Who has dressed you in strange clothes of sand?
Who has taken you far from my land?
Who has said that my sayings were wrong?
And who will say that I stayed much too long?

Clothes of sand have covered your face
Given you meaning, taken my place
So make your way on down to sea
Something has taken you so far from me...

Nick Drake, Clothes of Sand

The haunting mood and lyrics of this song begged me to draw Sapphyre for it years ago. It fit her story of being taken away as a human and returned as a mermaid (aka... clothes of sand!). My first attempt in pencil was intricate and detailed, but I was never quite as happy with the more overhead/head on angle.

When I rediscovered the original drawing while scanning in some older pieces, and I decided now was the time to try drawing it again. I drew it digitally and tried a different angle, and at last, I have a piece I am proud of!

Tags: Sapphyre the Mermaid