Need to check my values: are half-tones lighter than reflected light. Dun Dun Dunnnnn

I thought it would be interesting to see Stan's finished level 1 and level 2 side by side. It clearly shows that the shadow and light areas broadly established in level 1 are still very much maintained in level 2, despite all the extra details. The only part that I wondered about is on the left side of the head, sort of between the cheek and the ear: I kept thinking it looked almost like a halftone, not a shadow. So I tested it by copying swatches of tone and sure enough, it's still darker than a halftone. It probably feels lighter only because of darker values surrounding it. Also, I wanted to ask about the concept of "contained shapes" that Stan talks about around minute 17. The video shows a couple of examples of artists who use contained shapes but could someone please suggest some counter examples? Artists that use non-contained shapes? It might help to understand the concept.

Master Copies. Learn how to do them well and they will serve you well.

Ive started a new attempt on this. I also want to show my next step in my learning to be a good draftsman. A little bookshelf in the livingroom where I can have my art books easy accessable when i draw. Started to collect art books this year. I just show the half that is mine 😄

Some changes I made to my submission after watching this. Also a PSA: I feel this needs to be said. WD40 isn't a lubricant. Yes, it is an oil. Yes, things do stop squeaking. BUT! WD stands for Water Displacement and is a penetrating oil. It's meant to force water out of places it shouldn't be, like the nuts rusted to the bolt on your bike that won't turn. Spray it on and wait a while and it will turn! You use it to free up seized up pieces that should move like a rusted hinge. It also strips heavier oils away, cleaning out oils that probably should be there, making it worse long term. What you want is 3-in-1 oil or some light lubricating oil. For things like ball-bearings in the wheels you'd use a light grease. WD40 would strip the grease already in the casing and you'd end up constantly spraying WD40 in to clear out and then when that evaporated they'd seize up again. Okay. I'm sorry, I just had to say something.

Hope I made it for the deadline! There are a few touch ups I'd do but I wanted to get it in. Thanks for the encouragement to have fun the other day @Stan Prokopenko In the end, I did. Very much. I kept thinking the beard was like flames, focused on how it turns and flows. I took my time. Restarted a couple of times, and in the end, just kept talking my way through the hard spots. Lots of squinting, lots of stepping back/zooming out. Oh, and I did this with the Composer brush from the Photoshop Master Brush Pack by @Lane Brown 🤓 EDIT: I just realized I did an L2 project with an L1 reference oops. oh well. Started with 7 Values and worked out from there to soften transitions and try to maintain the connections.

There are a ton of little compositional elements he's not able to talk about. I kinda like that this isn't about all the things you need to already know or be aware of in order to make a good illustration to begin with. Layout is where the hardest work is, everything else is drawing. So I think this is a missed opportunity to do a lesson on principles of layout that he kinda runs through to start the pencilling.

Damn. That's a CRASH course!

Don't go chasing waterfalls, please stick to the oceans, rivers, and lakes that you're used to...

Yeah. Patience and grace. Be kind to past and present you: future you relies on it! Thanks for all the kind words throughout, Michael. I appreciate it. I will definitely be coming back to the hands and feet videos for sure! Already have a couple times ;-)