Vanguard: Yggdrasil Maiden, Elaine

This piece works its different aspects together splendidly. You've captured all the appeal of fantasy without sacrificing anything; it's clear from the artwork how Elaine is integrated into the background, sharing the same colors of the world around her.

And while this artwork encompasses the allure that the idea of an elf presents, it's presented more reasonably. Your Elaine is well endowed, but not so much so that she's impossible. Including petals both at the farthest and nearest points to the viewer gives a sense of perspective and gravity, and that same perspective works to enhance Elaine's presence.

The pose itself is unique. It's not a common depiction for the female form. Typically I would criticize her stance because if you try to work out how she's standing, it appears that Elaine is drastically unbalanced, but she appears to already be suspended from the pull of gravity, what with how the treetops center at her back. The sunlight enhances the qualities that the viewer is already made to appreciate, forming a type of halo that makes your choice of shadows very tasteful.

I do like that your Elaine matches the one we're accustomed to, despite being your own take on her. Rather than transform the elf into a standard version of beauty, your artwork picks up on and exaggerates the Elaine we actually know into something with which we can be familiar.

This image is very much unforgettable. It leaves a strong impression on the viewer and encompasses a sense of both magic and attraction. The background elements and central figure enhance one another, and it is not too centralized an image either. Of Elaine's upper and lower halves, the different sized petals and the forest proper, each of these provides a different focal point for the viewer that prevents them from becoming too focused on any one part. Beautiful.