Painting help...

[Drawnblud]

I'm really trying to get myself to stop relying on lineart and am trying to teach myself to paint. Here is something I am working on, but it looks so flat. Can someone give me some advice, or link some good resources? I read ImagineFX all the time, but I just can't seem to get my work to reflect the things I read. Any help would be wonderful Thank you in advance.

[dpaint]

Think in terms of geometric planes not line. So something like a head in its abstract form looks like this; each shift on the surface from the light changes the value and the color. This is how you describe a three dimensional object in a two dimensional space. Each of the shapes on the head has a color and value and edge to it in relation to the direction of the light. if you paint those changes correctly the head will look correct and have solidity.

[Drawnblud]

Thank you very much. This example you gave me really helps!

[Stoat]

Black skin and black clothes...you've picked a tough assignment to learn painting with.