Great entries.
I hope nobody minds if I leave some quick quitiques.
Cathryn: Nice effects and colors, but the composition is unbalanced. Mainly, the white and black areas are too distinguished. Maybe moving the white area towards the center, and creating another black 'frame' on the right?
Destiny Angel: I'm a bit irked by the fact that a non-commercial art piece is being used, but nevermind that fact; I'll always be irked by that. So: my eye is drawn towards the shot on the left, a focus too close to the edge. I'm not sure how I would confront this aspect, seeing as the face is important. Great effects though.
Dante: The composition, less the black area on the right, is good, but the effects need work. The white border is a great idea though.
Lifrasthir: I don't really like how the border is a darkened version of the image. Perhaps the image is too 'grey'. Try upping the saturation a little. The text is great!
Aldo: To be frank, I don't like this one much. My opinion: rather than adding to a great stock image, the effects detract. It seems over-contrasted and pixelated, the colors don't really work together, and the bar seems out of place.
Nagase: This is the one I voted for yeah! Albeit the composition could be improved - his gun is uncomfortably magnetized to the edge, the border is out of place, the face could be clearer - the style really reminds of the game; the effects were what won me over. It's techno, grundgy, and attractive.
Whiplash: Maybe the focus could be emphasized more. Right now, the signature is too flat.
C4E: The effects are good, but some areas are off-balanced in terms of detail consistency. For example, the untextured 'smokiness' and blank pink area seem somewhat out of place. In addition, the composition could be improved; the render could be moved upwards, as the original stock conveys the viewer looking up towards Dante and his somewhat 'carefree' attitude.
EDIT: made some edits.
SotW #1 - Voting
