Using red

Sorry didn't mean to post twice - slip of finger

Hi jean the red looks fine to me. I like it Jean ,in my opinion it is a bit too busy every where , if you could play down the backround so that the bird and branch stood out more. It would also create a feeling of depth. Having said that its pretty good and I can see that you can paint well. I never normally criticise you asked . I hope you don't mind or think I'm a know all , ido it with good intentions. Well done Jean and many thanks for your kind words about my painting.

Hi Jean. The foreground tree and grasses work really well. I think that the strong reds in the background are possibly a problem. In general (and this is not an absolute rule, merely a guide), warm colours such as red come forward while cool colours recede. The super-strength red behind the central bird shouts discordantly and is, in my opinion, rather unfortunate. The remainder tend to give a autumnal feel, which I am not sure you intended (Aren't jungles rather lush and green? I can imagine dark leaves with a green-yellow fringe and others that the sunlight shines through). The red might work better lower don where the shados lurk. Now, I'm not the most expert watercolourist, but I suspect that you could try one or two of the following: -- giving the red shadow areas a rough wash of green (by "rough", I mean deliberately leaving small random areas of red showing through). The green over the red will probably create a "dark"; -- attempting to "lift out" some areas to lighten them; -- being unconventional and experimental and washing white over selected areas to fade them (possibly with some green to follow).

incidentally, you should be able to delete the duplicate posting if you want to. Unfortunately, the missing "w" in my "lower down" above must remain a glaring typo.

Thank you both for your comments. I am experimenting at the moment with different colour ways. I might try your suggestions but probably start a new painting rather than mess with this one so I can see the progression. I am attempting to find my 'forte' rather than just paint randomly and in order to do that I have to also find what doesn't work for me!!! Thanks again for your suggestions. I think they are very valid comments. I may run the green over the background though - see what happens !

I find watercolour rather unforgiving of my mistakes; it's all too easy to make mud. I hope you don't!