This time I tried using 3 tones to push values a little further. I did lights first, then darks, then went over top with a mid tone. I was debating wether to put the mid tone between them but I ended up putting it on top since I figured I’d painted in too many darks. It filled some areas out but it feels like they’re fighting each other more than working together. Perhaps I should have just done it in the light first and then used the darker shade more sparingly for intense shadows. Honestly these studies are getting more abstracted as I move from strokes to stippling. I think the problem is I’m still not comfortable with the brush as I’m being too precious with each mark trying to get it right the first time. This multi-pass process isn’t going to cut it, either, as I’m getting sick of my work towards the end. I can see laboring a larger piece but studies like this I’ll probably keep to two passes.