The possible biologies and ecological roles of merfolk tickle my head. Predators? Omnivorous? Lungs or gills or both (but how)? Scales and mucus or skin of some kind? Electrical sensitivity and bioluminescence? Do they have schools or pods or swim singly? Eyes like us or seals or dolphins or fish or octopi or crabs? Swim like fish or like seals? 

 I can see future humans biomodding themselves into merfolk of one kind or another (via genetics and/or surgery or….).

My favorite ideas include sapience, but nonhuman social structures and motivations. I do not at all know enough about ocean-dwelling species with measurable cognition. So much to learn and know and make an imaginative glorius pool of ideas with!

Post 2 of 4 Mermay sketches. Three will be public (though patrons get to see them first) and one will be patron only. 

As you see each one, please tell me if you’d like to see it as a coloring sheet or worked up into a painting!