How to Draw Manga Hair
Draw the head for your manga character., Think about what you want the hair to look like., Mark the hair outline on your character's head., Draw the basic outline of your hair., Detail and shape your hair., Colour/Shade your hair., Complete the rest...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Draw the head for your manga character.
You'll need a basic frame to work on.
Don't concern yourself too much on facial features, only on the shape of the head.
Remember manga heads change depending on gender, females generally have rounder, smaller, less-angular faces than males. -
Step 2: Think about what you want the hair to look like.
Don't be afraid to make it a little bit crazy.
A lot of famous manga characters have quite absurd and impossible-looking hairstyles.
There are a few basic things you'll need to decide:
Where the parting will go.
Whether the character will have bangs or a fringe or not.
How long the characters hair will be.
If the hair style matches the character's personality.
Whether the character be wearing a headband, hat, forehead protector or any other accessories which will alter the appearance of the hair. , Traditionally, the distance from the forehead to the top of the head should be equal to the distance from the top of the head to the top of the hairstyle.
Additionally, the same distance should be applied to the sides of the head to determine the distance from the side of the head to the side of the hairstyle.
This is just a guideline and can be altered once the hair is drawn to suit your tastes. , Pay attention to the guide marks you marked earlier.
It is easier to start from the fringe/top of the forehead and work outwards, paying attention to the direction in which the hair falls. , Manga hair is composed of many strands, or 'clumps'.
Hair is made more complex by adding more clumps, or by breaking down larger clumps into smaller ones.
Remember to pay attention to the direction of the hair. , Regardless of whether you've chosen to work in colour or not, shading/colouring your hair follows the same techniques.
Manga hair is always shiny and pronounced.
Decide upon the direction of light before you start.
If the light is shining from the left, your character's hair should be lighter on the left than the right.
If the light is coming from the front, frontal hair pieces such as the fringe and sideburns should be a lighter colour than the hair around the back of the neck.
Start with a 'base' colour, and add lighter and darker shades to areas affected by light. , A Manga character's hair is what gives it its personality; in fact, most Manga characters will look the same if their hair is taken away.
Consider this when deciding on facial features and expressions.
Colour and shade the face, and refine the hair.
Once you are happy with your character, go over any outlines and prominent features and shadows with a black-ink pen.
This process is known as inking and features heavily in Manga drawing.
Inking strengthens lines and hides pencil-work, while making your image stand out and giving your character its final touch-up. -
Step 3: Mark the hair outline on your character's head.
-
Step 4: Draw the basic outline of your hair.
-
Step 5: Detail and shape your hair.
-
Step 6: Colour/Shade your hair.
-
Step 7: Complete the rest of your character's face.
Detailed Guide
You'll need a basic frame to work on.
Don't concern yourself too much on facial features, only on the shape of the head.
Remember manga heads change depending on gender, females generally have rounder, smaller, less-angular faces than males.
Don't be afraid to make it a little bit crazy.
A lot of famous manga characters have quite absurd and impossible-looking hairstyles.
There are a few basic things you'll need to decide:
Where the parting will go.
Whether the character will have bangs or a fringe or not.
How long the characters hair will be.
If the hair style matches the character's personality.
Whether the character be wearing a headband, hat, forehead protector or any other accessories which will alter the appearance of the hair. , Traditionally, the distance from the forehead to the top of the head should be equal to the distance from the top of the head to the top of the hairstyle.
Additionally, the same distance should be applied to the sides of the head to determine the distance from the side of the head to the side of the hairstyle.
This is just a guideline and can be altered once the hair is drawn to suit your tastes. , Pay attention to the guide marks you marked earlier.
It is easier to start from the fringe/top of the forehead and work outwards, paying attention to the direction in which the hair falls. , Manga hair is composed of many strands, or 'clumps'.
Hair is made more complex by adding more clumps, or by breaking down larger clumps into smaller ones.
Remember to pay attention to the direction of the hair. , Regardless of whether you've chosen to work in colour or not, shading/colouring your hair follows the same techniques.
Manga hair is always shiny and pronounced.
Decide upon the direction of light before you start.
If the light is shining from the left, your character's hair should be lighter on the left than the right.
If the light is coming from the front, frontal hair pieces such as the fringe and sideburns should be a lighter colour than the hair around the back of the neck.
Start with a 'base' colour, and add lighter and darker shades to areas affected by light. , A Manga character's hair is what gives it its personality; in fact, most Manga characters will look the same if their hair is taken away.
Consider this when deciding on facial features and expressions.
Colour and shade the face, and refine the hair.
Once you are happy with your character, go over any outlines and prominent features and shadows with a black-ink pen.
This process is known as inking and features heavily in Manga drawing.
Inking strengthens lines and hides pencil-work, while making your image stand out and giving your character its final touch-up.
About the Author
Sophia Stevens
Creates helpful guides on organization to inspire and educate readers.
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