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Today’s Printable Paper Doll Inspirations: Mermaids! Because I like Mermaids… & My Patrons Asked for Them
Several patrons asked for more fantasy things in 2017, specifically non-human races. So, mermaids!
In a strictly practical sense I have no idea why mermaids would wear clothes. In the ocean, that hardly seems to provide easy movement around the ocean and I tend to be of the view that since modesty is a social construct defined differently by various cultures, I don’t really see why mermaids would have the same concept of modesty as we have in the modern Western world.
In short, I don’t think mermaids would wear clothing if they actually exist.
However, since I am in the business of drawing paper dolls, not writing a thesis on the socio-cultural assumptions that underly how mythological creatures are depicted, I decided to draw clothing. After all, without clothing, mermaid paper dolls are just kinda dull.
I actually really enjoy drawing mermaid paper doll tails, but they take a little bit of work. They are only of the only things that I always draft full-sized before I try to draw them on the nice sketchbook paper. The reasoning is how easy it is to get the curve of the tail wrong and then it looks like it is broken or off. Plus, you have to cover the whole dolls legs which takes some extra work.
I chose Faye to be the mermaid today, because I haven’t done a Faye paper doll in a while and she was the first of the Mini-Maidens, so I think she deserves some love.
I mean, I haven’t done one since November 2016.
And that’s all I have to say about today’s mermaid. Tune in tomorrow for the first of a pair of Sprites paper dolls and probably not another post in which I’ll get to write the phrase “socio-cultural assumptions that underly how mythological creatures are depicted” which is a pity.
As always, I love to hear what y’all think of today’s paper doll. So, let me know in a comment.
Need a more outfits for today’s Mini-Maiden Paper Doll? Find More Clothing Here.
PDF link is wrong.
Oops. Fixed now.
Mermaids are my fave. If they do exist, they probably sport weapons made from shells and bone to survive the harsher deep, not cumbersome clothes made from seaweeds and discarded human ware. I also always liked the idea of tattooed merfolk; they are probably mostly solitary, but come together during the full moon for rituals, where they sing like dolphins and dance like seals, maybe carve ancient rune into sea mounts and give offerings. Ive invested a lot on the subject lol
I’ve often thought that, too. Why do mermaids have clothes?! I like the asymmetry of the tops.
Seems like an appropriate subject — over on Instagram, a bunch of artists I follow are participating in Mer-May. Maybe I’ll get in on it next year with a little better organization…!
I can explain the clothes thing. Yay learning things from scuba diving. The deeper in the water you go, the colder it gets. So shirts would be pretty useful. No clue why they are always just bras though.
I do love both these tops though.