Hey there! Great job here! :D The issue is that you’re not choosing a clear light direction, and because of that, you’re not painting according to a specific light source. Keep the light source in mind, whether it’s coming from a 3/4 angle, from the front, from below, etc. Based on that, think about which areas of the face are facing the light. This will help you achieve more believable lighting and prevent you from guessing which areas should be in shadow or what the light shapes should look like. In this case, I chose the light source to come from the right side, so the left side of the character’s face remains in shadow, leaving only part of the cheek illuminated. There are also helpful resources like the Asaro Head, which can help you define lighting more precisely. On another note, also keep the skin tones of the face in mind to avoid it looking flat or pale. Remember that areas like the cheeks, nose, and ears tend to have more reddish or orange tones due to the blood beneath the skin. I recommend that you look for Stanley Artgerm Lau. Love the style he keeps and I think the way he paints would match the style you're looking for. Hope this helps!
