need advice

[thomasaurus]

I just started painting this, you can see the sketch in my daily sketchbook.

what colors would be best to give highlights/shadows? Any other help is appreciated

http://images.deviantart.com/large/indyart/indymisc/WIP_Painting_practice.jpg

[JProvost]

Most often highlights are warmer, lighter colours - tints of yellows and oranges works well. Shadows are usually cooler, darker colours - greens, blues, violets - usually determined by the local colour (the base colour you're painting) and ambient/reflected light (for example, blue for an outdoor daytime painting for the ambient blue light from the sky).

Thought I'd just touch on the drawing - there's some problems with the anatomy. The head is not structured corretly, look at photos of heads and skulls and you'll see what I mean. The head seems way too high for the angle it's on - when someone slouches, do you see their neck? You would (like everyone else who draws) benefit from doing studies and life drawing. I can see the beginnings of description of form on his jacket, but some drapery studies wouldn't hurt.

Nice mood established though, definate feeling coming off in the drawing.