Art critique humbly requested!

[Snakefire15]

Hello everyone!
I've come here from Deviantart because I'm sick and tired of waves upon waves of asspats. I have never received any decent crit on that site and thought I never would until I found this place.

This picture is titled "Veloceryx dragonified." I don't own a tablet, but I do own photoshop. This was drawn in the aforementioned program using a mouse, after first being sketched out on paper. Don't be kind-I need to know where I went wrong!

[EagleGrove]

I suggest that you simply draw with pen and paper and leave photoshop be for a while. That way, you won't be tempted to "cheat" by using brushes for half the picture (sorry, but it's blatantly obvious and doesn't make the picture better at all). Practise basics of light and shadow, form, anatomy of the living things you want to draw. Drawing simple objects such as fruit in black and white with nothing but pencil and eraser will definitely help you grow as an artist more than fiddling in photoshop. Trust me, I've been there (and still am at the basics).

[TinyBird]

I need to know where I went wrong!

Bolded the biggest problem:

I don't own a tablet, but I do own photoshop. This was drawn in the aforementioned program using a mouse, after first being sketched out on paper.

I'm sorry to say but you are not going to create good work with a mouse, and even more I'd say you really even shouldn't try to, you'll just put yourself on the risk of getting wrist problems and tendonitis very early.
So I'd say do yourself a favor and keep working with pencil and paper at this point. You don't look like you're ready for digital yet, and using a mouse puts an even worse edge to that.

[Snakefire15]

Thank you very much for taking the time to critique. My next upload will be pencil on paper, or pen.

[vineris]

While you're at it, get some reference. If you're going to draw a forest it really helps to spend time looking at one before you put pen to paper. That goes for everything else you're going to draw too.

[arenhaus]

Loomis, a pack of cheap paper, a box of pencils, and half a year of practice learning the basics of drawing.

Don't even think of touching Photoshop.

[SnailsPace]

I concur totally with whats been said, but I just want to add some encouragement- The best part of the image, IS the part YOU drew. So, get better at drawing, save up for a bamboo or whatever you can afford, keep drawing, keep drawing, keep drawing, and you'll be kickin' ass before you know it!

Also, a lot of ppl think a tablet is a short cut to drawing well, and while it is an extremely powerful tool, it can never totally replace the control you get with traditional mediums. The more you master traditional drawing, the better you'll be drawing digital, but you need that foundation before you can expect to be able to to be really successful with digital art.

[Imrooniel]

I have to agree with everyone before me - try to give a shot at good ol' pencils. In the end digital is just another medium and usually its best to start from the simplest things which would be pencils here.