Carmelite development 1

I have been experimenting with colour, character and composition. I have been trying to find ways to make the simple landscape of the ocean and flat horizon more interesting and appealing. I have been changing the angles and perspective as well as adding features like rocks and land masses that break up the flat surface of the mater. I really like the simple forms of the rocks, they add depth to the compositions and can be use to guide the readers focus to the main character or main points of interest. I think the most interesting and important result of adding the rocks is that they add shape and form to the water. The ocean could be left blank and only signified by the interaction with the rocks. This could help me simplify the composition making the focal points bolder while still creating an immersive landscape.
I am still unsure about the characters I have created so far. I cannot decide whether to make them more realistic or more cartoon-like. I think moving away from realistic illustration will allow me to experiment more with the entire compositions, use of colour etc. One thing I have discovered so far is that otters are hard to draw. If the proportions of the character are at all off they look very strange. I have tried accentuating some of the characters features and they either look like other animals or just look wrong. Needs more work.