How to Draw Mermaids
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First you should sketch out proportions using loose lines. This will help you get a good idea of how your poses will work before you invest a lot of time in them. I use circles to mark joints, which helps later when I flesh out limbs. It's also a goo
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Now is when I begin to add details such as faces and flesh out the arms over my guides. Using circles to mark joints before was a huge help, as I was able to use that to round out the shoulders nicely. I begin to add hair details over their heads, ke
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Now I flesh out the tails, using long, loose strokes to keep them looking smooth and fluid. I add more details to their hair as well as give them some ornaments. Anemones and starfish are pretty typical findings where they live.
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Last come all the little details that give them real character. I added some scales to their tails, but be careful not to add too many or it won't look sleek and shiny. I played up their faces a little more with little details, fixed their hands and
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If you want to color it in, play around with underwater effects and ways to make their scales glisten. Use yellow like I did to reflect the sun or add in some white, pinks and blues as well to make them look opalescent. Have fun!
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October 27, 2009
Description: There are many versions of mermaids in the world of fantasy, from Disney's Ariel to the frightening sea hags of ancient lore. I chose to use the style of a classic children's book, taking some inspiration from my favorite Hans Christian Andersen illustrations.
