Bed, Hobbs and Deathsticks

For the past two or three days I've done nothing but wake up and wrack my brains for a solutions to this Hobbs problem. I've sat in front of my work-covered wall with a cigarette in hand for hours upon hours wondering what will look better as a finished article, what will look fantastic blown up, what will look quintessentially 'Hobbs' and hint a little of the 80's?

The difficulties lies with the following 1. Paint or paper cut out? Paper cut out looks neat, but will it look too digital? Paint looks nice, if a little fussy, until a digital gradient back is dropped in and then it looks catastrophic. 2. Background. Perhaps it should be one solid colour? Or a gradient. And if a graded colour looks best, do I do this by hand or on Photoshop? Cigarettes finished, I've now taken to raiding the fridge...