To bring your drawings to life, it’s essential to master the art of drawing hair. Hair gives characters personality and identity, making it a crucial component in every portrait. While eyes and facial expressions can convey emotions, hair comes in various shapes and sizes, adding another layer of visual interest. In this article, we will delve into the intricacies of drawing hair, discussing techniques, styles, and common mistakes to avoid. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced artist looking to enhance your skills, this guide will help you create stunning and realistic hair in your artwork.
Supplies Needed for Drawing Hair
Before we dive into the techniques, let’s ensure you have the necessary art supplies to get started. While professional artists may have an array of tools at their disposal, beginners can kick off their hair-drawing journey with the basics. Here are the essential supplies:
- Paper: Opt for sketch pad or drawing paper, as they are superior to regular office paper.
- Pencils: Grade B or 2B pencils work well for drawing hair.
- Eraser: An eraser is not just for correcting mistakes but also for adding highlights and texture.
- Blending Tools: Consider using a blending stump or blending tortillon to add depth and smoothness to your hair drawings.
Different Hair Styles to Explore
Just as every person has a unique head of hair in real life, hair in drawings should reflect individuality and diversity. While there are countless ways to draw hair, it’s best to start the learning process with the basics. Here are some common hair styles you can experiment with:
- Curly
- Kinky
- Straight
- Braids
- Buns
How to Draw Hair: Step-By-Step Tutorials
When drawing hair, it’s important to consider the style of art you’re creating. Whether you’re aiming for an anime-inspired look or a realistic portrayal, we’ve curated a selection of simple and easy-to-follow tutorials to get you started:
1. Male Anime Hair
Anime Outline offers a comprehensive guide on drawing popular male anime hairstyles. This tutorial breaks down each style, allowing you to recreate them with ease.
2. Female Anime Hair
Envato Tuts provides step-by-step instructions on drawing different styles of female anime hair. Once you’ve mastered these basic styles, you can progress to more complex anime hairstyles.
3. Realistic Male Hair
Drawing realistic male hair can be challenging, but Easy Drawing Tips simplifies the process with their detailed guide. Follow along to achieve stunningly lifelike hair in your drawings.
4. Realistic Female Hair
If you aspire to create realistic and beautiful female hair, Wiki How offers a straightforward tutorial on drawing long, flowing locks. This tutorial is an excellent starting point for beginners.
5. How to Draw Cartoon Hair
Cartoon hair allows for versatility and creativity. Easy Drawing Guides presents a simple tutorial that teaches you the fundamentals of drawing cartoon hair, which can be applied to various art styles.
6. How to Draw Pigtails
Pigtails are relatively easy to draw once you understand how the hair should flow from the hair tie. Jey Ram’s guide on drawing pigtails cuts straight to the point, helping you master this hairstyle effortlessly.
7. How to Draw Ponytails
If you can draw pigtails, drawing ponytails will be a breeze. Jey Ram’s tutorial provides clear instructions on capturing the essence of a ponytail in your artwork.
8. How to Draw Braids
Braids can be intricate and require practice to master. Wonder Street offers a helpful braid tutorial that will guide you through the process, enabling you to depict stunning braided hairstyles.
9. How to Draw Facial Hair
Facial hair requires a different approach than head hair. Artist’s Network shares tips on drawing facial hair, specifically focusing on mustaches. These principles can be applied to all types of facial hair.
10. How to Draw a Bun
Drawing a bun starts with understanding how to draw a ponytail and then finishing it in a different way. Jey Ram’s tutorial is beginner-friendly and suitable for artists at any skill level.
11. How to Draw African-American Hair
Drawing hairstyles specific to African-American hair types, such as those in the 4A range and beyond, requires specific techniques. AJ Art explores these methods in a detailed video tutorial.
12. How to Draw Hair Under a Hat
If you want to draw a character wearing a hat, observing how anime characters wear hats can provide valuable insights. Anime Outline offers a helpful tutorial on drawing hair under a hat.
13. How to Draw a Shaved Head or Stubble
Drawing stubble can also be applied to depicting a shaved head. Jonny J Atter Art provides a detailed pencil art tutorial, guiding you through the steps to draw realistic stubble.
14. How to Draw Hair Texture
Hair texture can be challenging to capture accurately. Kirsty Partridge Art offers an in-depth video tutorial, providing valuable insights into achieving realistic and detailed hair texture.
15. How to Draw Anime Hair Chibi Style
Chibi anime hair follows a similar principle to regular anime hair but with a cute and tiny twist. Usa-kun’s Manga & Anime Art Lab presents a video tutorial that walks you through drawing chibi characters’ hair step by step.
Drawing Realistic Hair: Step-By-Step Guide
For those seeking to create hyper-realistic hair, we have curated a comprehensive tutorial to guide you through the process. Realistic hair may be the most challenging to draw, but with practice and attention to detail, you can achieve extraordinary results.
Realistic Hair Features
While drawing realistic hair encompasses numerous aspects, most fall under four primary categories:
Volume
All hair possesses volume; however, the amount of volume varies from one individual to another. Adding volume is a crucial step in the process of drawing hair, and it should be maintained throughout the drawing.
Flow
Flow refers to how the hair lies or cascades. Take inspiration from real-life observations and notice how each strand of hair falls from the scalp. Mastering the art of capturing the flow will enhance the realism of your hair drawings.
Shadows and Highlights
Shadows and highlights play a vital role in creating depth and dimension in realistic hair drawings. It requires practice to accurately depict how light interacts with the three-dimensional form of hair.
Texture
Texture is easier to achieve when drawing realistic hair, as each strand can be drawn individually. Take your time during this process, focusing on capturing the unique texture of the hair you are depicting.
Steps to Drawing Realistic Hair
To assist you in creating stunningly realistic hair, we have broken down the process into ten manageable steps:
Step 1 – Add Volume
Begin by creating a head shape and then adding a heightened area around it. Remember, hair doesn’t lay flat on the scalp; it grows up and out, so capturing this volume is crucial for a realistic appearance.
Step 2 – Create a Part
Select whether you want to draw a side or middle part. While the part doesn’t need to be drawn boldly, it serves as a guideline for the rest of the hair.
Step 3 – Frame the Face
Sketch a few strands of hair around the face and mark the desired location for bangs. Even if you don’t include bangs, it’s important to outline any hair that frames the face.
Step 4 – Create a Flow
Using a few guiding lines, establish the flow of the hair. Begin on either side of the part and work your way down to the ends. Leave some sections of the hair only partially drawn to add variation.
Step 5 – Lift the Front
Hair is typically lifted at the front. Indicate the hairline where the hair originates from and another line indicating where it falls.
Step 6 – Start Adding Texture
At this stage, introduce some initial texture to your drawing. While you don’t need to incorporate all the texture yet, add enough to visualize the final outcome.
Step 7 – Divide the Strands
Separate the hair into strands. The nature of the hair’s texture—whether curly, straight, or kinky—will influence this step. Strands are the chunks of hair that naturally adhere to each other.
Step 8 – Divide the Hairs
Take the time to draw individual hairs or groups of hairs separately, ensuring each strand has a distinct look. This step may be time-consuming, but it is worth the effort for achieving realistic hair.
Step 9 – Start Shading
Shading is a challenging skill for any artist to master. When drawing hair, apply dark shading to the part and underneath, while adding highlights throughout the top section to depict light hitting the strands.
Step 10 – Finish Texture and Shading
In this final step, refine the shading and texture to your satisfaction. Remember, each artwork is unique, so follow your artistic intuition to bring your hair drawing to life.
How to Draw Curly Hair: A Specialized Approach
Curly hair presents its own set of challenges and requires a modified process for accurate depiction. To ensure your drawings capture the texture and uniqueness of curly hair, follow these steps:
Step 1 – Draw a Large Outline
Start by sketching a large outline of the curly hair, extending it well beyond the head shape. This will allow you to capture the volume and flow of the curls accurately.
Step 2 – Frame the Face
Add faint lines to frame the face, providing a reference for where the curls should fall and how they interact with the facial features.
Step 3 – Squiggle the Lines
Create squiggly lines within the outline you’ve drawn, mimicking the natural shape of curls. Add additional lines to represent smaller curls or strands.
Step 4 – Create Strays
Curly hair often includes stray hairs that don’t conform to the overall shape. Add a few stray hairs near the part and a few more that lift out to the sides.
Step 5 – Fill in the Base
Overlay the outline with a multitude of curls, capturing the base layer of curly hair. Remember, curly hair has volume, so ensure your drawing reflects its thickness.
Step 6 – Balance As You Go
Maintain a sense of balance and rhythm as you draw the individual curls. Take care not to make the hair appear overly uniform, as this can result in a less realistic representation.
Step 7 – Connect the Strands
Connect the curls you’ve created at the bottom by drawing strands that intertwine. This step adds cohesion and further emphasizes the texture of curly hair.
Step 8 – Shade
Once you’ve finished drawing the strands, proceed to add shading. Focus on individual hairs, applying shadow where needed to create depth and dimension within the curls.
Best Pencils for Sketching Hair
When it comes to sketching hair, selecting the right pencils makes a significant difference. Here are a few recommendations for various aspects of hair drawing:
- Best for Base: B Pencil
- Top Pencils for Light Shading: 2H to 5H
- Best for Dark Shadows: 6B
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While practicing your hair-drawing skills, be mindful of these common mistakes that artists often make:
- Rushing: Take your time to ensure each strand receives the attention it deserves.
- Lack of Highlights: Neglecting to add highlights can result in flat and lifeless hair.
- Flat Shadows: Shadows should have depth and dimension to enhance the realism of the hair.
- No Blending: Utilize blending tools to achieve a smooth and seamless transition between shades.
- Lack of Movement: Hair should appear dynamic and free-flowing, so avoid rigid and stagnant lines.
Expert Tips for Drawing Hair
Here are a few tips to help you master the art of drawing hair:
Use Varying Highlights/Shading
To add depth and dimension, employ varying pressure and pencil grades to create highlights and shading. This technique will enhance the realism of your artwork.
Imagine the Color
Even if you work solely in black and white, imagining the hair in color can help you visualize the depth and shading required. This imaginative approach contributes to more realistic hair drawings.
Use a Reference
When in doubt, refer to photos or observe real-life examples to fill in any artistic gaps or overcome creative blocks. References can provide valuable insights and assist in creating more accurate drawings.
Become a Hypothetical Cosmetologist
To understand how hair should lay and appear realistic, familiarize yourself with basic hairstyling principles. Learning about haircuts and styles will improve your ability to accurately depict hair in your artwork.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Why is drawing hair so hard?
Drawing hair is challenging because it possesses intricate depth and texture. Hair is a three-dimensional element, even when drawing in a cartoon style. Capturing the complexity of hair requires practice and attention to detail.
What is the easiest hairstyle to draw?
Straight or slightly wavy cartoon hair is generally the easiest to draw. On the other hand, realistic hair is more challenging due to its intricate nature.
How do I practice drawing hair?
To improve your hair-drawing skills, it’s crucial to practice regularly. Start with simple hairstyles and gradually progress to more complex styles. Reflect on your progress by comparing your current drawings to those from six months ago.
In Conclusion
Mastering the art of drawing hair takes time, patience, and practice. By following the step-by-step tutorials and implementing the expert tips provided in this guide, you will steadily improve your ability to draw hair realistically and artistically. Remember, every artist’s journey is unique, and with dedication, each artwork you create will surpass its predecessor. So, grab your pencils and embark on the exciting adventure of hair drawing!
