Jessica's Second Dragonskin Tail

[Jessica]

Hand painting! I've thought about using an airbrush, but it seems like a lot of extra work to clean it! I'm also painting in my dining room....and there's carpet on the floor....doesn't seem like the best idea! I also really love having so much control over the colors and the application. I know every single scale

hand painting is relaxing too I just get lost in my own little world!

[PearlieMae]

I know exactly how you feel!

[Mermaid Julz]

Jessica, this is looking wonderful! I am so happy to see how this is coming together for you!

[Jessica]

Thanks julz! It's so much fun to have so many of us making tails at the same time!

[Mermaid Esther]

Hi Jessica

[Mermaid Julz]

Yeah, I just wish I was doing silicone or that someone out there was doing latex also at the same time. some of the tips and tricks transfer over between them which is helpful, but it would be nice to exchange tips on the specific medium that I am working with with someone. I do read the forums on the latex tails, but having someone that you can contact directly(Live thread) can really help.

I am going to soon be ready to paint. Trip to walmart today to get clothes pins and other holding devices.

[Jessica]

Julz,

it would be nice if more people would make latex tails too! I think a lot of people lately just go straight into silicone because it's a better material and will last longer, but it's just so expensive! It's really great watching your progress though and I'm always here if I can help you with anything



I've been working on attaching the body to the fluke! I have the front side attached, and I'm waiting for the back side to cure. Then I have to wrap the scales on the sides around and seal them together! It's so exciting to see it look like a tail!

The scales still need another layer of dark green to get the emerald color where they attach to the fluke.

Here are a few pictures! (Front side)

[Delphine]

You did the seam down the back and wouldn't do it again? Now you are making me rethink my strategy! Was it super difficult, and why?

For Pearlie & all who are thinking of attempting one seam from the middle of your back, to ankles:

Well, haha, there's a lot of reasons I would rather try another way.. At first, I thought it'd be a simple matter, doing one seam instead of two however that was not the case. I really struggled to get it to STAY. I cut apart my two scale tests & played with ideas of how to keep them together. I tried various styles of clamps etc. to get it to stay still, however my dragon skin silicone really fought back! Literally I'd be pinning it together with clamps, go down a section, & it would separate. Shampoo, rinse, repeat. Eventually, I had to literally do it in many sections, with the tail base (waist to ankles) inside-out with.. kinda like bandages of silicone-covered lycra. Still, it fought back with my force & the clamps. The process was easiest at the bottom with my ankles, and hardest at the top where my butt & waist were, because there was more curve to attempt to line up together. Perhaps if done another way it'd be easier. The way I did it, I would never do again because it was so frustrating. Probably the most of all my tail parts. The rest was more smooth.

[PearlieMae]

I'm actually thinking of doing mine in four pieces, front belly piece, back, and two leg sides, with the sides having different scale patterns and details...I'm also including embedded rhinestones down the sides!

[PearlieMae]

Jessica, is it creepy to say that the colors of that tail makes me crave sushi?

[Jessica]

I'm actually thinking of doing mine in four pieces, front belly piece, back, and two leg sides, with the sides having different scale patterns and details...I'm also including embedded rhinestones down the sides!

^ this will be really neat! I love the idea of using rhinestones. I would like to use some on my scale top, but I don't want to cover them completely with silicone. Any ideas on how to get them to stay?

[Jessica]

Jessica, is it creepy to say that the colors of that tail makes me crave sushi?

Haha! I will have to warn Eva to swim fast!

[PearlieMae]

^ this will be really neat! I love the idea of using rhinestones. I would like to use some on my scale top, but I don't want to cover them completely with silicone. Any ideas on how to get them to stay?

I'm going to use acrylic rhinestones because their edges are not sharp, and you could nick them on the edges to really get them to grab the silicone. I also plan on nestling them into the scales in the point of the underlying layer (does that make sense?), and covering them with a glossy "slime"coat when I coat the whole tail.

[Jessica]

I'm going to use acrylic rhinestones because their edges are not sharp, and you could nick them on the edges to really get them to grab the silicone. I also plan on nestling them into the scales in the point of the underlying layer (does that make sense?), and covering them with a glossy "slime"coat when I coat the whole tail.

makes perfect sense! Your tail is going to be so beautiful and you are going to look like a Barbie I think I will have to find some rhinestones and stick some on my top!

[PearlieMae]

Only if Barbie has a flat chest, round belly, and thick thighs! Hahaha!

I do have some ideas for a silicone top, a different take on seaweed and octopi...the ones I've seen don't float my boat.

[Jessica]

Pearlie, I can't wait to see what you come up with!

I've been hard at work last night and all day today. The tail is coming along GREAT! It's almost finished
I'm just waiting for the latest layer of silicone to cure on the back, and then the front needs another layer of dark green and just a bit of pink on the edge of the fluke.

Mermaid acupuncture

[Mermaid Oshun]

I've been hard at work last night and all day today.

These tails are a LOT of hard work

[PearlieMae]

Pearlie, I can't wait to see what you come up with!

I've been hard at work last night and all day today. The tail is coming along GREAT! It's almost finished
I'm just waiting for the latest layer of silicone to cure on the back, and then the front needs another layer of dark green and just a bit of pink on the edge of the fluke.

Mermaid acupuncture

It is so beautiful! I'm glad to see the pins are working, those pink pearl pinheads make me want to embellish parts of a tail with pearls! I saw someone repaired her tail and added pearls to it to wonderful effect not too long ago...

[Jessica]

Golden pearl,

so much work! It's so rewarding though! It's just amazing when you take a step back to think about it...we take buckets of goo and turn them into beautiful tails. How amazing is that?!

pearlie,

i was thinking the same thing! I know which tail you're thinking of and it looked so lovely with all the pearls and sequins

[Jeblily]

I have decided the four of you need to team up, because you are all making the most gorgeous tails ever.......... I love how many different textures you are all working with!!!! The tails are sparkly, transparent, layered, and out of this world!