Dryad

This is the second study painting for the upcoming larger piece "Dawn of the Hamadryad". This one was to see how I was going to integrate the figure into the tree as well as working up this new way of painting trunks and branches etc that resulted from a trial painting at the beginning of the year called "Elies Dendro".
This one was very useful as I can see now how I can improve the way the figure will integrate into the tree, chiefly by having more branches in front of her and making the branches flow through the figure's positioning of arms etc - I have left "Dryad" as it is, imperfect but showing me what I have to do in the next one. Actually the next painting will probably be another exploration of this new way of painting trunks and branches etc painted more as a pattern...then I will start "Dawn of the Hamadryad".
I am trying for more of a Victorian-era painting look like a Waterhouse and less classic "Fantasy" as such - yes a tall order, to dare to mention Waterhouse in talking about my own work is tantamount to blasphemy!
12" x 16" oil on linen.
There is a step-by-step progress through this painting in previous posts on this blog.