Woow!!!! Very lovely and magical scene!!!!! Excellent!!!

Hi Jack! This is an excellent artwork! I love the colors, and I do have a few things that I will add, but I will do so in an Instant message to you. leanndra

This is an excellent concept, and the overall composition is also very good. It reminds me of some of the old Chinese depictions of the Ki-lin appearing the the mother of Confucius. That said, and since you asked for serious critique, this image could use some post-work in Photoshop or PSP, primarily on the Unicorn's tail and feathering on its legs. This will add that touch of realism that would push this from a good image to an exceptional one. Also, the girl's pose could be more dramatic. I know that it is probably a quiet moment when this creature appears to her, but as a book cover, this is the image that will sell the story and as such should be as dramatic as possible. Not a "Crouching Tiger" sort of dramatic, but more like Leonardo's "Birth of Man". The right pose can convey a sense of movement and action even when the subject is perfectly still. Try turning the girl's body slightly away from the Unicorn while she is still looking and reaching, or perhaps have her lean a little more toward the creature. Leaning out over the water would convey an almost subliminal sense of peril which would add to the action of the scene. Also, the tree in the upper right of the scene seems to be competing with the girl for the viewer's attention. I would haze it out a little to soften the contrast between the two objects so that the girl stands out more. Everything else I see is exceptional. I especially like the Maxfield Parish-esque sky. Good work!

Thanks to everyone who took the time to leave a comment for me. Much appreciated. I will take your opinions into account when I continue to work on the image. Thank you very, very much! And please--if anyone else takes a peek feel free to leave your comments. Have a great day!