make this more interesting - help

[OlegDjimbinov]

i am out of imagination. is there any ways to make this more visually and conceptually intersting? any kind of of overpainting are incouraged. anything helps! thank you.

[Seedling]

Don’t zoom in on details until you have established the “big picture”. Especially, check your perspective - it looks all out of whack in subtle ways.

Also, consider your light-source. Is it direct sunlight? Then the buildings and people will be casting mechanically crisp shadows everywhere – no soft edges. The far wall should be in shadow and should be casting a shadow down the right wall. There should be a hard division between the lit portions of her dress and the shadowed portions. Adjust the colors everywhere so that the lit areas all consistently glow, and the shadowy areas are all consistently dim.

[Jason Rainville]

Add some dragons and wizards n stuff like that ;)

seriously, there either needs to be more happening (more people doing various things, more interesting lighting/change of day) or something more interesting happening with the sole characters (one killing the other while crying, one finding the other dead, or more emotion on their faces and poses)

At any rate, you should really decide what your picture is actually about before trying to figure it out halfway through. :^^:


EDIT: This is and EXTREMELY rough paintover to show a possible idea I just had, if you're willing to change the subject matter.

Basically firing squad lowering their smoking rifles just after they excecuted a group of people who are fallen in front of the wall. At the pillar is the commander, who is wiping something from his hands. the idea is that he is responsible, the blood is on his hands, so he's trying to wipe it off (literally or symbolically). It's nice since the direction of the barrels and the column make sure that our eyes go to him.

Just and idea :)

[novenus]

more activity doesn't necessarily make things better. If your space is well defined and well rendered, it can be an 'exciting' visual composition...

[CargoPantsMan]

One of the main problems I see with this at this point is that randomness of focus in the whole composition. You have certain features in the background very crisp and others blurred. The same goes for the mid and foregrounds. A rework of foreground clarity and background blur would help immensely.

Also, the pillar in the foreground has a bright highlight, which I think if that same brightness was carried onto the ground would help to bring out the male figure a bit more. (More like the shading of the ground to the right of the female. If there is a reason why the ground shading changes so drastically, it is not apparent in the current illustration.)

It may also help to not have such a dark doorway directly behind the male figure since you loose much of his torso in there. Or even adding some highlight to his shoulders to differentiate him from the background a bit more. That may look even better.

[Liik]

Well, before you change anything to make it more "interesting" I'd look at what in it is interesting already and see if adding that feeling or element elsewhere might help.

I'm not sure where I should focus my eyes. They keep falling on the architecture to the top because there is vibrant color and more sharp detail there. Also, it follows a clear line with those things. It's almost like I don't want to look down at the rest of the image at all. Maybe it's too tall? You could try pulling the top and bottom in more so the eye doesn't have to jump over all that empty seeming space between interesting detail and the figures.

Definately choose something to focus on and make sure that stands out. I think a strong focal point is a good foundation of a very interesting composition.

[novenus]

direct light source along with more developed far wall I think would make this a compelling piece.

[NathanLong]

I agree with all of Seedling, Cargo, Liik and Novenus's points, but I think one of the things that will make it most interesting is making the characters bigger and a more important part of the composition.

Here's my cut and paste hack-job of a fix.

[Troll Skelking]

Hmm, i think the figures are not too small, its just that they do not receive enough attention, the man´s outfit is black like the entrance, the woman´s dress is the same white as the floor -> there is a lack of contrast, I suggest to flip the figures, or to change the colours. Maybe a bright saturated red costume for the man could solve this. Another thing is that you should define the edges and the shadows more, think of a clear light source and add a bit more contrast. The overall colours are nice, the pillar in the background looks strange, too bright. Try to create a nice texture in the foreground on the floor and on the big pillar on the right, and loosen it a bit in the background.

Hope, I could help you,
Troll

Edit: The man´s feet look too small, the legs are a bit too short