Can someone explain the making of the fluke

[Fun123joker]

im hoping on making my first latex tail. thing is i dont get how one would make the fluke. like i know you cast it but how. it would be awesome if i got some visuals because all i can find is people sculpting it and when it comes out of the mold. how do you make the mold? when placing the sculpt in the mold should the clay be wet or dry? do you keep the monofin in while molding. what do you use to make the mold? how does it come out? can someone please explain the steps just for the fluke. it would be awesome if you show me if you are one of the people making a tail around this time

[Mermaid Wesley]

All this is answered in the tail making index.


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[Mermaid Wesley]

http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?6947

this is my favorite tutorial. It is the same process, except you are using latex instead of silicone.

[Triton-Mahtlinnie]

Julz's thread is also helpful when Latex tail making. http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?5855-Julz-s-First-Latex-Tail-attempt&highlight=julz+latex
I also documented the process of making my latex tail here: http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?7282-Ed-s-Latex-Tail-Project&highlight=latex+tail

How your mold is made depends on what material you use. For latex, plaster is usually the best (the plaster will suck the water from the latex, helping it cure faster)

When you have your fluke sculpted in clay (I recommend Plastalina, it doesn't dry out so you don't have to worry about it cracking and it peels out of the mold easy), build a mold box around it (I don't advise clay walls, a fluke mold needs to be thick. Mine was at least 4 inches thick) Lay the sculpt on a piece of wood, then put a small wood wall around it.

For plaster you can do large pours. Mix some plaster, then pour the liquid plaster over the sculpt. (It can help to do a small layer first to help prevent bubbles, then pour more over top). Once the plaster dries you can flip it over, pull the sculpt out, and you have a mold. Then it's just a matter of pouring latex into the mold and waiting for the latex to dry.

When you have two latex pieces, then you can put the monofin in the middle and attach the latex peices over it.

[Fun123joker]

THANK YOU