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Thread: Mantis inspired tail

  1. #21

    Gotta love the irony of the situation here. It's a gold kelp top made by Theobromine who happens to be... A Finfolk mermaid

  2. #22
    Quote Originally Posted by Merman Arion View Post
    I'm assuming you are talking about the gold kelp top made in this thread :

    http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...highlight=kelp

    Gotta love the irony of the situation here. It's a gold kelp top made by Theobromine who happens to be... A Finfolk mermaid
    Also FYI Cyanea (her mermaid name) talked to me about her making that top when we first met in person over a year ago. We discussed it at length because she wanted to mold it in a way that she could make it for different sized bras, and I was super excited about that becuase most Merbella tops are super cleavage heavy for a D cup mermaid like myself, and would love a kelp top.
    I actually had had the exact same idea for a top but am way too timid to work sculpt something like that, haha. I had actually contacted Greg about where to find kelp to mold around the Puget Sound (since he lived here for so long) but he said I'd probably have to ask some divers cause it doesn't really wash up like it does in CA. She and I had a laugh over us having the same idea, great minds think alike and all that.

    She just wanted to take it slow with working with silicone, starting out on really small projects and working her way up, which she has been with making her little stingrays and creatures and moving on from there. She was actually really surprised when she brought her top over to my place a while back to show me, and I mentioned that it similar to one Raven made- she had no idea Raven had made a top like that. She was actually really bummed out becuase she was afraid people would think she was copying Raven. But I can tell you that she had this idea and sketches way before Raven came out with hers. She wasn't trying to copy anyone, she just didn't get around to making it until later

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  3. #23
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    yeah those two tops looks totally different to me. That's not really what I am referring to.

    I am talking about people taking specific elements unique to raven.

    Like the atlantis molding she puts on the top of the top



    Using lace and rope in this specific way and people now doing exactly that. (I ran into someone at merfest who literally said "I just loved Raven's design so much I wanted one myself" and it took me a second to realize what they were implying and it was this)



    The side fins on tops



    it's not quite the same as making a shell top, she clearly goes out of her way to create things unique to the community and then people just try and make things that look as exact as possible, it's just lame.

    but FYI Raven has no beef with finfolk over the tail. When you put the tails side by side it's pretty clear they're different. Like I said to me, more often it's these specific details like the intricate work she puts on her tops that people try to recreate and sell that bums me out.



    but since she watermarked it Imma spam this here hahaha




    I know people wanted to see the full thing. She has been working on this thing for over a year because it's a personal tail so she could only ever work on it in bits and pieces. Raven does a lot of stuff and just never has time to post things. We chatted about it a lot the past few months and she's been making a real effort (if you havent noticed you should check out her FB page) to post more of her stuff that's she's making

  4. #24
    Senior Member Euro Pod Yulia's Avatar
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    I do think, that even with all the "copying" and people trying to do things that look that other things...
    That each creator do have their own style and look, whatever people try to do to make something look like someone else's, they can't steal someones hands.

    The lionfish tail is a true work of art, it's incredible.

  5. #25
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    yup. People ALWAYS try to pin finfolk against raven and it annoys the heck out of her lol. we all know that most tail makers do their best to put their own spin on things, and we all know there's really only one who outright makes an effort to totally copy I think people just like the tail maker wars sometimes. And clients are always going to more protective of their tail maker.

    I am just super proud of Raven and happy to have seen her journey since the start. She really had to start from the bottom and the amount of growth is so impressive. She defines this field time and time again. She sets the bar. I am so excited to see some of the projects she's told me about come to fruition.

  6. #26
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Elle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Merman Arion View Post
    I'm assuming you are talking about the gold kelp top made in this thread :

    http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...highlight=kelp

    Gotta love the irony of the situation here. It's a gold kelp top made by Theobromine who happens to be... A Finfolk mermaid
    YES THAT'S THE ONE. Like obviously the tops are different though, but nothing ever came of it like some drama around copying seems to happen.


    Quote Originally Posted by Lily View Post
    This GIF
    "Will you walk a little faster?" said a Whiting to a Snail
    "There's a Porpoise right behind us and he's treading on my tail!"


    Tail making progress http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...-making-a-tail

  7. #27
    Quote Originally Posted by AniaR View Post
    yup. People ALWAYS try to pin finfolk against raven and it annoys the heck out of her lol. we all know that most tail makers do their best to put their own spin on things, and we all know there's really only one who outright makes an effort to totally copy I think people just like the tail maker wars sometimes. And clients are always going to more protective of their tail maker.

    I am just super proud of Raven and happy to have seen her journey since the start. She really had to start from the bottom and the amount of growth is so impressive. She defines this field time and time again. She sets the bar. I am so excited to see some of the projects she's told me about come to fruition.
    I agree, both Raven and the twins are amazing artists, who both put their own spins on designs. I'm very excited to see the entire mantis shrimp tail, I think it's awesome to see different people's interruptions and designs. I think people should withhold opinions and not jump to conclusions over a picture of a fluke, wait until we can see the entire thing!
    Mermaid Nessie
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  8. #28
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    Raven was the first to make any kind of sea weed silicone top and variations. But honestly to me



    looks nothing like



    Like at all.. lol

    when meanwhile there are EXACT REPLICAS of her tops. We are talking down to the detail.

  9. #29
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    ps I think Theobromine's top is SUPER original and amazing and reminds me of the seaweed I played with as a kid and I am sad I somehow missed that thread haha.

  10. #30
    I feel like neither the twins nor raven has time to copy. Like they are both so swamped in work, swimming and being, they just go, things will be similar, just like mermaids might have similar performances, but it's just happenstance. :-)
    "It is your choice to hide in a shell, or to be shrimply fintastic by being yourself"
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  11. #31
    Senior Member Pod of Oceania Elle's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mermaid Harmony View Post
    I feel like neither the twins nor raven has time to copy. Like they are both so swamped in work, swimming and being, they just go, things will be similar, just like mermaids might have similar performances, but it's just happenstance. :-)

    Yes, sometimes these things just happen and I think the catch cry of copying needs to be used less. Admittedly there was the issue of the Russian tailmaker where it was completely and utterly obvious but other wise sometimes I think we all need to give people the benefit of the doubt before we jump on that bandwagon
    "Will you walk a little faster?" said a Whiting to a Snail
    "There's a Porpoise right behind us and he's treading on my tail!"


    Tail making progress http://mernetwork.com/index/showthre...-making-a-tail

  12. #32
    Senior Member Pod of Cali Meronica's Avatar
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    Neither of these tailmakers have any reason to copy one another. I think that it could definitely be argued that Finfolk and Merbella tails are the best tails one can purchase, and they both have very unique designs and styles.

    Both of their mantis shrimp tails are lovely, and the only thing I'm butthurt about is that neither of them are for me.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  13. #33
    *is late to party, finds picture of self in Merbellas thread* tee hee I'm famous now roffle

    Yeah, I made ze Macrocystis pyrifera kelp top, and I'm not bummed about Raven making one, I was just afraid people would accuse me of copying because people always get accused of copying Raven! But now that I see her design, it definitely looks different than mine. Hers is really pretty too, but mine is more Me. I WAS trying to be the first to do a top based on this particular type of kelp, but I'm not naive enough to think no one else would ever think of it. In fact, the summer before last when I visited Abby and Bryn I even talked about it with them then, and they said they'd thought of the same idea too, so I was afraid THEY might get around to it before me. And here I am also trying to work on a tail design that's off the fucking WALL and I'm still afraid other people are going to produce similar tails before I finish mine!!

    As for the mantis shrimp tails, I did do a double-take at first, but then looking at them side by side they look very different. Both beautiful in their own ways. Having met Abby and Bryn, I highly doubt they would ever copy a design. I think both the twins and Raven have some of the highest standards in the business. All the tails are pretty.

  14. #34
    MAN i thought my idea for a leafy sea dragon tail was still original and hadn't been done yet. POOP. Oh well, mine will still have my own personal flare

  15. #35
    Name:  mantistailwm.jpg
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    Hey all, we thought we'd post a special preview of our client's mantis inspired tail (it isn't yet completed) to calm any waters regarding "copying" or "imitation." This design was ordered from us on March 28th, 2014, almost five months before Raven released her client's mantis design. (Which was a bit of a bummer for us - we were excited to be the first to release a mantis inspired tail, we just weren't fast enough for our client. Who has been incredibly patient with us over the insanity of our past year, by the way, what with our move to Hawaii!)

    We want you all to know, directly from us *that we have an open line of communication with Raven.* She has reached out to us and we have reached out to her on several occasions over the last couple of years. We have the UTMOST respect for each other as artists, and have had two conversations in the last month alone about how harmful and unnecessary it is for our companies to be pitted against each other by the community. We both have plenty of business, loyal clients, and very different styles. We WANT to see the other succeed, and as far as we are concerned, there is no need for a competitive attitude. We all have plenty of stressors on our plate, so the idea that we have to watch our backs is something that none of us need. We think it is loyal and honorable when clients and fans defend an artists work, we simply ask that you consider all possibilities before jumping to a negative conclusion. AND, when in doubt, you can always ASK US. (We are humans too - and nice ones, even!)

    Please keep a few things in mind...

    1) The client is the designer. If we are asked to create an exact copy of someone else's tail, the answer is always "no." But when someone is paying you for a product, and THEY are inspired by a certain design or concept, it is not fair of us to deny them something that the community may perceive as unoriginal. Our client ordered her mantis design far before a mantis tail even existed (as far as we know.) Would it have been fair to her to say "Another company has done this concept now, to save ourselves from backlash, we will not create this for you." No.

    2) We are artists first, tailmakers second. Believe it or not, we had no idea who Mertailor, Merbella, or Mike VanDahl, etc were when we first began making tails. We took it on as a project for our creative director at our festival, and that's how Finfolk came into being. (A snip-it of our history for you!) We kept on with tails because we absolutely fell in love with the artform, and the fact that mermaids are a limitless source of creativity. Copying would be downright dull for us, and widely unnecessary, as we walked into tailmaking with blank slates. We have SO many of our own, exciting ideas. Give us some credit, eh, eh, eh? (Our Minnesotan accents have yet to wash away in the Hawaiian waters.)

    3) Some "overlap" when it comes to tails is practically impossible. Every tail has scales, every tail has fins, every tail has a fluke. Flukes are generally triangle-ish in shape and scales are generally round or teardrop or pointed. Many tails are inspired by nature, or certain films, books, or characters. When there is so much being produced by several different companies, coincidental similarities DO happen. (Though are avoided at all costs, because it typically ignites this type of wild-drama-llama conversation, which makes us cower in our studio at night and sing to our sad little molds that we worked so hard on.)

    4) Again, we have an open door policy with Raven. I won't speak for her, but based upon our conversations, there is nothing but mutual respect and understanding. We approached her just last week about something that a client wanted added (a larger scale belly plate, similar to her dragon scale concept) that we were somewhat uncomfortable with reproducing. She agreed that as long as they looked different, it was fine by her. It is not an upgrade we are currently offering or promoting, out of respect for her. We please ask that you respect our respect for one another.

    Thanks for reading, and we hope you guys will watch for the finished mantis design on our page!

    Mer-love,
    Abby
    Please help Finfolk Productions grow! Like our business page at http://www.facebook.com/FinfolkProductions

  16. #36

  17. #37
    I love that they used the term "drama llama." You go, Finfolk!

  18. #38
    Well said and fine work, Finfolk! I especially like what you are doing about the dragon designs; you are showing considerable integrity to resist temptation when they are becoming increasingly popular, and I am curious as to how a Finfolk dragon will turn out!
    Because you can be a mermaid and have an immortal soul!

    COMING SOMETIME (THERE'S NO HURRY):
    MY TAIL; Merbella Studios and Tia Michelle Pesando's Collaboration,
    THE FIRE ANGEL SEA DRAGON a.k.a.
    THE MER ON FIRE​!


  19. #39
    Senior Member Euro Pod Vicky Mermaid's Avatar
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    *APPLAUSE Well said FinFolk lady's. In the end there is only one thing everyone wants. Happy mermaids and merman

  20. #40
    Well done Finfolk gals! I just want to say that it speaks a lot about your characters that you took the time out of schedule, which must be endlessly crazy with work, to clear the air. I can not say I am not guilty of raising an eyebrow from time to time, but I can say I will not be doing it again. It's great to know that you guys have such respect for one another. Again thank you!

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