Hey there! You already have a very solid foundation here! As for the painting process: A lot of it depends on the style you're aiming for and how refined you want the final character to be. From what I can see, you're trying to achieve a more realistic rendering while still maintaining a stylized look. In that case, I would say the next step is to focus on defining aspects of light and shadow more clearly, such as ambient occlusion, bounced light, core shadows, highlights, and similar lighting concepts. These are the elements that can really help take your illustration to the next level. You can also study artists whose work you admire. Analyze their painting style, study how they approach rendering, and then apply what you learn to your own work. As for textures, keep references nearby. If the armor is highly polished, study how real armor reflects light and its surroundings. In general, armor reflects the environment around it, but this effect becomes much more noticeable on polished surfaces. That said, the armor on your character appears somewhat worn. To reinforce that idea, you could suggest texture in the transition areas between light and shadow instead of keeping those transitions perfectly smooth. This helps communicate surface wear and age. You can also experiment with textured brushes that help create that worn, weathered appearance. Hope this helps! | Artwod Feedback