The image does not appear to "say" anything! In "Art" terms, there is no "entry" point and no "direction" to take you through in, and around the image.You have a difficult shape to start with and, it would seem that the "end point" of the imagary flow is outside of the frame. I hope you take this as a desire to help and not being difficult. The 3d objects are extremely well done. Did that make sense?

As a PS, I have hundreds of "art" books but the one I think of as the "bible" for all visual artists is "The Art Of Seeing" published by Bay Books in Australia. The National Library of Australia card no is ISBN 1 86256 305 5. I could do without all my art learning books except that one. Hope you can get a copy.

Good points. What would you suggest? I could put more weight to the left and crowd the shrimp with the tenticles, maybe coming from underneath and from the right, but leaving room to flee to the right... I appreciate your suggestions, but I see lines, pointing to the center... I could have the tenticles circling more, pointing the viewer to the shrimp, and the shrimp pointing back or back and up or down... Maybe I'll check out your suggested book. Appreciate the help.

I think its generally not a good idea to have important things off frame. You could try wrapping a tentacle around one of the shrimp to give the scene more drama but it would still be "compositionally challenged". There are some tuts on the web regarding compsition. I would try a google search. Good Luck!

Yeah, studying the "elements of design" is important. First, there is no real meaning in the octopus tentacles next to the shrimp...you are not really saying anything. Now if the tentacles were coming out of hiding in a cave etc... then you could say oh...that's why I don't see the octopus. Heck maybe if the shrimp are looking the other way. Basically there needs to be a whole concept. Now, in terms of angle...etc you can play with that.Think about what you want to emphasis and say with your image.