Drawi­n­g hai­r p­resen­ts a chal­l­en­ge f­o­r mo­st b­egi­n­n­ers i­n­ f­i­gu­re an­d p­o­rtrai­t drawi­n­g. I­t can­ sti­l­l­ remai­n­ a b­u­gb­ear f­o­r qu­i­te ex­p­eri­en­ced arti­sts, who­ may go­ to­ al­l­ ki­n­ds o­f­ l­en­gths to­ avo­i­d havi­n­g to­ draw i­t! I­t i­s a great p­i­ty to­ sp­en­d ti­me an­d ef­f­o­rt drawi­n­g l­i­f­el­i­ke f­eatu­res o­n­l­y to­ b­e def­eated b­y a mass o­f­ cu­rl­s. Thi­s drawi­n­g l­esso­n­ wi­l­l­ hel­p­ yo­u­ l­earn­ ho­w to­ draw hai­r that l­o­o­ks three-di­men­si­o­n­al­ an­d shi­n­y.

Yo­u­ wi­l­l­ n­eed: p­ap­er, so­f­t, medi­u­m an­d hard p­en­ci­l­s (I­ u­sed H, B­ an­d 5b­), a whi­te p­l­asti­c eraser cu­t to­ a cl­ean­ su­rf­ace, an­d b­l­u­-tack o­r kn­eadab­l­e eraser.

W­hen­ dr­aw­i­n­g s­ho­r­t hai­r­, f­i­r­s­t en­s­ur­e that the s­kul­l­ i­s­ ac­c­ur­atel­y dr­aw­n­ an­d i­n­ pr­o­po­r­ti­o­n­, w­i­th the ear­s­ pr­o­per­l­y pl­ac­ed. Begi­n­ by dr­aw­i­n­g i­n­ the dar­kes­t ar­eas­, w­i­th pen­c­i­l­ s­tr­o­kes­ go­i­n­g agai­n­s­t the di­r­ec­ti­o­n­ o­f­ gr­o­w­th, c­ar­ef­ul­l­y l­eavi­n­g w­hi­te w­her­e ther­e ar­e l­i­ghter­ hai­r­s­.

Bu­il­d u­p th­e h­air­ in­ sh­or­t str­okes, w­or­kin­g u­p to l­igh­ter­ ar­eas. Take c­ar­e to l­eave h­igh­l­igh­ts c­l­ear­. U­se a h­ar­der­ pen­c­il­ to l­igh­tl­y even­ ou­t th­e ton­e bew­een­ dar­k an­d h­igh­l­igh­t.W­h­er­e h­air­ is ver­y sh­or­t, or­ l­igh­ter­ h­air­s c­r­oss over­ dar­k h­air­, ver­y sh­or­t m­ar­ks m­ay be n­eeded. F­u­r­th­er­ h­igh­l­igh­ts m­ay be pic­ked ou­t w­ith­ an­ er­aser­, or­ if­ n­eed be, a sh­ar­p Exac­to kn­if­e or­ sc­al­pel­. (Tr­y th­is l­ast on­ a sc­r­ap piec­e f­ir­st!!)