I like this one better than the older one for sure.

Defiantly like this one more. The lighting adds more emotion into the piece.

This one is much better. Feels more atmospheric.

Yep, definitely looks better with the lighting in this one.

yeah i think the big glow in this really adds to the image =3

Is dirt a little iffy still on landings? <:x

OOoo, I'm liking this version a lot more, such dynamic lighting!

The extra little flare really works in emphasising the emotion here. Though the light over the left wing seems detached from the sun, there is a point to the upper right of the sun that seems to have a little bloop of elevated light. Man, i'm gonna have to take an articulation class or something. Not the 'fuzz' of the shaft coming down over the wing, but where two of the shafts seem to meet and create a blob where the shafts are lighter than the sun...

I am torn, I like them both! XD

I like the previous one. The light distracts from the subject, in my opinion.

I guess I am going to have to be the dissenting voice here, but I am not all negative.

Like everyone else I do like the touch that the sun/glare adds to the overall theme of the picture. With that being said however I think that perhaps it might be a tad too overpowering for this image.

1)Perhaps if you were to move the actual ball of fire a little more behind the your character such that the presence of the sun is implied more than seen directly. Perhaps have shafts of sunlight streaming from around the large pinions at the back of the wings. That way you can still have the feel that the image gets from the sun, but require the viewer to interpret the sun as behind the character and not overpowering their eyes in order to see the character in the first place.
2) Or move it such that some of the detailed fur structure can be seen in the slight sliver of the corona that shines around your cheek-fluff.

That mouthful being said: This is a seriously amazing piece and holy crap this reaffirms why I have you watched. ++fav the original for now.

Shane

i do like the lighting effect. but i do agree with some of the other comments of it being slightly off. that being said lol i do like this one better ^^

I think I'm the only one who thinks it's a little too much, compared to the other one. I guess that's just me.