Finfolk Productions: anyone ordered a tail from them? I just did!

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Originally Posted by Scarlet Rose

How long till it's delivered; do you have an idea on shipping time?

If I seem a little anxious to see what this tail looks like in the water it's because I'm talking with the girls on getting my flame one with this design. ;D Still don't know what details I want; additional fins, scales (what options are there?) and scale tipping need to be considered.

As for the waist NO; I would discuss with them how to remedy. 1 inch shouldn't be that bad but may squeeze you a little tighter than you'd like; my initial though would be to cut a splice in between a few scales to give a little room for expansion but I don't know what that would do to the integrity of the silicone. Talk to the girls!

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My boyfriend is an absolute sweetheart, so he made sure it's coming over by expedited FedEx shipping. I'm expecting it to be here on Friday, maybe Saturday.

I think a flame rendition of this would be lovely. You mean reds/oranges/yellows? I'm pretty sure they only have one scale mold atm (they recently changed their scale patterning, so the one they're using now is what they say is the new and improved one). But for fins... go crazy! I'd also really recommend scale tipping. The girls did a great job on mine- it adds to the realism.

Yeah, I talked to Abby and she said it would be fine to neatly snip away maybe two or three scales from the middle, depending on how much I need to let out. I just want it to still sit above my bellybutton, but not compress me like a mer-dumpling, lol. Esp as I tend to bloat.

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Originally Posted by Mermaid Syrena

My boyfriend is an absolute sweetheart, so he made sure it's coming over by expedited FedEx shipping. I'm expecting it to be here on Friday, maybe Saturday.

I think a flame rendition of this would be lovely. You mean reds/oranges/yellows? I'm pretty sure they only have one scale mold atm (they recently changed their scale patterning, so the one they're using now is what they say is the new and improved one). But for fins... go crazy! I'd also really recommend scale tipping. The girls did a great job on mine- it adds to the realism.

Yeah, I talked to Abby and she said it would be fine to neatly snip away maybe two or three scales from the middle, depending on how much I need to let out. I just want it to still sit above my bellybutton, but not compress me like a mer-dumpling, lol. Esp as I tend to bloat.

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Woohoo on the shipping! OMG I am super excited FOR you so yeah; the description you used of you being "ALL KINDS OF MAGICKAL BATSHIT" is really accurate I'm sure. ;D

Yup, it's loosely based on the coloring on the bottom half (no white except maybe a little 'fade' at my waist) of the 'Fire fish':
Attachment 15153

The actual fin on my tail would look more like actual flames. :D So I'm not sure what extra fins would look good; was wondering if there was a side long fin option to make it look more like the fire fish or flame.

Not sure also on what the difference scale tipping would make since I'm not sure how the color scheme will go. Will most likely let the girls decide!

Cool on the waist! :D

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Originally Posted by Scarlet Rose

Woohoo on the shipping! OMG I am super excited FOR you so yeah; the description you used of you being "ALL KINDS OF MAGICKAL BATSHIT" is really accurate I'm sure. ;D

Yup, it's loosely based on the coloring on the bottom half (no white except maybe a little 'fade' at my waist) of the 'Fire fish':
Attachment 15153

The actual fin on my tail would look more like actual flames. :D So I'm not sure what extra fins would look good; was wondering if there was a side long fin option to make it look more like the fire fish or flame.

Not sure also on what the difference scale tipping would make since I'm not sure how the color scheme will go. Will most likely let the girls decide!

Cool on the waist! :D

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Eep! Finfolk DEFINITELY has a long side-fin for that. Check out the fins they used for Zelah the Mermaid, Mermaid Alora, as well as Siren Nasreen.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...type=3&theater

Hope this helps!

Can't view FB pics on my work computer and too small on my phone. :p I did google and found this clip though; yes I love the side fins on the gold tail!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e-1w...3985D307328473

OMG SYRENA DAT TAIL!! Piece of art! Congratz! :)
Do you have any idea how much the shipping for your tail is/was?

Syrena, just try the tail on first before you trim any scales. It may fit just fine. My tail is I think 2-3 inches smaller than my measurements and it fits me fine. When I was doing the measurements, Abby and Bryn told me take off an inch all around anyway, to account for the stretchiness of the silicone and keep it snug around your waist so it doesn't gap. This works very well. They took off an additional inch from my measurements because at the time I was doing a workout competition with some work friends and was losing a fair amount of weight. Well, I didn't lose much more after that but oh well :P Still fits.

If you do trim scales, make sure to be very careful and round all the corners between scales. Do NOT make a cut down into the tail between the scales. This will just give it a place to tear from very easily. Yes, Dragonskin is very durable but it is not indestructible, and if you give it a pathway to tear on a high-stress area like the waist, it definitely will. I had a small tear in the waist of mine due to this, because there was an area where the point between the scales was too sharp. Luckily I was able to fix it easily (well, Lorelei fixed it for me, with a little more Dragonskin). Anyway, you just want to be very careful with that area. That's why I lowered the waist of mine a tiny bit, to take a little pressure off it when I pull it up over my rump.

And I can't remember if I posted this before, but here's a video of me swimming in my tail (with Mermaid Lorelei who is awesome and who made the video). You can see how it fits me and how the fluke moves in the water. I have more video clips but I'm clueless about video editing so I've done nothing with them so far :doh: It's also the first stuff my husband and I were shooting with our GoPro so it was basically a practice run. I need to get some more footage and learn video editing...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTSPRfmpc14

I could edit a video of just you if you want Theo. :> I still have all the footage.

That would be really sweet, if you have the time :) <3

Sure thing. :>

Syrena, your tail is gorgeous!! I cannot wait to see how it looks on you :)

And I love that video of Theobromine and Lorelei!! Ahhh you both look fantastic. Someday I hope I can swim with another mer (: And I'm in looove with the song you used! What is it??? I have to go listen to everything that artist has ever made!

Hi gorgeous video! Was this filmed with a GoPro? :)

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Originally Posted by Jadestone

I'm in looove with the song you used! What is it??? I have to go listen to everything that artist has ever made!

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It's Blackheart (Original) by Two Steps From Hell :)

Yes, my husband and I got a GoPro Hero 3 Black recently, that's what we used to get the footage. For the shots in that video, we just laid the camera on its back on the bottom of the pool looking up. It turned out pretty cool!

And Lorelei put the video together and picked the music :) I think she did a fantastic job.

Aww, thanks guys. Yeah, the song is Blackheart and the Go-pro is Theo's. :3 I just put everything together. XD

I can say that GoPro footage looks AMAZING if you can get enough light. Outside swimming with sunshine is the best. Unfortunately most of my footage is in indoor pools because living in WA they see outdoor pools as a waste.. ya know with 9 months out of the year it's rainy cold (usually hangs around 38º-45º most of the winter and into spring and fall from what I've seen). The 2nd best footage I got was an indoor pool in Vancouver where they had skylights everywhere and the sun was shining through them strongly that day.

Riiarin: Thank you! We used the fastest UPS shipping- I think it worked out to 400 Singapore dollars or so.
Jadestone: Danke, sweetie! And, oh man. I totally know what you mean about wishing you could swim with another mer. It gets LONELY sometimes over hayerr!
Winged Mermaid: Two Steps From Hell --> hellish name, heavenly music. Seriously. Can someone say "gym jaam"??
Theo: All right, that made me feel better. :) I'll wait to see how it fits, and then act accordingly! And yes I rewatched the video of you and Lorelei for like the fifth time. So beautiful! And the music!

I love the GoPro! Hubby got one before our trip to Jamaica; he took it with him when he went scuba diving and saw this:
http://youtu.be/bfJeYMhrk4g

His words: "The 'clicking' sound is the Dive Master ringing his "HOLY SHIT LOOK OVER THERE" bell."

We hoped to use it to capture me swimming but due to scheduling problems with the tour boat we didn't have a chance.

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Originally Posted by Theobromine

Syrena, just try the tail on first before you trim any scales. It may fit just fine. My tail is I think 2-3 inches smaller than my measurements and it fits me fine. When I was doing the measurements, Abby and Bryn told me take off an inch all around anyway, to account for the stretchiness of the silicone and keep it snug around your waist so it doesn't gap. This works very well. They took off an additional inch from my measurements because at the time I was doing a workout competition with some work friends and was losing a fair amount of weight. Well, I didn't lose much more after that but oh well :P Still fits.

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This was something I was thinking of doing if I ever make/buy a silicone tail. I love how yours fits, so I guess my theory was correct ;). Were the inches taken from all measurements (i.e., even knees and ankles)? Or just from 'fleshy' areas, like thighs, calves, and bum?

WOW. That was so neat to see. <3

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Originally Posted by Aziara

This was something I was thinking of doing if I ever make/buy a silicone tail. I love how yours fits, so I guess my theory was correct ;). Were the inches taken from all measurements (i.e., even knees and ankles)? Or just from 'fleshy' areas, like thighs, calves, and bum?

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You know, I'm not entirely sure. I didn't actually think to ask back then. It's pretty tight across my knees, so I suspect they might have taken it in on all measurements. I do wish it wasn't quite so tight on my knees, but I don't think that impacts the way it looks.

Last night I was really carefully re-watching some of the footage we took to see how the waist looked when viewed from the side. There is a tiny bit of flapping on the back of the waist when I swim down, but it's barely perceptible, far less than a lot of other tails I have seen. I know it's inevitable that there will be a little bit of that in any tail (unless it's glued to your skin or something), but I think it's so minimal on my tail it turned out really great. And the gold of the waist looks really good against my skin and makes a really good transition without doing a "blended" waist (I'm not a huge fan of those, because I think skin-colored scales look really weird, and the skin tone never matches the paint job anyway). So yeah, basically, they did a really good job on my tail. Despite taking an hour to put on the first time I tried, and almost being reduced to tears because I thought maybe I was too fat to ever get into it, I finally figured out how to do it and the tightness of the waist is worth the effort! (and it only took me an hour the first time, now I can do it in 15-20 minutes with lube)

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Originally Posted by Theobromine

Despite taking an hour to put on the first time I tried, and almost being reduced to tears because I thought maybe I was too fat to ever get into it, I finally figured out how to do it and the tightness of the waist is worth the effort! (and it only took me an hour the first time, now I can do it in 15-20 minutes with lube)

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:jawdrop:

An HOUR the first time? Ok, so i will definitely be asking for tips & tricks on how to get into the thing in under an hour lol.

SEX LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUBE

Oh also, I derped around for probably at least half the time just trying to get one foot into the monofin pocket because I was trying to just slide it in. I couldn't get the @#$%^&^% thing around my heel no matter what I tried. I finally figured out I had to just reach in and grab the heel strap and hang onto it with a couple fingers while I shoved my foot in. I had to do that for both legs separately. After that it was just a matter of hiking the rest of it up over my ample rump. But seriously, let me tell you, my legs slid in EFFORTLESSLY when I tried it with water-based lube. I am never not using lube again. I should buy an industrial-sized container of lube.

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Originally Posted by Theobromine

SEX LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUBE

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**falls over laughing**

Ok I'm set then. ;D

Just don't leave your lube in the YMCA changing room!

:doh: Ah yes...thank goodness I remembered right at the last second to run back and retrieve my "lotion"...

Good news Mermaid Octavia and Mermaid Syrena: my mermaid tail casting has starting this week. I have chosen the betta tail with personnal customizations to the highest portion of the fluke. It will have a dorsal and probably some small fins as we progress into production. I have been told by the ladies that the Betta tail does not have the Competitor monofin upgrade. Colour chosen will revolve around magenta, light blue and pink along with silver or gold scale tipping. The main body will be more like a red wine colour with degradation colours. Feel free to share your stories if it pleases so. Thank you!

That sounds awesome, I can't wait to see how it turns out!

And yeah, the betta fluke is way too narrow to put a Competitor in. You'd have to trim it down so much there wouldn't be much point.

That sounds absolutely beautiful, Marie! I can't wait to see it!

Ooh! I'm excited to see another betta tail.

Outstanding! Marie, I know you must be thrilled! :) I'm on the Finfolk queue, somewhere. That work for me!

If Marie's tail is being started now, I think Dan's might be next? That could mean they're on schedule to begin production for mine in two weeks! Hopefully! I'm trying not to get too excited. XD

I know the feeling! I am beyond psyched to become an anthropomorphized red drum!

Attachment 15210

That will look AMAZING, Dan! I don't know what your skintone is but I can imagine those colors would shiny beautifully in bronze and reds in the sun!

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Originally Posted by Mermaid Octavia

That will look AMAZING, Dan! I don't know what your skintone is but I can imagine those colors would shiny beautifully in bronze and reds in the sun!

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Here's the top half. This was our beach tip over the summer. Yes, that's my 9-year old mermaid with me, there. :)

http://scontent-b-atl.xx.fbcdn.net/h...02569116_n.jpg

Yes, I am Merman Dan: The Merman With a Farmer's Tan. ;)

Awww so cuuuute! I've seen you comment on Finfolk's page! I can't wait to see yours! Any extra fins? Competitor?

Competitor, dorsal fin, scale tipping, and extra fins; though now I am wondering if I'd like two sets of extra fins instead of one!

OOooOOooo and here I am, debating what pectoral fins I want!

So excited for everyone! Just heard from Finfolk that Emily's little tail will be finished in a few weeks! :yay: