Help! This step is always the hardest and can never do it right

[mRomano]

So I just finished a line drawing, but am trying to learn new illustration methods that dont involve masking off areas. I want to paint a Feng Zhu style, which is basically all on one layer. I just finished thsi line drawing but I just cant seem to go anywhere from here.

I need help and direction. I know I'm supposed to give tones and form but I'm just having difficulty doing so.

I also need advice at this stage for future drawings I do, thank you guys!

Basically things were just not going the way I hoped they would.

[Tea of Doom]

Well, one of the things i learned from Feng Zhu is that you need to quickly establish your foreground, middle ground and back ground. Also having logical lighting helps.

Otherwise, I think the base concept has some potential, I see that on your second thumbnail you added a wall in front of that obelisk ( spaceship?) .That's good because it shows that you are starting to get how composition works. So keep working on this piece.

Here is a paintover.

[arenhaus]

It's too early to add value if you haven't gotten your perspective right.

[mRomano]

That's true I just kind of sketched this out with no perspective in mind. Its a habit I need to get out of

[williams73]

every image has a story find the story find the image......
first I think you would benefit from some gradient overlays to simplify lighting for you...so I was intrigued by this story so far and did a quick version of what I saw as one possible future

anyways this is just me playing with an image I see oddles of potential in....look forward to your results