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i feel like this is important enough to put on here.

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Does anyone remember him?

I hope the fandom super 4 is still alive 😢

YES WE DO

FANDOM IS ALIVE!

I hate mermaid knees so much. Everyone who wants to draw a mermaid needs to look at this and use their brain for a second to think about the bone structure before drawing anything. THINK OF THE BONES, PLEASE. *loud sobbing*

So some people had the argument that this is based on fish and mermaids could be considered mammals, which is true. So let's compare to mammals living in the ocean:

This is a dolphin skeleton:

As you can see, no knees. The way they swim is also similar to that of a mermaid.

This is a baileen whale:

Some have also pointed out that there would be no need for a pelvis, but as you can see, these two still both have them, though barely.

If we go with evolution, mermaids are likely way younger than either of these two, so they didn't have the time to de-evolve the pelvis yet. Maybe in 10 more million years, mermaids would also start lacking proper pelvic structures. Or maybe it would still be there, if the reproductive organ is still where it would be on humans.

I've also seen the beluga whale argument. This is how their skeleton looks like:

They don't have knees either. That picture that so many are sharing isn't a knee, it's fat and skin. Idk where the belief came from that they have knees, but they certainly don't.

Now the seals argument. Yes, they do have knees, but that is part of their hind limbs. Not to mention when they swim, it doesn't bend like that either, it still looks flowy. The equivalent of that would be if we put knees on the end of a mermaid tail, before the caudal fin starts, as that is usually pretty bendable, like it is with fish. Here is a picture of a seal skeleton:

So this could be the fin that has some leftover structure of legs, while the rest of the mermaid tail could be an elongated spine. Though if that was the case, the tails would most likely be shorter.

What's incorrect with comparing seals though, is that they are semi aquatic. Mermaids live in the ocean and are fully aquatic. Whether they can breathe underwater or if they need to come up for air like dolphins or whales is something different that fully depends on how the person wants them to be, but they're still fully aquatic, so the two don't compare. However they could still have a leg like structure as the caudal fin, which I will draw myself and post it here later.

And while I agree with people that this is a mythical creature that doesn't exist, we still need to take into account that you can't draw something and disregard biology entirely, even if that is an art style. Say manga style for example. The proportions still need to be realistic, even though the art style is unrealistic. You can draw dragons, but you can't just make them have bodies that contort in ways that's impossible. Yes, they aren't real. And yes, you can draw a mermaid as a part eel, or snake, or octopus or whatever else, but even then you have to take into account how that animal moves and is, and add that to the human movements. Now, does this mean you can't bend a mermaid tail? Absolutely not. You can! Make it really flexible, so you can bend it, but make the bend softer. For that, I think looking at snakes is actually perfect. Look at how their bodies look when fully bent. That's how they should be. But a mermaid having a knee, especially where it is usually depicted, is just entirely unscientific. Yes I know science isn't the most important part of drawing, but when you want to make it look nice, you have to add that to the mix as well. Same with drawing anything else, really. People will see if something is off about a drawing of a face, of a dog, of a butterfly, of a tree. There are only certain ways you can twist something into an art style before it becomes completely incorrect. One show and its spinoff that managed to make this look well (it's the only one I'm familiar with, so there may be more), is H2O and Mako Mermaids. The actors only have fake tails on, but still they managed to swim in a way that makes their tails look realistic, there are some scenes where they do bend their knees a little too much and it's visible if you're looking, but majority of the time they swim in a way that makes their bodies look fluid. Those two series I think are perfect for "real" mermaid references, with how they swim and move in the water. Especially because their tails and swimming in general wasn't all CGI, but actual molds and suits, and they had to take lessons and the swimming scenes were in pools, the beginning of the ocean or most times in the aquarium in Australia that I forgot the name of. So they were actually moving in water.

So anyway I will post later on (hopefully today) how a mermaid with seal-like bone structure would look like. I already know it won't look pleasant...as I already have something pictured in my head. I hope I'm not pissing people off with this lol.

Also, to the "look at how snakes bend" argument, here are some pictures, that you can reference when drawing mer people with bent tails:

So, because I'm really invested, I made some quick, crappy sketches with notes I hope people will be able to read.

The picture that started the debate was with fish like tail, so I left that out and started with the ceteacean type tail (dolphins and whales). As you can see, this is also pretty good or even accurate for your typical mermaid. The only difference is, that it may be a bit more rigid and less bendable than with a fish, but let's be honest, fish aren't that flexible either when they get big. A shark for example can't swim with the same amount of bend in its body like a small aquarium fish. Next!

Fused legs tail. This took me some time to think, surely there are more ways to do this, but this is one option.

As you can see, I drew the thighs fused right above the knee joint. While this is possible, as far as I know, no animal that has lived on land then evolved to become aquatic or semi aquatic has had this happen to them. I'm not sure why. If you do have an example though, let me know. But not reptiles, fish or mammals, extinct or not, have had this happen. Though if you look at it better, you will see why. While there is a knee joint, that's the only moveable part of the tail until the ankle joint. This makes the tail very rigid and hard, not allowing a lot of movement for the majority of the tail. It does not seem like something desirable if you want to be able to move quickly through water and would probably not allow the mermaid to escape from predators with a quick dash to the side. So it's unlikely this is correct, though it does look... interesting. Next!

Here we have two versions of the tail being similar to that of a seal's.

On the left, I drew it so the lumbar part of the spine continued to have bone, then a small pelvis and limbs that look like those of seals, according to the skeletal pictures I've found. This could work, if the mermaid is semi aquatic. Though birth would look way different, which is a problem because human babies are born big while way less developed than other mammals.

On the right, I made the tail short, the two legs at the feet fusing together into one fin and an extra little tail with the elongated tail bone. The pelvis is similar to what we have. This could be a fully aquatic mermaid, but it's way different than the mermaids we are used to, with short, thick tail and possibly body as well. Not your typical skinny, long tailed mermaid, eh? Though I would say a thicker body overall would likely be what we could see in mermaids living in cold waters. This one has a knee joint, but because of the thick tail, it's about as bendable as you would see a seal. Not very much. You would certainly not notice the knees because of all that fat storage.

About the part where they sit, you don't actually need knees for that, either. It works with both a fish and whale tail, which I also drew one example for each. Though I could have done them more squished together, I'm about to go to work so I didn't have much time redoing it.

Both are sitting on some rock, though the fish one isn't as visible....but anyway you can see how the bones move to allow a certain position. I could have made them tighter but oh well... You see what I was getting at.

Now I have to go. I hope this was a lesson to everyone. I did look up anatomy pictures but because these are only sketches and this was the first time I've actually drawn human skeletons, they look meh. But whatever. Point is, if you want to draw something a certain way, please please please, look up where you get your ideas from and draw the skeleton, however bad it is first, so that you have a basic understanding of what you are doing. I promise it helps a ton. This helped me a ton! Skeletons are after all the basis of our bodies. Any questions, you can @ me in the comments or write me an ask on my profile. I'll answer as soon as I can.

Hey guys, I need some input once again on the topic of mermaids. The logical conclusion to combining fish and human anatomy is to connect the human lungs to the swim bladder, of course. However, the esophagus runs behind the windpipe in humans, meanwhile the swim bladder runs behind the fish digestive tract, which means they are on opposite sides, so to speak. Which means the “tubes” of these systems need to cross somehow.

Option 1. They just kind of pass by one another asymmetrically

Option 2. Like the cephalopod donut brain, one “pipe” has a donut shape which the other goes through

Option 3. All along the merfolk esophagus actually goes in front of the lungs and windpipe, avoiding the whole crossing over ordeal in the first place

Input is appreciated!

Do I have any marine biologists following me HAHA

Weird thing to be hung up on considering. Everything else. But I'm also vaguely curious

And like. Are mermaids cold blooded? Or are they like white sharks, regionally endothermic? That would make it easier to hunt in cooler areas right? And would that make mermaids primarily predators?

The one thing I'm waving away is how they talk/sing, I do Not want to figure that out. It'd be cool to explore communication in the event that they can't talk but also this is a crack au made to draw mermaids and cryptozoologists who don't believe in bigfoot

Hi yes I am marine biologist!

Hearing underwater is incredibly fascinating- fish have enclosed inner ears, but it gets REALLY fascinating when it’s mammals.

Pinnipeds (seals/sea lions) DO have outer ears, but they’re closer to ear holes than full ears; sea lions have larger external ear flaps, and it’s likely because they spend more time out of water than seals, so they need to be able to hear sea lion calls out of water.

CETACEANS, THOUGH. Cetaceans (whales/dolphins) are SO INTERESTING.

Cetaceans intake sound to their inner ears through their pan handle-shaped jawbones, and put out sounds through a special organ in their head called the melon. It’s basically an oil/fat/tissue repository that is responsible for creating all whale calls- and it’s also what old school whalers harvested for oil!

So if I personally were to make a cetacean mammal based mermaid; CHISELED JAW, and FOREHEAD GAME xD

Thats... Actually not a bad idea? Like obviously not everyone owns a tent but it isn't terribly hard to get your hands on a cheap one (atleast in the us). The weather rating on tents has more to do with how they withstand the elements (how wet can they get) than how insulated they are. You probably wouldn't want one that's mostly mesh, but otherwise just about any tent will sleep really warm, especially with several people in it. Might be cold when you go to bed. But it should warm up fast.

Many of these climate change crazy weather tips seem to be pretty ineffective or of limited use, but this one seems like an actual good idea to me.

Beyond Walmart, google maps outdoor or sport gear. Most of those will have some sort of cheap tent, though I would avoid REI as they really only carry more expensive options.

This is actually largely the original idea behind four-poster beds. Castles are a bugger to heat, especially stone ones. But if your bed has its own roof and tapestries that hang down on all four sides, you basically have a tiny room with woolen walls.

i'm going to add some sconnie heat saving tips for the completely uninitiated who are looking at heating crisis this winter

you can buy kits they are usually called window insulation or window insulation shrink kits that will have a plastic sheet in different sizes for however big your window is, with an adhesive roll.

first clean your window frames and dry them. lay the adhesive along your window frame and cover the adhesive with the plastic sheet as tautly as possible. then use a hair dryer to shrink wrap and tighten the plastic seal around your windows.

you can also do this with clingfilm and painters/masking tape.

2. draft excluders

if you have a large gap between your outside door and the floor, that's another cold air leak place and getting a draft excluder, also called a draft stopper or draft blocker or draft snake, the length of your door frame can help keep your house warm. obviously you can buy a variety of decorated ones, but you can make your own in a variety of ways--you can use fabric tubes you make yourself, or styrofoam tubes, or the cheapest hack the leg of a nylon tight, and fill them with dried rice or dried beans or sand. here's a list of diy draft excluders if you're crafty.

similarly if you have an attic, consider covering it off for the winter or insulating it.

3. electric room heaters

you can pick up small ones pretty cheap, if you also can cope with higher electricity bill, but only have them on while you're in the room as they are a fire hazard

4. vents and pipes

close the vents to rooms you're not using regularly to direct all possible heat to your main rooms. make sure all your vents are free from furniture blocking them. insulate your hot water/radiator pipes with styrofoam insulation tubes to preserve their heat as well.

5. snow fence

this is a tip more for people with a lot of yard or property around where they're living. if you are already in an apartment or area dense with buildings, this won't apply. a snow wall or snow fence is a temporary outdoor structure to direct snow away from areas of the house you want to keep warmer. here's a page on its details and construction.

6. rugs

esp if you have tile or hardwood or vinyl plank floor, get area rugs as a way keep cold from drifting up. again if you are crafty and have time and money for supplies, i know you can punch needle or crochet rugs, but also if you're in a real pinch blankets and towels will fulfill this purpose as well.

stay warm

[Image description: a social media post with author and date cropped out: "Tip for those who don't have heat. Get a tent and place it on your bed. Cover it with 1 or 2 blankets for insulation. This kept our family warm when the temps dropped to 40 in the room but inside the tent it was 80 degrees. We used a $20 tent from Walmart that has been sitting in my garage since last year. If you have one and don't have power I recommend doing this or buying one because who knows how long you will have power for. The kids had a blast and went to sleep warm and comfy. Stay safe everyone. #TexasStrong" Below is a photo of two children asleep in a tent on a bed. Description ends]

For those in the UK and Europe, who may not be able to afford heating this winter, and don’t do Fahrenheit, the temperatures mentioned translate to 5C and 27C.

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Everything was copied from @capricorn-0mnikorn. I just wanted to also reblog the other addition to the post.

Sunburst mirror PNGs.

(source)

So hey, to anyone who does femme historical fashion anywhere between 1885 and 1950-

Cornell University has the entire archives of Good Housekeeping up from that time period. And Good Housekeeping used to have English-language fashion plates with clear instructions as to fabric, colour, and cut.

They were ads for the personal shopping service Good Housekeeping apparently??? ran around this time???? and they are a fucking goldmine if you're remotely interested in fashion history or if you're looking to build a 20th century historical wardrobe.

Just, like, look at this?????

An itemized layout of every piece of a young bride's (aspirational) wardrobe in 1930. Including prices. And then below it, a fashion plate, with English-language descriptions of what all these things are and what fabrics they're made of. And an ad for Good Housekeeping's fucking personal shopping service again. XD

IDK, most people who do historical fashion on any kind of serious level probably already know about this??? but I didn't and was stunned and overjoyed to find out that this existed. my research at the library gave me a bunch of high-level overviews that weren't helpful for more than colour and cut.

SO YEAH. THANK YOU CORNELL UNIVERSITY.

Historically, when performing long, repetitive tasks like churning butter or weaving cloth, people would sit together and tell stories. Folk stories, fairytales, and even stories about mysterious ape-like figures living in the forests. So, yes, pioneer women did listen to podcasts about bigfoot while churning butter

There is a reason that “to spin a yarn” is another way to say “to tell a story”.

Spinning yarn is very repetitive, and very soothing, and if you don’t have something to keep your brain actively engaged, you can easily fall asleep at the wheel- I know, I’ve actually nodded off at mine a couple times.

Telling stories is a great way to stay engaged, and the rhythm of the wheel is a great pace-maker for stories.

“Weave a tale” and “churn out” (meaning to produce a lot of something very quickly) also exist as phrases for the same reason.

Historically, when performing long, repetitive tasks like churning butter or weaving cloth, people would sit together and tell stories. Folk stories, fairytales, and even stories about mysterious ape-like figures living in the forests. So, yes, pioneer women did listen to podcasts about bigfoot while churning butter

Historically, fiber-crafters in particular were the keepers of oral tradition.

The English idioms "weave a tale" and "spin a yarn" both mean, "to tell a story".

And let's not forget that the root of "text" and "textile" is the same word.

When boredom creeps in, humans have always been humans. And humans have always needed stories about their favorite little guys to help them get through the day.

ok, let it be here too

I LOVE THEM AAAAAAAAAA

theres no way its already day 22… anyways