Ok, so here's a test shot of what will probably be the pattern used for this funky tail commission I'll be making. The idea is to emulate a spiky lizard's scales.

All scales are anodized aluminum. Brown scales are all woven in the normal way, but half of them have a green scale on top of them and turned backwards so it sticks out.

The previous test I had left the tube hollow, but for this last section I also built the interior structure to make sure it worked right with the backwards scales and all, and it actually makes the whole thing hang in a much more orderly manner. So yeah, I'd say it's a success.

The earlier submission for this is here.