Many students want to 'get looser' with paint. For my demo I create a knife block-in and then refine with a brush. No drawing, no toning on panel. Sort value and avoid single elements, instead think of 'big shapes' in shades of gray.
Try copying a favorite painting or this demo. Next try a photo. A photo will be harder to do as an artist has not 'pre-sorted' or grouped the values into larger shapes. This is where a study can be helpful. Often copying a favorite painting in a blocky manner can be very liberating and educational. It's less about the details and more about the values!