Feels unfinished need some help

[SpinalCracka]

I've been working on this for a while now but it never feels done. I do need a proper background but I feel I need some critique and suggestions on the rest of it:

[keith_v]

I think you need to push your lighting more. A good test would be to stand about 10ft away from your screen and look at the image. If you can't recognize the image of a head from that distance, you need to adjust your lighting. The tones in your piece are very murky, with the highlights only being slightly brighter than the background. I did a paint-over to show how adding a more intense light can make the shape and features of the face more noticeable.

[SpinalCracka]

Thanks Keith. I think you sparked something for me. It is murky and it needs more light, just in the right places. I realize now I was shooting for a tenebrism look but the light and the shadows are too weak. I need to create a stronger contrast.

[SpinalCracka]

Updated. One version is brighter than the next. I am having trouble figuring out how this will show up on most people's screens. I have two monitors on my computer; one really good, the other is utter crap. Almost everything on the second one barely reads. Please let me know what you think. And thank you for the feedback.

[paulboutros]

in my opinion the green color of the skin doesn't necessarily need to go away but the lighting suggestion of Keith works well..

[nmx009]

cool image though

[Alexandre Belmonte]

Something I think it would help is smudge some edges a little. Doing this the image will appear more 3D.

A reference you may find helpfull for the smudging and the light/contrast is the amazing turtles and He-man portraits made by Dave Rapoza. http://davidrapozaart.deviantart.com/