Kracken – Illustration by Alex Seigfried

Kracken didn't start out big. She was just a mermaid with octopus tentacles. I really wanted to draw tentacles, and I found this engaging face to put on my monster. But she was just so angry. I tried making her eyes softer and more surprised, but it just wasn't as powerful an image.

So I realized I needed to make a story out of this. I added a diver, which made my mermaid massive. Thus, she became a Kraken. At the time I made this, the #MeToo movement was hot in the news. I like to think that this also represents the anger she feels toward an invader to her domain.