Hi guys,
These are my two new characters. Kiwi and the sloth and they represent my sons. I am trying to learn smth form SVS courses while producing a small story for my kids. Just keeping busy and not stopping to sit down and have dark thoughts about 'what the hell I am thinking trying to switch my careers now...' As always I counting on your valuable advice 
Very cute! Good work! Here is my opinion (take it or leave it).
I think that since these 2 characters are going to be in lots of illustrations together, it might be nice if they were different colors and values. Having one of them be a light color and the other a dark color might help differentiate them. Just a small change, so they don't blend together. Also be careful not to pick something that will blend into green if their story takes place in a green jungle.
Also I notice that the bird is getting some feather-like texture and interest, but the little sloth looks really smooth right now. You might want to try adding a bit of fur texture to him.
Overall good work. I really like how you are designing the cast shadows to add dimension and visual interest.
My advice is going to be on the Mental/Emotional Health aspect of what you writen, Why? because i too really suffer from self doubt. It may come from a different location but it is still self doubt. Changing your career is scary as hell, especially when you have children to think of. But let be tell you this, next time you have one of your dark moments, tell yourself not only are you following your dreams (which will make you happier and in the long run your family happier) but you are doing something MORE important..... You are teaching your children to follow their dreams! The hard times, the failures as well as all the good times and wins of striving for your goals will teach your children the valuble leason of not giving up and to just keep striving for more, to be better, to follow your dream!! And that, IS AMAZING! You, are an amazing mama x
Very best of luck to you (i don't work digitally, so i'm not much help to you i'm afraid lol)
Find me on Facebook and instagram under NizhoniWolf, for my sketches, musings and W.I.P's!
Hey I really like your cute characters I did a quick paint over for you to see what it could look like with some small changes (hope you don't mind).
I rotated the beak - I made the lighting less bright in the highlights (I'm an oil painter it's something I always do right or wrong not sure) - I darkened the wing so you see the beak clearly and took the red out the little character and made it more pink like the arms to separate it from the bird.
Gives you another option to think about.
@alissaempey thank you for good advice:-) I did have some trouble with deciding about color of the animals. I will give it a rest and come back to it later perhaps. Also thanks for comment about shadows. It's nice, cause I don't feel strong in this area
@nizhoniwolf thank you for nice words, it means a lot to me you know what? I think a lot about my situation in the way that you described meaning that it's good for kids to see that I am not afraid of change and didn't abandon my dreams. Also I am trying to learn a lot and show them bits by bits to feed their creativity. I like to think that even if I don't succeed in this area, it will add up to my kids success in anything that they will choose to do.
Maybe it's naive and wishful thinking. However there is nothing better than my kids getting engaged in what I am doing, criticising, giving me ideas, or drawing themselves. I love those times
PS: I have found you on instagram. I also listen to rock when i draw 
recently it's a lot of ACDC...
@jason-bowen of course I don't mind you redraw. More I appreciate that you took your time to do it. I think you are right about darkening the wing. Also I like the color that you chose for sloth. It's pink but not too pink. I will leave this piece to rest for few days and then I will play with applying those pieces of advice. Thank you
@aska I throw my Horns up at you madam XD
@aska Hello! I am very new at illustration so I don't know enough to comment on the technique, but the characters are very cute! My only suggestion is they can be worked on to look more like those animals; a kiwi's beak is much more narrower; a sloth is more furry and it has long claws, and its face has a special pattern/color. I love what you are doing with the shadows and how they are breaking out from the paper! The paper effect looks very real!
@lisa-ngan hello, thank you for your comments. You are right about characters missing some characteristics. Thanks for comment about paper effect:-) I've done smth like for the first time and only on my husband's request... It's really time consuming and I am very impatient
@jason-bowen of course I don't mind you redraw. More I appreciate that you took your time to do it. I think you are right about darkening the wing. Also I like the color that you chose for sloth. It's pink but not too pink. I will leave this piece to rest for few days and then I will play with applying those pieces of advice. Thank you
