The first thing I would say is, if the client's happy, then you did just what you are supposed to do. I've been a freelance designer for 16 years, and what makes the client happy doesn't always make me happy.
But that can be pretty unsatisfying from a artistic perspective.
Here's some things you could think about...
First of all, IMHO there is too much space where nothing is happening. I would consider increasing the size of the head to bleed out of the image. As long as we can see eyes, nose, etc, we will "get" what it is.
The reference to the hand pattern is way too subtle for most to "get". Keep it in there as a cool element, but don't worry about whether we see it or not. If you hadn't explained in your comments, I NEVER would have gotten it.
IMO, the mask on the head is too sharp. I guess you cut him out with paths or otherwise (please tell me you didn't use magic wand) and cut and pasted. A very cool way to do this is to drag the entire head image into the background image, create your path, make a selection, then save it as a mask. Then you can go blur your mask by .5 pixels, or some number, to make it softer and transition better into the background better.
I would also recommend you use channels to isolate the hair so you can get a better "key" or mask better for the background to show through. You can message me if you want more info on this process.
I think the maid is dusting the cobwebs of his mind? Is that the creative you are going for?
Maybe consider a visual clue that she's "in there", something to show us the depth, or the 3d nature of his head. I would consider an "edge" to the opening in the head of some kind. Maybe an actual "lip" like someone had cut the head open and we could see the extrusion (nothing gross, just some graphic representation of the edge).
The edge could also just be a blurred mask.
Then I would consider a different pose for her. I'd like to see her facing away from camera in a 3/4 shot with her bending over at the waist. Shoot this in a studio on white.
Then shoot your room, or make one up graphically, for the inside of his head, and comp her in there.
Then make sure that her feet are cut off by the "hole" in his head. So she's standing on a floor we can't see, and her feet are below our view, giving our eye the hint of things not seen.
Using the shot you have you could do the same thing, let her be "in" his head by hiding part of her, let her legs be under the edge of the "hole" to give us that idea of the floor being down there.
Then shoot or creat some cobwebs for her to be dusting. Comp those in.
But remember, the client was happy, so this is all just what "could have been". You did a great job, this is all just theoretic rambling now. But you did ask! ;-)
|
