difficult subject (help!!)

[imager777]

This started as an exercise on negative space. I picked the crystal because it looked pretty, and was easy to render. Well, one out of two isn't bad. It did look pretty. This is one of the most challenging pieces I've done in a while. If anyone can help, It would be greatly appreciated. I work in pencil, marker, ink, and PhotoShop. The reference, and my picture are below. I don't necessarily want my image to look exactly like the reference, I just want it to look better. Maybe the refraction is throwing me off? I don't know.

reference:
http://www.min.uni-bremen.de/sgmcol/gems/topaz.shtml

mine:
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze3c5qd/images/topaz.jpg

Thanks!!

[AfroLaxMan]

I would either use more colors, or use a lot more contrast.

You definitely took on a difficult image to reproduce. The contrast in the image is difficult to pin down, where there is a dark and light relationship, there is also a batch of color as if to confuse the viewer.
The only thing I can suggest on that is to really focus on what it is you are illustrating. It will be tough because your eyes are not given a singular point to focus on, but several points at once.

An idea that just came to me, try to tape paper on the image to cover up what you're not looking, giving you a tighter focus on what you're painting. just a thought.:jump2: :jump1: :balloon: :afro2:

[imager777]

Thank you for the helpfull advice. I am going to play around with the contrast and color, and see if I can get it to look better. Maybe a scrap and redraw is in order. One thing is for sure. After this, no more crystals for me! That's what I get for trying to take the easy way out.