Not done a bust for a while, as ever please feel free
Steve

Looking pretty decent. I prefer the skin tone in the second photo, the first looks too pink.
I'd concentrate on working up the beard bringing in 'slabs' of tones in your primary colour, grey?
Then lay on some controlled washes in his original hair colour, increasing the saturation in the deeper shadows.
Then some careful highlighting going up to a white in places.
By doing it this way I think you'll see where you can go in adding some deeper shading to the the face. The beard is such a dominant feature it defines the whole look so definitely worth spending a bit of time on it.
Take care mate.
Cheers
Derek

Cheers Del, some good advice there mate, first was the intial face, I've tweaked it in the second plus it had settled by that stage, beard is still largely blocked, but your advice has confirmed my thoughts. As you say the beard makes the figure and you have to be careful not end up with Father Xmas on your hands.
Steve

Nice to see you doing some painting, keep at it mate
Cheers
Steve

As per Del's excellent suggestions, beard and eyebrows have had some work done
Steve

Cheers Carl, if you think it looks ok then does that mean I got the shading right at last ?
Steve

So you can teach an old dog new tricks!
Steve

That's looking very nice so far Steve.

Cheers Rog
Steve

That's looking better now with the beard work, coming along now mate.

Yeah it's getting there mucker ta
Steve

Thanks Nap
Steve

After some great advice byDel, edged the beard with madder red and ran some sepia washes into the beard and hair, the difference is amazing, it's knowing that kind of thing that makes him one of the greats. As ever have at it
Steve

The brown line is there just my crap pic I think, I plan to work the shadows and highlights some too, as you say.
Steve

It's really coming along Steve!

Cheers,
Ken