Wonderful Feedback

I just received some awesome feedback about my art. Not so much about the quality, but about the direction I need to go in to improve the overall piece. Much of it was stuff I already knew, but this wonderful person also gave me very specific help/links/etc. that will aide me in improving my pieces.

On the one hand I want to have fun with art, and I will not stop that. It is therapeutic for me to play, and if the finished product turns out to be something that people want to look at, trade for, even *gasp* own, then more's the better.

I also want to improve and grow in my art skill set as well as let out my creative beast. I think I need to revisit painting, as this is where I learned (in the past) the most about color, contrast, and technique. I'm also going to explore some online technique sites on colored pencils and markers.

In addition, I'm taking the Fantastic Faces workshop over at ArtTrader magazine, as well as I'm signed up for Carla Sondheim's online course "Faces 101". I look forward to both opportunities to work on technique and color. And I highly recommend any workshop from both of these sources! Check out my links and blog list to find ArtTrader and C. Sondheims workshops.

One thing I really need to work on is backgrounds. They are my bane! I always set out and draw my main subject and then go, "oh, crap, what should I put behind it?". Any ideas? Suggestions? Links?