Request for constructive feedback on these watercolours please!

[FirkleingFree]

I've been laid up up the past few months with a broken ankle so decided to have a play around with watercolours. I've never been great at art and don't have a great deal of confidence, but I'm really enjoying it just for myself and I can see an improvement since I started. So I thought I would be brave and ask you artists and crafters for some constructive feedback to help me get better! (sits and waits nervously....)

well, I think they are excellent.

I would certainly not be remotely surprised to see them on sale as cards or small prints.

There is a lot of humour int he one with 3 birds too.

Wow OP these are amazing! I would buy them if they were cards!

Oh thank you!!! I do like the three chicks, in my head that picture is called Boris, Sunak and Gove

I really like them - they look professional, and have loads of character - you should be proud of them.

They’re excellent. You clearly have a talent for capturing something interesting and engaging in wildlife. Love the middle one particularly. Any more for us to enjoy?

I like the robin

Excellent, I really love them

I looove them! Especially the robin. Wow!

The only criticism I could say (nitpicking here!) is the beak in the first bird is a little off proportion. And also I tend to prefer when artists use other ... pens, pencils to emphasise the watercolours, it makes them more vibrant using like a very fine point black pen or a bright white acrylic (?) pen to do a couple of highlights

Watercolours are a very difficult medium, this is beautiful work and as an artist myself, I'm that you don't think you've ever been good at art, this is v skilled work!

Gosh, feeling very buoyed up by your compliments! Thank you all. @grey12 I agree about the beak in the first bird, I couldn't rescue it though!

A few more attached, and in these I have used pen and ink with the watercolour.

They’re beautiful.

I was an art teacher for years and my school got the best results in the city every year. Based on that the only thing l would say it don’t use black. Nothing in nature is black. Darl green or dark blue.

They are gorgeous. Love the pen and ink ones.

They are lovely OP.

They're beautiful OP. You get really vibrant colour for watercolours.

Are you going to approach a card company? They remind me of the Ling Christmas card style.

@ArseInTheCoOpWindow (love that name!) yes I'm trying to move away from black - I'm using paynes grey a lot as it has a blue tint to it, and for the horse I mixed burnt sienna and ultramarine. You tube has been great for tutorials!

I love them. I do watercolours and they’re better than mine (and i’m good enough to sell, although my style is different to yours).

Have you copied them off existing prints?
They are a very distinct style, some parts almost look stenciled.

Love the blue and green tones.

Some of the pics have your signature/real name on which could make it easier for you to be identified in real life.

I really like them - I love the expression on the birds' faces. I prefer the birds to the horse as the horse is a bit generic.

@SpacePotato, I do a basic pencil sketch for each one first, I use a photograph on screen for reference (pixabay has copyright free ones) but I don't trace them or copy them religiously - when it comes to the colour I just do what I feel like.

I've love the really loose watercolor animals people do with amazing colours, splatters, soft edges etc, but when I try it it just ends up as a muddy puddle! So I think my natural style sits somewhere between that and realistic - I've also realised that leaving more area of the page white helps a lot. I'm much better keeping things small as well.

I love them! The third one is my fave.

I think they're beautiful! The only thing that stands out is the proportions are a little off, but that can add to character.

I agree the birds have more character. They look fantastic quality and far better than I could do. If you wanted to improve I'd look to further develop your own personal style- some of them (the horse and robin in particular) are similar to lots of generic pictures I've seen elsewhere, the vivid blue and green bird is really beautiful and distinctive though, and I like the humour in the picture of the three birds together.

I love the birds, especially the grumpy three. You have a lovely style.

Have you done any chickens?

So I think my natural style sits somewhere between that and realistic - I've also realised that leaving more area of the page white helps a lot

Keep the style. It makes them stand out from the crowd. I like the bits left white.
They are very sellable, especially the birds.

I absolutely LOVE these ❤