Critique: Red Balloon by Josh P.

I have to say, I'm a fan of the mixed media (is that the phrase?) in the design. The super-realistic mountain peak and texture of the dark purple swirl is really stark against the cartooniness of the shadow man (whose name I think is Fear?), balloon, and Josh himself. I think this makes for a strong design, as it adds a layer of complexity which engages the viewer as they hop between realism and cartoon. 

I get the distinct impression that Fear is reaching for the balloon and not Josh because of the title and the central location of the balloon. This is interesting because usually (I think) when people are in a design we are more drawn to them and give them larger importance in the overall design. Therefore, we are left to contemplate the importance of the balloon. Why does everyone want it? What, if anything, does it stand for? I like that the color red is subtly repetitious in the design via the title, Fear's eyes, and the balloon itself. It's not the most-used color, but it's easy to see that it is the most important.

I think the only drawback, for me, is the uncanny blankness in Josh's face. It's a bit off-putting, more so because the features of the face are very minimal due to the decomposition. For such an intense scene, he seems oddly blasé about the whole thing. I want to know if he's excited, or afraid, or anything really!