Traveling Dolphins Watercolor Painting In Progress

I'm about to complete my painting of dolphins. I've found I prefer working on 300 lb paper a little better with all the work I do than the 140 lb I'm using on this painting. These are the steps thus far in the painting.

Laying down the background and removing the pebeo. I find using the pebeo to be the best masking 

I've ever used, but it's still tricky laying it in without having to go back into the subjects and 

fill in background. 

 I painted the dolphins using Daniel Smith  "moonglow". It has 3 different pigments in it that looks like you are using several colors in the body of the dolphin.

Coming to final phase of the painting. My mother and calf were to be the focus but it looks like the larger one at this point is coming in sharper. Will work on the background a little more and bring the calf forward a bit.

Result Of This Painting Is Undecided

Peeking Sparrow

I started this painting a few posts back and I'm still undecided about it. I used a photo I had taken but decided to add the bird and take out a few of the twigs and simplify it. The plant needs more values and it just seems flat. I also realized I didn't enjoy painting on the canvas board. The texture just felt unnatural to me. I had 2 boards at the time so I will give it a try with another painting. I'll keep this and work on it more later. In the meantime I found some watercolor paper and started a new project with a plant that grows here in my area that has fascinated me. I had to call the nursery here to find out that they are a native of South Africa called "Leucadendron". Here is the photo of the plant and the start of  the painting. 

Sea Turtle Sketch For New Painting

Sea Turtles for me are interesting to paint because of all the textures and the sea bottom 

is so abstract. You can see what it is but I have so much fun with the shapes in the design.