Author, you have until the contest ends tomorrow to post a revision.

Hair of woman at top should look more like it's hanging down. Otherwise it's an interesting image.
EDIT: If "strange" means being lazy, then okay...

Very nerdy nerd.
EDIT: On second look, I might flip him horizontally to match the lighting on the background stuff.

Good image, but either she's too big or the horse is too small.

She's 9 or 10 feet tall, so that must be a really big spider...

Now he's inside a giant gun sight?

Quit while you're a head.

This would be really cool if the post was a sharp stake going through her hand.

Good job on the flesh tones. The rest needs work.

The joints need to be where the real joints are, and they should have light & shadow like the one on the neck. Is there supposed to be a broken pane of glass in front of her?

Background spiders should be as blurry as background web.

Tower needs a shadow. Maybe you should add about a hundred more balloons...

Foreground too dark, figure needs a shadow.

EDIT: IMO removing the moon & lightning would make a simpler, less distracting background and allow us to focus on the main image.

Great image & SBS!
Just a small nitpick: I'd like to see better shadows from the horns. GL author.

I'd like this more if the texture was only on the figure, and a bit more subtle.

Smudge work is too obvious. Move the image up and leave some black space for the type at bottom. You'll have a better composition.

Sources for smoke images?

Nicely done, but the lightning should be on the left, since that's the lighter side of the sky and where the light on the face comes from.

Good blend.

What's the source for the skeleton/ghost images?
The moon is the light source, but the light on the building is from the opposite side.

Interesting idea but the pattern is too distracting.

Good blend & color.

Agreed, and try to give the edges of the skull some thickness...give 'em a slight blur, too.

ROFL Mark...

Looks like the moon would be on the left, judging from the lighting on the source pic.
EDIT: Looks better. GL.

Nice choice of sources for the flying beasts. Just my opinion, but I think Sauron might look better just a bit bigger & higher in the sky. Good work, though. GL author.

Try to alter the symmetry of the hair. Highlights above the lips and shadows below would help, too...right now it's floating in front of the face.

Good treatment of a subject that's been done badly so many times.

Can't help but grin...GL author!

Definite perspective & lighting issues, but it's a great idea.

LOL...who knew there were so many!

Final step is a bit washed out, but good idea.

This is great...love the different colors & angles!

Nice image. Too bad about the lens flare, though.

Sweet job...congrats!

Wow, this should have won!

The line of the drip that runs across the nose doesn't conform to the contours of the face, and the light sources on the stems of the drippers are inconsistent. Also, as translucent as they are, the honey drips would have shadows.Good idea otherwise.

Looks much better with the flower...GL author.

You need to make a SBS if only the source image was used.

The edges of the figure are a lot better. The area inside the arm against the flag still has white edges, and there are still a lot of white artifacts all over in hi-res.

Try to remove the white artifacts (Filter/noise/dust & scratches and/or Clone tool). Rather than selecting with the magic wand tool, use the pen tool or lasso tool to get clean edges. Also, you need to post the uncut original photo in a step-by-step guide.
I'm guessing the first commenter is referring to the cut off elbow, which could be fixed by cropping the image at right & eliminating the dead space.

Use linseed oil to thin your oil paints. There are other media to use, just Google "thinning oil colors" or something like that.

LOL...good idea!

Try using the pen tool or lasso tool to avoid jagged edges on a selection.

IMO Step 3 looks better. The HDR effect gives the whites a yellow cast. (Why the hairy smoke?)...

Pretty sloppy in hi-res. There are artifacts & remnants of the red car all over the place. Doesn't seem like you used the highest res source pic.

Much improved!

The glows should only be on the weapon end of the swords, which would glow from the insides and not have shadows. You've made the background too dark to let the figures pop. This could be great with some tweaks. GL author.

Could use some cleaning up, but clever idea.