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Mermaid Song Volume One
The Song series of artbooks have covered the sky and the earth - it was only a matter of time before we explored the seas for some inspiration! Mermaid Song Volume One contains an exquisite collection of portraits that celebrate the fabled water-breathers in all their sea-foam sexiness! Any fisherman would gladly crash his boat on the reef for a peek at these aquatic creations, as seen by artists like Arantza, Fastner & Larson, Bruce Colero, Pelaez, James Hottinger, David Dunstan, Malachi Maloney, and many more. Follow the call of these sirens - their song is the sweetest yet! Cover painting by Arantza.
- GenresArt
64 pages, Perfect Paperback
First published October 29, 2007
About the author
Various
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If an editor is known, however, Various is not necessary. List the name of the editor as the primary author (with role "editor"). Contributing authors' names follow it.
Note: WorldCat is an excellent resource for finding author information and contents of anthologies.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 22, 2021
This is a virtually text-free collection of basically pinup art of mermaids (and a few other beings that are mermaid adjacent, as there is a medusa in the book, though I guess 99% of the beings are mermaids or women pretending to be mermaids). Part of my quest to read and review as many mermaid and siren books and short stories as I can, my ramblings took me to this book.
The book is 100% in color, something unusual for SQP publications, at least compared to the few I have seen before (which previously only had color illustrations on the cover). My edition is hardcover and does not say volume one on the outside but does say so on the other side of the title page, so I believe it is essentially the same book as the paperback labeled volume one.
The book has almost no text at all, no introduction of any kind. On the back of the title page is a list of all the illustrators in the book. Each illustration gets a full page with a small title in green text beneath it. It isn’t always easy to tell the artist of each piece, as some have very legible signatures and others not so much. No page numbers either, so it is difficult to reference individual works of art.
The art style varies considerably. Some are clearly fantasy or even science fiction, other more comic book superheroic, a few even horror, others basically erotic art with maybe only nominal nods to the mermaid part, ranging from pinup art that probably wouldn’t have been out of place on a World War II bomber nose and others much more modern in style. There is a lot toplessness in the book, with a good many illustrations implying this and a good many more explicit.
Favorites include on the back of the title page (the only illustration to not get a full page to itself) that shows a mermaid that nicely straddles the line between erotic art and clearly not human and probably dangerous, the fourth page of illustrations one labeled “Vial of Tears” a mermaid in some sort of mad scientist giant test tube (the author seems to be German Ponce), page nine of illustrations, labeled “Hook, Line, and Swinger,” of a very beautifully illustrated mermaid contemplating a fishing lure (I cannot decipher the artist’s signature, it looks like a D in a box with a 2 exponent), page 23, titled “Hitchhiker,” I cannot make out the artist’s name, looks very World War II pinup-ish and is beautifully done, page 41 (if my count is correct), labeled “Cold Tail, Warm Heart,” that definitely leans heavily into the horror aspect of mermaids (I cannot decipher the signature) with the illustration more horrible the longer you contemplate it, page 42, titled “Exiled, Above and Below,” which has the mermaid less super model beautiful and with a lot more personality than a lot of the illustrations and probably out of all of them makes me want to know more the most, and page 43, “Another Perfect Wave,” a very joyful looking mermaid and again has a great World War II pinup feel (these last two I cannot tell who the artist is) and has a very 1940s Hawaiian feel to it too.
Generally the art is good to very good. A few are bad. Some of the art is ridiculous but not necessarily badly illustrated. A couple seem to evoke classic paintings and styles, but far more of them look more akin to airbrushed art you see in a Florida t-shirt shop. Most of the artists are men, though the cover artist is Arantza Sestayo, an excellent Spanish artist (I have reviewed one of her collections before on Goodreads). A few of the illustrations appear to be based on famous people to some degree or another (a couple definitely have Bettie Page vibes).
The book is 100% in color, something unusual for SQP publications, at least compared to the few I have seen before (which previously only had color illustrations on the cover). My edition is hardcover and does not say volume one on the outside but does say so on the other side of the title page, so I believe it is essentially the same book as the paperback labeled volume one.
The book has almost no text at all, no introduction of any kind. On the back of the title page is a list of all the illustrators in the book. Each illustration gets a full page with a small title in green text beneath it. It isn’t always easy to tell the artist of each piece, as some have very legible signatures and others not so much. No page numbers either, so it is difficult to reference individual works of art.
The art style varies considerably. Some are clearly fantasy or even science fiction, other more comic book superheroic, a few even horror, others basically erotic art with maybe only nominal nods to the mermaid part, ranging from pinup art that probably wouldn’t have been out of place on a World War II bomber nose and others much more modern in style. There is a lot toplessness in the book, with a good many illustrations implying this and a good many more explicit.
Favorites include on the back of the title page (the only illustration to not get a full page to itself) that shows a mermaid that nicely straddles the line between erotic art and clearly not human and probably dangerous, the fourth page of illustrations one labeled “Vial of Tears” a mermaid in some sort of mad scientist giant test tube (the author seems to be German Ponce), page nine of illustrations, labeled “Hook, Line, and Swinger,” of a very beautifully illustrated mermaid contemplating a fishing lure (I cannot decipher the artist’s signature, it looks like a D in a box with a 2 exponent), page 23, titled “Hitchhiker,” I cannot make out the artist’s name, looks very World War II pinup-ish and is beautifully done, page 41 (if my count is correct), labeled “Cold Tail, Warm Heart,” that definitely leans heavily into the horror aspect of mermaids (I cannot decipher the signature) with the illustration more horrible the longer you contemplate it, page 42, titled “Exiled, Above and Below,” which has the mermaid less super model beautiful and with a lot more personality than a lot of the illustrations and probably out of all of them makes me want to know more the most, and page 43, “Another Perfect Wave,” a very joyful looking mermaid and again has a great World War II pinup feel (these last two I cannot tell who the artist is) and has a very 1940s Hawaiian feel to it too.
Generally the art is good to very good. A few are bad. Some of the art is ridiculous but not necessarily badly illustrated. A couple seem to evoke classic paintings and styles, but far more of them look more akin to airbrushed art you see in a Florida t-shirt shop. Most of the artists are men, though the cover artist is Arantza Sestayo, an excellent Spanish artist (I have reviewed one of her collections before on Goodreads). A few of the illustrations appear to be based on famous people to some degree or another (a couple definitely have Bettie Page vibes).
June 13, 2026
Mermaid Song Volume One is a captivating visual tribute to one of mythology's most enduring and alluring creatures. Bringing together the talents of numerous fantasy artists, this collection celebrates mermaids in all their mystery, beauty, and oceanic grandeur.
What impressed me most was the variety of artistic interpretations. While the subject matter remains consistent, each artist brings a distinct vision to these legendary sea-dwellers. Some illustrations emphasize the ethereal elegance of mermaids gliding through enchanted waters, while others lean into the seductive folklore of the sirens whose songs have fascinated sailors for centuries.
The quality of the artwork throughout is consistently high, showcasing remarkable attention to detail, imaginative designs, and a genuine love for fantasy imagery. The collection successfully captures both the wonder of the sea and the timeless appeal of these mythical beings, creating a gallery that feels immersive and dreamlike.
Although the book embraces the sensual side of mermaid mythology, it never loses sight of the magic and mystery that make these creatures so compelling. The result is a volume that balances fantasy, beauty, and storytelling through art.
Mermaid Song Volume One is a feast for the eyes and a worthy addition to the library of any fan of fantasy illustration, mythology, or imaginative art. Like the sirens of legend, its pages are difficult to resist and even harder to forget.
What impressed me most was the variety of artistic interpretations. While the subject matter remains consistent, each artist brings a distinct vision to these legendary sea-dwellers. Some illustrations emphasize the ethereal elegance of mermaids gliding through enchanted waters, while others lean into the seductive folklore of the sirens whose songs have fascinated sailors for centuries.
The quality of the artwork throughout is consistently high, showcasing remarkable attention to detail, imaginative designs, and a genuine love for fantasy imagery. The collection successfully captures both the wonder of the sea and the timeless appeal of these mythical beings, creating a gallery that feels immersive and dreamlike.
Although the book embraces the sensual side of mermaid mythology, it never loses sight of the magic and mystery that make these creatures so compelling. The result is a volume that balances fantasy, beauty, and storytelling through art.
Mermaid Song Volume One is a feast for the eyes and a worthy addition to the library of any fan of fantasy illustration, mythology, or imaginative art. Like the sirens of legend, its pages are difficult to resist and even harder to forget.
February 3, 2014
SQP Gallery girls collection of mermaid pin-up art by various artists. This is an OK collection - but nothing particularly stood out, and all much of a muchness. Notable that all the art is in colour, unlike many of their collections. Will definitely appeal to those who like SQP other titles and erotic fantasy art, but didn't do much for me.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews