Best Methods of Drawing Realistic Hair
Best Methods of Drawing Realistic Hair
Drawing realistic hair on a portrait is one of the tough jobs, but mastering it is the key to bringing the subject to life. Hair is complex: hundreds of strands come in many textures, thicknesses, and colors. Knowing the right techniques will give an illusion of natural hair that flows with life. Here are some techniques for drawing realistic hair on your artwork:
1. Structure of the Hair
Before plunging into techniques, one has to know what hair really looks like. Hair is not flat; instead, it has some volume and direction. Always look at the flow of hair, how it holds highlights and how the shadows fall on the strands. It helps you get a correct and realistic representation on paper.
2. Light Outlines First
Start by blocking in the major shape of the hair. Use a light pencil to block in a curve, paying attention to its direction as well as volume. Don't try to draw individual strands of hair at this point, as you are just attempting to block in large sections of hair where it falls over the scalp as well as indicate where major highlights and shadows will fall.
3. Layering for Depth
Layering is very important and it gives depth and texture to hair. Base layer should be lightly shaded with a medium pencil like an HB or 2B, while gradually building up areas to darker shades with softer pencils like 4B or 6B, always following the flow of the hair. Quick smooth strokes can be made imitating strands. Layering does not just add depth but also transitions from light to dark in areas.
4. Variations in Strokes
To achieve a series of different textures, use the variation of strokes. To depict straight hair, long smooth strokes will be sufficient. However, to depict hair that is curled or wavy, looping strokes with the pencil will more or less simulate curls and waves. To enhance a bit of movement and fullness to this hair character, vary your pencil pressure. Softer strokes may catch finer strands while heavier pressure will create definition on darker areas.
5. Soft blending
The trick to making the hair soft and natural is blending. With the use of a blending stump or a soft tissue, it becomes possible to softly blend pencil strokes in layers. It does soften transitions between light and shadow in hair, which can make it very realistic. Do not over-blend, since you'll want to retain some of the fine details of individual strands.
You start adding highlights and details only after you have laid in the tone and mixed the hair. You could use a kneaded eraser to lift out some of the graphite in places where the light catches the hair the most. You return to draw in individual strands and fine detail with a sharp pencil, always focusing on areas that would catch the light.
7. Contrast
Realistic hair requires contrast. Hair has its own dynamic range of tones from dark shadows into bright highlights. Increasing the contrast there will pull out more three-dimensional and realistic-looking impression. So don't be afraid of pushing shadows darker but keep the highlights crisp and vibrant.
8. Practice, Practice, Practice
The more often you practice drawing realistic hair, the better your skills will be. Observe different kinds of hair types - straight, wavy, curly, textured, and the more you observe, the more you could copy them. The more you practice, the more natural it will be, and the better your drawings will be.
Conclusion
The technique for realistic hair is not an overnight skill, as it requires patience and dedication. Mastering such a technique with regard to detail would help attain a look almost photographically real. Understanding the structure of hair and using layering, variations in strokes, blending, and contrast would help one achieve such a look. Continual practice will make drawing hair realistically much easier, giving portraits a professional feel.
Best Methods of Drawing Realistic Hair
