Peacock Lady

[Hal Wayland]

[Redacted]

[meat]

I recommend acting the pose out yourself by really putting a lot of thoughts into what is going on in that moment, and what the characters are feeling. That'll help you with the pose. Right now she looks rather nonchalance or a bit in a trance. Only her left arm and some upper body are doing something. The rest of her body just sits there. Even in a sitting pose you can have things going on all over the body parts. Even if in real life there are people who sit like that, replicating it is not the point, especially as artist and illustrators, we're storyteller, impact-makers, and emotion-grabbers. Really act out the moment and pose yourself. If you don't have any decent size mirror, try using webcam so you can see yourself on this screen.

Also, you can take photos of your own hands for reference, or hands of family and friends. If they are willing, they can even sit on a pile with a thin blanket/bed sheet wrapped around them for the drapery. I swear it'll instantaneously stand out if you do that kind of referencing.

To move away from the illusion of her sitting on a hill like a giant, get a boulder reference and add vegetation that will set the size for the rock. Look up Rocky Mountain, Boulder, Flat Iron, places known for being rocky for reference.

The peacock looks a bit small. Check out this photo of a cosplayer holding a real peacock for size: http://bellatrixaiden.deviantart.com/art...-214555666
http://wildlovestory.com/wp-content/uplo...G_8859.jpg

At the moment you don't have the whitest white or the blackest black anywhere in your study, so it looks to sit in the middle in terms of sense of space and distance. Find areas in here to push the light range further.

The viewing angle of the pose could be changed a bit, if you want, to help push more sense of space. She could have more of her back showing, and her hand would then stretch into the distance further, and the peacock will mark a space even further than that. You won't have the face to paint, so all your expressiveness will then come from the body language.

Just think about them, and decide for yourself if you agree and then want to do any of these. Good luck on the contest!

[Theory2D]

Although not criticism, this looks to be a really interesting piece. Curious to see how its all going to play out - particularly interested in the potential contrast between the soft, flowey cloth and the solid, sharp rock... maybe a touch of Bierstadt like lighting... yes indeed!