Something different

I tried something different combining shape and some rough brush pen sketched out lines. I think it has helped to add some add some depth and character but still needs some work. The shapes of the leaves are a bit too blocky. I have been struggling to make characters that match the composition. I have tried drawing them with rough looser outlines but haven't got it right yet, they end up looking like cheesy cartoons. I think this style could be even looser, using more block shapes and making the landscape bigger. I could use light tones to keep the landscape light so that it doesn't feel too heavy. That would allow the rough outlines to highlight key areas of the composition and they should still stand out along with the characters. I have been trying to work with brushes in photoshop as well so I added some tones to the leaves to see how lighting would impact the atmosphere of the composition.

I like the variation in tone from the shading but the linear way I have done it seems to accentuate the fact that the shapes are flat rather that add depth. I think that simpler is better in this respect and that if I manage to get the shapes right then the composition will work without the shading. I need to work on my character design and expand the scale of the composition.