I have learned back when I was at the American Academy of Art that when you first want to learn how to draw from the model you should first start with drawing from a plaster cast sculpture. I spent many hours drawing from plaster casts. First I would just do a drawing then I would shade it in with charcoal and after awhile I
started switching from shading with charcoal to shading with watercolor.
This is a way that many schools have taught students to learn how to draw the human form and portraiture. Below you will find the kind of sculpture I had used to learn to draw and shade from.
