Male anatomy and how to shade?

[ruby radish]

I've been struggling with drawing males and shading light skins too how can I fix it?

[severe rover]

For the skin, i feel like you aren’t going dark enough with the actual shading itself. When i shade, especially skin, I pick the original color and then make it both darker and redder, and then go right in between the dark and light with an orange to make the skin look less flat, like this

The first is is before i blended it, and the orange i used is at a lower opacity

[severe rover]

As for your anatomy for men, i feel like you are trying to follow the picture without actually understanding the forms that the artist who drew the reference already understands and has simplified in their own style. Its fine to look at other people’s references to get an idea on where to start or to get a general idea, but it can also lead to you trying to follow what they do without understanding how they did it, So i would say try to look at actual reference photos, maybe try to trace over the picture first and split up the parts how you feel is easier to understand.

This is how i split this guy up like this but u do it how u feel is comfortable. Then take the image away and try to draw your traced version. Once you’re done, put the one done without the reference over top the original image. See how it compares, any issues or things that look off. I recommend doing this little practice with more than one angle, from the sides, and the back so you can get the grasp on how each muscle group looks from each side

You could also look at photos like these on Pinterest that show how each muscle looks when it is moved a certain way. They have these for legs, torso, arms etc

[ruby radish]

Is it better?

[ruby radish]

Before

After 2 vers

[severe rover]

It does look better, but I don’t think you are shading while thinking about where exactly the light is coming from

Can i draw over it?

[ruby radish]

Yes

: D

[severe rover]

Ok cool lol

Wait i might take a while to get back to you, im about to get my hair washed but ill keep working on it after im done

[ruby radish]

Ok

[sick wedge]

what exactly are you struggling with?

the abs, chest, arms?

[severe rover]

Ok, done, I’ll try to explain my process. First, I looked at where i assume the light would be coming from (which i assumed was from the right). Then i color picked the original skin tone, and changed the color so it is both darker and more red than the original. I use that color to make general shapes around where i think the shadows would be. Looking back at yours, the way you shaded the legs looked a little flat because the way the shadow wraps around the leg is more vertical, while you had placed it horizontally. I also darkened the line, though that was just a personal choice

Then i did the same color picking thing, making the next color i use an even darker and redder shade. In this stage i should’ve also placed more shadow in between the legs so they look more round, but i did that later as an adjustment

Then i picked the original skin color again, and made it lighter and a bit yellower, and placed it on the areas that were facing the light source

Next I blended it out using a smudge tool (though i typically don’t do this since its not my style, usually im neater with the shapes i do the other stages in as well lol)

Lastly, and this is just me, I felt the tint of the skin that u had originally felt a little unnatural because of how orange it was, so i just adjusted the entire picture and made it a tiinnyyy bit more red/pink

Now again, I am definitely not a professional, so this isn’t absolutely perfect, but it was my best attempt at trying to help. But i did love the pose u have, and the fact that ur practicing anatomy like this is awesome, so please keep at it!

Just don’t be afraid to go a bit darker with your colors, or to just mess around with things until u get the look u want

[ruby radish]

Sorry i didn't immediately reply i was asleep

Thank you for your help on the skin shading it looks more realistic and thank you for doing step by step