How to Draw Realistic Hair with a Pencil

Hair can be the bane of any artist's existence, but with a few good techniques, drawing hair can be easy, fun, and relaxing.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Paper (drawing, typing paper)
• A 2H and HB drawing pencil
• A no.2 pencil will work in place

1. 
    
   Outline a section of hair

   First thing's first. It's a lot easier to draw hair if you divide it into sections. Start by lightly drawing the outline of one section of hair. Make sure not to get crazy and drive your pencil into the table, a light outline will do.

2. 
    
   Lightly draw where the shadows in the hair will be.

   After you have lightly drawn a section of hair, we are going to come in with a little more detail. Many people have a hard time drawing hair, and actually try to draw every strand of hair. Drawing this way makes the hair look flat and very two-dimensional. In order to draw realistic, lustrous, full-of-volume hair, you will ONLY need to draw the SHADOWS of the hair. So, start by lightly drawing in where the shadows of the hair will be. Use light, flowing, wispy lines to simulate the shadows in the hair.

3. 
    
   Finished section of hair.

   Okay! Now that we have our outline, and a place marker for where the shadows are going to be, we can continue to add more detail. First start out lightly until you can get a feel for how you need to move your hand/wrist. Use flowing lines, and draw in the shadows a little darker now. Keep in mind that the darker your shadows are, the darker-colored the hair will look. Spread the shadows out as far as you think you need to in order to achieve the desired effect, BUT it's easy to over-do it, so it will take some time to learn when enough is enough.

Tips & Warnings

• It will take a little getting used to this style of drawing, so don't expect your first time to come out perfect; And if it does, then that's great too!
• ALWAYS remember that when you draw hair, you are not drawing the hair itself, rather the shadows that define the hair.

[turtledove]

on 5/29/2009 I'm saving this for my daughter. She always complains that she can't draw hair right. 5*

[FrazzledNanny]

on 5/19/2009 Thanks for the great pictures and steps for drawing realistic hair with a pencil. 5*

[Flybyknight]

on 5/15/2009 Thanks for the tips. I have always had trouble drawing hair especially realistic hair. Great article! Thanks! 5*