Hello fellow mermaid enthusiasts! About two years ago I decided to start a weekly drawing challenge for myself: To do one mermaid every week until I have a full 100 (and then make them into a book, but that's another story). As I am getting oh so very close to my goal (I'm at mermaid drawing number 97 right now!) I thought it was time to share this art project with you Bored Pandas out there.
All these cool drawings are created with graphite pencils and colored digitally. If some textures look like watercolor to you, though, then you are not wrong. Throughout the series, my process has undergone some slight changes, including drenching the mermaid images with liquid paint once in a while.
'But why mermaids', you ask. 'Are there not enough of them on the Internet already? Them mythological creatures with their luxurious hair and splishy-splashy tails?'
That is a good question, friend. I find mermaids a fascinating subject exactly because they are ubiquitous in fairytales and pop culture. We all have a certain image ingrained in our minds when we think of what a mermaid looks like, so it's not only a challenge to come up with new drawing ideas, but it is more fun since we all have some common ground to start from.
Anyway, this is really about the pictures, isn't it? So here are the first 40 of my mermaids! If you're interested in more of these beautiful drawings, feel free to check out my Patreon (There's no pay barrier for the mermaids).
#1 My Zero Mermaid
64points
#2 Serra Lubrica
This mermaid is using her extraordinarily long tail to shield herself from outward influences and danger. Slime glands render her unappealing and poisonous to predators.
58points
#3 Serra Medusa
Don't be fooled by this mermaid's delicate appearance. Her translucent tentacles are reaching far, keeping predators and nosy scientists at arm's length. Her touch can cause strong inflammations and death, earning her the name 'Black Widow of the Deep'.
58points
#4 Sedna Inanis
This solitary spirit haunts the Northern Pacific and Arctic Ocean, restlessly collecting and stealing the souls of every animate creature she comes across, eternally trying to fill the void of her own existence.
51points
#5 Serra Agnatha
This sea floor dwelling mermaid has developed excellent tools for both feeding and protecting herself. Slime producing glands make her unappealing to predators, while her toothy mouth comes in handy when dismantling and eating her prey.
50points
#6 Sirena Sancta
The locations of this species' sightings vary widely. The appearances never seem to last more than a few seconds and it has yet to be determined whether we are dealing with a single or multiple entities. Her ethereal and fleeting shape has led to the formation of the Siren's Church, a cult worshipping her as the embodiment of an angel.
50points
#7 Serra Communia
It is highly improbable for this mermaid to survive on her own. At some point she has joined forces with a so far unidentified species of fish, forming what appears to be one creature. Evolution has taken on strange forms and this is surely one of them.
49points
#8 Serra Hortus
Half plant, half mammal: This mermaid is an eco system in herself.
47points
#9 Serra Monoceras
Somewhere between humanity believing in unicorns and denying the existence of narwhals, this shy creature has been roaming the depths of the Arctic Sea for centuries, unnoticed and undisturbed.
46points
#10 Sirena Quieto
This mermaid is taking playing dead to a whole new level. Her skeletal, weathered appearance, cold blood, slow metabolism and barely detectable heartbeat will fool predators and prey alike.
46points
#11 Serra Papilio
Even though sightings have been rare, several varieties of this colourful species have been spotted mingling with the flora and fauna of the coral reefs close to the Chagos Archipelago.
Nolarger than the span of a hand, this mermaid is easily mistaken for a brightly coloured fish or sea anemone.
45points
#12 Serra Teuthida
This creature will make use of a heavy fog of ink to protect herself from curious eyes as well as to distract and poison her prey.
43points
#13 Serra Chlorophyta
The hair of this mermaid produces a steady amount of oxygen in the water around her while also serving as a filter for small organisms.
42points
#14 Gorgóna Gorgóna
This mermaid seems to have sprung directly from Greek mythology, living in perfect symbiosis with snakelike water creatures that have attached themselves to her head. Sharing prey and predators alike, they are an effective combination.
40points
#15 Serra Ramosa
Places where these creatures gather are known as 'siren forests' due to this mermaid's arboreal appearance. Her branches form a vital part of her life support system, supplying her with oxygen and nutritions.
39points
#16 Fiji Mermaid
The discovery of a living specimen begs the question whether Barnum's mummified body of a mermaid, long believed to be nothing but a hoax just as the copies which were in circulation after its destruction in the 1860s, may actually have been the real thing.
37points
#17 Sirena Velum
The dark bride of the ocean has a carnivorous approach to life, haunting the deep seas and feeding on smaller lifeforms.
34points
#18 Serra Crusta
The value of this mermaid's eyes has only been increasing with the steady decline of her species in recent years. Her shells may have proven to offer solid protection against natural predators, but lack effectivity in the face of human greed.
33points
#19 Sirena Volatus
So far it remains questionable whether this sea creature is actually capable of flight. Instead she has been observed to use her wings for both protection and communicational purposes.
32points
#20 Serra Pellucidum
Due to her seemingly crystalline body, this elusive species of mermaid is hard to spot amidst the darkness of the deep sea.
31points