{Critique} OC Work In Progress - NEW BAB ADDED

Would someone or several someones be willing to give me constructive critiques, please? This is supposed to be based on the Blue and Gold Macaw. I still need to draw the black lines on the face, but overall I'm not super in love with this yet. I feel like something is off and I'm not sure what it is or how to fix it. Maybe I'm being overly critical?

Blue and Gold Macaw::



Sun Conure::




Last edited on 2020-02-23 at 17:37:13 by Mouse

I think putting the black lines on the face first will definitely help you decide if it needs more. I owned a Blue and Gold for many years and you have done a great job...it's beautiful!

I've added the black lines on the face, as you can see, but I just don't know what it is that I'm having trouble with. Maybe it's the legs? I couldn't find a decent ref of a Macaw standing stretched out, all I could see is grey-ish blue little toesies. Of course, having a friend who has a Cockatoo, seeing those little birdie toes made me think of the time he decided he was going to warm his feet in her pasta. LOL! Anyway, am I being overly critical of myself or is there something actually off about this? I do tend to be my own worst enemy when it comes to creative works.

Ok I looked at a few pictures of my old girl...I miss her...she was almost near 70 when she left me! I would say maybe to lengthen the gold on the legs a bit, as their legs really are gold all the way down to their ugly gray feet lol. You can still use artistic license here to include the black before the gray and be ok if that balances it for you. I would make the lower black line on the face a bit thicker than the ones above. I love how you've mastered the gradual color change, especially including their beautiful darker blue, which is fabulous in person. 
LOL to your friend's bird...I live with that daily with my two African Greys! Ohhh...that would make a great horse also!

Mouse your bird looks very very pretty! And PaintItBlonde I actually have a char based off an African Grey and he is very pretty

Bonnie your African Grey character sounds awesome! I'm not one bit techy so no clue how to view him...love love love art but not part of it!

Here he is :D 

Oh he's great! I love how you added the red mane as an extension to their red...they really are quite striking like that. Thank you so much for showing me he is really pretty!

I didnt color him, but I agree with everything you said. 

I love him; he's adorable! I agree with thickening the lowest black line on the face. It also looks like none of the black lines should be running into the eye; they run just below it. Also, except for the bottom-most lines, it shouldn't be one continuous line, but broken lines, and, above the eye, dark inter-layered dashes. See what I mean? I think he'll be absolutely perfect if you do that, and even now he's gorgeous!

Last edited on 2020-02-22 at 12:05:00 by Syrien 🐇 ☽

Love that picture Syrien looks just like my girl! He is beautiful!

I've decided that I'm going to do a line of tropical birds to auction later. I'm now working on a Sun Conure and taking a break from the lines on the Macaw. I keep reworking them but they're still not making me happy yet. I think I've just about finished the Conure, though.

Mouse I love that! A line of birds is awesome! No matter how you finish him the blue and gold is going to be just fantastic. He is a horse so he should be a little different, right lol?! I totally get what Syrien is saying about the lines, but I have to admit that the line running to the eye makes me feel like he has a mask on which I love. I'm addicted to birds I will confess!

Ooh bird chars! Yeeessss please please please! You could do some species of hummingbird or toucan if you're stuck on ideas... Or a Harpy Eagle would rock!

Last edited on 2020-02-23 at 18:39:08 by ↁragonfly

They are really looking great!!! I may have to snag one to go with grey.