My first project here

So I finally create a thread here. I'm working on a new project, trying to immerse myself in several pictures to help me maintain my rhythm and stop me getting bored or put off. Here's my sketchup of my project:



Here is the sky I've been working on today:



Any comments? I can't decide if I want to paint her as a woman or a mermaid. I'm also dabbling with the idea of trying to make it so she's transforming from one to another. Any thoughts or suggestions on how I might do this? Also, how does the sky look to you?

Thanks for your feedback, you're right about the shoulders, I haven't really paid too much attention to the anatomy, I just wanted a feel for the picture. I was worried about it being generic too, but it's difficult to find a 'realistic' yet original and interesting way to paint a mermaid - the common themes have been done to death!

I used this as a main reference to try to get the sky right:



Having seen it in the light of your comments though I'll try to vary it a little. Any ideas as to how I might paint a transformation? I'm not asking you to do it for me obviously, just maybe say something that might spark my imagination in a different way to what I currently (don't) have!

I wondered about something like making her only just mermaid, like the scales were starting to develop on her legs and her hands were developing webbing, but not sure how to get the transition effect - I mean how to get it to look like it's happening NOW, not that she's just weirdly mutated. Lol. I also wondered about leaving clothes on the beach as though she's discarded them to go back to the sea.

Here's an idea: everything below the waterline, and everything wet (splashes on the skin etc.) is mermaid, but everything else is woman. Do you think that would work? Worried that the concept might not translate well into practice though as the waves make the water quite white.

I'm not wanting it to be too magical though, more like it's an everyday occurrence, so she goes on land, does what she wants to do, then returns to the sea without a big fuss. Googling mermaid transformation atm, but not getting that much.

Tried a couple of concept sketches:




Please ignore colour themes, horrible anatomy etc. I just want the concept. Does either look like she's transforming?

I'm not sure about the first one but I'd say the second one definitely doesn't match your idea. It looks more like she's being forcibly transformed kind of like venom in the 3rd Spiderman film. That said it might make quite a cool image a kind of force mermaidification.. Certainly not an approach I've seen before..

I think if you want it too look like a casual transformation then you probably want to have the colour and when it comes to detailing the texture as well gradient across the transition lines. Perhaps having either the colour of the tail carrying on a bit after the texture stops or vice versa might help sell the idea as well.

I think perhaps you should consider the kind of pose she should be in, how would you want to be in the water if you're about to be a mermaid and lose your functionality.

Perhaps if you go with the water contact idea she could be pouring some water over herself, that way you could have a clear demonstration that when the water makes contact she transforms..

Anyway those are some thoughts, hopefully you can salvage something from my ramblings