Attos' Sketchbook and Studies NSFW Nudity

You know Atto, I don't know if there's a right or wrong way of when to add stuff into your work. I've seen lots of different methods. Personally, I like having all my anatomy close to 'right' and 'figured out' before I add extras. I've just found, for the stage I'm at in my art, it makes it easier if I have to correct something later. One thing I DO think is better is do anything significantly new or different on a separate layer! I know there are a lot of people that can just do the one or two layer deal for the whole painting, and that's nice and all and it has it's purpose. But I find it far less frustrating to work out 'new' things on a separate layer and then merge down when things feel like they're worked out well enough that I'm going to keep what I've done with the original image. I'd say finish up figuring out the placement and lighting of the lower part of this image and then start working on the fetishes and such

Taken your advice Thomgirl and started to add a few elements on different layers. Started to adjust the lighting a little too (though even I cant see much difference now). Sorted the end of the staff and that foot too and added some weight to the lower parts of the staff to give a sense of perspective.
Not too unhappy with the addition of the bird skull at the top of the staff but thinking I may have to add a few more branches so they more realistically support the weight of the skull. Think I may remove his hair behind the staff as right now the few feathers that I have added are completely lost against it.

A little break from the above for some portrait practice:

Thought the above was coming along quite nicely so decided to stick with it:

'Ill prepared'

I don't usually go for this kind of image but thought a ridiculously ill equipped vampire slayer was a bit of a laugh. A nod to those Buffy rip offs (including the TV series imho) who didn't quite get the joke. I mean don't you hate it when a vampire (to be added later) turns up when youre half naked with nothing to protect yourself with apart from a crucifix?

Hopefully I'll be adding the rest of our heroines body (bare lags and big boots or a pair of Converse) and a suitably scared vanpire later.

May want to check your shading, especially on her nose. It's presently making it look like it's going in a couple different directions.

Yeah Dave noticed that, its on Mondays to do list. I know most of it isnt great but is there anywhere else that it shouts out at you?

It might be the shading on the bridge of the nose but I think the eye on our right side is a bit far down and a bit far to the right. Looking forward to seeing both these pieces progress (I had to look up the guy who did the ref photo for your shaman piece and he's done some interesting things!)

Nice piece. The hands look way to big to me, especially the right side. The fingers on the left do not look foreshorten correctly. If you compare the hands to her face, in that position they are almost the size of her entire head. Hope this helps.

Thanks Crank,
Re-checked the size of those hands and you're absolutely right, they are way oversized! As far as the foreshortening goes I hope to sort that out in the final pass once the other elements are complete. I'll be looking at the issue with the eye and nose at that point too.
In the meantime while I let my entry for the Halloween challenge fester and settle at the back of my mind I started on a study for a piece that I'm intending to work up in the near future based on The Malazan Books of the Fallen, to be entitled 'Coltaines Last Stand'. I'll post some back story at a later date if anyone is interested. For now I think its enough to say I'm intending it to be a major work (for me anyhow) and the start of a series based on Stephen Eriksons excellent books.

I want to attempt these in a looser style than I normally work in along the lines of some early Phil Hale stuff (if you don't know him check him out he's a great artist imho).
This first one is a study for the figure of Corporal List still a lot of work to do but I am liking the start., hope you like

Like the POV. ... The last couple times I just wanted to sketch out some ideas, I've tried to do stuff with more creative angles/POV's such as this. Not that I feel I'm stuck in any one perspective or like using just forward, 3/4 or side views. I just haven't done too many images where the POV is from above or below, or even behind. It's just something I want to do more of.