Merman by AGRen

Merman by AGRen

 An unusually chunky merman imagined by AGRen. Above and below the waist. He goes for broke with the theme adding fins to the arms and thighs. The nip rings are an intriguing detail, suggesting an acquaintance with an earthbound human - a sailor?

AGRen posts at pixiv

for other mermen at this blog, click on the label below 

Merman by hongd542

 Mythical mermen are a natural subject for AI art creators. This fantasy by hongd542 shows one haunting an ancient city that has sunk into the sea. He has a magnificent physique, a beautiful swirling body line and, it would seem, a taste for adorning himself with precious artifacts salvaged from the ruins. 

I normally ponder the secrets of merman reproduction in these images, but this one gives no clues in the below stairs department. That deflected my thoughts to wondering about those upper body muscles. Perfect for luring unwary sailors onto the rocks, but how did he develop them without access to an underwater gym or even legs with which to brace himself for heavy lifts?

Actually, as is the way with AI, the origins of his lower body are betrayed by the bend in his tail at about knee height and the suggestion of a flexed foot between his tail fins. That suggests he's actually a human who has been condemned by some sorcery to roam the seas, with his legs (and everything else, I suppose) trapped inside a fish's tail, like a sheath. Is there a hint of frustration in his facial expression?

 

This powerful image by the same artist seems to play on that predicament, with the merman seeming to be torn between his old life on dry land, and life in the sea, which is now the only place in which he can survive. A demonic glow lights his eyes, reflecting his state of enchantment and, perhaps, his anger and frustration, which he is doomed to inflict on innocent matelots (if there is such a thing!) from now on.

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hongd542's art has been featured at mitchmen blog 

Mermen with Spunk

Matelot Beguiled

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Sailors Orders

 

 I've posted quite a lot of mermen images at this blog, and many of them are preoccupied with what mermen look like. In folklore, though, mermen are more than just biological oddities. They are, by necessity, the sirens of the gay persuasion. They existed to lure sailors onto their rocks with powers of persuasion which are left largely to the imagination to this very day. 

 Hats off to AI then for coming up with this contrasting pair, although they are largely viewed through the (mainly, straight) prism of AI.  For the merman, it's produced a disconcerting combination of muscularity and boyish/classical faces with a slightly feminine slant, that's not dispelled by their seduction techniques. 

What great men, though, playing the role of sailors.

There's an interesting difference in seduction approaches. No 1 goes for teasing, whilst projecting femininity with flowers in the hair. This is likely to confuse the average sailor who likes his love interest to be one thing or the other, and for whom old-fashioned romance like this is a bit 'niche'. Especially for those men in occupations like mariners.

I'm not sure many gay men would fall for the Marlene Dietrich technique of No 2 either. Although they usually appreciate a good Dom's sternness, they expect to be compensated with a bash at the very thing these creatures haven't got. Fishiness doesn't really help in this department either.

 The lack of historical documentation of merman seduction may be because gay sailors have the benefit of shipmates all too willing to live up to their promiscuous stereotype. You didn't thing 'a girl in every port' was a literal, uni-gender truth, did you? 

 Images by RomanAI

Mermen swim back

Gabo - Merman

 

Of all the mermen I have featured here over the years, I think I like this the best. 

His face and his physique are bang on the button for me right now 

and there's a delicious swirl in his tail that makes a very pleasing image.

The dreaded 'join' is swept aside with confidence as if it didn't matter.

But the merman himself doesn't seem totally happy about it.

No prospect here of fathering merkids, it seems.

Don't worry, there's someone for everyone.

 

(If I may say so, a harpoon-toting merman seems a bit like a turkey voting for Christmas or Thanksgiving but then again, I'm no expert on the species).

 

 

Gabo - Merman, dressed

By way of consolation Gabo has produced a human alter ego 

and he thankfully seems to have the necessary tackle.

I do love a man in swimming trunks!

Not crazy about ones who carry harpoons though.

And if he turns into a merman at midnight things might get tricky

Gabo is on Deviant Art

 

Rock Hugger

Mattl - Merman

 Mattl's merman is a cheeky number with his tail not beginning to appear until mid-thigh, obliging him to cling to a rock for the sake of modesty. The hand on head pose seems naive but the upraised tail tells a different story.

Merman or Mer-warrior?

Rob Saint - Merman Splash

 This artist approaches the merman as a heroic, god-like figure, able to raise himeself above the water. He almost looks as if he is emerging from the mouth of a fish. The water itself is depicted in an interesting, slightly spiky way as though it is a hostile or alien environment (which it must be for a metal sword surely!). The depiction of the man's physique is also very detailed, but rather bland by comparison. There's a sense of great strength, but not much by way of personality. The vexed question of reproduction is simply ignored with an indecisive mist shrouding the area. An odd column of oval dots running down the body of the fish seems to hint bizarrely at a buttoned-up covering.  I'm irresistably reminded of those dancing fish with Top Hats and waistcoats that cartoonists used to draw.

For other mermen at mitchmen click on the label below

Mermen resurface

Merman by Know-Kname

I've featured other merman imaginings here (see label below) but this one breaks the mould a bit with his 'regular guy' look and facial hair. Know Kname gets the sense of swimming movement quite well. He avoids the thorny issues of respiration and reproductive functions by clever angling and basically not showing anything.

See more of his work at Know-Kname's gallery at Deviant Art

(but you'll have to hunt out pieces anything like this)

Merman Sven

Merman Sven by Silverjow

Merman Dimitrio by Richie is one of my most visited posts here. His visualisation of the species suggests a new, genetically unique creature with the transition from human top to fishy bottom cleverly graduated and integrated. Silverjow's fantasy seems more practical in concept with a distinctly human torso (of enviable quality) seemingly shoehorned into an exotic fishlike tail section.

The texturing and shape of the fishy skin is somewhat reminiscent of the unconvincing costumes used in Mermaid movies and you almost feel Sven could simply beach himself, unzip, peel off his tail and walk away if he so desired. But if his combination of species lacks biological conviction it's still a handsome and striking image which cleverly skirts the issue of the reproductive barrier that is normally deemed to separate humans and 'Mer-creatures'

Silverjow is on facebook

Merman

Richie - Merman Dimitrio

Mermen are classic fantasy figures but don't have quite the same alluring niche as their female counterparts. A man trapped within a restrictive body shape within a watery prison seems oddly emasculated. For the artist, the detail of where the man ends and the fish begins is highly problematic, Richie opts for a low slung tail.