I vote for Dustriders. He has a great pose for the human and the little creature oozes cute. The setting is very fitting as well. His lighting is, as always, superb.

Malwat has a very nice concept, but I think the execution needs some work. If you are new to this stuff, please don't take my critique too harshly. You have some great elements in that picture. The framing is good, the posing is good, the choice of characters is also very good. The achilles heel for this image could be a lack of experience for the artist in setting up the shadow methods of the lights and/or the render settings. Don't be discouraged, even the great masters had to practice before they could be great!

Nugget's image is very nice, but I didn't vote for it because the setting seemed out of place for me. I think if there were some other elements to the scene that suggested a more extra-terrestrial vibe, then I may have voted for it. Even a light streaming in a window or the door, to suggest a UFO or something outside that the alien is beckoning the viewer to follow her and see, would have added that extra little dimension. As an example, think about the little boy's abduction in, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. The mother (and viewers), are terrified at what is going on, but the little boy is amused and intrigued by it.

Out of curiosity, was there a WIP thread with this challenge? They are great for sharing ideas, getting or giving tips, maybe generating additional interest in the challenge, getting some constructive critiques before the entry deadline?

Thanks.