This looks better Bas…but it must be possible to make a good composition with strong colors…but perhaps diff’rent colors are needed ?
jantim
Perhaps the elements are all too strong?
Pretty cool 
… like the fur on the cat alot.
The extreme dark version I posted was to show where the picture needed less complex/strong colors. The light of the moon mostly tempers the colors into blue gradations. Our brains are trying to correct the colorful picture with highlighted water where a shadow should be. This makes the illustration restless. The mood of the picture should be a nice and peacefull night with moonshine, two animals in love and some soft romantic guitarmusic. Again there is a conflict.
About the colors. Green and red are complemantary colors, also yellow and purple, and blue and orange. If these colors are neighbours they will fight. The woods are green and sometimes you see a red flower, that’s nice. But when you see too much red in a wood you try to escape from it. Now you think about autumn, many red and green leafes! Yes, but these colors are tempered. I am not a color-specialist like Appel who used a lot of primair colors. Growing to a better understanding of colors, the best way (my advice) is starting an illustration with some warm, cold or secundary colors and add some more primary/complemantary colors with care.
I can go on and on writing about colors. I cannot explain it in a short way. There are enough books about this. I remember a lesson at the academy where we had to make a painting of primary colored planes. This was not easy, one person should like to see more green and the other said:‘If you put the yellow more to the right you can make the blue bigger and…bla, bla.’ When I said, I like it the way I did because my dog died, they loved it. So there is a lot to tell about colors. I hope I could help.
Hawkline, when I was typing something about colors you posted a new one.
You are a real fighter, I like that! 
My original thought was to create a naive sort of cartoony feeling with bold colors. But I completly understand what you are saying Bas. The funny thing is most of my art errs on the side of being too muted. I will return to this subject in a day or two…my new G5 just arrived so I will be busy setting it up and transfering apps and files TTFN 
hi hawkline,
I like the version you posted where Bas showed you an alternative lighting. I like very much the colors but lighting is everything.
I think since it is a cute and romantic poem, that your colors work for the illustration, but the lighting is too much. specially since they are sailing under a moonlit sky. Bas, has the right idea i think for the most part. I think you can keep your coloring but toned down in such a way it shows the romance of a moonlight serenade on an open sea. The use of fog might help you to accomplish this but becareful in it’s use…too much and you take away from what is important.
He is right in another thing…always best to take a walk and come back with different eyes. More ideas on how to accomplish what is in your mind’s eye will follow!!
Keep it up…digging the process so far!!
How’s the G5?!
The G5 is fabulous 
I haven’t been able to Zbrush on it yet because I am waiting for my serial number from pixalogic. On the down side…just before I got my new G5 my Iomega HHD went belly up with all my zbrush models and art. So I will have to start anew on the Owl and Pussycat. This time I am going to make the scene at twilight with warm pink-orange-reds for the sky and make a warmer softer piece. The characters will of course be changed since I have to create them again but on the bright side it will all be fresh. Oh, well :rolleyes: I will be posting something soon I hope.
Just so you know I’m not slacking off. I have been working on the idea that the animals in this poem are very sophisticated and should be rendered as such. Here is my first feline femme fatale. Owl to follow 
Blimey, black stockings - now your rockin’
All the best and look forward to seeing further pieces.
The Flooze
Aha!!! Mr. Baz Mazur was most correct I see, some time away (even if it was unwanted) has made for better “eyes” to see with! Great things are coming I think!!!
I love the new kitty and parasol!!!
Cannot wait to see the new Owl etc!!!
keep on going!!!
Hawline, NICE!!Made on your new G5?
Try to make the new scene in the same color range as the cat. I think you will hit the target now!
Thanks Bas here is my new owl done on my G5 
Computing strength really makes a difference Here goes:
GREAT, GREAT, GREAT!!! How you did the feathers?? Wow man!!
The feathers and the cat fur were done with the same brush. If you follow this thread: Serval, king of the beasts (eye Zscript + FurBrush included)
http://www.zbrushcentral.com/zbc/showthread.php?t=021144
you will have the basics for the feathers. If you don’t bake the layer you can create a more subtle effect, also notice that the RGB is set at 2 to give a very soft look. I switched between this and around 10. Thanks for noticing the feathers, I was pleased with them too :D. Next the background scene, which I have complete rethought 
Till then TTFN
Love the owl…and you got some really great effects in z…the finally scene should prove to look very kewl.
creatively,
Ron
[email protected]
Wow:eek: :eek:
Fantastic…
MORE MORE MORE!
This is really coming together great! Superb job on those feathers…it really really makes a huge difference!! Keep it up! I can’t wait to see some more!!
That’s a huge leap you made there…now we want a better guitar
jantim