Hermit Crab Character

So I started to rework how I was going to depict the crab characters during the ocean floor scene. At first I thought I was just going to use these plastic figurines I had photographed but I don't think they were meshing with the overall style of piece. This is what I've come up with instead, a construction/tissue paper crab. There is still some more work to be down to it, like give a bit more dimensionality to the claws and legs but this is basically it.
Here's the crab in a modified style frame. I think he fits in much better with the overall look of the piece.

Clearing Something Up

People seem to think that my sky in my Style Frame is just a normal blue gradient. I just wanted to put it out there that that is an actual photo of a sky! A nice clear blue sky in fact, not a cloud to be seen. I took it from a photo I shot a little over a year ago. Here's the actual photo that I'm using the sky from.

I just felt that I had to put it out there that I didn't just use a simple blue gradient but that I'm actually using a real shot of a nice blue sky. I do intend to put clouds into it so maybe that will quell the blue gradient feeling of it.

Style Frame Version 2

Well, showed my style frame to my thesis partner and I got the feeling he didn't really like it. He said it was too stark and minimal. He wanted more stuff and texture to it. Although I didn't agree with him it did however make me take a new look at it and go and change some things, mostly being tightening up the composition so even though I didn't agree with his observations it still made me take a new look at it and rework it because if he didn't say anything I would of left it the way it was. I think this version came out much better.

Style frame #1

Well I've made one style frame so far and I hope to get to the other two over this coming weekend. This one style frame went through about 4 iterations until I settled on this look. I would of posted the evolution of this style frame but I accidently trashed the alternate versions, Oppps!

I'm pretty happy with it, but now I just have to figure out how I'm going t handle the undulations of the ocean and waves. Plus, I'm still trying to figure out how I'm going to represent the boat, either in a more photographic style or a more hand drawn style. I might try to find a model shop in the city and see if they have any models of boats that might work. I also have to figure out a final look for the clouds in the sky, I know that's probably a minor detail but I think those minor details will really give this a polished look. descisions, descisions, descisions!