PearlieMae's Silicone Tail Journey

**Taz** · 01-28-2014, 02:34 AM

Breathtaking <3

**Mermaid Isabel(:** · 01-28-2014, 04:01 AM

Wow your work is so beautiful! I love how you did each scale separately and made them different sizes it looks so amazing!

**Ashton** · 01-28-2014, 12:36 PM

Just out of curiosity; how much has making this tail cost you so far?

**PearlieMae** · 01-28-2014, 04:28 PM

Originally Posted by Kae

So I've been away for what I thought was a short time and had to catch up on a billion pages of this thread! I can't believe how much I've missed!

These scales are heart-stoppingly beautiful! Attachment 17822 I can't wait to see more pictures!

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!

**thevirginiamermaid** · 01-28-2014, 04:42 PM

I love the mailbox!!! When I get a house I'm definitely pimping my mailbox mermaid style

**Mermaid Sirena** · 01-28-2014, 06:44 PM

That mailbox is fantastic & those scales are stunning. I can not wait to see what this looks like when it's finished!

**Mermaid Caspiana** · 01-28-2014, 08:13 PM

When you finish you definitely have to tell us how much you'll charge for tails! You are utterly fantastically talented!

**Delphine** · 02-02-2014, 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by PearlieMae

Hmmm....good question. A lot of the things I've already had in my arsenal of craft supplies, but off the top of my head, since I got my silicone...

All costs are approximate.

2 gallons dragonskin - $400 (I won't use all two gallons)
pigments, glitter and Pearlex - $30 (I already had EVERY color, I needed black, purple and interference colors)
resin for molds - $50
clay - $20 (about six pounds)
Lexan - $70 (I can probably get two flukes out of this, but if it's too floppy because it's thin, I may double it up and glue it together in the one fluke, so figure inexpensive monofin, cost-wise)
powermesh - no idea. I had it in my fabric stash.

So far, I'm looking at a cost of around $600 for new supplies - granted, this doesn't take into account incidentals, things I already have on hand or mer-hours...The hourly cost alone - if I paid myself just minimum wage - is already in the thousands, but lots of this time was spent exploring the materials. Once I get the process down, I could probably turn around a custom tail with handcrafted fluke and individual scales in say...three months.

And this is a TOTAL "GUESSTIMATE"! I feel like I am forgetting something crucial, but it's not coming to mind yet.

Wow! I guess because you must have had a lot of equipment already.. the Delphine Tail was definitely $1,000 at least, with almost all new supplies. Yours MUST be thin! My scale sheet is probably about 3/16" thick & I like that. Yours sounds thinner! YES! The Dragon Skin works well as it settles clear onto itself. I basically did the same with glow-pigments and wished I'd don't one last clear "slime" coat. This really helps bring out the depth when iridescence is involved, so your scales are gunna be epicly fantastical. You have quite a following, now, eh? Whoohoo! I feel like if I could do a fist-time silicone-tail within 3 months, you definitely can once you streamline your super-detailed-process. I'm amazed & adoring of all the work you have put into your tail. It's inspiring and wonderful, absolutely fin-tastical work!!! Sorry I went into hermit-mode for Dec., I had to focus on graduating college. ^__^" I really missed checking in with you guys! I'm floored by what you've accomplished in these months. Keep it up, Pearlie! Funny enough, I'm also an Aquarius, so I guess this is a thing. XD I work among the same materials as you, apparently lol!, and would love to discuss specifics at some point. I'm very interested in your use of the Pearl Ex pigments. They're sooooo gorgeous. And you did PEACOCK SCALES! A Mer after my own fishy heart. <3

P.S. And your mer-mailbox is mmmmesmerizing! Love it!
P.S.S. Hm, interesting. why do you feel that shell tops are more suiting to mermaids than say, scale tops? Or, I dunno fabric or animal-themed tops?

**Jeblily** · 02-06-2014, 02:14 AM

It's so beautiful!!!!!!

I'm getting teary eyed just thinking about how this will look when you finish!

**Winged Mermaid** · 02-06-2014, 03:04 AM

This is me, the whole time I'm reading this thread XD

**PearlieMae** · 02-06-2014, 10:21 AM

I am getting really excited about it! Next up, fluke/monofin construction!

**Fifi Tigg** · 02-06-2014, 10:50 AM

Lol that is soo funny!

Originally Posted by Winged Mermaid

This is me, the whole time I'm reading this thread XD

**PearlieMae** · 02-06-2014, 12:22 PM

Originally Posted by Winged Mermaid

This is me, the whole time I'm reading this thread XD

You might not comment much, but when you do, you KILL me!

**Jessica** · 02-06-2014, 04:13 PM

Keep up the good work!! Your scales are so beautiful!!

**Mermaid Caspiana** · 02-06-2014, 08:31 PM

This will probably be the most realistic ail I have ever seen! Awesome job, Pearlie!

**deepblue** · 02-06-2014, 09:27 PM

Great gods and little fishes, your work is amazing, woman. Holy criminy. Yeah, in the future when I finally get to make a tail, yours is some advice I shall heed.