This was the first initial sketch of the characters/ environment to the "To Build a Fire" Story

 

Recieved the following critique from this sketch

-  Move the main character towards the middle of the canvas to ensure balance

- The dog looks in a relaxed position while the marine is in more "alert" stance, make the dog's action integrate with the environment.

- Make the marine and the dog overlap each other to bring a sense of unity

- Make the clothing/ armor of the marine more integrated because they look like as if they are just added on

Upon recieving the critiques and adding in more details, this is the revision and the line art for my character designs.

Came to my thought that the dog looked too "cute" and didnt blend in with the "bad-ass" marine so decided to give the dog a facelift and drew in a wolf instead in a more prone like position. 

As for the marine, nothing much has changed except for the additional gear and the customized M4 assualt rifle with a scope and suppressor

Final 
With the addtion of the environment and colored in, this is the final draft of my "To Build a Fire" piece
 
Before the coloring, i was told to revise the wolf front legs because the ones on the line art looked too "stiff" and ruined the fluid movement of his body around the marine.
I was also given the challenge to put my characters in a blizzard environment with snow building up around them, and i feel like i was able to create the scenario just about right