Ghost Stories

Vision/Originality: I really like the concept and execution of this. It's quite compelling, and makes for an interesting illustration. The characters feel unique, as they feature less popular animals that don't seem easily plunked down into any existing genre, such as with wolves into "werewolf art" or "totem art" or "furry art."

As for your request to comment on whether things "translate" properly, the only part that seems uncertain to me (whether for good or bad) is the fire, and its relation to the figure (Rem?). It seems to me he is either "breathing" or manipulating the fire, but something about the rendering of the fire makes me uncertain. Manu looks suitably filled with fearful awe, while Rem looks more ambiguous, which is part of the confusion of the relation of him to the fire - he appears partly in a similar kind of fearful awe (the kind of emulated awe that storytellers show, which works with the intent), but more focused and purposeful than Manu's.

Technique: I think you've done a fantastic job, technically speaking. The deep blacks and bright whites look superb, and provided an appropriate and stylish lighting. The only reason why I took off half a star is because the moon seemed so painful in contrast to the rest of the image - if any rushing harmed this image, I think this is where it did the most damage. It just does not show the same amount of care and attention the reest of the image seems to have, and makes it feel out of place.

The other slight thing I dislike is the apparently ambivalent decision to make the fireball partly in and out of the composition. It doesn't seem wholly "out," as you can see the border lines through it, but it still goes outside the box - it's just that it doesn't receive the same kind of treatment as the other parts that left the box, such as the tail and staff. I think it would look best coming out of the box, but the lines would need removing.

The composition feels "good" and well-balanced, with decent movement and points of interest along the way. Form and anatomy are also skillfully executed - my only possible critique with respect to anatomy is that, just maybe, Rem's right arm (the one on the left, with the bottle) feels a tiny bit too short.

As for the good parts, I applaud your excellent use and execution of textures, from the wood table, to the cloth fabric, to the glass bottle, to the curling fireball. They really look fantastically enviable, very skillfully done!

Impact: Altogether, I think this has made for an overly strong impact. It benefited much from the excellent contrast, interesting textures, and skillful execution.