The Journey Begins...

[Usagi]

Hi there :)
So, I got silicone for Christmas. Yay! I only have one gallon total, though, so I'm going to have to buy more as I go along. I'll be using Dragon Skin FX Pro, and I'm hoping it'll turn out as nice as tails that are made with Dragon Skin 10.
I still have to buy:
•foam sheets
•wooden board
•clay

That's as far ahead as I have thought right now. I've been sick and don't really feel like using my brain. Lol
I'm going to try to alter my Finis Wave to give it actual foot pockets, so we'll see how that goes. Otherwise. I'll probably have to buy a Finis Foil because I won't be able to afford and of the other monofins for a loooonngg time.
Well, for now it's time to watch Desolation of Smaug and eat some caramel cheesecake.

[Mermaid Alea]

Good luck with getting better! I got my first monofin this Christmas. Maybe someday in the future I can get dragon Skin silicone for Christmas haha.

Do you already have a tail design in mind? Maybe you could just doodle ideas while you are sick.

[Usagi]

Thanks. :) how exciting that you got your monofin! I remember when I first got mine and loved swimming in it! :)
I already have the design and got 2 different pigments for Christmas, as well..it was supposed to be 3, but they sent my mom blue acid dye instead of orange pigment. Blah :/

[Mermaid Alea]

I haven't even been able to swim in it yet and I really cannot wait!
That is too bad about the pigments. I got my paints in and 2 are a lot closer in color than the website pictured. It is too bad the nearby stores don't carry the kind of supplies we need.

[Usagi]

Give an update once you get to swim in it! :)
That stinks, I'm sorry to hear it. What kind of paint did you get?

[Usagi]

Can someone tell me if this would work for backing the silicone? Is it the same as power mesh?
http://www.joann.com/swimwear-lining/xprd728506.html#prefn1=prod_type&q=lining&prefv1=Product&start=27

[Mermaid Wesley]

It's not power mesh, power mesh is like tiny stretchy netting and that's just a thin fabric. I saw it in store the other day. It might work but I thing the mesh effect is what makes power mesh effective


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[PearlieMae]

well, it's hard to tell from the online photos, but the description and price leads me to believe it's power mesh. I don't think they use "power mesh" as a name of the fabric. If it stretches in all four directions then it should be fine.

[Usagi]

Okay, thanks, guys. :) I'll be heading over there today, so I'll see what they have!

[Usagi]

Went to Joann today and they had power mesh. Originally, I was going to get white, but then I saw they had nude and decided to go with that. I got 2 yards. Yay! :)

[Mermaid Wesley]

Yay! Now idk if it's just me but i love to stretch power mesh


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[Theobromine]

Woooo! I also got silicone for Christmas! I got two gallons of it, and I'm already wondering if that will be enough! I guess it depends on if you plan on doing a lot of extra fins. I love watching everyone's progress! Do you have a design in mind yet?

[Usagi]

I do have a design, but I'm keeping it a secret ;) hahaha it will make me feel better if it doesnt come out right :P
My foam sheets came in today, so I've started punching them out. :)

[Usagi]

I made a llittle foam scale test piece thingy..I sprayed them with acrylic spray and just went to check on them...they came off the wood and are no longer sticky...too mcub spray? Lol

[Usagi]

Okay, so I've made some progress. Here's a random photo dump:
Christmas Gifts
http://i58.tinypic.com/210m1af.jpg
My pigments with the random dye they sent instead of the orange
http://i60.tinypic.com/1zpijqr.jpg
With the orange pigment. They let me keep the dye.
http://i58.tinypic.com/2a9zkmc.jpg
Silicone
http://i61.tinypic.com/28mkdw7.jpg

I also got my clay today and will probably finish laying the foam circles tomorrow and will post a picture then

[Usagi]

I learned something..do not make your scale sheet on the living room floor of a house with 4 cats and that is frequented by a couple of children under the age of 8.
I knew there was some fur and dirt herr and there, and figured I'd just clean/pull it off once I'd finished the whole thing.
Well, I finished last night and used a flashlight to see exactly where everything was...it was COVERED with cat hair and dirt! I suppose it certainly didn't help that the cats were always running around and walking on it.. blah. I was trying to get all of it off, but eventually gave up. I figured, if I can't see it without a light directly on it, it shouldn't make a big difference. As long as there wasn't any sulfur in it ;P

[Mermaid Wesley]

lint roller?

[OceanRose]

LOL! same thing happened to me :D I got little pinprick holes from kitty claws and lots of fur which I had to vacuum off my foam scalesheet.
I like the colours you're using, it's going to be awesome!

[Usagi]

Lol I've actually lint rolled it several times. Some just won't come off with that, though, and some are stuck partially under the foam.
Thanks OceanRose! I love your avatar!! :)

[Usagi]

Well, poopy. I tried to make a mold of my scale sheet. The first problem was that the clay wall kept cracking when it would dry. Second problem was that the nozzle on my ease release snapped off! I figured that there wasnt any way to prove that it wasnt damaged while in my care, especially since I got it for Christmas, so I decided to just deal with it. It was really hard to spray and leaked a lot and idk how much it actually sprayed. Then I was dumb and tried to brush the resin on the scale sheet. It didnt work out too well so I eventually just decided to pour some on and try to spread it out a bit. Then I put the fiberglass matting and put more resin on top of that. I tried to spread it on top of the matting, and it caused the fibers to clump up and it was just a whole lot of blah. It cured and I had to pull all the scales out, which were really slimy and gross and sticky. My boyfriend and I got a bunch of fiber glass pokes and stabs and cuts on our hands. After removing the scales, we could see that some parts had made a really good mold, but other parts looked like there was barely anything there. I decided to pour some water mixed with food coloring in it so see if that would show if there really were any indentations or whatever. That's how I discovered that there were holes in my mold! So I have to figure out how to patch that. Then, last night, I decided to take some clay and press it onto the flat-looking parts to see if it made an impression..it did...of the fiberglass! -_- so maybe I'll make some individual scale molds and attach them in the naked areas. I thought it might still look okay with the flat patches, since I've seen fish like that, but I definitely dont want the tail to have the pattern of the matting. Blah!

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

The fiberglass resin heats up, and can melt and warp the foam circles.
Resin doesnt need a clay wall. Its doesnt run far from where you put it. But it does need a beauty coat of just resin to keep the cloth or matt texture out of the mold. Cloth isnt as strong but its less messy, you can spread resin on top without clumping, and doesnt leave those nasty pokeys. Its easier to cut shapes with it.

Painting the tail after may fill the fiberglass marks enough that you wont see it. Test a small patch and see!

[Usagi]

Thanks for the advice!! I was thinking of ideas during class just now..in addition to adding scales, maybe I can add some fins and collect some dead barnacles at the tide pools and attach them haha

[Usagi]

I thought I'd be able to get out the little foam pieces that got stuck in the mold, but I just tried with water and a toothbrush last night. Any advice? :(

[Lily]

You can try acetone (get the pure stuff, not the diluted/scented kind). Some types of craft foam will dissolve in acetone, or possibly turpentine or mineral spirits. I've also seen "carburetor cleaner" recommended, but I have no idea what that is or where to find it. :-/

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Fiberglass resin can be removed with acetone. I use nail polish remover with it to clean up afterwards. It will make the resin sticky and soft. The more you rub the more comes off.

I had the same issue. The resin can fill the air pockets in the foam. I threw my mold out and did another in clay. Sanding it works but you have to be very careful. The dust is very bad for your lungs so full ventilation and masks and old clothes or overalls.

[Usagi]

Okay, the resin mold of the scale sheet is seriously just a bust. It makes me sad because I used almost all the resin that I got for christmas on it (granted, it was only 32 oz). So now im thinking of making a patch or two of scales, of maybe six. I would have a base layer of silicone and then attach the scale patches with silicone. Would that work? I thought I'd read something about there being a time limit for attaching silicone to silicone.

Also, should I extend my monofin somehow? Or could the silicone in the fluke give enough of a push?

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Im sorry to hear your mold is a bust :(

http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?6109-PearlieMae-s-Silicone-Tail-Journey

I think this thread will help if your going smaller scale. Pearlie Mae has pretty much mastered anything in that area. Its an amazing read. Her tail is stunning and I personally think one of the most realistic ive ever seen.

As for the monofin, you could if you wanted to. It would make the fluke stiffer. If you want a more floppy fluke, it would work the way it is. Now that I fixed my wave ive got pretty good propulsion in it. I imagine an intact one would be even better!

If you do, make sure to test to see if your silicone will cure against it.

[Usagi]

Thanks, I didn't realize Pearlie Mae was doing it in groups (or individually? I'm writing this before going to check out her thread haha). Although that makes sense since Wesley was posting about finding a Pearlie Mae scale and holding it hostage. Haha
I wanted something with good propulsion to move me along more quickly, because I panic underwater for whatever reason and have to surface after barely going anywhere. Lol lame.
What happened to your wave? Im guessing it broke, but how? Mine is bent and doesn't want to be straight again.
I wanted to use DragonSkin 10 for the fluke since the type im using for the scales and possibly a dorsal is more flimsy. I was hoping the 10 would give a little more of a push. Thanks for the tip about testing first. My monofin has duct tape residue on it from when I had an "extension" on it. I'll have to clean it before testing, I guess

[Prairie Mermaid Jamie]

Pearlie makes individual scales. Shes got to be the most patient person on the planet! I have a fund for a tail from her. I imagine patches would be the same way but faster. She also sells scale pendants now.

My wave is in a mertailor silicone neoprene tail and he put 6 holes almost 3 inches across.

http://mernetwork.com/index/showthread.php?9537-What-a-silicone-quot-neoprene-quot-monofin-looks-like

which I should probably update with the method I used to fix it. So not broken, just handled by someone who couldnt care less about his product. Sad.

Mine was very bent from the way it folded but I took a low heat gun to it and warmed it up. Then I put flat heavy bottle on it (super miracle bubbles 3 litre ones) and let it cool and it worked pretty well.

I think dragonskin 10 is the most widely used and works well. Isopropyl alcohol with clean the residue off. Ive seen people say they had no cure issues with dragonskin and duct tape but im not sure about just the glue. Platinum cure is super finicky. I have to find a new area to pour my silicone since the room I wanted to use has had latex clothing in it and the silicone doesnt always cure. And its winter here for at least 4 more months lol.

Im excited to see how a tail made with the fx silicone turns out!!!

[Mermaid Wesley]

Thanks, I didn't realize Pearlie Mae was doing it in groups (or individually? I'm writing this before going to check out her thread haha). Although that makes sense since Wesley was posting about finding a Pearlie Mae scale and holding it hostage. Haha


I still have that scale XD sorry you've got problems, hon!

[PearlieMae]

Oooh! The Dragonskin FX is sooooo super soft! They use that for like facial prosthetics...think zombie make-up! Dragonskin 10 is also very very soft. If you want a stiffer silicone, I'd go with the Dragonskin 30. It's still soft, but at least it has some push to it. 10 is best for scales.

What monofin are you using?

The 'window of opportunity' of attaching silicone to silicone is kind of a myth. If you wipe down your silicone with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol - I prefer the 91% as there is less water and it dries faster) before attaching more silicone really works. If you've made something from silicone and used it in a pool (or whatever), washing it withDawn dishwashing soap (the original blue kind), rinsing it well, then following it up with the alcohol should prep your silicone nicely. Of course, it's better to attach silicone to itself when it's fresh - you get a better bond - but I've had no issue attaching new to old, or old to old. (Mermaid Jessica told me about the Dawn, and the president of Smooth On told me about the alcohol.)

Wesley, you still have that scale? Bleh! You do realize it was in my shoe for most of the evening, right? :p

[Usagi]

:hail::hail::hail::hail::hail::hail::hail::hail::h ail::hail::hail::hail::hail::hail:
You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for the tips! :) I made a few scales today and poured some resin on them and I'm letting it cure overnight.
Pearlie, I am just using a finis wave, since I already had one for my fabric tail.

[Mermaid Wesley]

Wesley, you still have that scale? Bleh! You do realize it was in my shoe for most of the evening, right? :p

i washed it off. its a souvenir now *cackle*

[PearlieMae]

:lol:

You've been into the mermaid punch, haven't you?

[Usagi]

I just put a bit of silicone in the mold. O.O

[Usagi]

It's a lot goopier than I had been expecting.

[PearlieMae]

Did no one mention it's a lot like snot? 0_o

[Elle]

Did no one mention it's a lot like snot? 0_o

And then you can pigment it and have multicoloured snot

[Atlantisblue]

That's good to know *Iol*

[PearlieMae]

I do that inadvertently when I have a cold. Just the one color, though.

[Usagi]

That was actually my thought when I mixed it! Hahaha I've been having the same, Pearlie. Maybe I should start snorting the pigment to make the sinus infection a little more magical.

[Usagi]

Ugh someone come make scales for me. I am wayyyy too lazy and tired. -_-

[PearlieMae]

You'll never get your tail with that attitude.
:cheerleader:

[Mermaid Alea]

You can do it!
Just think the sooner you finish, the sooner you can swim in your new tail! Spring is on its way and I am sure you are going to want to have your tail finished especially for spring break.

I wish I could trade places with you. I would rather be working on figuring out making a silicone tail than doing built up drawing homework. I have to draw a fully shaded drawing of a person each day in my sketchbook for one of my classes. I am not used to drawing every day like this, so I find myself forgetting to draw or being too lazy to draw. Tomorrow I have that class so today I had to try and draw something for the days I missed. I am so tired of working in my sketchbook and drawing the same people over and over again. I seriously would love to work on something 3D & wearable right now! Just think of how proud you will be once you are finished and how happy you will be! It will all be totally worth the work!

[Usagi]

Aw, you guys make me feel more motivated. :) I think I'm worn out because I've been eating sugar constantly, so I'm probably having sugar highs and then crashing. I just want to sleep all the time. Lol
MinxFox, that sounds like it would make your hand cramp! Why would they assign something like that? Seems like it would push someone to have some resentment toward it, or at least enjoy it less than they did before. You should go find a bird lady in the park and draw her :)

[Mermaid Alea]

I have been sleepy lately too but I think it is the weather making me tired.

Yeahh...I didn't really know what I was getting into with this class. I was required to take drawing 3, but for that I would have to do nude drawings of people (old people, young people, men, women, etc) and that sort of drawing just isn't my thing. It makes me feel uncomfortable when I see nude art at an art show, etc. I understand that not everyone feels this way, and I might be kind of rare in feeling this way about not wanting to draw nudes even if it somehow betters me as an artist (not sure how much it could since I am in Graphic Design) so I was dreading that the class was required. Then I learned that I could take an alternative. The alternative is with the head of the Art Department, so I really want to impress him, but at the same time I struggle to draw so much when normally I don't draw this frequently. I am starting to resent it a little. He told me that he is making me draw every day because no matter what people say, the key to being a really great artist is drawing very frequently from real life and this way you wild build up a memory of how certain things look so that one day, you won't need reference at all to draw something because you have already drawn it so many times before. Every day I dread knowing that I have to do an hour to 2 hour long drawing at some point during the day - that is normally how long they take me.

Sorry for sidetracking on your wonderful thread! I can't wait to see how your tail comes along! :)

[Usagi]

http://i58.tinypic.com/o69wdi.jpg
what do you think? Should I try to extend my monofin to fill in the fluke excess?

[Mermaid Jaffa]

I don't know. It looks neat though!

[Mermaid Alea]

Great job I love it!:thumbs-up:

[Ashton]

It depends on if you like the monofin look or not, I used what I call 'tail extensions' made out of poly-vinyl sheeting (found at home depo in the lumber area) so that you wouldn't see the round monofin when it was laying out or when it had a back light.

[Usagi]

Thanks :) I'm not really worried about the monofin showing through, but rather whether or not I'll have good propulsion with the excess silicone

[Dancing Fish]

Oooooh, wow. Amazing fluke shape!
I've seen that epoxy resin you had in stores, and was considering using it-- how stinky was it?

[Mermaid Momo]

I think you should leave the monofin as is :) the excess silicone will create a nice flowy look in the water in my opinion

[Usagi]

Thanks, Ashmorelj! :) it was very very stinky haha i brought my (failed) mold inside to cure since it was nighttime, and my father's response was pretty much HELL NO. It stunk up the whole house. Oops!
Momo, that's a good thought. Especially since I'm going with a fire theme. Does anyone know if Dragon skin 30 will still be flowy?

[Atlantisblue]

Love the shape of the fluke, just wondering if the up turned sides might create drag?

[ShyMer]

Just a quick thought- are you making your mold wide enough at the top to compensate for the thickness of the monofin?
When I made my latex tail, I didn't account for the thick ridges of the rapid, and I didn't figure it out until I had both sides of the fluke attached. I tried sticking my rapid in and it wouldn't fit :( I ended up making a lexan monofin to fit instead, which turned out okay, but it was an extra step I didn't plan for.
I love your sculpt by the way. I think it'll have a very interesting flow in the water. I bet a foil would look nice in this tail too.

[Usagi]

O.O @shymer, I'm not totally sure what you mean. The part right by the foot pockets? And by ridges do you mean the outer rim? Now I'm slightly panicky haha

[ShyMer]

Yeah I think we're on the same page. You could probably add a section of silicone between the fluke halves without any problem if you need to. I guess the main thing will be to check to make sure it fits before attaching them. Sorry to scare you :c

[Usagi]

Well hopefully it works out! I just finished putting resin on the sculpt and I'm it turns out at least semi nicely, unlike the mold I tried to make of the scale sheet (R.I.P.).
• I had to use so many pairs of gloves for this thing!
• I was trying to spray the ease release on the sculpt (I mentioned before that the nozzle snapped off). I'd gotten it on my bare hands before and I was just like Aah, that's cold and feels weird! But the can has been sitting outside and I started around 9 pm. I had gloves on, but when it got on my (gloved) hand, it hurt! Like geez, it felt like the glove was melding with my finger! I had a little white mark, but it's gone now, thankfully.
• I tried to use the fiberglass matting again because I was too cheap to buy the sheet. Hopefully that doesn't mess it ip because it looked like there was air bubbles :/
• I'm incredibly stingy with stuff, and was going to save some resin "just in case." But then I was like, in case of what? If the mold fails, the small bit left over won't be enough to use so I'd have to get more anyway. So I used the whole 32 oz on this thing. Fins crossed that it works.

[Usagi]

http://i58.tinypic.com/zu2jaf.jpg
I don't really like the line thing down the middle, but it looked worse without it :/

http://i57.tinypic.com/1128so0.jpg
close up

[Usagi]

Aaaaaah! So I've been thinking about tops and decided I want a half-corset type of top. I dont really like the scale tops, though. So I've been thinking about what I could make it out of for a couple of weeks. Just now I was looking at underwater ocean pictures and trying to think like a mermaid.
"If I was a mermaid, which of these materials would I use to make a sturdy top?"
I looked for fake coral and seaweed and thought about anemones and basalt. Then it hit me. They would probably use something like shark skin. And it would probably be totally perfect for a top. I googled it and shark leather is actually common, which I didn't know. I could never use shark leather, though. So I'm wondering how the heck I'm going to make a top that looks/feels like shark skin. I dont think there's anything like it! Maybe I can make a sheet of resin, then smash it with a hammer and glue all the little shards onto a top. xD

[Usagi]

And the idiot of the year award goes to...me, for not putting a release agent on the wood surrounding the mold. -_- gross blister on my hand from trying to use a chisel to lift the resin.

[Usagi]

So...e6000 doesn't work on silicone? Blah.

[Mermaid Wesley]

Nope. silicone is the only thing that adheres to silicone.

[Usagi]

Well, poop. Here I was, thinking I was being clever.