Assistance with color choices [Horror Creature Examination]

[Johasu]

I find that colors are still my biggest challenge area.
Any advice on how to choose colors with more style or a better grasp on aesthetic appeal.
Captivation!  I want my work to pop more and I feel like colors are currently the biggest weak point.  (Though I may be wrong there.  )
Critique please.  If you see any glaring composition flaws feel free, but I'm primarily focused on the color side of things here.

This is a creature from a personal project I'm working on.  Playing with the concepts of our personal evils taking demonic or monstrous form, grown directly from our own bodies, fed by our actions and feelings.
"Regret"

[Hunited]

I think the main problem with your colours is that there isn't enough contrast. The purple on the slug's body also blends in with the red in parts. So basically, your highlights should be brighter and the shadows darker.

[BadMoodTaylor]

Depending on your style, I don't see a big issue with your colors here.

The biggest issue I have is with the eyes.  I feel like they should be more of a focal point and they are dull and too much going on.

I gave it a try here:

They can be other colors besides green but just seemed to fit here and still make sense. (I like the darker eyes when zoomed in but at smallest scale I like the bright ones so still clear at small size)

The other area that bothers me in places is the shadow on the white adjacent to the eye tentacles.  I'm not sure it is the contrast but the hue/saturation being a little too close where that color could almost be used on the tentacle, causing the perception to be blurred where the tentacle ends.

[BadMoodTaylor]

Also the mouth/beak.  It feels like it is supposed to be protruding out a bit but the pinkish colors on the far side conflict with that idea.  If protruding out I would have the white on the far side to give that feeling and provide contrast. I also changed the color of the "black" on the beak to a color you have already used as I feel it is less harsh of a contrast.

[Johasu]

Thank you for the feedback.
I've taken note of the things you mentioned and made an edit.
Spread my colors apart a bit more and allowed the various tones to stand apart some.
I liked what you did with the eyes, but wasn't liking the green approach.  I've redone them as well.

My edit:

[BadMoodTaylor]

I like the changes you made.  I wasn't big on the green but was just making the point of the contrast drawing attention.

Now the gold/orange seems a bit dull in comparison making the eyes and mouth seem a bit flat.  I cranked up the saturation and brightness farther than you will want as a demonstration:



Looking good though!

[Johasu]

That's a good change.
I'm going to darken the eye sockets as well.

[Hunited]

You may want to desaturate the shadows on the skull a bit more, and for bone colour I usually go for shades of yellow

[Johasu]

Pulled the skull downward and spread the contrast a bit.
Hollowed out the skull eyes and nasal aperture to allow them to appear more like holes.
Popped that yellow on the eyes and beak.