Hmmm, kinda hard to decide which one is better.
I think I am leaning twords v1

I like 2 more because the face is too blue in the first I think o.o

The color of him in v1 looks forced. Try doing it with just highlights of the color coming off of the orb. The color should be more vibrant as it's closer to the orb, then fading into a gray as it goes towards the back.

In v1 the render was set on luminosity, that's why the color came through so much
And I did a lighting layer after but it got covered up after I made the render gray
I'll redo it tomorrow maybe to fix the lighting

Try hard light or linear light with low opacity on clip masking to the render. If you send me the .psd I can do it and show you what I mean so you have for future use.

Trm taught me the same technique
But if you want to see the psd lmk and I can upload it tomorrow

Ah okay, if he taught you then I don't need it.

What I like most is the fact that u'd choose a crappy render like this.
Keep going m8, love your progress.

Lol thanks, guess my render picking skills are not good then o.o