Hey Malcom, this kind of rendering your talking about Alla Steve Huston, is not really based on the reference you have here. It usually results from a single light source. I did a quick example of how the rendering works, and I hope it helps some. Try to find reference that uses one light source, it will make things much easier. Keep drawing :)

Hi Malcom, I did this a few years ago but I think one of the last lessons in the figure drawing course is on shading. However, from personal experience, I would say don't conceive of shadows as something undefined, blurring, especially if you are sketching. Unless there is a lot of diffuse light, shadows have relatively sharp divisions. To learn, when I was at school, they made us shade simple geometric solids: a bit boring but very effective. Starting immediately with a face or body can be frustrating. However, the general advice is: first simplify the shape of the object you are trying to shade as much as possible and define the shapes of the main shadows. At the point where a part of the body or face prevents the light from hitting the surface immediately next to it, you have a cast shadow, which will be very sharp. For example, the shadow of the eyebrow arch on the eye is very obvious. Start perhaps with very simplified shadows: one light and one dark tone, then move on to three, four, five. Basically, it is better to keep it simple.  5 tones (two shadows, a neutral and two highlights) are enough to make a realistic impression. Anyway, watch Stan's lesson, it's very clear.

How about doing some studies of simple objects, like spheres and cylinders, in a shadow box, i.e. a box painted black on the inside to rule out accidental reflections, with a single light source? Post the results here!

Hi Malcom. I would suggest simplifying. If you look at Steve Huston and Lane Brown’s shadows, you’ll see they work really well because the large shadow shapes are done first. You really want to capture that separation of light and dark where the planes of the form change from light to shadow. Often they won’t even add any other shadow detail, instead just flat shading or parallel lines. It’s also easier to do with a soft lead or charcoal and newsprint if you have them available to play with. Your drawings are good, they’re just inconsistent, looking s bit more like copying than understanding the forms in space.

I love the way you put out your core shadow and simplify your shadow masses.. would you be able to share a bit of how you do that? I'm just learning figure drawing on my own and sometimes, I just don't have any idea how to slice these lines in a figure.

Was disappointed that I had to miss your 25% discount for your Charcoal brushes during your LiveStream as I just purchased them recently off Cubebrush. If only I had just waited for a few days.. :(