Naga

Wow, the shading of the scales and the patterns at his abdomen area is just mind-boggling. Though, the castle and trees at the back seem a bit too simplified when compared to the front. Facial proportions could be a bit off- but is made up for by the greatness in details.

The values are wonderful on this piece. Nice darks and a good balance of lights. You made a point of stating that you used no references, and I think that is where this piece fails to hit the mark for me. The proportions of the face are way off and that continues on down the torso. You may have intended a longer neck than normal, but it does make his head look too small for his body. I suggest you DO reference to get a more correct look, the best artists always reference, even the masters did, there is nothing wrong with it. I like how you framed the background, but it does seem a bit like from a children's book. Nice work, thanks for sharing it with us.