Honestly what "inspired" this was a drawing I hadn't finished in one of my sketchbooks and I wanted to try out a theoretical painting technique and colors for a mermaid's tale. So in reality, this was a practice piece turned finished work. Oops. It happens. I love the blues in this piece and I really have to start painting more mermaids with hair colors other than red (thanks Ariel, who doesn't
love her though?!). I tried to find a contrasting color to the aqua that wasn't going to be too typical, although terracotta tones are complimentary colors, so there wasn't a whole lot of thinking going on there. Plus I need a color to go with the aforementioned hair. I think it worked.
I've called her The Modest Mermaid because she's covering herself up with an old sail (thanks again, Disney) and because she looks a bit taken aback as if she's thinking "what are
you looking at?" We've obviously disturbed her peaceful afternoon sitting upon her coral flanked sandy seat.
