𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙏𝙖𝙞𝙡 𝙏𝙪𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙖𝙡 – 𝙈𝙮 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙩𝙚 𝙅𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙚𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙎𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙘𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙧𝙚 Before explaining how I make my silicone tails today, I want to share the journey that led me here. It took a lot of experimentation, mistakes, and redesigns before I found a method that was affordable, effective, and easy to reproduce. I originally started by making movable foam tails using techniques commonly used for fursuits. They worked well, but I wanted something smaller, softer, and capable of moving more naturally. After researching different materials, I became interested in silicone because of its flexibility and realistic movement. My first attempt was completely handmade. I sculpted a tail out of clay and created a mold around it using plaster gauze. Once the mold had dried, I carefully separated it into two halves and removed the original sculpture. To cast the tail, I closed the mold with tape and poured in a two-part silicone with a Shore A hardness of 30. The results were promising, but the process had several problems. The silicone was extremely expensive, the mold wasn't very precise, and silicone often leaked through small gaps, wasting material. Although I managed to create a tail, I knew there had to be a better way. Wanting more accuracy and consistency, I moved to digital sculpting. I designed my tails in Nomad Sculpt and then created a two-part mold around the model. After printing the mold on a 3D printer, I added bolt holes so the two halves could be securely fastened together. This solved many of the issues I had with plaster molds. The details were sharper, the mold could be reused, and there was far less leakage. I continued using two-part casting silicone and experimented with different Shore hardnesses to improve flexibility and movement. While the results became much better, the cost remained a major issue. The silicone I was using was simply too expensive, especially for larger projects or for people who wanted to try making tails themselves. At that point, I started looking for a cheaper alternative. That's when I had the idea to experiment with the silicone commonly sold in craft stores for sealing joints and gaps. Unlike casting silicone, it is inexpensive and easy to find almost anywhere. Instead of pouring liquid silicone into the mold, I spread the silicone directly onto the inside surfaces of both mold halves. Once both sides were full, I closed the mold like a sandwich and tightened it using bolts. To my surprise, it worked remarkably well. Today, this is the method I use. First, I sculpt the tail digitally, then print a two-part mold. Next, I put construction silicone to both mold halves, close and secure the mold, allow the silicone to cure completely, and finally remove and trim the finished tail. Looking back, every failed experiment taught me something valuable. The plaster molds taught me the basics of mold making, casting silicone taught me about flexibility and movement, and 3D printing gave me precision and repeatability. Most importantly, experimenting with simple construction silicone allowed me to develop a method that is affordable, accessible, and easy for others to recreate. And that's how I figured out how to make the silicone tails I create today. ⭐️#maskmaker #therian #kemonomimi #furry #hypermotiontail - @_sillyleaf_