https://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/how-to-draw-hair-2 • Posted by Search Press
The difficulty people often face when sketching hair is that there is simply too much information. It is impossible to draw every hair, and yet, how else do you convey the texture and flow? How do you get across the delicate, formless quality and not end up with something that looks more like a helmet? There are so many different hair types – and different ways of styling it – that every case has to be dealt with on an individual basis. However, there are ways to simplify what’s happening and various techniques for depicting texture and body. Things to Remember Sketch the overall shape of the hairstyle rather than individual strands of hair. Let your mark-making follow the direction of flow and describe the texture of the hair. Less is more: there will be areas of light and shade. Sometimes, it’s enough to pick these out. Don’t forget the head shape beneath the hair. However ‘big’ the style, keeping the head in mind gives you form and symmetry.
The difficulty people often face when sketching hair is that there is simply too much information. It is impossible to draw every hair, and yet, how else do you convey the texture and flow? How do you get across the delicate, formless quality and not end up with something that looks more like a helmet? There are so many different hair types – and different ways of styling it – that every case has to be dealt with on an individual basis. However, there are ways to simplify what’s happening and various techniques for depicting texture and body. Things to Remember Sketch the overall shape of the hairstyle rather than individual strands of hair. Let your mark-making follow the direction of flow and describe the texture of the hair. Less is more: there will be areas of light and shade. Sometimes, it’s enough to pick these out. Don’t forget the head shape beneath the hair. However ‘big’ the style, keeping the head in mind gives you form and symmetry.
SKETCHER’s corner seeing it 1 Look for the overall shape of straight hair, which flows out and down from a central point on the parting line. 2 ‘Choppy’ hair is a mass of curves, but it is not totally random: sections of hair will flow in the same direction. 3 Natural African-American hair has a curly texture that does not flow; it is far more sculptural. 4 The ‘flow lines’ in the linked sections of a plait travel in alternate directions.
First marks to tonal sketch 1 When drawing hair that goes in lots of directions, you need to build up a sketch, picking out the various shapes and flow lines.
2 Hair is made up of lots of subtly different shades. It’s better to create the impression of brown: I have used tan and olive pencils alongside one another, with navy for areas where there is more shadow.
3 Blend the watercolour pencils with a waterbrush. This will begin to give the sketch body. 4 Make sure that the brush marks also follow the flow lines of the hair. It’s good to leave some white paper highlights where the hair is lightest, even if, in truth, it is a paler brown rather than white.
Shading to Give Form A bob needs to be viewed as an overall shape, but the watercolour marks still follow the direction of hair flow. The build-up of shadow along the bottom lifts and rounds the bob. Note the touches of green and purple to gently dampen the yellows and oranges. Watercolour, rainbow pencil
Hair Direction This long hair was curly and wayward despite the ponytail. Too many lines would have quickly become a mess, so I drew only those that described a change of hair direction. The dark shadows against her back, at the nape of her neck and at the hair tie act as a contrast, pinning the hair in place and preventing confusion. Sailor fountain pen, black ink When hair is very black, navy blue can be a more attractive colour for the shadows than black or grey, and it is less likely to obscure your mark-making
Plaits The important thing to get right when drawing a plait is the angling of the sections up (or down) towards the middle. Note how the two sides are offset, with dark shadows where they meet, creating a zigzag shadow up the centre. The occasional pencil line for texture tells us it is hair. 3B pencil
Short Hair The top edge of the hair is indicated by a series of soft, grey marks, but what really tells us the shape is the deep shadow in front and into the parting. The unpainted areas between the two keep the hair soft and prevent it from becoming a solid object. Watercolour
The Head Beneath The tangled dreadlocks and the springy texture of the hair is suggested by the frenetically scribbled marks. Despite this anarchy, the shape of the head is followed through, remaining strong and clear. Sailor fountain pen, black ink, watercolour pencil, Waterbrush
Mark-Making to Show Texture These four people had very different hair types. Though I have used the same pencil, the marks I have created are very different, so the four textures are clearly communicated. Rainbow pencil Note the greater intensity of marks at the neck, where the underside of the hair is in shadow