I can't offer much advice in technical terms, but as far as subject you might be interested in exploring visual metaphors or symbolism more in your workJust having another look through your gallery, you already use lighting and composition to great effect. I could give a lot of examples, but I this piece of yours demonstrates that well, among others:I like, for example, that Jen is a little out of place and set apart from the others. It's a sunny day, but she's at a distance and the only one not smiling. I'd be pretty confident of you drawing most characters or settings.Personally, use of colour and the mood of the piece are things capture my imagination. Perhaps try drawing something that focuses more on the intangible if that makes sense. You do good backgrounds, but maybe trying using more negative space, have the subject off-set from the center (or the focus) of the piece.I'm a big fan of RalphHorsley's Wildborn series which looks at dragons in their 'natural environment'. Because the viewer is usually at a distance, I tend to think of these as dragon 'sightings'.At times the dragon itself is the last thing you notice, and yet the pieces (which have a natural and wild setting) still very have much a feel of the fantastical or otherworldly. I think you tend to deal more with magical realism, of course, fantastical creatures that are in a world not so different from our own.But I thought the way that the composition and, for me the light and colour especially, of Ralph's work shapes how we see his subjects (and how the subject sometimes seems to belong to the setting and sometimes the other way around) might contrast well with your own work.Another way of arting that I find interesting (and you might too) comes from the passionate yet whimsical Frog. You are probably familiar with some of her work already. Like you she draws anthropomorphic characters and in fact writing a comic with them in as well!It may be that her slightly tenuous grasp on reality assists in telling stories that are intensely human (or animal, as it were) and also often humorous and silly. Light and dark contrast, as she draws you in with sometimes cartoony characters and pretty colours and then:Hit you with a big 'ol dose of the reals and the feels.What I would draw your particular attention to if you're interested is firstly her use of colour. It's often simple, but very effective. Realism often takes backseat to the mood of the piece, and I find that the limited use of colour in some pieces really draws attention to particular aspects of the drawing. What is shown, but also what is shadowed, you know? I know you are familiar with the concept already, because I've seen it in your work, but I'd enjoy seeing you explore it more and Frog has some great examples of things to try in her galleryFinally, I'd like to share a couple of my own humble pieces to try to illustrate some of the things I've learned and found interesting. Firstly this one: Grotesque byPurely for use of colour. I chose the purple and orange and yellow and red intentionally because I found them visually offensive together. I found this an interesting concept to play with and allowed me to express something I might not have been able to otherwise. In hindsight I probably should have the tongue red too. But anyway, something different, and as I note you seem to be just a little stoic I thought that when you have the luxury of doing personal pieces you might find it cathartic to put your own monsters or demons on the page in a literal senseActually, I like monsters. Some are internal, some are external. Don't Feed the Troll byI wanted to share this piece with you as well, as an example of exploring visual metaphors that I found rewarding. The troll is under a bridge, but it's a little too big for it and is somewhat exposed. What's more, some helpful person has written as message (a subversion of 'please don't feel the ducks') to passers-by to help them avoid it's attentions. Long story short, troll is a monster and a menace, but the troll is also the victim in this piece: the victim of fate perhaps, or it's own abhorrent and antisocial nature. Part fairly-tale, part my attempt to explore a modern social issue.Yeah, so those are my thoughts on what you might try that is a little different. Hopefully this has been useful or at least interesting ^^. And, of course, if there is something you want to know more about I encourage you to talk to the artists I've mentioned they are both quite experienced and you might enjoy swapping notes