I had this on IW and just so happened I saved it. The following are steps that I go thru, of course it will very from time to time to but over all this is my approach.

Controlling the gmesh point, hope this helps but keep in mind that I’m new to this also and do it my way. Here is what I can recall doing when working with the mesh tool. GO here for now to check out the images I will be using for what I have described below.

I added another small thing I use when working with Circles, go here to take a look.

  1. Create a shape.. 99% of the time I will use a square.
  2. I never use OBJECT: Create Gradient Mesh and avoid the pen tool if at all possible, when I want to mesh around..I’m a control freak.
  3. Once the square is in the general area you wish to work in select the Mesh tool.
  4. If you are using a template I find it easiest to work in the outline view however I activate it by “Ctrl key held down and clicking on the eye icon of the specific layer”. This will allow me to view the template with out the fill colour blocking the view.
  5. Once that is done now I use the mesh tool to add points, being in this view I can only add to a line or edge, not to an empty area, the curser will indicate this when you see the little + . Adding to the edge and work inwards.
  6. Add few lines at that start, 1 or 2 then adjust the square shape to the area being worked with.
  7. Add a few more mesh lines to help create the shape as well key areas where the intersecting lines meet for deep shadow or highlights.
  8. Adjust the finished lines to the conture of the light/shadow keeping it to as few as possible in the beginning. This will allow to provide the base colours.
  9. Once that is done change the view back and to preview, same way as indicate in step 4.
  10. Now when inserting the colour to the mesh I hide the piece that I just created then with the eyedropper go into the source to get my colour, unhide the hidden section and insert the colour, ALT button will insert the colour when the eye dropper is in use, add the colour in that same position it was taken from.
  11. Once the base colour is in return to the outline and add in more mesh points shaping them as I go to the flow of light and shadow keeping the shape in mind.
  12. Ensure that nothing is selected when doing this and no colour is in the fill so the colours you have just added are not changed. The idea is to only add new mesh points not colour.
  13. The only time I add the colour is in the preview view.
  14. Once I like the look of it I then will combine the use of the eyedropper and mesh tool together: hiding the selection, eyedrop the colour, switch to mesh tool, inserter new point with colour. I keep doing this till its complete.
  15. Lots of coffee and take regular breaks.
  16. This one I just added, having some good music always helps