I just started value painting two days ago and i did these so any tips or suggestions on how to enhance my work

This is the first realistic portrait I've done in a long time and It's easily the best portrait I've done so far, but it still has the feeling of amateurishness to it.

I'm looking for some advanced critique on what I can do to bring my art to a more developed standard. I have a feeling it might be edge quality that is letting me down right now, especially in the face. Maybe too much equal distribution of details? I'm not sure I need other eyes on it and I've had some really good critiques from this board before.

Thanks.

I posted these once and people tell me the shadows arent consistent, they are prob right because i did them myself iv never studied this topic, and this takes me to the problem i have which is that i cant find any entry for it on youtube, no video i find has a curriculum or smth that allows me to study it. If u do pls share it with me.

Question regarding varnishing.

I’m currently completing an acrylic painting on wood board, it has some prismacolour pencil in some areas for details.

I have a problem, in that I tested my matte varnish on the materials (thank god lol) and noticed the pencil was smudging with the varnish.

Would spraying the painting with a workable matte fixative first fix this? Or can that not be combined with a matte varnish on top?

Any advice would be much appreciated as I want to use these prismacolours but I don’t want to ruin my painting at the very last step lol