Hello Marianne,
I am also a novice at this portrait / figure learning.
I can tell you that i have learned much from DVD's with both Dan Gerhartz & Daniel Green. - both for different but similar reasons.
I expect the more you watch others paint, the more you will find that which suits your style , and/or find the way that sings for you.
What both have "spoken " to me especially, is in finding the warms & cools within each value. This has rather opened my eye to something I had not considered before. I think Daniel Green goes into more depth of explaination.
It really is an exciting journey we are on. I often wonder if the more experienced remember the joy of the discovery that we babies enjoy at this stage.
I kinda hope I never loser this aspect of it all.
It is so beloved.