MerMay | Day 11 | Sunbathing
- GenreChowderStudios
- Jun 20, 2018
- 2 min read
Sunbathing
Illustration done with HB/4H pencils on 4.5 x 6.5 white cardstock.
I knew when I was making my MerMay list that I wanted to make an old lady mermaid. You don't see a lot of those around, do you? So why not give it a go? Yeah, I made an old dude, too, but we'll get to him down the line, God willing.
There was some extra time at hand when I took on the 11th day, and I think it shows. The result is a both detailed yet focused piece. Lots of swooping, textured lines that stand in contrast with the old miss on the rocks (which sounds like a drink you'd order in a bar somewhere). They look a bit like clam shells, to be honest. And I like the water effects.
My favorite bit is the mermaid's face. I don't usually draw the elderly, though I do prefer to draw late 20s to early mid-40s-ish persons. But she's got a kind, puffy, pouchy sort of face. I really like her big, round nose and chin. The barnacles are a close second. Never drawn them before, but given the extra time I had for this one, I thought I'd look them up and add them in. That's what I like about these kind of events. Sometimes, you're forced to draw things you're not accustomed to drawing. And sometimes, it turns out you're actually good at it. I wouldn't say they're amazing by any stretch, but they're alright, aren't they?
There's a fair amount I don't like, however. You see the fins above her tail and on her arms? They're white, and I don't know why. It messes up the value balance. Plus, they get lost in the detail. The sky lines up weirdly with the rocks she's sitting on. On the right, I mean. Look at it. It's weird. The sky should be smaller in width or else the rocks wider out. Either way, the rocks should overlap the sky. In addition, the darker parts of the sky should be darker. There needs to be more difference in the value. It would have made it punchier.
It's a good picture. Definitely one of the better ones thus far.
Thanks for reading.
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