odo: you don't look like odo ) - but anyway ...
I like your sphere although the backround disturbs me a little bit. either it is too big or it is too small, until now I am not sure. maybe you can make it a little bit more "not planned" ... - I hope you understand what I mean !?
hunneebee: your looks to me like it is rolling! - this is the next stage! "spheres in movement"
maybe this is really the photo. try to change between "landscape" and ... don't know how it is called in english - there is a flower shown on this point. can someone else explain what I mean ???
also in my opinion yous shadow does not fit with the setted highlight.
hope this could help!

not really!

Hi, no problem, It's Ok to use slang. LOL I thought it was some kind of spray you could put on the drawing to protect it!! silly me!!! The thing is, I learnt most my English in South Africa, I was born there, but my parents moved back to Portugal when I was ten, and since then I speak English with people who come from Canada, USA, and England so everyone has diferent ways of saying some things, and I don't always understand everything LOL But I like to learn....slang or no slang!
Thanks for explaining
Kaly

odo: I thought this would happen .... I try to explain it an other way: maybe my solution would be to "fade out" with that black backround. it stopps so immediately for me .... and it is only on this two "corners" so in my view there "should be something else or more" ...
something like that. more understandable ??? (if not I have to search for a dictionary ;-))

Duh, that is good observation. . . I put the highlight to high and it appears to be on the front. Thanks. I will try again.

Is this one any better please?

hi rainy!
I like this one much better than your first tries - looks also smoother (hope it's correct).
what I see now: highlight and shadow are quite OK but the rightest point of the shadow is too much downwards - other side would be more comfortable for me. I can make you a nearly sketch what I mean and put it here on friday. also the sphere is not completely round in my eye - upper left side needs a liiittle bit more ...
but much better than before in my eye. I like it!

thanks for your compliment for the "good observation"! if in any time my drawing skills are half as good as my eye I would be very happy !!!