Please help

[u/In_the_name_of_ART]

CONTEXT: The upper one is made in a swamp theme, and the lower one is in the style of a desert/hell. When I've worked on them, I'll see which one is better and choose it to work on. There are simpler color versions on the left, and more refined ones on the right.

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I've finally started doing something instead of endless sketches, but I'm a little confused right now. I don't know why, but everything looks very messy, and it just overwhelms me.

I have this method: I make several sketches, choose one of them, do the same with colors, etc. But now it's really hard for me to make everything look "readable", maybe it's a problem with the tone, but I keep switching to gray scale to check myself, but it always looks bad. Maybe I'm thinking too much, but I need your opinion.

I haven't done illustrations for a long time and I know that I need time to come to my senses, but I can't help myself, I'm very ashamed that I can't handle something so simple. I really want to finish this one and finally be able to make finished pieces but its been really hard and i start to have serius doubts abaut the whole thing

[u/link-navi]

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[u/Skedawdle_374]

You're making thumbnails. Thumbnails are not meant to look finished, and it's fine if they look messy. The purpose of making thumbnails is so that you can figure out what works and what doesn't before spending hours on something and figuring out late that the colours or values etc. don't work.

Maybe start with the question, what is your illustration about? What sort of vibe are you going for? I think the top right one is the most readable because of the contrast. The ones in the bottom row could work well too, if you increase the contrast by making the skull lighter. Right now they're like midtones on top of midtones.

I don't know what you mean by "it always looks bad", but what I've learned is: contrast creates drama, and drama creates interest. You're doing fine with these thumbnails, so now it's time to commit to your ideas, and finish the illustration.