Self Portrait- Mermaid

Ok, You'll have to excuse the scrawl in my red line crit, cause my tablet does a nasty AC wave as it draws and I'm still trying to figure out why it's doing it T.T

Ok, I've scribbled over your picture trying to keep its original integrity, but I've changed a few things in it.

1/ Her shoulders were VERY hunched and stiff. Relaxed shoulders are less threatening, and relaxed. Also sexy. She's still a little stiff in my version, but it still shows how lowering the shoulders is more relaxing.

2/ I've put her left arm out as a counter balance. Imagine a lead weight hangs down from the base of her head where it joins the neck, and hangs straight down. For her to be balanced on that rock, she needs half her weight on each side of that weight's line. In this case, her tail is off to the side alot. If she curls her tail back to the left, or counter balances it with her hand, it'l make her pose look like it takes less effort to pull.

3/ Lowered her arm. I didn't feel that the clam should hold as much subject weight as the mermaid. You may want the clam to be important though. If you do, You may want to cut out the scenery and focus more on it, cause at the moment, it's totally out shadowed but the rest of the detail in the picture.

4/ I think you should surf the net for some referances on rocks and sky. You've done a lovely job on the mermaid. It's a shame that the same level of detail isn't in her surroundings. Giving her a background as detailed as her will put her into her location properly. I suggest having very few or delicate clouds and sun. Don't want it to take up too much attention. Maybe put some silhouettes of seagulls or something for atmosphere

Just a few points there The picture has alot of merit in it though. The composition is nice. If her tail kicks over to the left, then I think that's the only improvement I could think of (The eye starts looking at a picture from the bottom left and follows the details from there. )

I hope this all helps