started out to have meant to be an abstract work from a cube and evolved into this.
http://gallery.mudpuddle.co.nz/view_photo.php?full=1&set_albumName=kansas15&id=0070_G
Kansas you really need to work on your lighting, i know you’ve heard this over and over, but it is one of the main thing keeping your pieces back, it seems so bland, plz dont wimper about long renders and such that is just part of CG artwork, my last work i did had over a 1000 lights(i know thats is alot more than usual)and took about 10 hours to render, but lighting can really make a piece good or bad, or help draw attention to certain points of intrest. Seriously, do some research and testing with lights, it is really worth the extra time and effort.
What made you make striped pyramids and eight balls for lights? This is just wierd.
You should set yourself a goal to make something specific and make it the best you can, instead of just putting the most random things imaginable all together in a scene.
I don’t really like the cones. They don’t fit in with the style/color scheme of the artwork.
Besides that I think it is pretty good. It definitely is abstract and keeps the eyes moving around for a while. That is a good thing.
On the point of lighting I do agree that it can be improved. I’m not saying it is horrible by any means, but I think you would be amazed how different forms/styles of lighting could enhance the pic. For example everything on the right side is very in your face while the left side looks to be without nearly as much detail. And trust me I’m not saying 1,000 lights, that is absolutely insane by the way, but creative use of lights…
Whenever I light a scene I look at it as I am in the studio, but then again that is my background and it works for me. If I were you I would take a finished project, like this one, and just plain expirement.
Start with a few lights and see how they interact with the scene as well as each other. Get your fill or base lighting done, then move onto the smaller lights that will add highlights to particular areas of the render.
First of all lighting this scene is complex because the scene is complex. Three point lighting would not work for this scene, but is a good point to look at to understand how lights interact with each other.
Good luck Kansas, and if you have any questions about lighting feel free to ask. Trust me, I’m much better at lighting than modeling. One of the first things you learn in television production is lighting, and in many ways it is the most important thing for any given scene.
Your images show that you are creative and have lots of ideas. But you should work longer on a single image and always ask yourself how it is received by viewers. Wiggie said, striped pyramids and eight balls are weird. A lot of images have a weird content. That’s no problem. However, it is a problem if a composition is confusing and straining to look at because it makes viewers turn away. That’s the case in your image because there is no defined focus. All areas of your image are equally busy. Lighting is a great way to guide the viewer’s eye inside an image. Therefore I second those who say: Work on your lighting! It will improve your images immensely. Good luck! 
Building on Usagi’s thoughts:
The viewers eyes are drawn towards areas of high contrast. Personally I think that this piece has better lighting than some of your previous pieces, but in general when people tell you that your lighting is “bad” what they mean is that its too uniform. Make your darks darker and your lights lighter and I think you’ll find that your compositions will be much more interesting.
A good thing to do while your working on a composition is to bring it into gimp or photoshop and convert it to greyscale. Then you can see exactly how well your value structure is working without getting distracted by the colors.
Hope that helps.
I used the same outdoor lighting setup as I have been doing with my most recent outdoor works. And now it’s not working anymore you say you want me to find a new setup?
LOL !
You are just acting, aren’t you ?
One of the biggest principles of CG lighting is There’s no one “perfect” light setup. Some setups will look good on certain images, while others will totally ruin it. I’d suggest playing around with your light setup a bit on each image you make, to see if you can get them to look a little bit better.
I kind of like the image though–pretty funky. 
-Obiwan
Just…shut up…all of you, you just want to make my images look bad don’t you. You’re right I can’t take crits at all. I’ll risk a ban for this message.
Now listen here, I compliment your images, people compliment other people’s images, but do they do it to my images, no, nada, just stuff that could be improved and stupid lessons, people see that and they would think i’m not meant for 3D images or any type of image. I might as well leave because i’m sick of how you treat me here. I may get banned but that’s all I can do right seemingly.
Shut the hell up you ignorant fool!
I cannot believe you!
The reason people give you’ lessons’ is so you can improve, not to abuse your work. Until you start learning, you’re not going to get any better.
Sorry admins/mods, but he was asking for it, again.
The difference is that a good artist takes criticisms seriously. I get criticized all the time when I put up anything. I also get some compliments… but I see that you get some compliments too. Quite frankly though, you have a long road ahead of you… all of us do, but you’re still at early stages.
Okay, you want to get past the early stages? There’s only one way to do it. Instead of rejecting criticisms, consider them and experiment with their suggestions.
Nobody wants to make your images bad… we’re criticising to help them get better. You don’t need to be so paranoid.
You’re at a crossroads now, Adam. Do you want to stay where you are, and never improve? Or do you want to push yourself forward? A real artist is never satisfied with where they are.
/me picks up his jaw.
Alltaken
Okay i’m sorry, I was mad at something at home and I carried it over online,
Fair enough, just try to take some advice esp. about lighting on board, I sincerely believe if you spend some time experimenting with lights, (NOT trying to obtain a ‘definitive’ setup) you will notice a massive increase in the style of your creations.
Alex
kansas my advice, done do that again, that has really made u go down many stages in alot of people respect books. putting that aside, im not a great lighting person myself. so here is advice from someone who’s lighting ability is the same as yours, learn lighint, or make up for it in modelling, i prersonally wouldnt do an abstract piece until im sure i could do an ordinary peace with skill, but thats just me. try modeeling a detaileds car or toons, they will improve your modelling and would be easier scenes to light.
everyone gets grief at home, and no one should ever undermine the effect, but part of being a responsible adult is to know where to deal with it. that out of the way, i think you should maybe take some time out from the finished projects forum and spend more time on single projects, asking people for advice. theres a wealth of knowladge on this forum that out wieghs anything you’ll find in tutes or manuals. you’ll noyice ive never posted any of my work. i want to get as good as i can without peoples c&c, because i know that as a noob i’ll probably be put off if people are to harsh.
finally, i agree 100% with fasoft. even piccasso, who’s work was about as abstract as you can get, started as a very talented realistic painter. i was amazed it was the same artist when i saw his realistic stuff. its to do with seening things with your artists eye according to Betty Edwards (a pioneering art teacher). you can do surreal stuff, i think, but keep it as close to possible as you can.
anyway, thats my 2 pence (more like 3 grand!). who am i to talk, no ones perfect.
Kansas, I don’t beleive you did another rant on here.
If you listened to what people said, took the advice and techniques that people suggest, you would gradually get more and more compliments as your images evolved, but thats already been said to you countless times.
What response do you think your going to get if you post ridiculous things like “I might as well leave because i’m sick of how you treat me here. I may get banned but that’s all I can do right seemingly.” which you know aren’t true. Change the record.
What the hell is the point of us criticising your work if your just going to take it personally, and post meaningless rants every time, instead of actually using the advice.