Background Studies, Manga Style

The deadlines for my grad school applications are rapidly approaching, so now it's a race against time to get all the work for it done on time. For round two of my attempt to get accepted (round one went to the schools last year. Luck wasn't in my favor, sadly) I want my portfolio to reflect everything that has to do with graphic novels. I want to be able to showcase character design, manga chapter cover art, background studies and even a few short manga, such as "Tool World."

My current endeavor for are the background studies. These two pieces below are some samples:

They're just the inked drawings, but I intend to add screentone to it. When I do, I'll post it here. I might even show a few in-between steps of my screentoning.

The last two will only have one appear in my portfolio. It'll most likely be the darker one of the two, but I liked how the lighter one looked. The contrast may be lower but there's something about it that gives it a real "natural" look. And no, silly, it's not because it has trees. But I do like them both.

Anyone else besides me trying to get into grad school? What does it take? I don't think I can take yet another rejection. Please, please, please, let me get accepted this time.

- - - - - - - - - -
EDIT: I got into grad school! YES! This fall, I'll be earining my Master's at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. California, here I come!