Lion in Gray Scale

This lion sculpture was a study of values that I did in paint.net some time ago using a reference image. I struggled with this piece and eventually gave up at this point. This study helped me understand that an image could be conveyed in its entirety with a scale of values, long before introducing color into a sketch. I know the lion seems really sad. I can assure you that he looked like that in the reference image to begin with, before you think that my noobish rendering made him that way.

I was unsure if I should upload this study, but I did anyway, in the hopes of looking back at it in time and chuckling at it the same way a forty year old (artist) might if they were to come across a stick figure drawing they made in second grade - with fondness and relief that they are have come a distance from their second grade stick figure drawing self. Please feel free to critique it, I would be very glad for constructive comments.

Thanks for stopping by, have a nice 24 hour period.