Arm Fins.

[Prince Calypso]

one thing that gets me in a good mermaid movie is when the mermaid has more fish like atributes than just the tail
i aim for the whole package
gills,
webbed fingers
and ARM FINS

so how would i go about making arm fins or wrist fins.
since my tail is based on the tail from POTC OST
should i go with the flowy tendril like fins

i really like these and even though you would thing it would be a simple design
i would have no idea how to do this or even were to start



or should i go with something like the arm fins from Disney The Thirteenth Year

also live these but i'm gonna be honest, i have never used latex of any kind or sculpting clay or anything like that before in my life and would have no idea what i'm doing


so a little help from my mermaid friend.
if you have idea how to creat and pull off either of the fins i would love to hear it

[MermaidRaegan]

ARM FINS <3 <3 <3

Okay, I'm done now. Down to business! I think the filmy ones would be rather easy to do, and you could also incorporate the webbed fingers. Lots of fabric stores carry very thin, filmy fabric for fancy dresses and such that you could us to make fingerless gloves with webbing in between. You could make them elbow length and then add on the arm fins.

[New York Mermaid]

your tail is flowy, i say go with flowy, it works maybe some thin fabric would work, like tulle or something.. thats what it kinda reminds me of a bit.

[Prince Calypso]

see thast what i was thinking
i just don't want it to look too costumey

[Mermaid Rillia]

if your tail is flowy I say go with flowy. It'll tie it all together.

However I wanted to figure out how to make arm fins like in the thirteenth year. Any suggestions on where to start for that as well?

[MermaidRaegan]

You could always use a fabric that is really really sheer so it'll just kinda look like a color sheen on your skin. It'd match your tail nicely.

For latex I would suggest looking at some of the threads about people making latex tails. I know one girl uses Monster Clay and prosthetic latex: you could mold the side fins and then just cast them.

[Prince Calypso]

i think that what i'm gonna do. Stephanie summer of Mermaid parties (idk why i worded it like that)
is sending me some of the scrap fabric she used to make the fins on my tail and i'm gonna work from there
also i'm gonna try to get a look closer to the POTC tails with a bit more sheer fabric fo my tail fins and try to figure out how to make the tail shimmer like the tails in the move do.

I've decided that i wanna wait till i get the arm fins and the few little changes to the tail made, as well as getting my hair done before i post any pictures.

[MermaidRaegan]

Totes understandable. I can't wait to see!

[Miyu]

I can offer a tip as to how to construct these, since I was thinking of them myself! I'm planning my first tail (sadly, only a skirt this time), and in the fluke (and on the back, covering the zipper - I think that's the dorsal fin?) I'm going to be using a very drapey, lightweight sheer fabric - chiffon or something - I think it has a bit of stretch to it, and it's used for those little ballet wrap skirts. It's not tulle, I know tulle all too well (as my hands will protest).

For arm fins, I would get some clear strappy stuff - like what you can find on some clear bra straps, inside some women's clothes where they put those stupid little loops in the armpits that I always chop off... I've even seen it used to stabilize seams in heavy garments (mostly shoulders). I would ask for it at a fabric store, they should know what it's called. If they don't, ask someone else in the store until you find someone who does. I know more about my local fabric stores than some of the employees, and some people would rather tell you they don't have it than admit they don't know where it is. I would get the widest of this they have, you can always make it skinnier, but don't even think of sewing pieces together wor width!

As for construction - To make it as durable as possible, I would sandwich about a seam's worth of fabric inbetween two strips of this clear stuff, you could even fold over one piece if you can find it wide enough. glue it with E-6000 or whatever flexible glue you use. Sew a border around all edges of the clear strips in some kind of invisible thread to really secure it all in there.

You can attach it with spirit/appliance glue, or make bracer-style strips to go around your arm to hold it on, those straps are pretty stretchy, well, I guess more very... ahem... supportive (as in, I've never had one snap on my bras, and I'm rather well-endowed...)

Hope this helps!

[Kumori Kitsune]

I am trying to make arm fins for my bf but the fabric wont stretch