No Stronger Love

[! Z I L L A]

monsterengerydrinker.deviantart.com/gallery/26826701#/d347ysh

This is the second one for the 100 Theme Challenge, which happens to be love, and I know the lighting is slightly off but I was more worried about the mane...n' stuff... o.O

I smudged it after I finished cutting, and then i started burning it(make it look more realistic) but the burns turned out darker than I had thought they would...

Anyways...CRITIQUE PLEASE!!!!!!

[Emma]

Good.
Me likey.

OK.
The colour balance is fine. No need to change that.
Mane's and tails - are ok. The colours don't altogether match the bases - the strands seem darker. Try to colour pick from the original mane if you can. They also seem a little thin. Do some more of the smudgin', it's got some good flow if you just did more of it!
Other than that I like it, blending is good...but it needs something...like...something. There isn't much too itm to make it an amazing manip. Add an action? Another concept? Some sort of ghostly, spirt figure in the background? Something else to show off the skills I know you have!

[fineartislife]

Hey Zilly. I looked at your manip and like emmy here said, the manes and tails need a little work. The background also seems a little bright for the horses and they don't quite look like they are "in" there. Mebbe a few snowflakies on them would work.
Your title, No Stronger Love, I get the picture that you're trying to convey-they have a very tight bond. However, it's not very well represented in your pic.
I agree with Emma.

Otherwise, nice job hon!

[`Poet.]

I agree with Emma.

Cutting is great. Doesn't look like you smudged the horses at all (which is fine.) All the basics are good.

However, if you wanted to make it even BETTER, I can give you a few tips.

1.) Color balance -- I would take a nice, light cyan color (not TOO saturated) and then paint it over the horses layer. Then set that to the blending mode "Color". Then you can reduce the opacity and increase the contrast until it's to your liking. But keep in mind that this is just a personal preference; you don't have to change the color balance. I'm just have OCD about it xD

Like this: img819.imageshack.us/img819/9396/zilla1.jpg

2.) Manes and tails; I'd go with what Emma said. She gave some nice advice: take one consistent base color, and then do highlights and lowlights. Also (like she said) do a little more smudging on them to make them flow! Right now they just look... there. No "oomph" if you get what I mean.

Other than that, I think it looks awesome! I really like the concept and composition. Keep up the great work! <3