Constructive Feedback!!!

I wanted to start a thread where anyone can post a pic and have it analyzed by the rest of us. If you dont want the hard truth about your work, dont post a pic! This is a way for all of us to improve our work.

I will post the first pics!


Here is a pic of one of my butterflys, yes it is nice but my wings are not even and it seems to be lacking in wow, sooo what can I do to fix this?


Here is a pic I took over the weekend, the boy wanted his cancer sign in red white and blue, so it is my first crab. But the one I want you all to give constructive feedback on is the unicorn design, I dont like it, I am not to wild about the unicorn and the design in the purple does not look good to me, it is lacking?

Ok everyone, Hit Me!!! Lets hear it!!! I can take it!!! Only the truth!!!

The teardrops on the unicorn mask seem to be very thin.. maybe go over them again? i don't like being mean, LOL

My first reaction with your butterfly was "how cute!" If I HAD to analyze, I'd say that you need the bottom of the wings bigger. And of course, the body would make it look more like a butterfly. But I really like it.


The unicorn's nose is too round, looks more like a dinosaur snout. And I think the mane color and the color above the eye doesn't match. Perhaps make the mane continue around the eye with swirls and curls (just brainstorming here for you.) I have a really cool one in my ideas folder (on my computer) that I forget where I got from. Similar type of idea. Can't post it here, because it isn't mine.

come on izzy...its ok.....it is for our own good!! I thought about that, and maybe I should have took the time to throw some dots and star bursts in as well. Also my placement of teardrops seems weird, not really well put together.... I dont know why I have such trouble with that. I still keep trying in hopes of getting better at it.

The bottom wing of the butterfly would look nicer if you match the contour of the face, using the apple of the cheek...if that makes sense.

Painted Dragon wrote:My first reaction with your butterfly was "how cute!" If I HAD to analyze, I'd say that you need the bottom of the wings bigger. And of course, the body would make it look more like a butterfly. But I really like it.


The unicorn's nose is too round, looks more like a dinosaur snout. And I think the mane color and the color above the eye doesn't match. Perhaps make the mane continue around the eye with swirls and curls (just brainstorming here for you.) I have a really cool one in my ideas folder (on my computer) that I forget where I got from. Similar type of idea. Can't post it here, because it isn't mine.

Painted Dragon wrote:My first reaction with your butterfly was "how cute!" If I HAD to analyze, I'd say that you need the bottom of the wings bigger. And of course, the body would make it look more like a butterfly. But I really like it.

That was exactly what i thought, hm, i'll look at the unicorn mask again, I can be tough!

(i just said that outloud, and my mom, said, nonchalantly from the other room, "no you can't" and laughed. LOL)

Painted Dragon wrote:My first reaction with your butterfly was "how cute!" If I HAD to analyze, I'd say that you need the bottom of the wings bigger. And of course, the body would make it look more like a butterfly. But I really like it.


The unicorn's nose is too round, looks more like a dinosaur snout. And I think the mane color and the color above the eye doesn't match. Perhaps make the mane continue around the eye with swirls and curls (just brainstorming here for you.) I have a really cool one in my ideas folder (on my computer) that I forget where I got from. Similar type of idea. Can't post it here, because it isn't mine.

Painted you are so right about the unicorn, I dont have a steady design for them yet so they all keep turning out diff. some I like and some I dont. And those where the colors the girl wanted, a purple eye and a unicorn with blue hair.....Maybe if I would have used a baby blue instead? Anyway, unicorn reserch is on my list!!!

And yes it does painted!!! I guess I was kind of going for butterfly makeup and not mask, but I think It would look better as a mask.

I agree that you need more bottom to your butterfly... the detail of your wings is far better than I do, but it needs something more under the eyes.

For the unicorn, I agree too that the nose is too round... you can make the front of the nose smaller and make a larger "bump" where you'd think of a cheek being. Ex.

Here is another one of my unicorns that I did about two weeks ago.
Do you see what I mean, lol!!

Yep I agree with SillyIzzy & Painted Dragon. The butterfly does look nice, it needs to be enhanced with a tiny body & antena's, more wispy swirls & star bursts & perhaps something under the eye. The unicorn's main & colour over the eye may look more flowing in say pink & purple using both colours through the main & continuing the main over the eye area with white highlights. As Painted Dragon said with more swirls & curls rather than just tear drops on their own.

Great idea for the thread.

I heard (maybe at a convention...I dunno I can't remember) that a unicorn's head is shaped like a light bulb.
....GENIUS!!
Try it it works....and I don't have one of mine to post either, sorry
It works too if you are trying to do the "My little Pony" too

Perry, I like your unicorn eyes!!

And Thanks Mandi!! I really want to get better and what better way! I hope everyone will get in on this!

Here is another example of LACKING!! I thought about outlining the stars but did not want to ruin the design. Still it needs something.......???

And I dont like how the arty cake just starts at the eyebrow, do you get what I mean, what can I do for that?

The jawbone is too small on that one. )


It helps to paint two circles, a small one (nose area) and a bigger one (jaw area). Connect them, add details, etc.


I"m not the best at unicorns either, but this has helped me.

What about bringing the rainbow into a point between her eyes (at the focal point) like you have under her temple?
You know so it frames her eye.

bkrvail wrote:
Here is another example of LACKING!! I thought about outlining the stars but did not want to ruin the design. Still it needs something.......???

Just turn the brush sideways to start, and twist it to it's full color specturm and back to side again, like you already had at the end.


And OH! I did almost exactly that the other night, with the person's name right on the rainbow. It was such a hit. TONS of teens came up and wanted the "rainbow name eye thing". One gal requested it, and BAM everyone wanted one.

What if i start in the middle of the rainbow so I can go one way and make a point and then start in the middle and go back the other way to make a point. Would that work or would it leave brush strokes in the middle of the rainbow?

Start with the edge of yoiur brush & make a point as you begin, flattenit out as you cross the top of the eye, then come to a point as you end under the temple.

It will leave brush strokes if you start on one side, then the other, but you could cover it with the stars

good point linda!!

Does anyone else have somthing they would like "looked at"???

I'll post some stuff tomorrow (:

I've been trying to develop this idea a little more... it just doesn't seem as good as it could be and I'm not sure where to go with it. The red one was my halloween costume last year and the other one has been my sample photo for the design so far, I feel it could be better.

I would make the beak come up the bridge of your nose more instead of just stopping at the edge of the mask.

Some more highlights on the red one with white. And maybe blend in another color besides just red.
The blue one... some outline around the light blue markings in the mask. Both are nice ideas!!!

here is a pic of a penguin mask i did at a birthday party, it is not the best but at least i have an example of the beak.

I'd say the first one would look tons better with some white highlights. Add more depth.

I think your blue mask needs more teardrops, closer together, to fill up some of the empty space. And I think that practicing the longer teardrops, so they don't start and stop, would help neaten it up a lot.

Do you do your teardrops thin to thick or thick to thin?