Hello there! Great illustration so far! I made a few adjustments, particularly to the values, because the value range throughout the image is very similar. As a result, there isn’t much distinction between the background, midground, and foreground; they all blend visually. First of all, I established a clearer light direction by darkening the front-facing areas of both the character and the boat. I approached this with the assumption that the main light source is coming from the upper-left side. This creates a much stronger separation between the character and boat versus the sky and background. You can also use the clouds to create areas of “light against dark” or “dark against light.” Always look for opportunities to create that kind of contrast, as it helps guide the viewer’s eye and improve readability. On top of that, I feel this scene benefits from a warmer atmosphere, so I added a warm color pass that can serve as a foundation for further painting and color adjustments. As for the painting style: Stylized painting isn’t exactly my specialty, but a lot depends on the specific style you’re aiming for, since there are many different approaches. There’s the style seen in Arcane, various anime-inspired rendering styles, and many others. Depending on your goal, I’d recommend gathering examples that match the style you want and doing a few studies. Pay attention to how those artists use hard and soft edges, whether they rely on textured brushes, or if the style can be achieved primarily with a simple round brush. One thing I can confidently recommend, however, is the use of the Lasso Tool. I’ve noticed that many stylized artists rely on selections to create clean hard edges while still maintaining control over softer transitions. Hope this helps!
