circle punch, tacky glue and sculpey to begin with what I can. I'll be buying silicone sometime next month, and I'm looking into mold making materials that are currently here on the island instead of shipping it in. If you have any suggestions, let me know! Otherwise I'm lurking the tailmaking forums just in case I can find something.

I'm looking forward to making the design somewhat similar to the Syrena design from Pirates of the Caribbean. I absolutely love this silhouette and my love for it was only fueled more by purchasing one of these custom fins from Mermaid Victoria. (http://www.etsy.com/listing/156625822/custom-mermaid-fin-sirena?ref=shop_home_active_3) I forgot her username on here, but I'll punch it in in a few. EDIT here she is! (http://mernetwork.com/index/member.php?2877-PugetSoundMermaid)

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This is the spandex/lycra fin I made with it (I haven't shown it yet because I'm so shy about my sewing/design choice)

If my casting goes well, I'll make some fins to put on my waist. My color palette will reflect brown/orange/gold/neutral tones that are reflective with bright reflective blue accents. I can't wait to pull up a design. It's likely to change but right now I'm working on the scale sheet.

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Long way to go!

[PearlieMae]

Excellent! I look forward to watching your progress! Good luck! :)

[MermaidLychee]

Quick update before work; started sculpting sidefins last night, wanted to tear my hair out by the end!!

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Also ran out of foam last night, picked up some more today! Have to work today though, so espresso mermaiding it is for now...

[Mermaid Lorelei]

I'm liking the shape of the sidefins. Very different.

[Mermaid Caspiana]

Yay, a new tail making process!

[MermaidMyrthe]

Soooo cool! Good luck!

[MermaidLychee]

So here's where I stopped last night!
I ran out of foam and had to make an emergency trip to the store to get some more, my hands are sore from punching, but I don't care!! I'm flying through this show called Leverage on Netflix, my friend has always wanted me to watch it. I've gone through one whole bottle of tacky glue so far and I'm only applying conservatively!
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I'm liking the way it's coming along so far, but I'm unsure about my cardboard. It's warped and lifted from the glue.
I called Reynold's in North Hollywood today to get a quote on two gallons of silicone shipped out here. The total with purchase is going to be roughly $550 dollars. While I'm not looking forward to spending that much, it's a small price compared to commissioning a tail, so I'm biting the proverbial bullet and committing to buy it sometime around Valentines Day. Bills have to be paid for February first....
To do list: order Monster Clay & silicone pigments, find Plaster of Paris/another suitable moldmaking material (NOT paying for Shell Shock to be boated out here too!!) And some more cardboard for fluke sculpt.
I may toss out those sidefins in lieu of starting over with the Monster Maker clay; the Sculpey has cracked so many times; I spent a solid five hours on it and it cracked and crumbled. I was not happy.

Taking my hole punch to work today to punch out more circles on my lunch and breaks!

[MermaidLychee]

Ahhh! I didn't see those replies! Thank you guys so much for your words, they keep me inspired to join y'all with my own floppy fin! x3

[Mermaid Dottie]

I dig it, girly! Keep it up. :thumbs up:

[Marie-Josie Cayer]

Very cool! I am glad to see how you are progressing and I wish to you best of luck for your tail making adventure!

[Kae]

This is so awesome! You could try switching from tacky to elmer's. Elmer's is a little less expensive and works great! It also will probably help with the warping cardboard!

[MermaidLychee]

You guys are all so great, thanks so much.

@Kae I will! I never liked Elmer's cause it always seemed to just come right off, but I will, just because i'm...out of options til next week. xD

[PearlieMae]

I know you have already started gluing down your scales, but to keep the cardboard from warping, you need to seal it from the moisture in the glue. The tacky glue you are using and Elmer's glue are PVA glues (poly vinyl acrylic), and are basically a thin coat of plastic (acrylic) in a water base. Ironically, brushing it onto your cardboard will warp it some, but when it dries, it should flatten back out. Brush a few coats of PVA over the remainder of your cardboard - thin coats, but not watered down, and let each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next. It will create a barrier from the moisture in the glue as you glue down more scales. If you can get it at the craft store, Mod Podge, matte or gloss (another PVA glue), is really good at creating a barrier, and it probably costs around the same as the Aleene's Tacky glue.

Good luck!

[MermaidLychee]

I know you have already started gluing down your scales, but to keep the cardboard from warping, you need to seal it from the moisture in the glue. The tacky glue you are using and Elmer's glue are PVA glues (poly vinyl acrylic), and are basically a thin coat of plastic (acrylic) in a water base. Ironically, brushing it onto your cardboard will warp it some, but when it dries, it should flatten back out. Brush a few coats of PVA over the remainder of your cardboard - thin coats, but not watered down, and let each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next. It will create a barrier from the moisture in the glue as you glue down more scales. If you can get it at the craft store, Mod Podge, matte or gloss (another PVA glue), is really good at creating a barrier, and it probably costs around the same as the Aleene's Tacky glue.

Good luck!

Thank you Pearlie! I have Midpodge laying around already, I'll throw some on the rest right now! Thanks for the pointer!



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[MermaidLychee]

So after giving it some more thought and looking at my foam circles already, I'm not overly confident in the quality of mold this sheet is going to give me. I'm rather paranoid something is going to go wrong due to the cardboard (too small a sheet, too wet, etc) and would feel much much much more comfortable starting over with a thicker piece scavenged from work. Taking a page out of jazz2453's (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?5525-Jazz-s-H2o-Style-Silicone-Mermaid-Tail-Process/page3&highlight=jazz) book, ordering some soccer ball/football foamies may be a better option not only because my circles keep coming out torn from the punch/cardboard continues to warp (it's rather flimsy compared to the cardboard I can get from work) but also that the punching is beginning to hinder my actual money making work. I work at Starbucks where I'm doing repetitive motion/making drinks all day for eight-ten hour shifts, and the punching really killed my arms yesterday, causing my forearm to swell and ache while I was at work. Advil didn't help it at all.

mfw
http://images3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20131013155424/degrassi/images/5/50/Ariel_face_palm.gif

I did the modpodge overlay and the cardboard is still flimsy/threatening to tear due to the water in the glue. I'll keep working on it as a 'just in case' matter/I won't throw it out, but I don't think I'll be using it to make my scale mold.

ON THE PLUS SIDE! I may instead of rounded scales, make diamond scales with these guys cut in half instead:
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I'd rather cut a thousand little footballs in half than the alternative. XD I plan on making the tail with gold tipped scales regardless, it's a matter of which would be more flattering with the underside painted gold.

I'm rather disappointed that I'll have to wait (shipping to Hawaii tacks on an extra few days, sometimes a whole week or more) so I'll be working on my Mer-bra/going for swims instead to kill time/give my poor muscles a rest.

[MermaidLychee]

separate post for to-do list:
- purchase footballs & monster clay (as well as pigments from Amazon for one single order)
- lift some thicker cardboard from work
- decide on plaster of paris or this method (http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?5452-Scale-mold-help!&p=109957&viewfull=1#post109957) (Thank you Jinx!)
- calculate said cost for moldmaking
- start bra top
- plan fluke & mirror it


Lots of stuff to do, only a little time to do it!

[PearlieMae]

I don't think that cardboard is your best choice for a base for your scale sheet. You would probably have better luck with wood or masonite.

[MermaidLychee]

I don't think that cardboard is your best choice for a base for your scale sheet. You would probably have better luck with wood or masonite.

I'm beginning to have this thought as well. The humidity here does nothing for any work on this tail including the cardboard. Looking at the boxes I have to choose from today, I think plywood is my best bet right now. Now to get some...;;

[Miyu]

:swoon:

It's going to be so pretty! I can't wait to see! I *love* this monofin, and I hope someday to have one (after I am much better at dolphin kicking, I think)

OMG SILICONE POTC TAIL WITH VICTORIA'S MONOFIN OMG

[tempest.mermaid.designs]

Becca, Your aqua lycra tail is beautiful! Don't be shy about showing it off, it's sewn beautifully. You have a lot to be proud of!

It's great to see someone creating a mermaid tail based off of the mermaids in POTC On Stranger Tides. Especially since the monofin design is titled the "Sirena" design...Coincidence? I think not. ;)

Keep posting photos of your progress!

-Victoria XOXO

[MermaidLychee]

Update!

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I have my foam footballs in hand as well as the proper materials for the moldmaking; a large flat piece of wood, the boards for the sides, linen and CementAll! My monster clay is in the mail seeing as how the Sculpey did not work out. I have to do several loads of laundry/clean my room out&up in order to start work on the new scale sheet, however, looking at costs it looks as though I'll be purchasing silicone NEXT month instead. The cost of the higher quality materials to make the cast with devastated me, and my bills are first and foremost. So I'm delayed a month or so, but no biggie!

[Mermaid Dottie]

Yay!
How are you going to lay the footballs? Points vertical or horizontal?

[MermaidLychee]

Yay!
How are you going to lay the footballs? Points vertical or horizontal?
I'll put them on there vertically, making the scales pointed. C:

[MermaidLychee]

Okay, so it's been a few and I'm about halfway done with the scaleboard....again.

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But it's
1. hellaciously uneven in spots.
and
2. running out of footballs fast.

My plan is to replace the bottom ones and spread them out a little wider. If they don't make it as long as I want/need, then I'm going to freeball it because I really can't afford to order more of these footballs. BC

My clay is in the mail waiting for me, I'll be picking it up on my way to work. I'll have some more sidefins/dorsals sketched/planned, and given the amount of silicone I have in my possession when it gets here, I'll make them and attach them! If not then I won't! :p

I've had several fits deciding what color I want this past week and havent really indulged in anything just yet. I know that all if not most of it will be a cream based color, but markings and others have been flippy floppy. It'll come out the way it wants to come out I guess!

[Mermaid Dottie]

NICE! I like that you sliced the footballs in half. Maybe to help keep it even you could lay a yardstick along the previous row?
Are you planning on tinting your silicone scale sheets to avoid paint chipping?
Have you thought about making a pattern of your legs and laying your footballs inside that to save on materials?

[MermaidLychee]

NICE! I like that you sliced the footballs in half. Maybe to help keep it even you could lay a yardstick along the previous row?
Are you planning on tinting your silicone scale sheets to avoid paint chipping?
Have you thought about making a pattern of your legs and laying your footballs inside that to save on materials?
i have a yardstick off screen actually! It's helping me gauge the rows and keep things somewhat even, it's difficult though because I didn't cut the footballs very evenly in the first place.

The thought has crossed my mind! I'm sure that i won't be one uniform color however, I'm stuck on lionfish colors, Starting with a dark burgundy/copper near the dorsal that fades into a creamy underbelly with gold accents.

Before I had a pattern of my legs and I saved on foamie circles. I thought that making it one uniform scalesheet would allow me to use the cast in the future for scale tops/etc but at this point, getting the tail done is most important. When I get home from work, I'll start curving the areas near my ankles and my knees in order to see how many footballs I can get out of it towards the total length. I've just run out of them, sadly, and it's only halfway up my buttocks!

[MermaidLychee]

Okay so that last post I made was meant to be posted SEVERAL hours ago. Here's where I am now;

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THAT WILL HAVE TO DO. If there are issues with it, then it will have to be brought upwards. The scales on the bottom of the tail/the ones that wrap around my heel/monofin elude me, so i'll be making three casts of scales in the end.

MEANWHILE...I got my monster clay today and so far? WAYYYY better than Sculpey. Worth the money.

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Making a nondescript fin, I may make it a dorsal, I may not! Who knows! I'll find something to do with it!

[Vela]

I cannot wait to see what this tail comes out to look like! :)

[jazz2453]

That fin sculpt is very nice! :) I love the look of the footballs as well! Good luck

[MermaidBrandie]

Loving the footballs. :) I love pointed scales more than rounds ones anyways.

[MermaidLychee]

Hey cuties! It's been almost a month with no word from me, and yet here I am! Fin sculpting has gone only somewhere----sort of.

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So far, this has been all smoothed out, made thicker, and the other side of it has been worked with slightly. The sculpt unfortunately, has to stay outside due to my parents wishes, making it difficult to work on at certain times of day (i.e. around my work schedule and while it's still light outside!) However....

My silicone was ordered on Friday!

I anticipated it to take about two weeks to get here, and so I budgeted my next paychecks for pigments and worked on my other costumework (Mass Effect for an upcoming con) and put my tail on the side for the time being, but then---

It arrived. Like an hour ago.

SO.

I've got to shift gears in the craft room and get this sucker going again! I still have to mold the scales and finish this fin but holy bejeezus I am SO READY to swim in this baby and it hasn't even been molded. :P

[MermaidLychee]

Hello again! I havent forgotten this thread, nor this project!

Sculpting has gone next to nowhere, unfortunately. Working at sbux I burn my hands often enough, so going in premeditavely with rugburnt/sore/raw hands from sculpting isn't a good idea. i usually try to limit myself to an hour a day or my fingers begin to peel, and no one wants to see your fingers PEELING when you're handling their food!

I also have limited space in the craft room. This is a bummer thanks to our sudden spree of garage sales, but they're now over, so i can move things around again! hooray!

Fortunately, my pigments are in the mail. I bought all 42 of the jacquard pearlex pigment because i couldn't decide. /)_(\ hopefully seeing the colors will kick my butt into gear.

the other reason i havent been moving very quickly is because 1) its been raining!! 2) i'm extremely sensitive to the opinions of my parents. almost 22 and still living at home, this is my idea of getting some of my bucket list things out of the way before committing to a house/apartment, two jobs, and school loans. it's also my little way of building a portfolio for costuming and special fx. unfortunately it all costs a ton of money. like, a lot. and my dad especially doesn't appreciate that it costs so much. so i tend not to work on it when he's around or when i need another persons help. working on it when he is around guarentees i get long, judgemental stares, and when i get those, i tend to overthink, get really upset, and end up being an emotional wreck, not wanting to work on anything at all. i value his opinion as a parent, sometimes to the point that i do feel like a super failure, despite knowing that once i finish this it'll be the greatest accomplishment in the world to me.

tldr my dad looks like he's mad at me when i work on this and it really bums me out and makes me want to quit. so im waiting until next week when he's on business to really hit the nail on the head and get these cement casts done! finishing it when he isn't home spares me the stress of his input.

no progress pictures this time, but once the fluke looks done, there will be!

[Mermaid Saphira]

I'm so super jealous that you got a monofin from Victoria! They are just amazing, especially the style you have! Good luck with your tail :D