I realize the problem with the first piece was a failure to dilute the paint enough. When I started it over, however, I completely forgot about starting to layer with darker colors first- resulting in a bright stark contrast between the lighter colors and the black background.
So, in taking what I learned from the first two attempts, I started a new one. This time, I began with darker colors, and I diluted them well. What we have here is akin to a basic sketch. Over this, I'll continue to layer paint. I'll have to be very careful not to overdo it on pigment. Slow and numerous layers are key.
