These two male nudes are, as you can see, two versions of the same standing pose from different viewpoints. Doing two versions of almost any piece is much more instructive than one. Even in finished work, like major pieces part of long series, later pieces benefit from the repetition. Here you can see that the second drawing is a bit better. The intense re-contemplation of problems, be they anatomy, design, color or execution, will be more positive in that double dose of work.
Rendering the light on the torso shows the bulk and structure of the body and helps us understand the relationship of one part to another without relying on line to define the various elements. (and that requires really looking!)
These first two images are a bit on the light side but that was also true in the originals, but who says a drawing must be strong, with tons of contrast? There are times when a light hand is just the right touch!
If you see a little glow of yellow around the upper left figure, it isn't your eyes. It is actually there. - I believe it was an attempt to increase the contrast between figure and ground. A cool color like blue might have been better, don't you think?
Along those lines, here is another male nude in which blue was used, not for contrast in the final but as the initial sketch. Using a different color as underdrawing is a good way to construct the figure, make your "mistakes" without having the marks read as finished. The use of a contrasting color like the blue, keeps the two separate as you work out problems. It does another thing. It pulls your audience into the work by giving them clues to your methods, involving them more fully in the process.
BTW, remember, the Prismacolor pencils that I favor don't erase well, so you either "Just go for it!", putting down final marks right at the start or you find a way to build your drawing in a way that allows you reasonable control.
"Don't cater to the audience. Inspire the audience." Ken Darby
"Give yourself room to fail and fight like hell to achieve." Irwin Greenberg
"Art that serves an artist best is an experiment in expanding awareness." Peter London
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