Jurassic Merman Productions

Fabric Mermaid Tail Design

I was commissioned to design a fabric-based version of Jurassic Merman Productions’ signature silicone mermaid tail. The goal was to create a more accessible, swimmable product while preserving the realism, texture, and distinct visual identity of the original handcrafted tails.

Challenge

The original silicone tails featured intricate, sculpted scales and fins with strong depth and dimension. Translating this into a flat, print-ready textile required recreating that realism through digital hand drawn illustration and color alone.

An additional challenge was developing a system that could scale across multiple sizes (S–XXL) without distorting the pattern, proportions, or overall composition.

Role

I led the project from concept to final production, including illustration, pattern development, color rendering, sizing, and print preparation.

Process

I began by studying detailed reference images of the original silicone tail to understand the structure and unique characteristics of the scale design.

From there, I:

Digitally illustrated a single scale and built a repeatable scale system
Created fins and additional elements as modular components
Constructed the full tail layout, ensuring natural transitions in scale size and flow
Used layered digital painting techniques to develop depth, color variation, and sheen
Built a sizing system, recalculating the design for each size to maintain accuracy
Prepared print-ready files and refined the design through multiple sample prints

Solution

The final design translates the original silicone tail into a high-quality fabric print that maintains its signature look and feel. The systemized pattern and modular approach allow for consistency across sizes while preserving a realistic, visually striking result.

Outcome

The fabric version expanded the product line, making it more accessible for swimming and photoshoots. Its release contributed to a 50%+ increase in sales, with additional color variations developed to meet customer demand.