Merbellas Thread

**introverting** · 12-12-2015, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by Mermaid Lily_Pad

I'm curious, if you do a more basic design, like her classic, do you have to wait as long to get your tail? The classic is my dream tail. I love it, but waiting years to get it would be difficult. I'm almost 40, have a chronic illness that may make mermaiding impossible in a few years. I'm just wondering if a Merbella dream is feasible for me.

I was thinking the same thing! Like if I were to order a tail with a simpler design, would it take less time? I think Raina mentioned something, saying if Raven wasn't so flooded, she'd be able to finish a simple tail in a few weeks. I also wonder how many orders she takes at a time.

**AniaR** · 12-12-2015, 11:51 AM

she doesnt really officially offer "basic" tails anymore if you mean her older ones that are like my franken tail. (I only got that one because it was a bunch of recycled pieces left over).

But if you mean basic as in terms of simple paint jobs and no extra fins etc she doesnt really take on projects like that if given the chance between that and a more elaborate tail. Like she said in her rant, she could be churning out simple tails if she wanted to make money. Now that's not to say she WONT do a simpler tail. You still get put into the bottom of the queue though. It's just that by the time she gets to your tail the actual assembly process likely wouldnt take as long.

**AniaR** · 12-12-2015, 11:53 AM

I think she's probably have no issue doing that, in my opinion. It's just it would need totally new sets of molds

What would Raven's thoughts be on doing a smooth-skinned/scaleless tail? If I were to ever get the money for a second Merbella tail (the first tail would be my Mersona, of course), I'd love to get a tail based off an orca. But... Orcas don't have scales, soooo. :I

**Mermaid Lily_Pad** · 12-12-2015, 12:42 PM

I was talking basic like Aurillias tail. I love that fluke!

**Mermaid Lily_Pad** · 12-12-2015, 12:43 PM

Like the one Mutiny threw over my legs when you visited.

**AniaR** · 12-12-2015, 05:04 PM

yeah that one is a super old tail she remade, but still had fins and a dorsal . I don't think Raven would consider Aurillas tail basic

cuz of the paint job haha. BUt really like I said, I don't think it makes THAT big of a difference. you just save time on not having an elaborate paint scheme, or extra fins etc

**Mermaid Lily_Pad** · 12-12-2015, 06:44 PM

*laughs* no definitely not in the pain job, it is gorgeous. I just love th fluke, I'm such an old fashioned kind of girl. I have always like the big fishy fluke.

**Spindrift** · 12-13-2015, 05:40 AM

Originally Posted by Tieri

You know, there is one thing I've always wondered about...

What would Raven's thoughts be on doing a smooth-skinned/scaleless tail? If I were to ever get the money for a second Merbella tail (the first tail would be my Mersona, of course), I'd love to get a tail based off an orca. But... Orcas don't have scales, soooo. :I

I've only seen one other major tailmaker make an orca tail, and that was MerTailor... And I really didn't like how he painted that one.

Latexmans would be able to do it. He already made a super realistic orca prop that is life sized.

**Sitre Seer Moroaica** · 12-13-2015, 06:03 AM

Gosh...all these beautiful tails coming in my sight *.*
I can't wait to receive mine and I'm definitely excited to hear from Raven when she starts mine. I'm at 10 months once it becomes December 23rd. Still waiting patiently of course. Cant force the greatest artist ever for Mermaids haha but boy am I excited :3

**Sitre Seer Moroaica** · 12-13-2015, 06:18 AM

I am really nervous about my tail fitting me though :/
I wish Raven could have measured me herself as I'm scared that there may be some in accuracy

But I really, really hope not.

**AniaR** · 12-13-2015, 10:46 AM

I think everyone gets nervous about measurements!

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**PetLoverSpy** · 12-13-2015, 11:02 AM

Yeah, if she accepts my order I'm hoping I could fly over and schedule a measuring with her. If only!

**PearlieMae** · 12-13-2015, 11:46 AM

I think to make it look like a smooth, fish body, you would have to cast a mold of the particular mer's bottom half, cast it, sculpt the tail body over the top (like Latexman's, or other special effects artists), make a mold of that, and make a huge two or three part mold with the original leg sculpt inside. The silicone would fill in all the spaces between the legs to make a smooth tail. Robert Short did this for Darryl Hannah's Splash tails, with the inner 'padding' being a honeycomb shaped material so that it would 'crush' around her bones as she moved and keep the smooth appearance on the outside. But he used urethane rubber, not silicone.

You'd probably have to include a closure like a zipper because the tail would be so form fitting, and probably would not be safe to swim in without a safety crew.

If you were to make a typical silicone tail without scales and without inner foundation structure, it would end up looking like a thick fabric tail.

But that's just my opinion. It's doable, but I wouldn't make one for under ten grand.