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StressedJenny β Not a Selkie
Published: 2010-09-14 12:24:43 +0000 UTC; Views: 124338; Favourites: 2099; Downloads: 0
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I get a lot of this. I draw Selkies the way I draw them because they look more interesting that way!Sorry to screw up your mythology! XD
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I like your way simply because it gives off an arctic mermaid feel, which is really neat~
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i might draw selkie's like this. They're really prettyΒ
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I like the thought of them turning into all three forms
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I imagine them as humanoid seals. Also, the back flippers are feet, not tail fins
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people depict mythical creatures in various ways all through out novels, movies, and shows all the time.the way you depict them is no diffrent~ I think your version of selkies are lovely~Β
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There isn't anything in the rule book that says Selkies can't transform into mermaid like beings as well.Β
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aww, they're all cute! I draw selkies like this too.
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Don't worry, in art there is no rules except your own
So it's your decision to either follow your rules, or following others' rules
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Seeing how a selkie wears their seal skin, they could peel it back to their waist to look like that.
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Why don't you just call what you draw selkies as "merfolk" instead? Why change a mythical creature into something it's not when you draw it when there's already a mythical creature like what you are drawing? If you didn't call these merfolk you're drawing "selkies" a lot of people would have just thought that they are just merfolk. I normally wouldn't have a problem with people creating their own renditions of mythical creatures, but your rendition of selkies already existed as another myth. I'm pretty that's why everyone else who told you that these aren't selkies has told you this because of these reasons too.
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By that logic all vampires should still be ethereal ghosts that inflict the plague or as (basically) zombies. However most people do not view them as this, correct? If people are not allowed to interpret and change legends and myths we wouldn't have any of our modern stories and interpretations. For example Hades would be a kidnapper/violator of persephone without someone reimaginging the story so that Persephone had some say in the matter. Sirens would still be birds with the heads of women and not the alluring merfolk of today. We wouldn't have stories like Percy Jackson, the Kane Chronicals, even Harry Potter would not exist. Would you say that Harry Potter is not a, nor shouldn't be called a wizard because Merlin existed before him? More than that one needs only look at deviantart itself, there is no fixed interpretation of anything here. No werewolves, fairies, dragons, hybrids, etc are the same or are beholden to the same rules, and they were all based on creatures that "existed as another myth". To say that this authors chosen interpretation and depiction of selkies is somehow wrong because it fails to conform to a set of ancient, specifically chosen myths is equivalent to rejecting every artistic creation created. Art is a form of interpretation, there is no wrong or right and to suggest that there is misses the point. If she says they are selkies they are selkies! This is her interpretation and we have no grounds to deny what she says they are. She is their creator she ought to know their name!Β
Additionally, as a member of the Irish community-with more than a fair share of selkie tales in the family-I am very gladdend and proud of these works. I shall admit that at first I was a bit upset when I ran across these and found out she was calling them selkies. That was only because I thought she didn't understand what selkies were, had just heard a bit Β about them without understanding the story behind them. Most of the world has no clue about our legends, history, and culture-which makes me very defensive and protective of it because it is an amazing, rich and unique story that many people dismiss. I was upset that perhaps this was another instance of someone not trying to understand or appreciate our culture. However, I had to admit they were beautiful, creative and technically accurate. As selkies are seals and people-she just decided to do both at the same time. But I kept reading and quickly learned that this artist knew very well that her selkies were not a traditional representation of selkie, but rather her take on the legends. I am not saying her not knowing would have made it wrong, it just means that I would have let her know the history of selkies. She does know what selkies are traditionally but rather chose to put her own spin on them, and I applaud her for it. Not only for her exercising her creativity but also because there are so few representations of selkies, and Irish culture out there. She chose to represent a very rarely represented creature of an under represented culture that has a lot of personal meaning in a beautiful and different way, and I am greatful for it and proud to call it a selkie. At the least it keeps the word alive.Β
In conclusion she can call them whatever she wants, she created them, and who are we to deny her interpretation? To tell her that she cannot name her creations as she sees fit (especially as they are based off of that which she chooses to name them after) is to deny her creativity, her artists voice-something I am sure that as a member of this site you can agree is wrong.
Things, views, and myths change, this is something we cannot change and has never changed.Β
Also, selkies are mer people anyway-mer means sea and merpeople means people of the sea, and selkies are defiantly a people of the sea. In fact it's not uncommon to hear them referred to as the merfolk.Β
Technically you could even call a female selkie a mermaid-its just that most people associate the term with the half woman half fish image.Β
Sorry this is much longer than I intended, and none of this is intended to be mean and I apologize if it makes anyone feel that way. It is just that I wanted to defend this artists creations and explain why it is not ok to tell the artist her creations are wrong and that she named them incorrectly.
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the two on the left are just jealous they can't hold the midway position as well as she can.
still loving this
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I don't mind either. Infact, I kinda like them this way. Since the original Selkie are like Mermaids anyways. Also Tolkien's wizards aren't even orignally wizards. And noone gives a crap about that. That and he also made Werewolves into actual large humanoid wolvesthat don't change. So how is your depiction of Selkies any different. Besides, the design for the Selkies you make are an inspiration for my selkie in a fantasy story I'm doing. They are a mix of this Selkie in terms of humanoid resembled body, but have the apperance of a sealion. But I digress. Whoever thinks that this interpretation of Selkies is blasphemous, they can suck a big one. Fantasy can be whatever it wants to be.
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I don't mind. I like your imagination! It's a good happy medium.
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Hello! I'm Maria Walton. I share a lot of work on my author page, including cosplay, photography, art, writing and so on, and I was wondering if you'd consider allowing me to share some of your works there? I would of course credit you and leave a link to your account so if people on my page like what they see, they can come have a peek. ^^ This is my page, if you're interested (www.facebook.com/TweakedRabbitβ¦ ) so please let me know. ^^Β
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Lovely art! As long as you don't shame people for drawing them the way they'd like, I'm good.
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I'm sure probably a couple of people have already mentioned this...but now I think about this, I realized that is true!Β There are a lot of mytology characters like dragons and mermaids that artists draw in a wide variety of ways, and people love the artists imagination and embrace these new designs.Β In my opinion, I think they should do the same with your selkies.
And even if they don't, you keep doing your stuff the way you do! Nobody can tell you want to do and what to not do,Β you are free! Don't worry about itΒ 
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Your version to be honest makes a lot of sense. ^^ Nice.
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For what it's worth, I managed to solve that problem by sort of giving them a seal "costume", myself kama-blackbird.tumblr.com/postβ¦
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I mean, there's one movie that apparently does it backwards?
I think they're supposed to be women in water and seals on land??
but the movie has it the other way around so I dont even know ahah :U
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Glad you don't let them get to you. The Mythology has much added to it and has been altered many ways long before you came along. Technically a Selkie looks like a seal. No different. Only looks human when it peels off the seal skin like a costume. Yet, they've been shown and even placed in the same image and class as a mermaid which is far from the same thing. Yours look a hell of a lot better, more fantastical and fun. Your imagination exceeds that of the original myths. That's what artists do. We show OUR vision. And the creature itself? They do not exist because they are fantasy. Fantasy is only as we CHOOSE them to be. Fantasy, despite what "Experts" say, is always open for everyone to portray. They are myths after all. Design them as you will.
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nahh c'mon of course they are especially the way you do'em
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Aren't Selkies supposed to be evil horses ? Or are we talking about another mythology here ?
Personnaly, I just see a mermaid from the seal breed lol
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Selkie is a mythical creature resembling a woman on land, and a seal in water. You're thinking of Kelpie.
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Ooooh, right !! My mistake by some letters !! Thank you !!
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I like your selkies. They are the best selkies.
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i think id rather draw your version then others
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It looks like a seal human hybrid,I love it.
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I honestly think this is a cool rendition of a Selkie. It's awesome. True, not accurate,but hey,who cares. Everyone has their own version. Yours just happens to be better.
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Why are selkies gaining so much popularity now?
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i think your selkies are cool
it's like an anthropomorphized version of a seal
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I like 'em. It's always fun to see someone else's enterpretation of myths and legends.
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well i think your selkies are a good halfway point and I love them. maybe they actually looked more like that before doing full out human- so they could still be seal-y but have the use of thumbs. 
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