The Making Of Kelly's Latex Mermaid Tail

[Mermaid Clara]

Hey y'all! so I'm still a newbie on this site and learning how to use it... but I'm making a latex mermaid tail!

here is my scale punch I'm using:
https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t31/1556211_10200527589032805_490135987_o.jpg

my scale shape:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t31/1502190_10200527589112807_854061903_o.jpg

the craft foam sheets I'm using have adhesive on the back:
https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/1525011_10200482905475744_2126422997_n.jpg
https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/1483331_10200500769162325_293480546_n.jpg

my scale sheet in progress:
https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/1476234_10200482105975757_1904801192_n.jpghttps://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/t1/1489099_10200483315045983_75880062_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/1560595_10200557519421046_836046509_n.jpg

My finished large scale sheet:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/1528716_10200557838109013_631961884_n.jpg

I also made a small scale sheet with the baby scales I had for scale tops:
https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1504021_10200532253189406_352220169_n.jpg
https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/1533743_10200556097905509_1678577284_n.jpg

And the finished baby scale sheet:
https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/1522225_10200556508315769_1058054760_n.jpg

[Mermaid Clara]

here is the fluke shape I choose to go with... its kind of a modified H2O shaped fluke:
https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/1480504_10200502255759489_126574830_n.jpg

I started sculpting it on my plywood board over the weekend:
https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1/1451374_10200649047029179_1528079355_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/t1/1656416_10200649045549142_448551706_n.jpg
https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/1157579_10200649246834174_203812154_n.jpg

And today's progress:
https://scontent-b-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1/1422428_10200659739736490_143945648_n.jpg

[MermanZen]

wow you've made great progress im also making a latex tail if you need any assistance just PM me

[Mermaid Dottie]

Lookin good! Don't forget the release agent!

[lynsea]

Love the fluke! Love the scales. Where on earth did you get that punch? I totally want one.

[Mermaid Clara]

Love the fluke! Love the scales. Where on earth did you get that punch? I totally want one.
I bought it from my local Joann's store

[Mermaid Clara]

today's work on sculpting my mermaid tail's fluke:
(I'm almost done!)
https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/1779669_10200688946106631_1099310514_n.jpg

and the finished fluke sculpt:
https://scontent-a-lax.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/t1/550343_10200689435158857_285846011_n.jpg

I decided to keep my fluke smooth and not add any detail or texture to it because I'm just not that talented and I liked it better smooth than with the texture from the plastic fork...

[Mermaid Clara]

so over last weekend my dad and I made my fiberglass mold of my fluke:
Here is the inside-
https://scontent-b-pao.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/t1/1654323_10200729732366262_413903460_n.jpg

and here is the outside-
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/1794735_10200729732766272_518585341_n.jpg
today I cleaned the Vaseline out of the inside with a scrub brush and dawn dish soap,
later once its dry we are going to sand the inside and put another layer of fiberglass resin and fiberglass cloth to get rid of the bubbles and
make it a bit stronger.

[Mermaid Adriel]

great job on the fluke! :D

[Mermaid_Dominique]

What kind of brand is your scale punch, I'm cutting everything by hand and it takes up a lot of time. A scale punch would be the perfect solution but I have no idea where to find one! :/

[Mermaid Fenicia]

It looks like a Fiskar punch to me, by the colors of it ;)

[Mermaid Clara]

What kind of brand is your scale punch, I'm cutting everything by hand and it takes up a lot of time. A scale punch would be the perfect solution but I have no idea where to find one! :/

its a fiskars punch in the shape of the flower petals

[Mermaid_Dominique]

Thanks for the info!

[Mermaid Clara]

UPDATE:
I took my small scale sheet and covered it in Vaseline, have to make a trip to the hardware store after I wash my hair and an hour of driving my mom' car. I'm 17 going on 18 ad still don't have my driver' license...

[Mermaid Dottie]

Don't worry, I didn't get my license until I was 20. can driving to the hardware store count as part of your hour of driving?

[Mermaid Clara]

UPDATE: worked on making the mold of my little scale sheet I will be using for scale tops to match my mermaid tail... so close to being done with the molds just to do the big scale mold(next weekend maybe?) and then I'm all done! After the molds are done it will be time to buy the liquid latex from monstermakers.com and my paint from createxcolors.com
more pictures coming soon
my dog is once again high off the fumes from the fiberglass resin...

[Mermaid Adriel]

I can't wait! *^*

[Mermaid Clara]

Hello everyone! it took a few days for my fiberglass scale mold to finish curing due to not putting enough hardener in the resin but here it is all the foam scale pulled out
https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/t1/1922223_10200851008758096_574671280_n.jpg
and a picture looking down at my mold
https://scontent-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1/1925313_10200851008478089_2194589_n.jpg

[Mermaid Clara]

now I'm off to scrub my scale mold clean...
I hope y'all have a nice day

[Mermaid Clara]

UPDATE:
here is my big scale sheet with the duct tape walls around it... apparently I did it wrong so now I have to redo it...
we also had 5 packets of fiberglass cloth but we need to get 2 more, which daddy is currently making a Home Depot run to get.
https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/1901226_10200889891850149_205527066_n.jpg
https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/t1.0-9/1236390_10200889892250159_1054895488_n.jpg
https://scontent-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/1510531_10200889892410163_708976504_n.jpg

[Mermiah]

Wow /)0o0(\ your scale mold came out so nice!

[Mermaid Clara]

Update:
just wanted o let you all know that I haven't given up, I'm just researching more on how to make my tail and gathering the supplies I will need.
I'm just kind of stuck due to money issues, but I'm working on mer-elated items like real seashell necklaces and other jewelry to sell on my Etsy (link on my profile page) I should be able to make them during my spring break coming up next week. but I will make a post in the Classifieds form section when I am ready to start selling :)
thanks for everyone's encouragement and support and help, it really means a lot to me!
-Kelly Mermaid

[Mermaid Clara]

Hey ya'll! just letting you know I'm still here just saving up money to buy the stuff to make my latex tail.
so far i just need to raise about $1,000, i'm going to be making stuff to sell for my Etsy store and maybe start a fundraiser on Indigogo.