Rocket House WIP- need critiques

[carakhan]

Posted this in the Critiques section by mistake. I've been here so long and I still managed to misplace it!

Hey all, I'm coming up with an illustration for a story I have, and I'd like some critiques.
A man is so obsessed with the stars, so enthralled with what they are and why they are so far away. He wants to be able to be with them, to touch them. This obsession takes over his life, so that he forgets everything else and builds a rocket to get to the stars out of his house. I want more ideas compositionally, style of painting, whatever. My teacher really liked the thumbnail, but I want to keep that sense of imagination and wonder, and I don't feel like it's going in the right direction. I'm also not sure if I want to keep it loose or get in real tight with it. Anything will help!

[dogfood]

I think there could be a lot more interest in the composition. Currently, there are three points of interest almost equidistant from each other (moon, rocket, launch site plume), with a lot of importance given to the ground (with the objects dominating the sky, the relatively stark ground is given more importance). This is odd, since the focus seems like it should be on his trip and goal.

The sky through the window also flattens out the house unneccessarily.

I do dig the quality of the brush strokes and the bold colors (though with rockets, it's OK to really emphasize the flame; it looks like a campfire right now).

[carakhan]

Hah, a campfire!

I was wondering if I should lower his rocket closer to the ground, like it's just taken off. I don't want to lengthen the piece too much, I'm not quite sure how to shift the importance of the rocket itself other than making it larger maybe.
As for the window, I'll definitely be changing that, I think I'm going to put a bit of light in there, if I make the rocket bigger I'll show the guy inside more? Meh, now I'm just talking.

Thanks for the crit though, I'll definitely keep it all in mind!

[dogfood]

I was thinking something like this, though it's ceratinly not a perfect solution, either.

[Jason Rainville]

Maybe a more dynamic angle? close to the roof of the house, looking down at it and the ground... or possibly the reverse? It'd give you some more elements to play around with, unless you're sure of this view.