Okay...  I have so many paintings that I'd really like advice or thoughts about.  

This was from the first lesson and I did my trial run in my bullet journal.  And I didn't like the finished product.  Insipid is the word.

So I added ink lines which I thought really helped.

But this was actually the final sketch... which I didn't like again.

Next lesson.

Same sequence... Trial run, add ink, do the final sketch.  A bit happier with the final sketch.

Lesson 3.

Same sequence but I like the attempts that get "fixed" with the ink lines the best.  Is that cheating?

Lesson 4.

Okay...  Now this final sketch didn't turn out badly...  But I still really want to add ink...

Lesson 5.

I got so annoyed with the blah sketch that I forgot to photograph it and went straight to ink lines.

Final sketch, not great.

Lesson 6.

Hey!  I really like this trial run in my bullet journal and I don't think I'll even add lines!

And the final sketch...

So this was done from a photo I took yesterday around my neighborhood.  No lines...  

I feel like adding ink lines means that the painting isn't really watercolor and that I'm not going to learn how to use my watercolors if I keep falling back on ink.  At the same time I know there are many fantastic artists that use both so if adding ink is "my style" then I should.  But so many watercolor artists and teachers don't rely on ink and they teach pure watercolor so when I stop without ink then I feel like things are incomplete.

How do I become a better watercolor artist?  Stay away from pen and ink, or add where I like?