LOL yeah it is XD same :3 usually i get tips from my friends though o: like after i show them an artwork they often give me pointers, what they like, what they dont like, whats missing and how i can improve :3 i think having people to tell me how to improve improves my options more because often i never even think of it doing things that way XD
really o:? did you download any grunge brushes? i always use those to assist with texture, of course smokey ones as well :3 !
i know right XD the power of one brush ;u;d LOLOL i know how you feel XD
i think i used about 20? on the first one o: it doesnt look like it but i used a lot of textures and colour changing on that one and the second was around 46? XD i cant remember well because i usually group the layers in groups OTL
but woah 27 o_o im guessing you did a lot of work for the background XD