Every full moon, when the tide is right, all the Sandsea Sealings of a certain demeanor go to the display sands and wave their beautiful tails enticingly in the current, while trying to blow bubbles at precise intervals.

Sandsea Sealings are quite difficult to communicate with if you have not been properly introduced to the pod elders so while it's unclear to the layman as to why this group does this activity, those in the know just smile and encourage those who don't just to enjoy it. Several of the non-displaying Sealings certainly form an apparently engrossed audience.

Sandsea Sealings are not considered 'true' merfolk by the uneducated because of their lack of 'true hands' but scientists tell us that they are definitely in the merfolk family and they certainly interact freely and in a friendly way to any merfolk of other species crossing their paths.

Recorded this 18th Day of MerMay using a Pelikan Dragon fountain pe
#MerMay #MerMay2026 #DrawingWithoutANet #NoAI #TraditionalArt #FountainPen #FountainPens #ink #FountainPenInk #MerFolk #FantasyArt

So today's the 17th of MerMay and we have a merman today. He's drawn with one of @rdm 's 3d printed pens he designed, with the Schmidt nibs.

I used Diamine's Solar Storm ink which is a chameleon shimmer ink.

People think this guy looks like @rdm but it wasn't intentional. Guy with a beard. See what you think.

#MerMay #MerMay2026 #Drawingwithoutanet #NoAi #TraditionalArt #FountainPen #FountainPenInk #PenAndInk #Merman #MerFolk

The ink I used for today's Mermay, the 16th of 2026, is Diamine's Cosmic Sky, a sheen and shimmer.

I have a new lighting set up so I've got good sheen for you today, just as well, there's no sunshine to speak of this afternoon. Well, evening now.

All with the Kakimori again. Such a great nib!

#MerMay #MerMay2026 #DrawingWithOutANet #NoAI #FantasyArt #TraditionalArt #DipPen #Kakimori

Well, this is drawn with the Kakimori nib - as a lot of my new inks are, for convenience, because the fountain pens have all been filled up or will need cleaning before reloading. But we'll get there in the end I'm sure. This is the last of the inks from @rdm 's naughty and unsanctioned raiding of Van Diemen's Ink's moving sale.

It's Red Lightning and it brings a lot to the drawing, and presumably writing table, because you know, I understand that these inks can be written with too, who would've guessed?

Aaaany way, I sketched out the outline of this merperson, and then filled in the back with broad strokes. Sketched in lightly with the scales and hair, and then realized it looked better upside down. So there you go.

#MerMay #MerMay2026 #DrawingWithoutANet #NoAI #TraditionalArt #FountainPenInk #DipPen #FantasyArt #MerFolk #Mermaid

It's MerMay the 14th of 2026 and here we have a spirit of the maelstrom, drawing down ships to their doom. Or perhaps just to have tea and crumpets with the crew and then send them on their way, who am I to say what spirits of the maelstrom want to do?

I'm using the Van Diemen's Ink Azure Kingfisher Ink, a firmly fond favourite.

#MerMay #MerMay2026 #NoAI #TraditionalArt #DrawingWithoutANet #FountainPen #FountainPenInk #Mermaid #FantasyArt #PenAndInk

A pretty odd one for today's MerMay. I was thinking about molluscs and some of those odd nudibranch species - colourful sea slugs and the like, and this guy developed. Drawn with the Kakimori steel nib, and one of the Van Diemen's ink moving day specials, Persian Princess. It is very sparkly.

#MerMay #MerMay2026 #DrawingWithoutANet #DipPen #FountainPenInk #NoAI #FantasyArt #PenAndInk

This MerMay - number 12, was drawn in the cardiologist's waiting room while @rdm had his tests. It's drawn with the beautiful Azure Kingfisher ink I've used before this MerMay, it's in a Lamy Demonstrator.

#MerMay #MerMay2026 #DrawingWithoutANet #NoAI #TraditionalArt #FountainPen #FountainPenInk

I enjoyed getting the Akkerman bottle out again and using it with the Kakimori nib. Something has profoundly upset this mermaid. Poor thing. She was fun to draw though. She'll pull through, don't worry, the ocean is on her side.

#MerMay #MerMay2026 #DrawingWithoutANet #Mermaid #NoAI #PenandInk #DipPen #FountainPenInk #TraditionalArt

Mermay the Tenth - Yesterday in Australia it was Mother's Day, so I'm catching up after a lovely day out with my Mum.

So there'll be another drawing later today so I can catch up.

This mermum and merbaby were drawn with Van Diemen's Ink Rainbow Scarab. I am not sure if the shimmer has come up in these photos but the sheen certainly has!

Gotta say this Life Noble Note book has really come to the sheen party.

#NoAI #MerMay #MerMay2026 #DrawingWithoutANet #FountainPen #FountainPenInk #Mermaid #MerFolk #FantasyArt #MothersDayAustralia

I dragged myself away from games at the club for a bit to draw this playful #mermaid. I used VanDiemen's ink Great Ice Lake, I think it is, which has a silver shimmer. The darker blue is Azure Kingfisher. And a little black for the fish. I used one of @rdm 's 3d printed pens with a Schmidt nib with the Lake, and then the Lamy Demo with the Azure Kingfisher, and the Rotring Art Pen with whatever black it was I put in it ages ago.

#MerMay2026 #MerMay #DrawingWithoutANet #NoAI #FountainPen #FountainPenInk