Hello Jason, First of all , the ochre in the BG may look "good" but it throws away your color balance. Try using a midtone grey ( or a midtone red ) for your canvas when painting. Try using a sharper, flat, blocky brush (not a round one) with less texture to block out the shapes and forms before you go in close and render. Try spending more time on the piece, FOCUSED , this looks like a 15 minute sketch (and I know that it took more than that , maybe 1,5 hours ) , if you're listening to netflix or music with lyrics turn them off. Do some research on the "Multiplane, Disney Camera" , it will help you understand how to break down landscapes.

Hello Alex, Okay let's take that off the way first... Ahem.... THE STYLE COMES NATURALLY, you don't need to "search" for it. Your "style" is an outcome of your knowledge, skill and the things you love. The main issue here is the way you try to shade and render your illustrations. You rely too much on effects and I can tell that because everything is rendered following the same method. For example, on the lady with the pink pants, Her whole outfit and body have the same shiny feeling and effects, like she's made from plastic. And the light source is all over the place. I can tell by looking at it , that you used a "multiply layer" and a "color dodge layer" on top. Layer modes work great, but relying on them too much, is a bad idea. Make the layer modes to work FOR you, not the other way around. How? -Do some research on "Color theory" Learn how colors and different materials behave with light ( reflective or not ). -And how a "light source" works. WHAT TO STUDY ? Here, Marco Bucci is AMAZING with color, shading and rendering, and you can learn a lot! https://www.proko.com/lesson/painting-skin-tones-and-how-light-affects-color-marco-bucci/discussions

Hello Moonless. In your situation searching for a "female tabby cat" in google and adapting it, is your best option. in steps: 1. Google "female tabby cat" 2. Find one that looks similar 3. Use it as reference to draw it 4. Change her characteristics : fur, chubbyness ,eyes, etc. TIPS: - Pay attention on the markings around her face (that faint "M" on her forehead) ,chest and neck. - Looking at those two pictures , her colors are closer to the first image (due to white balance) - Do some sketches of cats and research first before the first draft! RESEARCH! - Cats have faces with different head and eye shapes and sizes (even when they are the same species, also that's how I can tell that she's a female) - Cat anatomy , learn the basic skeleton and the big muscles. Fur can be forgiving. Some extra tips: Doing "free" art as gifts for others is not a good idea. If you're on your teens ask for something like an ice cream in return , it may be symbolic but it gives to your time a value. If you're an adult on near adulthood and interested to be a creative that gets payed you should do some research on entrepreneurship. There's a book called Art, Inc. That'll help you, also the DRAFTSMEN podcast has some GREAT advice on the matter ! Go and listen to these as you paint the lady-cat :) Season 1 Episode 02 Season 1 Episode 06 Season 1 Episode 08 Season 1 Episode 17 -Have a great day!