PearlieMae's Silicone Tail Journey

[MermanOliver]

Congratulations! It sure will be exciting.
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[lasserine]

Great! I hope you share your progress!The slime coat/top coat is more to seal the scales down, so you don't have to clean under them, really...it doesnt stay shiny, unfortunately, the surface dulls down a little with use. It's still pretty, it just doesnt look freshly wet.

How can you keep the shiny/fresh wet look? Will do the single scale method myself, just need to figure out a scale shape.

Is it ok if I send you a note?

[PearlieMae]

I imagine just wiping your tail down with a little coconut oil, or tanning oil, maybe, but I don't think you'll be able to coat your tail in anything permanent for that super shiny look all the time.

Sure, send me a message anytime!

[PearlieMae]

And on another note: Good news, I just got back from a swim with the new monofin design - Stubby Shortiefin - and it's sleek, sturdy, maneuverable, and comfy as ugly sandals! What little I lost in propulsion, I more than made up for in maneuvering! Hahaha! I'm tempted to stick it in the prototype fluke while I finish the new one just to see how she swims under rubber!

[Mermaid Galene]

Congratulations, Pearlie! How awesome that your tailmaking skills will get such great exposure! Fame and fortune coming your way...

[Arella]

Congrats

[Echidna]

Stubby Shortiefin - and it's sleek, sturdy, maneuverable, and comfy as ugly sandals!

After trying out every shape and size of fin, I found shorter, smaller ones with just the right grade of floppiness give me the most propulsion with very little effort.
I actually prefer a stubby, sleek and slightly floppy fin to the competitor, which feels like a whale and kills my ankles after a while

Grats to being picked for the Faire!
I bet your tail will be one of the prettiest.

[PearlieMae]

:::unrelated to thread:::

[Trident True]

WOW, this looks awesome it turned out really well, the flipper looks great not to floppy. The tail also looks light in weight. what i mean by this is, when is saw you swimming in it, it looks almost weightless on the body, not to mention it fits you like a glove. compared to most silicone tails in looks lighter then these. your tail design is definitely a more advanced design than others on here. supa-dupa work.

[PearlieMae]

Thanks so much!

With the monofin, the whole thing weighs less than 20 pounds! It fits so well because I built it on a mannequin of my lower body - cling film and packing tape, and I made it snug so the tail would grip me. When my legs are outstretched, it looks like a smooth tail body - not too tight at the knees - and the ankles fit really well, too...snug, but with lots of flex. When I bend at the knees, there is a wrinkle, but not like some I've seen...and you won't see a seam BECAUSE THERE ARE NONE! And absolutely no gapping!

I mentioned it before that I have to add more to the top for a bit more modesty, don't need the girls making an appearance, and I might go ahead and fill in the tum area with my see-through-tan scales, which will make it a full coverage tail...think Chicken of the Sea coverage. I can't lay still long enough to tan my belly!

I am very happy with it, and tonight - good lord willin' and the crick don't rise - I'll be sandwiching the fluke halves over the fin!

[PearlieMae]

Well, the sandwiching of the fluke halves was postponed a little, but the flukes are now curing in the sun while I prep the monofin.

Here's the new fluke, curing in the sun:

[MerEmma]

WOW. What nice big pieces of glitter!!! <3

[PearlieMae]

I love the chunky holographic glitter. The trick to keeping it from cutting its way off the tail is to seal a layer of tulle over it with a thin coat of dragonskin.

[Mermaid Fenicia]

Like Rarity would say: Ho!!! Shiny ^_^

[MerEmma]

Totally. The chunky glitter looks gorgeous. I'd love to see a tail with such big glitter it was used as scales, which I guess is like a sequin tail, but. xD

[PearlieMae]

Yeah, at some point, I think glitter comes out of its cocoon and becomes sequins.

[Raayvhen]

And the final form is rhinestones.

[PearlieMae]

There are only TWO rhinestones. Light amethyst teardrops about an inch, one on each side of the fluke, under the big heart.

I mean, c'mon...I'm not a Lady Gaga!

[Mermaid Jaffa]

You're not?

[PearlieMae]

No, I'm the ghost of da Vinci.

With glitter.